Sandhill Cranes in a recently mowed hay field.
Taken during Thursday morning's hike.

July 31, 2015 - Friday

61 degrees/clear/calm

Pentoga Road

Okay, so where's my Pilates ball? My back aches and I need to resume using the thing on a daily basis.

For several years, it, along with the inversion machine, have been utilized to stretch my back. I lay on it, belly up, both feet flat on the floor, relax, and gently push with my feet, causing my back to stretch while being supported by the ball. It works like a charm.

It was last summer; my back had felt good for several weeks and tiring of tripping over the ball when not in use, I decided it was no longer needed. It was deflated, folded, and put away. BUT WHERE? If anyone stumbles across my powder blue, purchased-years-ago-at-Kmart, Jill Ireland, Pilates ball, let me know where it is, would you?

Once again, rain chose to skip around us Thursday afternoon, opting to travel along a path just a few miles to our south. 

It's amazing how green everything still is considering how little rain has fallen in the past month. I guess that's a good testament to the amounts that have fallen the past two years. 

I returned home after walking five miles on Thursday morning to put up several gallons of blueberries. Due to their blossoms being frozen this early summer, the strawberries were a wash, so anything that even resembles a berry is being frozen in preparation for the cold months ahead.

Attention was next turned to the wood shed. I painted the front last week, but decided that the rest needed a coat of primer before applying the final layer of very expensive, exterior, latex paint. 

I hate painting, always have. For a professional like Uncle Terry, it's an art form. He enjoys preparing the surface, slowly lays out all his tools of the trade, analyzes his next move, then carefully dips his brush into a special bucket, coating only one side, and lovingly lays the color onto the surface. The man has attempted to teach me, but I'm a horrible student and an even worse painter.  

I'm a follower of the plunge method and opt to shove the brush deep into the original can, stirring as I go to make sure the paint is mixed, hurriedly bring it out to lessen the slop and drips, then slap it onto the surface, quickly brushing both ways before it runs completely to the ground and is wasted.  The process generally turns out to be a gooey and sticky mess, often running down my arm, getting on my face, splattering my clothes, and always, without fail, turns out to be a less-than-positive experience. 

So yesterday, I made myself comfortable. I grabbed an old kitchen chair from the barn, a radio, a broom to sweep any new cobwebs that might have been spun overnight, and positioned myself in the shade. As is customary, Brutus made himself at home by my side. I didn't even have to worry if I slopped white primer on him. No one would ever know.

It wasn't bad. A wind was blowing and some good tunes were playing. It took a couple of hours, but in the end, the east side and back of the shed were primed along with my hands, arms, face, and clothing... and Brutus.

After a quick lunch of leftover pike salad, the UP version of tuna salad, (canned northern pike I'd caught  through the ice last winter) and the short mandatory grandpa nap, I headed to the backhoe. It was time to haul and rake another load of fill.

I became almost nostalgic as I dug. This was the second to the last load needed to complete the side yard, a project that began a year ago last spring. 

Okay, I lied. With sweat dripping down my forehead and pouring into my eyes and onto my glasses, I was glad as heck that this current landscaping job is almost done. One more load and I'll be calling the south side, the part of the yard on the other side of the garden, "good 'nuff!" I hope next summer will see a screened gazebo being built in that area.

Sargie was home fairly early last night and we enjoyed grilled brats along with fresh garden cucumbers served in highly secret sauce that only Sargie knows the ingredients to. 

We were talking how nice it would be to have fresh vegetables and anything slowly cooked outside this coming winter. I grill outside all year round, but tire of shoveling four feet of snow each time I want to cook a couple of burgers. 

Last night was a quiet one on Pentoga Road. Sargie has to close tonight making today a very long one for her. I'm going to walk my five miles first thing this morning then repeat yesterday's activities, painting the woodshed and hauling the last load of fill and raking the side yard. Time allowing, I'm need to look for that darn Jill Ireland, Kmart, Pilates ball.

Time to get Sargie up for day and grab a cup of coffee. After all, a man's work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

You health nuts quit turning up your noses. What you fail to see is a complete and balanced meal with all the food groups included. There's grain (homemade bread), dairy (cheese in the brats), meat, vegetables (pickled yellow and zucchini squash) and cucumbers, and for dessert, we enjoyed fresh blueberries spooned over yogurt. Sure beats a leaf of lettuce drooped over a dry cracker washed down by a kale smoothie.

Sargie's bouquet of dying geranium heads. From a distance, they look beautiful.

July 30, 2015 - Thursday

65 degrees/clear/windy

Pentoga Road

I just read that that due to the breezy conditions and low humidity, coupled with the lack of rainfall, a forest fire warning has been posted. Conditions are ripe for a big one, something we haven't seen in the past several years. Hopefully, we'll receive the needed rainfall before a fire can begin. 

Wednesday began with a trip to town to get the trailer from Mark's plant. 

While in the inner city, I checked with a couple of mechanic's about getting a brake job on the Blazer. Both were booked for sometime ahead.

I asked Mark's advice and he mentioned something about one of his employees, the head mechanic at the plant, who does automotive work in the evenings at home. Dave was one of the two who assembled my backhoe a year and a half ago and he said he'd be happy to install new brakes. All I had to do was drop the Blazer off at his house.

Hmmm, this was going to take some logistical deep thinking. A plan slowly formed between my ears.

I brought the trailer filled with wood home and unloaded the entire thing over the next two to three hours.

 I swept it clean, loaded one of the four-wheelers on the trailer, pulled it back to town, unloaded the four-wheeler at the plant, unhitched the trailer and left it at the plant, followed Mark to Dave's house and left the Blazer, then returned to drive the four-wheeler back home.

Ready to return to town

Basically, that was my day. After being sick on Tuesday, I was ready to flop into my recliner for the remainder of the afternoon. Unloading all that wood without a break constituted a full day of labor. 

Sargie was home early last night. We watered the flowers and I started the irrigation in the garden. 

The giant pumpkin continues to grow, often inches overnight. I'm watering it twice a day, pruning many of the vines, and other than the backup pumpkin, forcing all the nutrients of the plant into what I hope will be the big one.

I'm going to bury some vines today, causing them to root and supply even more nutrients to the pumpkin. 

It was two weeks ago, July 16th, that I hand pollinated the pumpkin that was the size of my thumbnail. It's now equal to a large basketball and growing daily. It will be interesting to see what happens over the next six weeks.

I just received an email from Uncle Terry and Aunt Sue. They have been visiting in Helsinki, Finland, and are about to embark on a cruise to Dover, England, then begin a twelve-day hike around the countryside. There's something wrong here. They hike around Europe and I hike home from Alpha, Michigan, along Country Road 424 and Pentoga Road. Where's the justice? 

It's time for that all important first cup of coffee while conjuring up a deep thought or two.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Cylindra Beets picked Tuesday morning

July 29, 2015 - Wednesday
64 degrees/clear/windy
Pentoga Road

The hot and humid weather of the past week seems to have departed ahead of the cold front that marched through last night. Unfortunately, there was no rain so we remain dry.

I walked my five miles first thing yesterday morning and by the time I arrived home, felt as though I'd been run over by a Mack truck. I had a very full feeling in the lower part of my stomach and what I feared turned out to be reality. It was the onset of another diverticulitis attack, an inflammation of one of the sacs in the colon. 

I thought if I ignored it, it would go away, so I picked some beets and took those into town for Mark and Sheri. We talked a bit before I came back home to my recliner where I remained the rest of the day.

I slept most of late Tuesday morning and all afternoon. A fever caused me to suffer from the chills only to be replaced with the sweats. I simply had no energy and any movement caused the pain in my lower abdomen to flare up. 

Two pills remained from last fall's attack and I took one yesterday, another this morning. Nurse Sargie poured clear liquids down my throat when she got home from work and other than having to heed nature's call several times during the night, I slept like a rock.

This morning? The Mack truck appears to be getting smaller in my rearview mirror. I feel much better and am planning on heading into town after while to retrieve the trailer filled with wood. We'll see how I feel once I get home. I'd like to prime the sides of the wood shed today. It's much cooler and the building is in the shade which would make painting comfortable. We'll see.

Meanwhile, it's time for a cup of coffee. I think that qualifies as a clear liquid. If not, tough. How can a person think deep early-morning thoughts without a cup of java?

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

A couple of Pennington grandsons, Wyatt and Cody. They'd just gotten haircuts at the US Coast Guard Academy where their daddy is a professor.

July 28, 2015 - Tuesday

60 degrees/clear/calm winds

Pentoga Road

The heat wave continues, although Carl-the-Weatherman is promising today will be the last scorcher in the foreseeable future. Yesterday's temperatures in the low 90's broke a record and a high in the upper 80's is predicted for today. 

Monday began with a five-mile stroll through the countryside. I was a bit apprehensive after taking a six-week hiatus from walking, but it was all for naught. I chugged up and down the hills in good fashion and because I don't seem to have any aches or pains this morning, I'll ride with Sargie partway to work later and do the same again.

Both arms are still firmly attached. One is raised to take the picture.

Once back home, I walked through the garden and picked another large zucchini to add to the three already in the house. 

I also picked the first cucumber of the year. It had gone from a mere fingerling to a monster overnight. Thankfully, the fruit is crisp, sweet, and darn near seedless.

I spent the rest of the morning preparing and canning four quarts of pickled zucchini relish.

It didn't seem to be very smart to pick the hottest day of the year to be boiling brine and making a mess in the kitchen.

But, we'll be happy for the pickles/relish next winter. My plans are to make another eight quarts before summer's end, enough to last through next year. That doesn't include the thirty-five quarts of bread and butter pickles to be made.

The rest of Monday was spent inside grading final projects. It was simply too hot and muggy to do anything meaningful outdoors and when I tried, I'd return a few minutes later drenched in sweat. 

I did venture out during the late afternoon to go fishing, but after an hour on the lake, I was ready to call it a day. As I told Sargie, it's not nearly as much fun fishing in the heat alone. She's spoiled me these past few days by being my fishing companion.

Sargie didn't arrive home until 7:30 last night. We spent some time walking through the garden and watering her flowers. As long as we irrigate, everything continues to grow by leaps and bounds. 

Sargie closes today so it will be late evening before the girl sees home again. I'm going to walk five miles this morning then wing it the rest of the day. I keep procrastinating putting up the beets. Maybe it's time to bite the bullet and just git 'er dun.

On the other hand, perhaps I'll just sit inside all day, sip iced tea, and think deep thoughts. 

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

July 27, 2015 - Monday

60 degrees/clear/calm winds

Pentoga Road

It's most enjoyable sitting here, enjoying this predawn morning. The temperatures are comfortably cool, deer are grazing in the front meadow, a slight haze is hovering a few feet off the ground, and there's a heavenly fragrance of freshly cut hay in the air. Add a cup of freshly brewed coffee to the mix and it makes for a perfect start to a new week.

I found some multi-layered Black Eyed Susans yesterday at the edge of our woods. They look similar to chrysanthemums. I'll mark them and after they are finished blooming, transplant a few into our perennial flower bed in front of the house. 

Sunday was hot. There's no other way to describe it... it was hot... and muggy.... and steamy. 

I started the day by spraying two tanks of herbicide around the perimeter of the garden and house. That should be the last of the spraying for the year.

It was midmorning and the air was quickly growing warmer. I came inside where Sargie and I agreed to close the windows and start the air conditioning in an attempt to gain a head start on the heat.

I sat in my recliner and mourned the fact that my outside day was finished. Once I escape the heat by being inside, my want to return out of doors is slim to nil.

I peeked out the window. The trailer, filled with wood, was sitting in the shade. Maybe I'd go throw a few pieces onto the wood pile. Two hours later and completely drenched in sweat, the trailer was empty and swept, ready to be filled again. I guess I got carried away.

Sargie and I did a bit of shopping after leaving the trailer in town, but didn't tarry long. It was simply too hot and the Blazer doesn't have air conditioning. 

The rest of the afternoon was spent indoors, grading assignments while eating fried chicken along with Sargie's homemade macaroni/chicken salad, and watching older episodes MASH and Blue Bloods on Netflix. 

I ventured out during the late afternoon hours and started the irrigation in the garden. I'll continue to water a section every day until rain finally falls.

It was almost evening when I attached the boat trailer to the Blazer and we left for the lake. Once again, Sargie gave a clinic on how fish are caught. 

Fighting a big one

She landed another nice northern and a decent bass. 

We won't talk about what I caught... or in my case, didn't catch.

I figured if I couldn't catch any fish, I might as well swim with them

Sargie's back to work today. I'm going to resume my walking regimen this morning. I've gotten away from it this summer and it's showing, mostly around my waist. I don't weigh much more than I have in the past, but my body is quickly migrating south, growing soft and flabby. The arthritis in my back can sometimes be quite painful and there are times I feel... well, I feel my age. I don't mind the chronological years, but I'll be darned if I'm going to morph into some little old man before I turn ninety or a hundred, at least if I can help it.

I think I'll pick another large zucchini today and make pickles. Depending on how much energy is left, I might can pickled beets. So much to do/so little of me. But then, are we surprised?

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

A pink Cosmos surrounded by rutabagas, parsnips, and Delecata winter squash

July 26, 2015 - Sunday morning

64 degrees/sunny/calm winds

Pentoga Road

These past few days have seen Crystal Falls hosting the Upper Peninsula Volunteer Fireman's Association Tournament and without fail, as with almost every other year, they have been the hottest days of the summer.

That's my buddy Jerad, middle front, Yooper Brother Mark and Sheri's little guy, leading the Caspian/Gaastra Fire Department in the opening parade.

Saturday morning was spent in the garden. I attempted to do some spraying, but found my sprayer had sprung a leak. I gave up on that idea.

The rest of the time was spent weeding, watering, and harvesting. Though we've not received any meaningful rainfall in a couple of weeks, with irrigation, everything is growing by leaps and bounds.

".... in the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight..."

I picked five heads of cauliflower yesterday. Finally, my timing was almost perfect as a couple of heads were about ready to bolt due to the recent hot weather.

Later in the day, we ate what we wanted, then I blanched the rest and put six large bags of cauliflower in the freezer for eating during the winter months.

The zucchini squash are beginning to set and I picked two of the largest ones, peeled and sliced each, and am waiting on a third to get a bit bigger so I can make pickles. We like the pickled zucchini as much or more than the cucumbers as they taste like sweet relish.

Speaking of cucumbers, they are setting and I'll begin harvesting those and making pickles sometime next week.

A giant pumpkin update:

The original pumpkin continues to grow in leaps and bounds and is now the size of a large softball. I also hand-pollinated a second female blossom Saturday morning, my back up. The original pumpkin has been set on a piece of plywood to keep it off the ground and hopefully, prevent rotting on the bottom.

Other than to raise a big pumpkin, one of my goals is to beat my oldest son, Josh's, sunflower record. He grew a flower several years ago that reached a height of between fifteen to twenty feet. I saw it with my own eyes. When one can look out a second floor window at a flower that is eye-level, you know it's a tall one. I have one (among several) that seems to be a candidate. Right now, it's several feet taller than I am and growing a foot or two each week. 

The winter squash to my left are almost shoulder high

We went into town Saturday afternoon so I could buy a new inexpensive sprayer and made a few other stops before taking a short drive and coming back home.

The sun was getting lower in the sky and the temperatures were cooling off. Sargie and I decided it was time to go fishing.

Now I don't mind telling you, losing an angling competition every now and then is okay, but this is getting ridiculous. I taught the girl, who had never been fishing until three years ago, everything I know, bought her a new "girl reel," gave her love, support, and encouragement, and this is the way she repays me:

A northern pike, a beauty in anyone's book

a good eating-sized crappie

... or how about a three-pound largemouth bass

My catch for the night? One undersized bass and a teeny bluegill. I'm going to attempt to talk Sargie into quitting her day job to become a full time guide. People pay huge money to have someone show them how to catch fish like she's been hauling into the boat. 

Sunset

This is Sargie's last day off for the week. It's to be another hot one, so no doubt, we'll do what needs to be done early then either keep cool this afternoon by staying in the air conditioning or taking our usual Sunday afternoon ride.

And then there's this evening... fishing? Yeah, she'd like that. Uh huh. Anything to rub a bit of salt in my wounds. 

So with that being said, it's time to pour a cup of coffee and plan a sound fishing strategy for tonight. After all, my delicate self esteem can only take so much. It's not easy being trounced night after night by a lady who uses a pink fishing reel.

As everyone knows, a man's work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...