Now one of the beautiful people, Grady's Auntie Megan, home last weekend from the university, was having fun with ol' Hambone. (Grady's mama sent this picture.)

March 9, 2016 - Wednesday

47 degrees/FOGGY/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Sargie was a wreck last night when she walked in the door shortly after 8 PM. She said the fog made driving conditions almost impossible and there was a truck in the ditch not far from here where someone had driven off the road. 

Tuesday afternoon. Early in the day, fog was setting in from the warm temperatures, pounding rain, and rapidly melting snow.

Hopefully, driving will be a bit easier this morning as she makes her way back to work in Iron Mountain.

I rode with Sargie yesterday morning to the township hall. After casting our votes, she brought me back to my usual five-mile starting point where I walked on home. 

It's amazing. We had to show proof of identification (picture drivers licenses) then complete a form with our address and signature saying we weren't fraudulently trying to vote. I wish all states had the same voter security.

Heavy rain began when I was about a hundred yards from the driveway. 

I sprinted into the garage and made it in good shape. Brutus usually comes out of his house and greets me when I return from a walk, but yesterday, he opted to stay inside and sleep the morning away.

A first was accomplished on Tuesday. I started and finished a strawberry planter in the same day. This last one, my sixth of the year, went together easily and without any major problems. 

A combination of screws and nails from an airgun are used during the construction. 

The entire morning and early afternoon was spent building the frame and uprights. I came inside to eat lunch then returned to finish the shelving. The construction phase of the planter was pronounced finished around 6 PM.

Sargie suggested I take a picture or two and put them on Craigslist. I may just try that, although I'd much rather make the planters than sell them. 

As mentioned above, it didn't just rain on Tuesday, it poured. Water began running across the barn floor and into the shop. I went outside to see what was causing the problem and found that the snow that had previously fallen from the roof had melted, then frozen again and made an ice dam, causing the water to back up and run under the wall and across the floor.

The problem was solved when I took a chisel and broke up the ice, releasing the runoff away from the barn. I also placed a covered piece of plywood on a slant, one I use when lying on the barn floor and working on a piece of machinery, to deflect the heaviest runoff outward. 

While getting yesterday's mail, I was amazed how green the grass is in the front yard. We usually don't see green for another six weeks, possibly longer.

What comes next, mowing around snowdrifts?

I thawed a porketta out that I'd smoked last fall and sliced it last night. Talk about to-die-for good.

I'd never heard of a porketta until I moved to the UP. I'm not certain the concept has yet been invented in Alaska. I believe it's a pork roast that is rubbed in all kinds of secret herbs and spices, then tightly bound to produce a round, long, piece of meat. 

We found this one on sale last fall. I promptly smoked it while the weather was still good then placed it in the freezer for future eating.

I think I'll warm up a few slices, make some mashed potatoes, add a bit of packaged gravy, thaw some of last summer's green beans, and we'll eat like royalty at supper tonight.

Talk about times changing... I received a notice in yesterday's mail from the bank where I have a small saving's, an "emergency" account. They informed me that as of April first, they would be charging a $5.00 monthly service fee. Since the account draws little if any interest, it appears that now, I'll be paying the bank to keep and use my money. In fact, if I kept the account open, within five years, I'd be losing money and run into negative figures.

Remember in the old days, how the goal was to work hard so we might put money into a savings account to earn interest? Needless to say, the money in that saving's will be withdrawn and that account closed before the end of March. 

Grandpa Pennington, who lost deposited money to a bank during the Depression, used to preach that a person was better off burying his savings in a fruit jar than entrusting it to a bank. At the time, I thought him quite old fashioned and not very savvy on monetary matters. Seems Grandpa might have the last laugh after all. Thirty-five years after his death, he still has lessons to teach me.

On that positive note, I think I'll end and start the day. On the agenda:

* The usual morning walk

* Drive to town and purchase enough PVC
for the irrigation systems for the strawberry pyramids

* Stop at the plant and supervise Yooper Brother Mark for a few minutes

* Install the irrigation systems in each planter

* Attach the solar lights atop the planters

* Assemble the indoors greenhouses

* Clean the shop

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Isabella's out grocery shopping with her mama.