The perennial bed was completely torn apart and replanted on Tuesday

September 13, 2016 - Tuesday
60 degrees/cloudy/calm winds
Pentoga Road

Arg, I overslept this morning. Honestly, I know I've been more exhausted at some point earlier in life than I was last night, but I can't remember when. I climbed the steps at 9 PM, crawled between the sheets, and immediately fell asleep.

The day began with the usual five mile walk. It was a gorgeous early fall morning, one of nicest in a long time. Deer were everywhere and though I was hiking through some fairly rural areas, I never felt alone. Seems all the wildlife in the UP has caught word that winter is on its way and are bustling around doing their last minute thing.



Once home, I decided it was time to tear apart and replant the front perennial bed that stretches the entire length of the house. Since I bought the place several years ago, it's never been anything but a weed bed choked with a few hostas and root-bound irises. 



Initially I tried to use a spade, but the plants were so root bound that I gave up on that idea. 



My mind turned to the backhoe. It's small and fits into tight spaces. Why not?



The backhoe was exactly what was needed. I'd lower the bucket and scrape the ground four or five inches deep, just enough to dig everything out and still not injure the roots.



Actually, using the backhoe took only a few minutes. The rest required an old-fashioned shovel and lots of back breaking labor.



Neighbor Mike stopped by to borrow one of the four wheelers, grab a few tomatoes, and leave off a couple of chukar partridge that he'd shot while training his new bird dog.



I took a break and quickly cleaned the birds. They'll be part of tonight's supper.

Since my hunting days are past, Neighbor Mike takes good care of me.

The hostas were split into clumps and replanted as well as the dogwood bushes that were earlier purchased in Marquette. The irises and day lilies will be planted elsewhere.



It was past three before I walked into the house with just enough time to take a shower and head to Iron Mountain to meet Sargie.

The wood stove needs to be relined with fire brick and I'd hoped to purchase it at Home Depot. I later found that the big box store no longer carries it.

The old fire brick

Sargie had a hair appointment at the same time I was shopping and the timing was perfect. I picked her up after an hour and we headed home.

Last night was spent watching Dancing With the Stars and I went to bed shortly after. My back and legs ached and I just wanted to crawl between the sheets. That's the last thing I remember until this morning, when I overslept by an hour and a half.

Sargie closes tonight. I'll be riding with her to a couple of the area schools where she will donate some supples to the schools' nurses, compliments of the Vision Center, before heading onto Iron Mountain. I'll get the fire brick from one of the hardware stores and come on home. 

Rain was in the forecast for today, but that appears to have changed. Certainly temperatures are to drop into the forties and even lower in the near future, so I think I'll reline the stove and climb up on the roof to clean the flue. It appears we might have use for some wood burning heat before the week is out.

Sargie has a five day break from work beginning on Wednesday. We have no real plans other than to go fishing tomorrow, entertain Grady at some point along the way, and attend a wedding.

I'm running late. Time to get 'er in gear.



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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...