The finished raised vegetable planter

April 24, 2015 - Friday evening

41 degrees/cloudy/calm

Pentoga Road

Friday was a busy one on Pentoga Road. With plenty of sunshine and warmer temperatures, it was time to make hay while the sun shown.

The day started by riding with Sargie five miles towards Iron Mountain, then walking back. The temperature was only 16 degrees, but plenty of sunshine and calm conditions made walking enjoyable. 

I watched as this Tom turkey performed his dance for a group of nearby females.

I spent the rest of the morning alternating between washing laundry and working on the new raised planter. 

The base was moved outside and the sides were built.

I finished by building both ends and hope to eventually put casters on the legs so it can moved when full and on a hard surface.

I like the idea that whatever is grown in the planter will be closer to eye level and much easier to see.

Plenty of mistakes were made, but since I had no plans and was merely copying a picture, I'm happy. Also, it is made out of 100% scrap lumber and landscape timbers, all left over from previous jobs.

Yooper Brother Mark stopped out later in the afternoon. We were sitting on the deck talking when I randomly checked the DNR's website to see if open burning was allowed on Friday. It was! I've been waiting all spring to burn the brush pile in the front meadow.

Mark and I stood, mostly talking, and watching for errant flames to spread into the dry grass. 

The wood was quite dry and immediately caught fire. Within an hour, much of the pile had become mere ash.

Sargie was home early tonight. I'd ordered a loaf of ciabatta bread earlier from the bakery at our local grocery so Sargie and I made a quick trip to town to pick it up.

Sargie works early in the morning. I'm planning to walk the usual five miles then begin work rebuilding some of the raised beds in the garden. I may take some empty trash cans to Yooper Brother Mark's plant and fill them with wood chips to cover the terrace. No doubt I'll stir the ashes in the burn pile and try to get anything that didn't burn to catch. It looks to be another busy day.

Bedtime is quickly approaching. Since Brutus is afraid of the dark, I need to take him out one last time for the night, fill the wood stove, and make Sargie's lunch for tomorrow.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Flock after flock of geese continued to wing their way north on Friday.