A patriotic corner in Crystal Falls

July 3, 2016 - Sunday
47 degrees/clear skies/calm winds
Pentoga Road

I was awake bright and early this morning in anticipation of the annual Mighty Milligan Fourth of July celebration, even if it is on the third. It's a day early so those who want to celebrate with the other side of their families may do so. Also, no one has to worry about a long drive on Monday when the highways will be clogged.

Saturday began with a spray tank in one hand, a wand in the other, as I walked the perimeter of the garden and property ridding the area of noxious weeds and spraying those hard to trim places. That job should be finished until mid August when I'll spray for the last time this season.

Boy, it seems odd to say, "... the last time this season." Didn't summer just begin?

I tackled another three loads of firewood and filled the east shed to the ceiling. I'm guessing it will take another eight or ten loads to fill the west shed and that job will be finished. 

Age is a strange thing. I'm finding that swinging a twelve-pound mall isn't nearly as much fun as it was twenty years ago, even as distant as five years past. I used to be able to work up wood nonstop, all day long. Now I split a few pieces then find some excuse to pause for a minute or two before swinging again. 

Our young friend, Jerad, Yooper Brother Mark and Sheri's son, stopped by for a visit and to pick up four kayaks. He, Jenna, and friends, are camped west of town, at Ottawa Lake, for the holiday weekend. Jerad stayed for a while and we had a good visit.

Off to the lake for a weekend of kayaking, camping, and fun.

The bulbs for the old slide projector arrived in the mail so I replaced the one that had blown earlier this week. It fit and a test run of the machine promised that we might look at old family slides later in the day.

Our usual drive was taken and we headed west to see if we might find where Jerad and all were staying. The drive is just five miles from Iron River, but through some beautiful woods and countryside. We found the boy and his friends and had a short, but pleasant visit.



I headed to the garden once we were home and hand pollinated a Big Moose pumpkin, the first to blossom this year. 



There's a female blossom forming on one of the giant pumpkin plants and I can only hope it opens before we leave on Tuesday. I'd like to hand pollinate the blossom to ensure the genetics stay pure. 

The Big Moose Pumpkin
"... let me tell 'ya 'bout the birds and the bees and the flowers and the trees and the moon up above and thing called (pumpkin) love!"

We spent last evening looking at old family slides from the 1950's, 60's, and 70's. A lot of the time was spent sorting out who was who, where we were on vacation, or what year the picture was taken. One thing was evident. In the early days, I was a pudgy boy who obviously loved to eat, later to become tall and gangly. There was even a point in high school and college where my stomach had a washboard quality, a six-pack, as the younger generation now calls it. I'm fairly sure there's still a six pack under the ample padding I now call my belly.

Munching Carmel corn, we spent the evening walking through time, when Dad was young and strapping and Mom was a younger mega babe. Both sets of grandparents were healthy and active and my sister and I... well, we were normal, healthy, kiddies, busy and doing all those things that children of the time did.

We'll be off to Nephew Derek and Leah's later this morning with buns and parboiled chicken in hand. I'm looking forward to a day of swimming, playing a Milliganized version of volleyball in the pool, hanging out with Grady, talking and laughing with members of the family, and of course, eating way too much. 

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Though late this year, the potatoes are finally beginning to blossom.