I've previously said that I'm a former biker and yes, I was a tuba major in the School of Music at Illinois Wesleyan University. Thanks, Eileen!

July 12, 2016 - Tuesday

65 degrees/cloudy/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Whew, I don't know what blew through here during the night, but it sure played havoc. There's .6 of an inch of rain in the gauge that wasn't there when we went to bed last night and I see my half grown giant sunflowers are leaning heavily towards the east. 

Thunder and lightening woke me at some point, but with the air conditioner running and the windows closed in our bedroom, I simply smiled, pulled the sheets up tightly under my chin, snuggled closer to Sargie, and went back to sleep.

As is the norm following a strong storm, we lost our internet. Hopefully it will come on sooner rather than later.

Poor Brutus was up early this morning. I'd given him the large bone from the pork roast yesterday afternoon and it must have had adverse affects on him. There was a mess to clean when I initially came down the stairs. Thankfully, we have composite wood floors and he missed the rugs.

Monday was a mixed bag of nonstop action, well, except for the two-hour grandpa nap that was taken later in the afternoon.

I began the morning by working up another four loads of firewood. The last shed is quickly filling and should be to capacity by week's end.

One catastrophe did occur. The wheel barrow was piled high and top heavy and when I temporarily tripped and lost my balance, it toppled over. I don't like picking up the same wood more than once.

It was time to trade my lumberjack paraphernalia for hiking boots. Since Sargie had to close last night, she didn't leave for work until later in the morning. Under cloudy skies, I rode with her several miles down the road. The car had just disappeared over a hill when I felt the first drop, then another, and another. I carried on like a trooper (what else was I going to do?) when God decided He'd really play a joke. 

The bottom fell out of the rain barrel and it poured, probably as hard as I've seen it rain in a long long time.

Needless to say, Tommy P got a bit damp on Monday morning.

Once home and after a quick shower and change of clothes, I headed to the shop. There's something to be said about experience. This side of the lattice is going together so much easier than the first. I know I shouldn't count my chickens before they hatch, but after a few hours of work, the flock is half grown.

The most tedious work is using the router to carve the notches from the frame. Still, I was very careful with my marks and so far, so good.

I thought I'd watch a bit of the news after eating a late lunch. Two hours later, I awakened from a sound sleep. It was one of those where I wasn't sure if it was morning or afternoon or what day it was. I guess walking through the monsoon earlier, coupled with working up the firewood, had done me in.

The rest of the day was spent in the garden, plucking a weed here, pruning a vine or two there.

 

The zucchini are finally beginning to set fruit and several are small and tender, just the right size. I'll pick those today.

The peas are FINALLY in blossom. Usually by this time, all have been consumed and the vines removed. Looks as though Sargie will be enjoying late July/early August snap peas this year.



Sargie was home late last night. Since she's off today, we stayed up a bit later than usual.

I'm going to make a planting of pole beans this morning around the sunflower plants that are approaching four feet in height. If I'm lucky, the beans should make a week or two before our first frost.

Other than that, I'm hoping to spend some time in the shop and see if I can come close to finishing the lattice. Once the construction is complete, there'll be a day or two of sanding and painting both before installing one on each side of the garden arbor and connecting the deer fence.

The cosmos are beginning to bloom.

It's time to rock and roll.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Ivy says, "Who, me?"