Turkeys grazing outside the garden this morning

September 30, 2014

36 degrees/cloudy/breezy

Pentoga Road

How we went from Fourth of July weather to that more fit for Thanksgiving in two days is amazing. One thing is certain, I won't be wearing shorts today.

With the wind and rain, many of the leaves have dropped. Our drive is completely covered in some places.

Two hours were spent Monday morning grading papers. As of last night, I'm caught up and will make up the weekly test today.

I turned my attentions to the wood stove. Surface rust had collected where the kettle sits and the entire stove was looking faded and old.

I've sanded and rubbed the stove with PB rust remover, the same product I use to loosen rusted nuts or bolts. It will take off rust; also any paint.

It took several hours since I also sanded and cleaned the heavy kettle; the one that boils 24/7 in the winter months to keep moisture in the air. When the temperatures dip below zero, I'll fill it three, four, sometimes five times a day.

A grinding stone attached to the Dremel was the only thing that would remove the worst of the lime and iron deposits on the kettle. I even scraped some with a chisel to remove the first layer.

Finishing the stove and kettle, my attentions were turned towards the basement where I moved several cases of empty canning jars to the storage shed. They were put in front and will be used during maple syrup season.

Pickles, beans, and maple syrup, the most important food groups (along with bacon and butter...) I canned 35 quarts of bread and butter pickles alone this summer.

I'll continue working in the basement this morning after I arrive home from my five-mile hike. I've not been walking at all since strolling fifty miles last month as I've been feeling sorry for myself and pouting since I'm unable to do the Appalachian Trail. It's time to put Plan B into effect (whatever that is) and get the legs going, elevate the heart rate, and pump some fresh blood through these veins of mine. You can't keep a good hiker down!

But first, I'll enjoy a fresh cup of coffee and listen to the news.

The finished products

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

September 29, 2014 - Monday
51 degrees/rain/breezy
Pentoga Road

Indian Summer is over. I hear rain hitting the metal roof overhead. The high for today is to barely climb out of the 40's and if there's any wind at all, the red, orange, and yellow leaves that have made this past week so picture perfect will be lying on the ground by day's end.



I skipped fishing Saturday morning so that I could finish working up the large maple tree that was cut down last week. I started around 8 AM and finished at noon. 

A wood pecker had carved this large hole in search of grubs. I wonder what critter was calling it his home?

That's a big job out of the way, but there are four more trees to work up before snow flies.

Breakfast for Bear Grylls. This would have been a buffet for any wood pecker.

Saturday was warm and sunny, far too nice to do mere work at home. I decided drive to town with the ATV in back of the pickup, leave the truck at Yooper Brother Mark's plant to be filled with wood, and ride the four-wheeler home. The plan was perfect, so was the ride.







It was mid afternoon before I arrived home and decided to enjoy my big meal of the day early. Steak, tomatoes, and a large potato from the garden. Perfect.

I worked the rest of the day on the backhoe, making a lot of progress on the last area of the backyard. 

This is the largest boulder I've ever lifted with the backhoe. Guessing? I'm sure it weighed close to half a ton. It was sticking out of the ground, on edge, just enough to hit with the mower. I knew in years to come, we'd be cussing that thing each time we mowed the grass and hit it with the blade. Not knowing its size, I decided to go ahead and dig it up. It took awhile, but the rock is now buried six feet under.

Brutus and I survived our second night without Sargie. For all the teasing about what party animals we both are, we called it a night around 9 PM and were sound asleep soon thereafter. 

I was awake and out the door shortly after 5 AM Sunday morning. With only one more day of Indian Summer forecast, I wanted to go fishing at least one last time. The scenery was something that calendars are made of.



As pretty as the surroundings were, fishing was horribly slow. I was going to quit and trolling back to the boat landing when the bluegills began hitting. I ended with several nice ones, plus a decent bass.



Sargie arrived home shortly after noon. She came with a big smile on her face and lots of stories of the weekend. It was good to have her back home.

Grandma got in a little Grady time while in Marquette

After it became certain that the Packers were going to defeat the Bears, Sargie and I rode the four-wheeler into town. The day was simply too beautiful not to.

We drove to Mark and Sheri's, but found they weren't home. 

"Mark hearts Sheri!" He made this planter earlier this year. They are currently doing a remodeling job on their front porch. 

We later met them at the local filling station as we were getting gas and spent a while catching up on all the latest happenings.

Sargie decided to clean the windshield while I was inside paying for the gas.

Sargie's back to work today. Brutus and I are going to continue to move items from the basement into the storage unit. I see a ton of papers came in overnight, so I'll have to put on my professor's hat for a couple of hours. 

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



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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Daybreak on Saturday morning

September 27, 2014
41 degrees/clear/calm
Pentoga Road

Indian Summer continues on Pentoga Road and I don't believe there's anyone who is not enjoying it. According to Carl the Weatherman, we're to have two more days of near-perfect conditions before it all comes crashing to a halt. Some of the forecast highs for next week barely make it out of the 40's with occasional rain.

I was going to go fishing early this morning, but decided to stay home and get the rest of the maple tree worked up and put away. As Andy says about various activities in his life, "That wood ain't gonna chop itself."

I did go fishing Friday morning. 



Though I didn't catch many, the few I brought home were nice sized. As Sargie says, we're putting the filets in our "bluegill bank" so we can have a huge fish fry sometime this fall.



For the first time in a couple of days, I ventured to the garden and began the annual fall clean up. As much as I love to play in the dirt, plant, and harvest the vegetables I grow, I absolutely hate to pull the dead plants and vines. It's kind of like, as a child, having to clean my room after having a buddy or two spend the night. 

I didn't realize there were so many mini pumpkins until the vines died last week.

I began yesterday by picking a few regular pumpkins, mini-pumpkins, and some white ones. I'll wait another week before harvesting the giant pumpkins.



I also began collecting seed for next year's garden. Yesterday saw me pluck a few mammoth sunflower seeds and select two or three Kibit tomatoes. The Kibits are from the Ukraine and though they look like a paste/pear tomato, are very juicy and have an old-fashioned tomato flavor. The only problem is they bear so heavy that it takes a super tomato cage to hold them up. I'll spend part of this winter inventing something so they can't fall to the ground next summer. 



I took a break from the heat of the day and spent a couple of hours indoors grading papers. My typical student is either one earning his graduate degree or an experienced teacher who is taking the class for certification. Assignments submitted by those students are generally top notch. 

In the fall, I usually have a few freshmen education majors, those right out of high school. There were a couple of papers yesterday that reminded me of my public school teaching days. I'll just say they were sent back filled with digital red pencil marks.

I spent the rest of the working day on the backhoe. I thought I'd only have another hour or two of work in the backyard before that project was finished, but I ran into a pile of boulders and rocks that were probably pushed to one side when this was a working farm. At first, I thought I'd simply cart them away using the tractor, but after a while, I came to the conclusion that I'd dig a huge hole and bury them. 



Hopefully, I'll finish that particular area this afternoon.

Future back yard? I hope so.

I received a call from Sargie last night. She'd made it to Marquette in great shape and they'd just finished supper. The girls were heading to their hotel room(s) for a night of girl-talk. I'd sure loved to have been a little mouse in the corner listening. On second thought, no I wouldn't. I'd not want to be privy to all that important news and information!

Brutus and I made it through the night in great shape although he missed Sargie and couldn't figure out where she'd gone. I slept on her side of the bed and he was only a few inches away on the floor. Each time the pup would turn over, burp, snore, or pass no small amount of gas, I'd wake up. As Sargie says, he can be a real pig. 

I awakened this morning laying on my side, facing out, on the edge of the bed. I opened my eyes and found Brutus sitting up looking at me, our heads level, my nose only an inch or two from his. I laughed and asked what he was doing and he responded by licking me square across the face with his big, wet, tongue.

It's time to head outside and get the last of the maple tree worked up. After, I want to harvest the winter squash from the garden, then spend this afternoon on the backhoe.

I'm going to end today by grilling a steak Sargie bought me before she left. Mmm, fresh tomatoes, a baked potato, both from the garden, chopped green pepper, butter, and sour cream, on the potato... the steak grilled medium rare. Oh yeah... I could eat it all for breakfast.

Our closest town seven miles away, Alpha, is decked out in its fall colors.

Time to quit dreaming and get busy. After all, a man's job is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road... 

Pentoga Road is beautiful this time of the year. Our drive is at the bottom of the hill on the left.

September 26, 2014 - Friday
46 degrees/clear/calm
Pentoga Road

The perfect weather continues. The weatherman is forecasting sunny skies and warm temperatures through the weekend before a front moves through and seasonal norms return. Honestly, this weather could stay around for another month and I don't think anyone in the UP that would be too upset.

Mom made it home yesterday in good shape. I talked with her last night and she was tired but happy. Her therapy will continue through Home Healthcare, but she's officially on her own. You go Mommy!

I began Thursday by working on the maple tree I'd cut earlier in the week. Most the large chunks are split and stored away and another two to three hours of swinging the maul should see that chore finished. I'll begin on another tree this coming week. I think there are three or four more large trees that need to be cut and worked up before snow flies.



When I got the backhoe last spring, the first place I worked was on a dirt pile in the rear of the back yard. There were few trees, but plenty of rocks and dirt, and I spent a day or two experimenting and making a mess before moving to other places that were higher on the priority list.



I returned to that area yesterday to tidy up a bit. One hole was filled with boulders and covered over. Another was begun. I'm estimating there's about two or three hours of work in that area and it will be ready for grass to grow and become a part of the yard. 

The area on the right was all trash, brush, trees, and used as a dump by previous owners. All that's left to do is what's on the left.

The day was too nice to be inside. Though there are assignments that need grading, I've been procrastinating and spending all my time outdoors. Yesterday was no exception.

What to do? It was late in the afternoon and I decided I should simply go fishing. Fishing is like bacon and butter... it makes life better. I went to the lake at the end of the road and fished with a small jig for crappies. In the end, I caught only two plus one perch. I had to quit before dark and get home otherwise I'd have had a full basket.



I made a large bag of popcorn for the Milligan Sister gathering in Marquette this weekend. It's tough to make the perfect batch of popcorn after such a hard day of toil, but as it's said, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. 

Sargie was home late and our evening was short. We're up early this morning. She's packing and will leave for Marquette directly from work this afternoon.

I'm going to go fishing as soon as she leaves. Yooper Brother Mark and I were going to kayak down the Brule River today, but something came up and he has to work. As I told him, who are those people who hire him, pay him, and then expect him to work? Geesh. At any rate, being on the water is absolutely the best way to take full advantage of this weather and I want to build up our stocks of fish filets before the weather turns bad. Forecast highs are for the mid 70's today.

Brutus and I will be left to our own devices this weekend while Sargie's away. He wants to party down, get loud, and out of control. I told him we didn't want the neighbors to complain, so I imagine life will remain about the same as always on Pentoga Road.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

I was privileged to go fishing and be a part of a beautiful picture Wednesday morning.

September 25, 2014 - Thursday

52 degrees/cloudy/calm

Pentoga Road

This is the six-hundredth upload of Tales from Pentoga. That's a lot of writing and pictures. Then there are hundreds of older ones on the Alaska Professor website and if one included the old Arctic Professor site from the Arctic Circle days, there'd be thousands. Golly, my fingers sure talk a lot. 

That's okay, writing several times a week has become such a habit over the years that I'd write even if there was no one to read it. I think it's the digital version of keeping a diary. It allows me to see up close the photos I take during the day and as I've mentioned previously, writing keeps me between the lines. I guess I'll keep on keeping on.

Mom comes home today!! After almost a month in the hospital, Mom is due to arrive sometime this early afternoon at her senior community to independently resume life. Home Health Care will be occasionally dropping by to assist her, but otherwise, Mom will be back to living on her own. 

We're so proud of Mom and as I've told many, I sure hope I have those "tough" genes that makes her such a great example for the rest of us. But then, I'd expect no less. It's what she's always done. After all, she's Mom. 

Wednesday morning was spent fishing. It was so beautiful that even if I'd not caught anything, the time would have been worthwhile. 

As it was I caught a nice mess of decent-sized bluegills.

The rest of the day was spent doing chores around the house, carrying out the last of the boxes that had been sorted through, and making a trip to the thrift shop. I began carting boxes from the basement to the storage shed and it's quickly becoming much more manageable. As I told Sargie, I sincerely hope this is my last move in this lifetime. If we become too infirm that we need to move from Pentoga Road... well, we have seven sons, all big, strong, and strapping, who can divide up our unwanted possessions and do our moving for us. 

I drove to Iron Mountain late in the afternoon so I could ride back with Sargie last night. She's been working some very long hours and closes tonight, so I thought I'd keep her company; maybe lessen her driving time a bit.

We worked outside last evening. She's getting ready to spend the weekend in Marquette with her sisters. All participate in an Alzheimers walk to raise money for research. Brutus and I will hang out this weekend, spend some quality guy-time together, chill, veg, and watch some football, go fishing, or do whatever it is that a man and his bulldog do when the other half of their lives is away.

Time to get busy. I'll ride back to Iron Mountain a bit later this morning with Sargie to retrieve the Blazer. After, I hope to get more firewood worked up, some boxes carried from the basement and into the storage unit, and of course, there's that all-important after-lunch nap to take.

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

So concludes the 600th tale from Pentoga Road...

September 24, 2014 - Wednesday
41 degrees/clear/calm
Pentoga Road

Wednesday was a simple day. I moved wood in the morning and went fishing in the afternoon. 

I really like working with wood, especially firewood. Though it was a pain in the backside yesterday, having to park the truck 25 yards from the downed tree and moving the chunks by tractor, I still found it enjoyable. 



I think the reason is that I can put my mind in neutral and simply work. There were no little marks on a tape measure to read, no academic points to make to a student... it was just good old-fashioned, roll-up-your-sleeves labor.



The challenge for yesterday was to navigate between the trees and boulders so I could dump the wood into the truck. At times, I felt a bit like a pinball machine as I bumped from one tree to the other and occasionally, a piece of wood would fall from the bucket. 



Fishing was pretty slow. It started with a bang, but soon fizzled. The fish began hitting as the afternoon wore on, but I needed to head to shore, get the boat loaded, and be home well before dark. Oh well, at least the scenery was beautiful.



I think I'll go fishing again first thing this morning. These near-perfect days we're having won't last forever and there's little doubt in anyone's mind, at least around here, that the coming winter will be long and hard.

After arriving home late Tuesday evening, Sargie works early today and we should have an evening together tonight. I think I'll begin to work up the pile of maple wood and get it put away before I begin to cut another large tree.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...