The lawn was mowed for the first time this year on Friday

May 8, 2015 - Friday evening

60 degrees/clear/calm

Pentoga Road

Just as yesterday was a lazy one, today was the exact opposite. It was cool and cloudy and the perfect day for working outside.

I started this morning by planting some warm weather crops in the greenhouse. I planted pumpkins, winter squash, cucumbers, and kohlrabi in separate containers hoping to gain a couple of weeks on the growing season. I'll transplant those once warm weather arrives and all danger of frost is past.

The next project was to remake a small trap door in the deck that is the only way one can get to the faucet. The door didn't fit when I bought the house several years ago and have muttered many times under my breath about that trap door since.

It took much longer to remake than I thought it would... almost two hours. In the end, it not only fits, but also matches the rest of the deck.

Blossoms on a wild cherry tree along Pentoga Road

Next was to prepare the planters on the back deck for this season's flowers. I did it the easy way; pulled up a lawn chair, turned on some music, and played in the dirt. Both planters are ready for Sargie to work her summer flower magic when she's ready.

I'm not sure the yard really needed mowing, but there were places that definitely looked shaggy. Sargie's next day off is Sunday and it's to be cold and rainy. I decided to mow.

I'm sure I missed some places, but the lawn looks much better now. 

The bare places in the foreground are caused by winter kill.

 I took the pole electric chain saw and removed some more dead branches from the large spruce trees that grow between the house and the road late this afternoon. 

Two loads of branches and twigs were taken to the burn pile.

Neighbor Mike is down for the weekend. We visited for a while and I rode into town with him to get gasoline for his mower. Amelia, Mike's daughter came with him and gave me several garden plants, two black tomatoes, a couple of ground tomatoes, and several cabbage plants. Mike's wife and sons are due to arrive this evening. They are having a family birthday celebration for son, Paul.

Amelia is making her brother a birthday cake on the front porch of the camp. You may remember that Amelia showed up here a few weeks ago with a warm loaf of homemade wild rice and onion bread. The girl can bake!

Sargie was home early tonight and we've had a quiet evening. Tomorrow will come quickly as she has to open. Her last day off was last Sunday... six straight days of work.

Weather permitting, I hope to weave the cucumber trellis tomorrow on the frame I made and used last year. As much as I hate to think about it, the exterior trim on the upstairs bedroom windows needs scraping and painting. I think I'd rather have a root canal than paint trim from an extension ladder, but someone has to do it. 

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road... 

Arriving in today's mail... rutabaga seed to grow "bagies" for next Thanksgiving's Mighty Milligan family feast and parsnip seed for Yooper Brother Mark and Sheri.