While walking, Friday, I came across this old remains of an animal that died after being inflicted with the quills from a porcupine. Looking at the hair, I'm guessing it was a coyote or wolf. Nature can be cruel at times.

April 30, 2016 - Saturday

44 degrees/high clouds/breezy

Pentoga Road

Friday was a big day in several aspects on Pentoga Road. The pain pills were thrown away and I feel as though I have once again reclaimed my body and soul from the depths of chemical assistance. 

Thank God for those opioid medicines. Without them, I'm not sure how I would have made it through the first three days after surgery. Being a many-year attendee of 12 step programs, I didn't want to daly with the oxy-whatevers for too long, but after following the doctor's instructions, I was relieved to see the last pill disappear.

Other than addiction from over use, opioids have another side affect. It seems they are the concrete, the cement, the very glue of the pharmaceutical world. After four days, I found that Metamucil and Ex Lax became my best friends. 

I was sitting in the reading room when I heard a voice from the other side of the door. With an incision that stretches halfway across my midsection, the last thing I wanted to hear Sargie say was, "Bear down, little buddy! You can do it!" She said it worked when her boys were being potty trained, that possibly those words might do me some good. The mere thought made me break out in a cold sweat.

As in all happy endings, at least in this chapter, the earth moved on Friday and the balance of life was once again restored on Pentoga Road. Darn straight, I won't miss those pain killers in the least.

Page Two:

I felt good. No, darn it, I felt great. Sargie was getting ready to head out the door for work Friday morning, so at the last moment, I strapped on the hiking boots and hopped in the front seat beside her.

"Where you going?" she asked. 

It was a mile and a half down the road when I asked her to stop and drop me off. The stroll home was pure pleasure, bliss, a return to normalcy. Oh sure, a stitch pulled occasionally, but the legs were almost gleeful and the elevated heart beat meant I was alive, truly alive. There are worse things in life than having one's body repaired. Not walking and exercising is one of them.

Page Three:

I've had some mental plans, a Pentoga Road original design, floating through my head for the past several weeks, of a planter I wanted to make to attach to the greenhouse. After purchasing half of Home Depot's inventory during its big spring sale, I had plenty of treated lumber. It was time to put plans into action.

Since I'm not supposed to carry anything heavy, I had to build the planter in sections and carry each to the garden and assemble it there.

It took a few hours and a bit of imagination, but by day's end, everything was attached. I still need to do some leveling and add the soil, but that will have to wait another couple of weeks until I can put some muscle into both. 

The small planter made a couple of months ago was moved from the center of the green space in the garden to out by the sign. I'll get it centered, settled, and filled in the next couple of weeks and it should be ready for this summer's flowers.

The seeds that were transplanted in the greenhouse just a couple of days ago are sprouting and doing well.

The larger garden plants and flowers are carried outside daily to harden off and absorb all the natural sunlight possible. I hope to begin planting a few, under cover, at the end of this next week. Like everything else in the UP, it all depends on the weather.

Sargie walked in the door last night carrying two racks of ribs. One of the local groceries in Iron Mountain was cooking outside and selling them for $10 a rack. Needless to say, this pig stepped up to the trough last night and ate until he could oink no more.

Sargie's off this weekend. We're planning on driving to Rhinelander later today to shop for some outdoor specials at the local lumber yard. Other than that, we have no plans for either day. Sargie's been taking care of me all week, plus working, so if I have anything to say, the girl's going to spend some time relaxing. Between shingles and a hernia, it's high time we get life back to normal around here.

With that being said, I think I'm going to go for my daily walk. This morning's goal? Three miles.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

For the first time since Tuesday, I managed to shuffle for half a mile. Today's goal is one mile.

April 29, 2016 - Friday

38 degrees/cloudy/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Life continues to progress on Pentoga Road and with the end of the week at hand, we're overjoyed that Sargie has both Saturday and Sunday off. We've talked of going to Rhinelander on Saturday, but other than that, we have absolutely NO plans. 

I continue to heal and am feeling better every day. I worked in the greenhouse yesterday transplanting pumpkins, squash, and some flowers.

The potting mix is so dry that I soak it in a pail of water first, then wring it out before filling the six-packs.

I hope to begin planting various vegetables in the garden next week, knowing that I'll have to occasionally cover each on those nights when it is frosty.

Sargie continues to be plagued with the after math of having the shingles. She's fine for most of the time, but occasionally, has shooting pains jolting through her side and lower back. She has cared for me all week without complaint and after a week of work, is worn out. I'll make sure she gets plenty of rest this weekend.

Unwrapping the four Boston ferns that will hang on the front porch this summer.

Sargie closed last night and wasn't home until well past 9 PM. She opens this morning, but thankfully, her week ends this afternoon at 5. 

I'm going to walk this morning and later, hope to work in the shop. There's not a lot I can do at this stage, so I just shuffle from one thing to the other. I never realized that daytime television was so boring.

Time to get this uploaded and listen to the news.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

I don't smoke, I don't drink, but I do chew toothpicks and only the flat variety will do. The stores in our area carry only the round ones, so I made an order from Amazon.com. 

It was four years ago today that Andy and I began our cross country trip from Bellingham, Washington, to Pentoga Road. Two days earlier, I'd put the Blazer on the ferry in Sitka.  Andy met me in Bellingham and the rest is history. What a wonderful start to my retirement.

April 28, 2016 - Thursday

34 degrees/high overcast/calm winds

Pentoga Road

It's hard to believe that I've been out of the teaching game for four years. I thought time flew by when I was working, but it was nothing compared to how quickly the days tick by now. When one retires, at least in my life, there simply aren't enough hours in the day.

The big news of Wednesday was that two of the giant pumpkins were taken from between the wet paper towels and planted in potting soil. 

For the longest time, I've been saying that I wasn't going to grow a giant pumpkin this summer, but when the seeds began sprouting, I knew I had to do it again. Since I  hand pollinated and crossed the pumpkin with itself last summer, the genetics remain pure, the direct lineage from the world champion record holder of two years ago. My goal this year is to have one over 600 lbs. 

I shuffled up to Mike's for a short visit yesterday, but otherwise, sat on my backside. 

I took the dressing off last night and saw an incision that stretches halfway across my midsection. The pain also reaches from my chest to down south of my belt line. I know the surgeon said he had to untangle a few things, but I didn't think that included my heart, lungs, and kidneys.

The good news is that the pain has subsided a great deal. Sargie (and others) convinced me that we should be proactive on the pain medication and that has helped a lot. The incision looks clean and I believe that in a few weeks, this hernia thing will be a passing memory.

Sargie was home early last night. She carried in the wood, put the plants back in the garage to protect them from freezing, and did many of those things that are usually on my nightly list.

Sargie closes tonight. I'm going to sit out in the greenhouse and transplant pumpkins and sunflowers from wet paper towels into potting mix. 

It's time for breakfast. I might have to take a nap directly after followed by thinking at least one deep thought.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

I can relate to this little guy

April 27, 2016 - Wednesday

47 degrees/sunny/breezy

Pentoga Road

After several days of monsoon-like weather with the rainfall being measured in the inches, it appears spring might be back on track. 

Those on the East Coast, at least in Maine, weren't nearly as lucky. Their precipitation fell as snow. Luke sent this picture:

My friend Eileen also sent one that shows her lilac buds covered in snow.

The lilac looks more like late season cotton just before harvest time. 

Page Two:

The hernia surgery went well on Tuesday with the surgeon finding not one, but two, when he sliced me open. 

All the staff in the Ambulatory Care Unit are so nice. Patient care, knowledge, and understanding, mixed with a bit of humor are all alive and well at our hospital. Unlike many of the horror stories I read concerning other hospitals, these folks can't move fast enough to accommodate their patients.  

I'm told I was on the operating table for well over an hour. I know the doctor had to untangle some of my insides, cords, and other stuff that had wrapped around each other, then sewed mesh to cover the interior abdominal wall. 

For Sargie, it was a day of hurrying then waiting. Other than during the actual procedure, she was with me every step of the way. I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have my Sargie.

Last night was a rough one. I'd resisted taking the prescribed pain medication, but at 2 AM, when I was unable to get out of bed or even turn over without numbing pain, Sargie shoved two pills down my throat and told me to swallow. As usual, she knew what was best and I was soon in a deep sleep. It was the same scenario this morning and once again, it was Sargie to the rescue. 

Currently, I'm relatively pain free and even shuffled up to Neighbor Mike's and back earlier this morning. I've had enough procedures in the past to realize that today and tomorrow will probably be the worst with each day getting easier as time goes along. Until then, I'll take my short walks and rest between.

Excuse me if you would, but I'm not feeling too chatty this morning. It's time to lay back down and close my eyes. 

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Swollen from the recent snow melt and rains, the Brule River continues its journey towards Lake Michigan.
(Taken from the Pentoga Bridge)

April 25, 2016 - Monday

37 degrees/rainy/breezy

Pentoga Road

The several inches of rain forecast never materialized, but there's close to an inch sitting in the gauge. It fell in intervals, never really hard, so all has soaked into the ground making it extremely beneficial. Yooper Brother Mark said they received almost two inches in town, just ten miles from here. 

Sunday was a lazy affair. While Sargie was doing her thing in the morning, I spent time in the orchard transplanting the half dozen blueberry bushes that had either suckered or sprouted from seed. I'm not certain from which method they grew, but I'm grateful for the free plants.

I hoped to move them before they came out of dormancy a few weeks ago, but the ground was still frozen when I tried. After that, I got busy and time got away. 

The rest of the morning was spent cleaning the shop and just fiddling around. I'd like to build a flower planter for alongside the greenhouse and experimented with several designs. 

The visit from Grady never materialized so we enjoyed our weekly drive to town and around the countryside.

The rest of Sunday was spent watching movies and being lazy. With the intermittent rain and cold temperatures, there was little incentive to do anything else.

Luke sent this picture of the new raised beds he made over the weekend.

Sargie's back to work today. I've got to make a couple of calls later in preparation for tomorrow's surgery. The first is to my insurance company to double check that I'm preregistered. The second is to the operating room this afternoon for final instructions and to confirm arrival and preparation times. Other than that, I have every intention of playing in the shop and enjoying the day.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

It must be spring. The asparagus is beginning to poke out of the ground.

April 24, 2016 - Sunday

42  degrees/cloudy/breezy

Pentoga Road

The hatches are battened down. Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead! Let 'er rain! 

We could use a good shower, but I'm not certain an amount measured in inches would be all that welcome. Oh well, April showers bring May flowers and Lord knows, we have enough of them to transplant once the weather settles down and the temperatures remain above freezing.

Page Two:

Saturday was a mixed bag of tricks. I had a difficult time keeping my mind on what I was doing as flock after flock of geese kept flying overhead, some very high, others, barely above treetop level. 

I guess I'm an old romantic when it comes to seasonal migrations. I well remember Dad pulling off to the side of the road when I was small so he could point out and enjoy a flock of migrating geese. I still pause and gawk. Though I seldom see them, I point the camera in their direction and start clicking the shutter. It's delayed, but I enjoy their overhead flight when I download the pictures on my computer. 

While living in the arctic, I used to pour a cup of coffee then sit on my front porch and watch millions and millions of ducks, geese, and swans, arrive in huge flocks. At times, it was deafening, yet beautiful. 

Migrating swans over the Noatak River in the arctic

I often wonder if that's where these geese are going. Will their journey's end find them on the Noatak River north of the Arctic Circle?  

Ah, I'm waxing nostalgic here, but it's easy to entertain such thoughts mixed with a splash of homesickness.  Still, I wonder if these geese are heading home?



Page Three:

Sargie put a load of sheets in the washer before leaving for work Saturday morning. I hung them out bright and early and letting them blow in the wind all day, absorb the smells of spring. It was like sleeping in the great outdoors last night. Crisp, fresh, and clean, I wish we could hang the sheets out (to dry) all year round.



Two more trips were made Saturday morning to retrieve wood chips. It took several hours, but all the new garden area is covered with a light layer and areas of the existing garden that had become bare made the same. 



Other than replace a couple of wooden sides on two raised beds, I think this summer's garden is ready to grow a few vegetables. 

The rest of the day was spent weeding the asparagus patch. I was surprised to see that several had already poked their heads above the ground. As I told Sargie, as soon as we get a week of bright sun and warm temperatures, we'll be eating freshly cut asparagus. It can't be soon enough.

The volunteer blueberry bushes, those that came up from seed are doing well. All I have to do is figure out where to transplant them.

I came across the remnants of this land snail while digging around in the garden yesterday. I know they aren't uncommon, but I haven't seen one in years.



Page Four:

Sargie was home early last night and we enjoyed hamburgers cooked on the grill and a big salad for supper. The rest of the evening was spent just talking and watching television.



I heard rumors that Grady and Macrea might come over for a visit today. No doubt, we'll go for our ride at some point, but first, I might sneak outdoors and transplant those small volunteer blueberry plants before it begins to rain. 

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

April 23, 2016 - Saturday
27 degrees/clear/calm winds
Pentoga Road

It's early, very early. I awakened at 2 AM and it seemed every broken bone, muscle pull, bump, scratch, cut, and boo boo, I ever had in life was hurting. I tossed one way, turned another. Nothing would help.

If that wasn't bad enough, my brain kicked into overtime and I started thinking. Normally, that's a good thing, but not at 2 AM. 

Poor Sargie closed last night and opens this morning. She needs some sleep, not some over-thinking, boo boo laden, person turning somersaults in bed beside her. I finally got up. 

Page Two:

Yesterday's activities can only be described in two words, wood chips. Three trips were made back and forth to Yooper Brother Mark's plant in town.



The chips, shavings really, are a waste product from the animal bedding that is manufactured at the plant. They are in a semi trailer for anyone with a strong back and the will to shovel them into a container.



The Blazer can haul six, forty-gallon, trash barrels. That's about all my back and hernia can take at any given time, so it works out well.



I bring the wood shavings home, use the two-wheeled dolly to take one can at a time into the garden, dump it out, rake them smooth, and begin all over again.

Page Three:

A nurse called from the hospital yesterday afternoon to go over Tuesday's procedure and give me a list of do's and don't's beforehand. They are the same instructions I received before the knee was worked on a few summers ago.

I'm all squared away and ready to get this silly hernia fixed on Tuesday. I'm growing tired of working for a few minutes, then pushing everything back to where it belongs, and repeating that process over and over throughout the day. Oh well, after today's over, I should be finished with any heavy lifting and can settle in for a bout of lighter activities over the next few weeks. 

Sargie had to close last night and wasn't home until late. We had a light supper together then it was up the stairs and off to bed. She opens this morning, but should be home early tonight and has tomorrow off.

I have two more loads of wood chips to haul today and that job will be finished. I think after, I'll officially be ready for the gardening season. 

There's some big rain on the horizon. Over two inches are forecast to fall beginning tonight through Monday. Snow is mentioned for this next week, but we won't kick that can around the block again.

It's 3:47 AM. I think I'm going to go back upstairs and try to grab a couple of hours of legitimate sleep before the alarm rings. I'm tired, but not sleepy. Maybe sleepy will come from behind and I'll doze off.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Sargie's hauling wood chips on Thursday afternoon

April 22, 2016 - Friday

32 degrees/snow flurries/breezy

Pentoga Road

Yesterday was sunny and calm with highs in the sixties. Today it's snowing. Is there no mercy for the poor northern people of the Upper Peninsula?

Years ago, while living in the furthest reaches of northern Maine, six of us, all teachers and administrators, were camping on the St. John River near the Quebec border over the Memorial Day weekend. It was our annual man time, an end of the year fishing blowout supplemented by cases and cases of beer. 

We went to bed one night with the thermometer showing almost seventy degrees and awakened the next morning to six inches of snow on the ground. There was no mercy for us poor outdoor partiers back then either. 

Page Two:

Sargie and I made our way to Iron Mountain Thursday morning with the intentions of bringing home a new kitchen window. In the place we shopped, one can buy brand new windows, but there are thousands of seconds, returns, and overstock items. 

I immediately found a window that will fit in the shop. A brand new unit for $45. Perfect.

We looked and sorted, walked through all eight buildings, and couldn't find what we wanted for the kitchen. In the end, we ordered one to be built to our specifications and measurements.

Sargie's looking through one of eight warehouses for the perfect kitchen window.

After we arrived home, I removed all the inside trim and measured the existing opening. The new window should slide into place and we'll be all set to go. No muss, no fuss, just a lot of muttering on my part. It's to be ready in three weeks.

With the interior trim removed, I could accurately measure the opening.

Page Three:

It was warm and with little breeze, we decided to begin laying down the black material mulch over the new garden area. Without it, I'd be fighting weeds and grass all summer. New gardens, those that haven't been tilled and tended for at least a year, are notorious for being weedy, often to the point that a grower will give up and let the unwanted growth take over. 

Sargie was soon at my side and together, we got the mulch unrolled and secured. 

I'll plant only vine or bush crops in the new area this year and will simply poke holes in the mulch to plant them in the dirt below.

At Sargie's suggestion, we loaded the Blazer with empty trash barrels and made our way to Yooper Brother Mark's plant for a load of wood chips.

We began hauling as soon as we got home and again, with Sargie's help, all were soon dumped on top of the black mulch.

There were two tired kids who showered and climbed the stairs to bed last night. After a very long and fun day, we were exhausted.

Sargie closes tonight so she starts work late this morning. I'm going to make two or three trips into town to get more wood chips. After dumping them, I'll spend time this afternoon raking the piles out over the mulch.

Other than that, it appears to be the perfect day for a grandpa nap. 

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

There's something about Ivy that makes her old grandpa smile.

Granddaughter, Ivy, sends her greetings

April 21, 2016 - Thursday

43 degrees/showers/calm winds

Pentoga Road

What a day to have slept in. It's cool, rainy, and the sound of rain drops hitting the metal roof overhead made getting out of bed extremely difficult. 

There's not a lot to talk about this morning. Yesterday was my appointment with the surgeon and my hernia surgery is scheduled for late morning next Tuesday. It appears as though there's nothing spectacular about the procedure and if everything goes as planned, I should be walking out of the hospital two to three hours after the last stitch is tied.

A very positive note is that the doctor said I should resume my walking ASAP after the surgery and that I can resume my normal activities as soon as I feel like it, but I can't lift anything over twenty pounds for four weeks. 

In the days of old, patients were advised to have bed rest for several days and not to resume too much activity for up to six weeks. It's since been found that the increased blood flow from cardio-type activities actually helps the healing process. 

On a side note, brag brag... the doctor commented that I was in good shape. That's two doctor's in two weeks who have said such. If I'm in such great shape, why do I have so many aches and pains when I get out of bed every morning?

I took Sargie out to lunch then came back home. The rest of the day was spent digging out rocks in the side yard on the opposite side of the garden. They were barely under the ground last year, but had heaved enough in this spring's thaw, to be nicked by the blade on the lawn mower. 

Sargie walked in the door last night bearing a huge pizza. In honor of losing ten pounds this spring, I decided to celebrate and thoroughly enjoyed demolishing well over half. It's back to the diet grindstone today. I'd like to shed another five to ten pounds to achieve my normal summertime fighting weight. 

Sargie's off today and we'll be making our way to Iron Mountain to purchase a new kitchen window. I found one yesterday and want her approval before buying it. If I can find an inexpensive window for the shop, I may go ahead and purchase that as well. It would fit in the outside wall alongside the solar heater. I need all the natural light I can get and as I told someone earlier, if I keep hanging lights and installing windows in the shop, I'm soon going to run out of wall and ceiling space. 

So that's the news from this part of the continent today. Not much.

It's time to clean out the trailer in preparation of taking it to Iron Mountain. I also need to make a few last minute measurements, plus, there is a giant pumpkin seed or two to place between wet paper towels to germinate. Oh yes, it's that time of year again.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Congratulations to Stefanie Cyr Wainright (4th from the left) for completing ten years as a certified trainer and teacher mentor at the St. Paul School for Girls in Maryland. Stef was a student of mine (in band) from the time she was in sixth grade until she graduated from high school a long time ago in northern Maine.
Thanks Eileen for sending this along. I taught with Stef's parents, Uncle Bert and Eileen, for many years in a previous lifetime.

From Pentoga Road to Hawaii. Sister-in-law, Debbie, sent a couple of pictures back from Hawaii saying they had arrived, were wearing flowers, and it was a two-tank (scuba diving) day! 

April 20, 2016 - Wednesday

34 degrees/cloudy/calm winds

Pentoga Road

I'm happy that Debbie and Pat are enjoying their tropical vacation. Meanwhile, our temperatures are dropping with the possibility of rain in the forecast. Hawaii has nothing on the Upper Peninsula. I'll be enjoying the same tropical temperatures while fishing from my boat in July and August. 

Meanwhile, geese continue to fly north, flock after flock, all day long.

The name of the game on Tuesday was rebuilding and expanding the electric deer fence. 

Tools of the trade, including a long handled magnet to pick up any nails that might be lost while building. Better to find them with a magnet then with a tire on the mower!

All the old popple support poles were replaced by treated landscape timbers. The popples worked well for a few years, but had become so brittle that the heavy snow was breaking them down. The timbers should outlive us.

It took the entire day, but in the end, the garden and orchard, including the newest part, was completely fenced in. Bring on the summer!

Sargie visited a friend who has a new baby last night, so we didn't see a lot of each other. She opens today and has Thursday off.

I'm heading to the surgeon's this morning regarding the hernia. If surgery is the only option, I'll make arrangements to have that done sooner, rather than later, so I can enjoy as much of the upcoming summer as possible. 

It's time to get busy and put on my "city boy" duds. After the doctor's appointment, I'll be visiting a window store searching for a replacement for the kitchen window and running a few other errands. It'll be a busy day in the big city of Iron Mountain.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

I wonder if Pat danced the hula last night?