The Dahlias are beginning to bloom

August 18, 2015 - Tuesday

61 degrees/rain/calm winds

Pentoga Road

The alarm caught both of us still sleeping which is a rare occurrence. With dark skies and a gentle rain hitting the metal roof, it is a perfect morning for sleeping. 

I took advantage of the much cooler temperatures and worked on the shop early Monday morning.

There's a window on the back wall that swings in from the top and opens into the storage shed at the rear. At first, I was going to cover it over, pretend that it never existed. There's usually stuff stacked in front of it in the storage unit and let's face it, the view from the shop isn't very good.

But then I started thinking... what would happen if it were a hot summer day and I wanted a cross breeze? I could open the opposite window in the storage unit and this one and perhaps, allow a bit more air to flow through. I spent the rest of the morning framing the rear window.

I was on a roll and just as I was finishing attaching the last screw through the bottom plate and into the blacktop floor, the driver slipped and somehow, the bit came down on my pinkie, causing blood to spurt out from under the nail.

Where was Mom or Sargie when I needed one or the other to kiss my finger and tell me it would be all better?

The finger throbbed, my eyes hurt, and I'd worked straight through into the afternoon hours. Suddenly, building the shop didn't seem nearly as fun. It was time to quit and head to the garden, a place that I knew would make my pinkie feel better. 

The cucumbers continue to produce heavily and I picked enough to make another batch of pickles, probably first thing this morning.

With the heavy rain falling earlier in the day, I'd missed the usual pumpkin feeding time. Hearing it growling over in the corner, I prepared the usual two gallons of water, two huge scoops of secret fertilizer, added a gob of epsom salts, and fed the beast. Adding ten to twenty pounds a day in weight, I keep expecting to find the burgeoning fruit split open some morning, but so far, so good. Now I'm beginning to wonder how I'm going to move the thing. At this rate of growth, I'm not sure the front end loader on the little Ford tractor will be strong enough. The backhoe might have to be brought in. Oh well, I'll worry about it next month. No sense counting my chickens before they hatch.

It began raining again and I ran for the house. Once inside, I flopped in my recliner and covered over with a blanket. Ahh, my blankie... at least it loved me enough to make my finger feel better. The last thing I remember was listening to rain hit the roof and thinking how nice it was to lay there feeling all nice and warm.

I woke an hour later feeling refreshed. The finger had quit throbbing and the eyes were good as new. What was I sitting inside for? Why, there was a shop to build!

By late afternoon, I'd moved the electrical services from alongside the existing south wall and built another section. It was past six last night before I quit.

Sargie was home late and our evening was short. She opens today and we should have a more time together tonight. One positive, the girl has a rare three days off in a row at week's end. 

After first feeding the pumpkin, I think I'll process another batch of pickles this morning. With all the cucumbers stacked inside, there's precious little room in the refrigerator.

After, I'll head to barn. There's a shop to be built!

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Approaching four-hundred pounds and still growing.