Tales from Pentoga

Miss Jody sent a few pictures of the flowers and shrubbery (bridal wreath) blooming in southern Mississippi. Here in the UP, we can only dream.

March 10, 2017 - Friday

2 degrees/clear/windy (again)

Pentoga Road

There, that's better. I've developed such an early morning writing habit over the past several decades that I don't know what to do with myself while the rest of the world sleeps. Good, bad, or ugly, my fingers are happiest when they are busy tapping on the keyboard in the dark, predawn, hours of the coming day.

This past week been somewhat different than normal. Sargie's been ill, the flu. She started with a severe headache and feeling unwell. From there, her throat became scratchy and she developed a deep cough. I tried teasing her back to health, saying she sounded like an 80 year old man who had smoked three packs a day since he was a youngster.

Someday, I'll learn to keep my mouth shut and teasing to myself. I'm sure that goose egg on my head will subside some day.

Modern technology arrived on Pentoga Road Wednesday afternoon. With Sargie missing work and growing more miserable by the hour, we took advantage of an online medical site, doctorondemand.com, a place where Sargie could video conference with a physician, receive a diagnosis, and have a prescription sent to our local pharmacy.

Admittedly, we were skeptical at first, but the female MD on the other end soon put Sargie at ease and it was easy to forget that we were sitting in our living room rather than her office.

The diagnosis was the flu and medication prescribed that was picked up at our local pharmacy a short time later. I'm happy to say that after a mere twenty-four hours, Sargie is feeling better. She's no longer begging me to put her out of her misery, but the girl has a ways to go before she's completely out of the woods.

Severe winds have been blowing nonstop for the past several days. They finally ended on Thursday, but are beginning again this morning. At one time, they were howling at forty miles per hour with gusts to well over sixty and damage is widespread and evident all around the Upper Peninsula.

Miss Jody said this plant is called a Thrift and claims she dug them from across their road. I wish Neighbor Mike had some flowers worth digging.

Brutus and I took a walk Thursday afternoon and I discovered several large spruce trees had been toppled.

I don't know what to do with the downed trees. Other than for weenie roasts, they aren't really fit to burn. I almost wish I'd have gone ahead and bought the sawmill last fall. Between the bud worm infestation and wind damage, I could make a decent amount of milled lumber. I'll salvage what I can this summer and stack the logs under cover. Maybe a small sawmill will be in my future in the next year or two.

I was very happy to see Brutus return to his old service dog form. The wolves have evidently moved on as my four legged buddy didn't hesitate to guide me around downed trees and other obstacles and stayed by my side the entire time we were in the woods. Upon command, he led me home, always staying just a few feet ahead until we arrived at the back door.

I spent time in the shop yesterday while Sargie was resting. I've been working on this piece for Easter on the scroll saw.

There's a lot of work, sanding and painting, before it's finished and mounted.

I also began work on a more advanced alphabet puzzle.

The alphabet is simple enough, but piecing the letters back together is a challenge. It took quite a while to cut the letters apart and as Sargie and I discovered, putting them back together was just as difficult.

This is my first recessed puzzle. Of course, the letters will be sanded, the recessed background painted and the frame sanded and possibly painted.

One of the indoor greenhouses was retrieved from the basement and assembled Thursday afternoon. Later today, double ruffled petunia seeds will be lovingly scattered upon the surface of highly refined potting soil, misted, and along with a little prayer to the god of doubled ruffled petunias everywhere, be gently placed on a heat mat inside the greenhouse.

Gentlemen, start your engines and plant your seed. The 2017 gardening season is about to begin!

Sargie and I ventured into town yesterday to retrieve the Kia from the mechanic's. With the odometer registering 170,000 miles, it was time for a new timing belt. While in the shop, the water pump and serpentine belt were also replaced. Sargie's little car should be good for another 170,000 miles.

I almost had a disaster in the shop late Thursday afternoon. The propane heater was making a different type sound. When I went to investigate, it went POOF and suddenly broke out into large flames. I retrieved a pair of leather welding gloves, reached through the fire, and turned off the gas.

Needless to say, I'll be heading to town after while to buy another heater. It's said that a lay person should never attempt to repair a propane heater. I thought I had over a month ago, but obviously, something wasn't right. Lesson learned.

Sargie's appetite has been slim to nil. Still, there's no reason why I should deprive myself of one of life's pleasures because she's under the weather. I enjoyed a large plate of shrimp chop suey for supper last evening.

Sargie's going to stay home again today. She's feeling a bit better, but is still weak. About the time she thinks she's getting over it all, waves of pain, dizziness, headaches, and weakness, come roaring back, forcing her to lie down and rest, something that's not in her nature.

I'm going to brave the cold and winds and head into town after while to purchase another heater. Hey, it's only money and doesn't that grow on trees everywhere?

Aunt Joanne sent this picture from the Atlanta area where the flowers and shrubs are beginning to flower. She mentioned today's high is to be 75 degrees. Our's is predicted to remain in the single numbers.

Other than work in the shop, this afternoon's biggest activity will be to plant the double ruffled petunias and get the 2017 gardening season underway.