The blueberries in the orchard are slowly ripening.

August 7, 2013 – Wednesday

60 degrees/cloudy/calm

Pentoga Road

We received almost another inch of rain over the past 24 hours and the forecast high for today is to be 69 degrees. If the winter’s weather is the equivalent to this summer’s, we’ll have about twenty feet of snow with temperatures in the minus 40’s by next spring. Hmm, the conditions should make for great maple syrup and lots of ice through which to fish.

A storm cloud at sunset

Tuesday can only be summed up in one word: BUSY

I was in the garden early picking the first of this season’s green beans. With all the rain, they are crisp and look to be excellent. I also plucked the first eggplant and gathered some cucumbers. It was time to make pickles.

A trip to town was needed for some ingredients, mostly dill, lids, garlic, and pickling salt. I stopped and talked with Yooper Brother Mark at the plant. It’s a busy place and I think the poor guy is meeting himself coming and going. I also stopped by the Dollar Store and purchased the step stool Sargie’s wanted for the kitchen. There was a choice of colors, grey, blue, or girly pink. I called to the Vision Center asking for guidance and in the end, brought home a very girly, bubble gum pink stool.

The lack of the letter "I" struck me as being funny. I could tell something wasn't right with the sign, so I parked the car and walked closer. (That's when one knows he has more time than good sense.) Naturally, it should have read, "Iron River." Ron River sounds like the name of a movie star. 

While at the grocery store, I ran into an elderly lady named Nancy who was telling me about the easiest cake recipe in the world. One takes an angel food cake mix and adds two cans of pie filling; throw it all together and put it in the oven at 350 degrees for 35 minutes and poof, it’s done.

I’ll be darn if Nancy wasn’t right. I made Sargie a lemon cake yesterday and it was about the easiest thing in the world. We sampled it last night and she pronounced it a complete success.

I enjoyed making six quart jars of dill pickle spears. Hopefully they turned out okay. It will be six to eight weeks before the verdict is in. If they taste as good as they look, we’re all set.

We put a pork roast in the crockpot yesterday morning and will have that tonight for supper along with potatoes, new carrots, beets, and green beans. Since Sargie had to work late last night, we decided to postpone the big supper until this evening when she’ll be home by the usual supper hour.

Amid all the cooking and canning, Brutus and I managed to find the time to go for our three-mile walk. The knee felt good and for the first time, I didn’t have to immediately sit down upon our arrival home. Maybe there’s hope?!

In another month, this canopy of trees will be a brilliant red and orange. It's my favorite time of year.

Since there were storms forecast and Sargie was working late, I ambled my way to Iron Mountain while it was still light so I could give her some company on the way home. I’m glad I did. We had a good talk and the drive went quickly. I’ll ride back with her first thing this morning, turn around, and come back.

Today’s agenda. Hmm, I’m not sure. It all depends on the weather. There’s a large maple tree that fell over during a storm last spring. It needs to be cut and worked up, but first, the chain on the saw will have to be sharpened. The man who lives here tried to cut a rock the last time he used it.

I’ll need to feed the pumpkins and the grass is beginning to get long again, but a new deck belt should be installed first. Oh boy, it could be overwhelming, but I t’ain’t skairt. After all, a man’s work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road…

That's right. While wandering around WalMart, I observed that Halloween goodies are already being placed on the shelves.