The first green peppers of the season

July 13, 2015 - Monday

68 degrees/cloudy/light rain - thunderstorms forecast

Pentoga Road

I hope it continues to rain. After several days of above average temperatures and high humidity, I'm going to have to begin watering the garden if we don't get some help from above. Thankfully, there's a 100% chance of precipitation today, some possibly heavy, so we'll see if Mother Nature keeps her end of the deal. So far so good.

Sunday once again dawned hot and humid. It was my intention to dig a truck full of dirt and get it spread on the side yard before the mercury climbed too high, but that wasn't to be.

I was going through my usual preflight check on the backhoe when I noticed the oil was very thin. I dipped my finger in the filler hole, brought it to my nose, and smelled... gasoline in the oil, the same problem I'd encountered when the machine was first purchased.

At that time, the company had sent me a new carburetor saying they thought the problem was a sticky float or some such thing. Rather than replace it, I simply cleaned the old one and kept the new carburetor should I need it later.

It was hot and I didn't feel like making a field repair. Rather, I changed the oil on the spot, started the backhoe, and brought it to the shop. 

An hour later, the new carb was in place and the machine started on the first attempt. I've already cleaned the old carburetor and put it on the shelf should I need it in the future. Meanwhile, I'm back in business. 

Sargie and I took our usual Sunday afternoon drive, enjoying the air conditioning in the car. 

While away, Yooper Brother Mark and Sheri came out to get the trailer and we hated that we missed them. 

After arriving home, Sargie cleaned the interior of her car, vacuuming the seats and floors and doing whatever it is she does to make things look nice.

I hauled the backhoe to the rear of the property, dug a load of fill, brought it to the side yard, and filled holes and low places. 

I estimate that another ten loads should see the side yard completely finished.

Hmm, I may have filled the old truck a bit too full to have had the back bumper drag the ground.

The garden is beginning to produce and assuming some rain falls today, I should be canning pickled beets by week's end. The carrots are just now setting on as are the peppers and we should be enjoying zucchini squash in short order.

The giant pumpkin's first female blossom is about to open and there ought to be some hot and heavy birds-and-the-bees action very soon.

Sargie opens today at the Vision Center. I'm going to grade papers, then work in the shop, piddling around on the mower deck, measuring for the new walls to be built in the near future, and whatever else needs my attention.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...