Dew on the asparagus fronds Thursday morning

July 31, 2014 - Thursday

46 degrees/foggy/calm

Pentoga Road

Mom gave us a bit of a scare Wednesday evening. Her heart went out of rhythm, something that occurred up to a couple of years ago until two stints were inserted near her heart. Since then, she's been doing well.

Mom took a nitro glycerin and after a few minutes when the heart continued to beat rapidly, took another. By that time, she was so weak that we called an ambulance.

Her heart finally converted back to normal after reaching the emergency room. The doctor and staff performed all kinds of tests and after a couple of hours, released Mom. It was almost 1 AM before we arrived back home. Needless to say, Mom won't be flying out today... or at any time soon. I talked with my sister in Indiana and we'll make some sort of arrangements to drive Mom home, possibly meet half way. So for now, Mom remains in the UP. I've already told her there'll be no working up wood or construction projects in her near future. 

I started Wednesday with the usual five mile hike. Wearing the weighted pack didn't seem to make a difference; in fact, I hiked in the same amount of time as when I'm not wearing a pack.

I strapped on the back pack Wednesday morning for the first time in two years, loaded it with four bags of sugar (sixteen pounds) and hiked five miles

I was only carrying sixteen pounds, about seven less than I'll be carrying for real, but I don't anticipate any problems.

Sargie purchased a new stroller for Baby Grady soon after he was born. It's been in a box, unassembled, for the past several weeks. Since Grady's going to be staying with us this weekend, Sargie thought it might be a good idea if I put the thing together.

There might have been a bit of muttering, but it went together with no problems.

Brutus taking a drink from the outdoors faucet.

Mom and I went to town to run a few errands. Yooper Brother Mark texted me earlier saying the Man Truck was filled with wood so Mom followed me home later in the Blazer. While in town, Mom treated me to lunch, a good cheeseburger and fries.

I spent the rest of the afternoon on the backhoe working in the side yard. There's quite a bit of excess dirt to move. Since the front end loader on the tractor has tines, I fastened a scrap piece of wood across them so the dirt wouldn't fall between. It worked.

I'll have to go over that section again as I moved what I could, but it will take more work and scraping to shape it like I want. 

We finally got a decent rain late in the afternoon. It was the first measurable accumulation we've received in the past two weeks. Hopefully, it won't be the last.

Since Wednesday night's meal was to be Mom's last in the UP, I fried fish, mushrooms, and sweet potato fries. Sargie was home early from work and the three of us enjoyed a great meal.

It's time to grade some final projects then see what the day has in store.

Thursday evening

Mom had a good day and to see her now, you'd never know she had an ambulance ride last night. We're grateful for her quick rebound.

The weather was perfect and since this was Sargie's day off, we did a lot of talking and laughing. Mom was tired this morning, but has gained strength as the day has progressed. 

Sargie washed and hung out several loads of laundry. Mom has read and tagged around with us, but she hasn't worked up any wood or done any building. 

Sargie and Mom cutting detergent packets. We purchase them at a huge discount still in a sheet at the local liquidation store.

I cut several popple poles that will be used to keep piled fire wood from spilling. The poles will be attached to three trees making a triangle. I'll put a tarp on the ground, pile the wood on that, then keep a tarp over the top.

I talked with my sister and brother-in-law earlier today. They'll be leaving Indiana early for Green Bay. Mom and I will leave here around 9:30 and hopefully, we'll all meet around noon. After lunch, they'll head south with Mom. I need to be well away from Green Bay before any rush hour begins and home long before dark. 

It's about time for me to head to bed. It was a short night and today has been a long one. Tomorrow looks to be the same.

After all, a man's work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

July 30, 2014 - Wednesday
46 degrees/clear/calm
Pentoga Road

The past two days have been pretty mundane, being filled with mowing, gardening, a bit of construction, and landscaping. 

 Mom and Brutus keeping a discerning eye on my work.

I've walked five miles each day and am happy that with my fourth toe taped to the little one on my right foot, I have absolutely no pain. I'm more eager than ever to begin the Pictured Rocks hike starting a week from Friday. It's been quite the journey during the past twelve months. There was the knee procedure last summer, taking a full year to recover, then the Morton's Neuroma  reocurring two months ago. Mom keeps saying that age is only a number, but as the number gets higher, it seems I have to occasionally remind my body.



I've been working in and around the garden. For the first time this summer, I've had to begin watering. It's not critical, but we could certainly use a good, old-fashioned, all-day rain. Compared to the drought we suffered three, four, and five years ago, we're in good shape.



I picked the first batch of this season's cucumbers on Tuesday. Hopefully, there'll be a few more in the next day or two and I can begin making bread and butter pickles. I purchased all the ingredients on Tuesday.





The landscaping and side yard are coming together very nicely. Hopefully, the next few days will see it finished. 

These aren't rocks in this hole, they are boulders, many weighing several hundred pounds each. Andy dug the five to six foot deep hole while he was here earlier this summer.

No more hole! The excess dirt will be scraped into more low lying areas.

I'm getting excited about my upcoming hike. I think I'll start wearing my backpack with fifteen to twenty pounds of weight on my daily walks. It's been two years since I've done any serious long-distance trekking and I want to eliminate of as many bugs in my equipment as possible.

Checking for any problems with my hammock. The only problem I've found so far is that I tend to fall asleep.

Today is Mom's last in the UP as she's scheduled to depart on Thursday's noon flight. I'm not sure where the past two weeks have gone, but they've flown by all too quickly. For sure, I'm going to miss my building buddy!

I hope to finish the worst section in the side yard later today. Mom and I are going to run a few errands in town first and tonight, we're going to have a big fish fry of bluegill filets, deep fried mushrooms, French fries, and cole slaw made from cabbage out of the garden.

This is what happens to a full grown cabbage after a sudden downpour of rain in dry weather. There was no room for it to grow, so it split as it swelled with water. This cabbage will be made into Wednesday night's coleslaw.

But first, it's time to get a cup of coffee and listen to the news. 

After all, a man's work is never done... 

Junior's been out sniffing around.

July 28, 2014 - Monday

42 degrees/partly cloudy/calm

Pentoga Road

There's not much to talk about this morning. Sunday can best be categorized as being LAZY. No one around here suffered a heart attack from stress, that's for sure.

Final projects are beginning to pour in now that the summer session is winding down. It appears any spare time I thought I might have in the next few days will be occupied by reading and grading each. 

We were slow in getting around on Sunday and later in the morning, I fixed huge vegetable omelets for brunch. If it grew, I chopped it up and threw it in the frying pan. What wasn't ripe was supplemented by goodies Sargie had purchased.

I even included in snap peas. 

Even the basil used to season the omelet was grown in our garden.

Jerad, Mark and Sheri's son, stopped out for a couple of hours. We had a great visit and got caught up on the news from his side of the world.

Intermittent rain began falling. What to do? We hopped in the car and headed out for a drive, stopping in town for a Coke and ice cream cones along the way.

Arriving home, I found some videos on Youtube and broadcast them onto the television screen; mostly old films of the Glenn Miller band, the McGuire Sisters, the Andrew Sisters, and so on. Mom was quick to point out that that was back when bands still made REAL music. I'd have to agree.

Last night was just as lazy. We had our noses stuck in our computers. Sargie and Mom were doing their thing, I was grading papers. The television was on in the background, but I'm not sure anyone was really watching it. 

Sargie's back to work today. I'm going to do my early morning walk then concentrate my efforts on the storage building, the side yard, mowing a bit in the back, then possibly starting to work up a large tree that will be turned into firewood.

Leaving this coming Thursday, Mom begins her last few days on Pentoga Road. That poor girl is going to have to head home so she can rest from her vacation, although she was citing all the committees she's either on or the head of in her senior complex. It sounds as though she'll be jumping from the frying pan into the fire. As she says, that's what keeps her going... and Mom's a going concern. Nobody disputes that.

Speaking of going concerns, it's time to pour a cup of coffee. After all, a man's work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...  

To use the hammock or the tent? That is the question.

July 27, 2014 - Sunday

63 degrees/sunny/calm

Pentoga Road

Saturday was a beautiful day on Pentoga Road. With the temperatures in the mid-70's and plenty of sun, it was the perfect day to be outside.

I started the morning by walking. That went well.

After arriving home, Mom and I went into town where I bought the lumber with which to make the rafters for the roof of the storage shed. 

I hope we can start on that sometime this week. As I told Yooper Brother Mark, if he can make one with the right angles, I'll use that as a pattern and finish (hopefully) the rest. 

My hike along Lake Superior is to begin August 8th and I've been going through my long distance hiking equipment. This is the shake down trip before I head to the Appalachian Trail in March.

To use the hammock or my one-person ultra light tent? I'm thinking that I'll begin the Appalachian Trail with the tent as it is much warmer and since I'll begin in March, chances are I'll encounter snow in the mountains during the first month. 

After, I'll ship it home and have Sargie send me the hammock. It's lighter, handier, and much cooler. We'll be sending winter/spring/summer clothes, boots and shoes, and equipment, back and forth throughout the five to six month trek.

Mom is trying on my hammock. I'm trying to talk her into hiking with me in a couple of weeks, but so far, no luck. (Before she'd try the hammock, she made me promise I'd help her get out.)

The rest of the day was spent on landscaping activities. I had a bit of top soil left from earlier this spring and used it to fill in any parts of the backyard where we earlier removed boulders, filled in those holes, then had it sink a bit. You might remember some of those boulders were the size of a small car. All that is now needed is grass.

I spent the rest of the day on the backhoe or raking dirt. At least a fourth of the side yard is now finished. I hope to tackle the area where Andy and I worked earlier this summer and finish this week. It's, by far, the worst area and I hope the most difficult work is behind me. 

Mark and Sheri stopped out last night and we had a great time. It was good to catch up on the news with both. 

Sargie was home early and we spent a quiet evening watching television and relaxing. 

Thankfully, she doesn't have to work today. I'm not sure what we're going to do. Supposedly, rain is forecast, but I've not seen many clouds floating overhead.

Meanwhile, it's time to get another cup of coffee and think deep thoughts. After all, a man's work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road... 

Despite another polar vortex roaring through that has kept temperatures below normal and a lack of rain, the garden continues to grow.

 July 26, 2014 - Saturday
61 degrees/cloudy/calm
Pentoga Road

As usual, I'm running a day late and dollar short here this morning. Sargie is working early and I'm trying to get my early morning chores finished before I ride five miles down the road with her and walk back.

Sargie's flowers are brilliant

Speaking of walk... Despite the cortisone shots in both feet a couple of weeks ago, the right foot has begun hurting again with a vengeance. Not willing to sacrifice my upcoming hike along Lake Superior, I've begun experimenting with orthodics, tape, and padding, and believe I've come up with a method that will allow me to take my stroll. Stay tuned.



I hung the hammock yesterday, made some adjustments, and climbed in... just because I could. I'm beginning to get excited about a long distance hike again. With the knee being worked on last summer, anything requiring leg strength and endurance has been kept to a minimum. I think I'll be ready to go. Put me in coach, I'm ready to play.



With Mom's help, the last three feet of the walls on the storage unit were finished. Yooper Brother Mark stopped out yesterday to help me measure for the roof materials and pronounced it good. I did put the three foot section in backwards, but five minutes of work will see that turned around. I feel as though I've really accomplished something and as I told someone earlier, I am beginning to see a very small light at the end of the tunnel on this project. It's teeny, but definitely there.

We unloaded another truck full of wood on Thursday which made the second bin completely full. Boy, is that a good feeling. I'll now store the wood under a tarp behind the bins. If I make a through attempt on the Appalachian Trail next March, I'll need all I can get for the following winter. 



The garden continues to provide. I picked the first cucumber and head of cauliflower with everything else ripening at a rapid pace.

That pole bean is over ten feet in the air and still growing. I'd erect another stick for it to climb on, but I'm afraid I'll find a giant up in the clouds while picking beans.

I worked for some time on Friday in the side yard and that's beginning to take shape. I wish I could find an old pull-behind farm disc. I've owned a couple in my previous life. It seems with the price of scrap metal, they are few and far between and those that can be found are very expensive. Oh well, it is what it is.



Time to pack Sargie's lunch and get this show on the road. After all, a man's work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...