There's nothing better on a warm summer afternoon than fresh strawberries mixed with a bit of dirt right out of the patch.

June 29, 2016 - Wednesday

39 degrees/clear/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Whew, there's a hint of late spring, or would that be early fall, in the air this morning. I'm glad the temperature didn't drop more than it did or we might have experienced a frost, something that would have caused an abrupt end to the gardening season... or would that be a late beginning? Time moves so quickly anymore that it's impossible to keep up with the hours and days, let alone how far into any one season we are. 

Late ruffled peonies surrounded by asparagus ferns and strawberry plants.

It's sure quiet around here this morning. Hambone took his daddy and left last night around 8, both with full bellies. Macrea arrived at supper time and we enjoyed grilled hamburgers along with Sargie's macaroni salad. No one went hungry.

I've never seen a man love a dog like Macrea does Brutus. Dog hair, slobber, and licks, it makes no difference. It's been a love fest since the day Brutus walked through the door several years ago.

Pat, Sargie's older brother, stopped by to see us Tuesday morning. He rides a 1994 Honda Gold Wing that is in mint condition and occasionally drives over from Foster City.

Grady was impressed with his great uncle's motorcycle and wanted to take a ride... as long as Grandma Sargie went with. Mom and I watched as the three zoomed up the road.

It was a nice day, far too nice to stay inside. What better time to introduce Grady to the sport of kayaking? I loaded one into the Blazer and with Mom, Sargie, and Grady (in his car seat) following in the Kia, we drove to our local lake.

I wanted Grady to get used to sitting low in the water and to alleviate any fears he might have. 

I needn't have worried. Sargie lifted him down from the dock onto my lap and we were off, talking and paddling like two old pros.

I see a fishing pole in the munchkin's near future. 

We planned for Grady to take his afternoon nap during our ride to town and around the area. He was asleep before the car was out of the drive and the boy snoozed for the entire hour-and-a-half. 

Once home, we headed to the strawberry patch. He had no problem spotting ripe berries and at first, was content to pick several with an occasional one going in his mouth.

The boy's not dumb. It didn't take long for him to discover that it was far easier to paw through the bowl of berries that were already picked, select out the largest, and chow down. Grady's contribution? A negative twenty (or so) strawberries.

Once his belly was full, Hambone turned his attention to the tomato bed where he practiced his engineering skills making roads between the plants. After that, it was onto the fountain and the goldfish.

It was then he discovered the hose. I had my back to him when I was suddenly blasted from head to toe. The fight was on.

I'm a kind and understanding grandfather and would never spray my delicate little grandson. Rather, I kinked the hose just long enough that he turned the nozzle towards himself to see why the flow had stopped. The rest is history.

Grady found all kinds of things to spray. The potatoes in the pots were his personal favorites.

An ant hill also caught his attention.

In the end, there weren't many places left dry in and around the garden on Tuesday afternoon.

Supper eaten and the boys having departed, Mom, Sargie, and I, spent a quiet evening watching America's Got Talent. 

Sargie closes tonight and doesn't work until 11 this morning. The Direct TV man is coming sometime today to install our new DVR receivers and upgrade our system. 

I'm not certain what Mom has on her agenda. I hope to finish the side trellis that was started a couple of days ago. I also need to begin hauling wood from a large pile in back of the sheds and getting it under cover, ready for next winter. 

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Not to worry. It was just a tornado by the name of Grady that blew through the living room.