Right out of the grocery store on Saturday afternoon, Sargie's celebrating our warm, summer-like weather. 

May 3, 2015 - Sunday morning

55 degrees/sunny/breezy

Pentoga Road

And just like that, summer's here. A month ago, we were slogging through snow, mostly mud. Now it's dry, windy, and at one point yesterday, with a high of 76 degrees, it was almost hot. 

It seems warm and the temperatures are above normal, but we aren't close to setting a record. There's a chance of rain for four out of the next seven days, so maybe our dry spell will end. After the past two winters of record-setting cold and snowfall, everyone I know is enjoying the warmth. (Remind me of that in August when I'm muttering about how hot it is.)

While Sargie was doing laundry and other household chores Saturday morning, I worked in the garden and finished building the last of the raised beds.  

I've wondered where the soil has gone over the past three years. All the beds were originally full and by last year, many had lost, what seemed like, half their fill. I found out yesterday.

The old boards I'd originally used had rotted and warped so much that the soil had expanded into the aisles.

 There was a lot of shovel work that had to be done to gather up the dirt when making the new beds. Lesson learned.

Some of the rotten boards from the old beds

I took the time on Saturday morning to plant radishes and carrots in the new raised planter. I like the height and could stand alongside and actually see the seeds without having to bend way over or get down on my hands and knees. Building two or three more are already in the works for next winter's projects. 

The strawberries that were planted in the pyramids are beginning to leaf out and prosper. I was worried that keeping them in an artificial dormancy might kill them, but it appears they are going to make it.

I also planted a seed from one of last year's largest-ever pumpkins. I'll sprout it in the greenhouse and later, transplant it into the garden. One of the pollinators of this seed weighed 2,009 pounds. The other a mere 1,634 lbs. I'm hoping for one that's over 300 pounds. 

It was past noon and the weather was perfect for a four-wheeler ride into town. It didn't take much convincing to talk Sargie into going. 

We strapped the large picnic cooler on the back of the ATV to take advantage of a one-day sale at one of the local groceries. After, we stopped for a Coke before coming back home.

To show you how "hip" we are with our biker gear... Sargie's helmet is a castoff given to us by Yooper Mark. He said he purchased that back in the 70's. My helmet is second (or third) hand and probably manufactured in the 60's. It's no wonder everybody wants to be us.

Authentic biker food to help sustain us on our journey. You can't beat a good old-fashioned Mallo Cup that is made in the USA and also gluten free! I'm pretty sure that simply eating one makes a biker even healthier.

The ride home was beautiful. It was a fun way to spend a beautiful day.

Sargie had put a pork loin in the crock pot earlier in the day and we enjoyed that in sandwiches after arriving home. Mallo Cups only go so far in satisfying hardcore bikers' appetites. 

Brutus found some reason to dig a big hole last night. There was an old rock pile buried in the back and I think he might have heard or smelled a mouse. Whatever it was, the pooch was bound and determined he was going to catch it. He never did.

For the love of God, run and save yourself.

Needless to say, with Brutus covered in mud and dirt, we went to the lake. He swam and played fetch for over half an hour.

Later, Sargie raked a bit while I filled a couple of the new raised beds with top soil. 

I uploaded the final grades for this past semester's class last night and officially closed out the term. The summer session begins in less than two weeks and we'll start all over again.

This is Sargie's last of three days away from work. I'm going to continue to work in the garden this morning. No doubt, we'll take a ride and make a real effort to get back home before the predicted thunderstorms move in later this afternoon. 

But first, it's time to pour another cup of coffee and think some deep thoughts. 

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Saturday night's full moon a'rising
Hmm, a good title for a Three Dog Night song, don't you think?