The violets, all coming up volunteer, are absolutely gorgeous this year.

June 9, 2015 - Tuesday
51 degrees/clear/calm
Pentoga Road

We seem to be getting into a summer cycle of weather patterns, sunny, humid, and warm most of the day with a parade of scattered thunderstorms marching through in the afternoon, although Monday's weather was in the reverse. It showered in the morning, then turned sunny and humid for most the day with some neighboring communities receiving rain during the late afternoon hours. 

I rode with Sargie to Iron Mountain first thing in the morning, bade her goodbye, and continued onto Home Depot where I purchased welded cement wire, blacktop filler, and cement dye. 

Once back home, I began cutting the cement wire and making tomato cages.



I had enough to make a dozen and I still need to make twelve more. 


Geesh, I was going to plant only six tomato plants this year, how did I end up with two dozen? It happens every year.

Three tomato plants (with their new cages), the sugar peas, and if you look real hard, there's a cauliflower plant stuck in there. I hate to waste gardening space and if I plant enough vegetables, they choke out any weeds.

I spent the rest of the day working on making a trellis for Sargie's sugar peas and another for the pole beans.



I've used several designs in years past for pole beans and find that using inexpensive garden twine is about the easiest way. In the fall, after harvest, I'll simply cut the twine and dying plants and throw them all into the compost pile.



I'm not sure what's on the agenda for today. I'd like to begin spraying the thistles in the front pasture. It appears I've finally gotten the upper hand on those that have been growing elsewhere and would like to knock the rest down as well. 

I purchased the paint for the barn while in Iron Mountain on Monday, but I'm not at all certain when I'll begin transforming the structure from blue to red. Rather than paint all at once, I'd rather do a bit at a time. So what if it takes all summer? I'm operating under a new philosophy this year of attempting to not burn out on any one activity, but rather, do a bit of each when I feel like it. I think everything will get done in the same amount of time (by summer's end) and I won't get sick of doing any one chore. Between building the storage shed and all the landscaping last year, I was about all done in by summer's end. So far, so good, this year.

Sargie works late and closes the Vision Center tonight. Since I have an appointment Wednesday morning in Iron Mountain, I'll go over tonight, leave the Blazer then ride home with Sargie and we can ride together tomorrow. 

I think Neighbor Mike is coming down to his camp today. Hmm, he'll probably want to go fishing. Well, there goes today's projects. 

Oh well, as I said earlier, I don't want to burn out doing any one thing this summer. Besides, I'd be willing to bet those pesky thistles will be there tomorrow and I can spray them then.

Other than tagging around with me, Brutus is enjoying his favorite activity; chasing squirrels through the woods. Too bad the pup can't climb trees.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...