She's the prettiest chip shoveler who's ever filled a barrel. Sargie's shoveling wood chips for the garden paths. 

May 22, 2017 - Monday

46 degrees/cloudy/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Seems there's only half a day to write about this morning. Since our's didn't begin until almost noon on Sunday, writing about the rest is easy.

It was midday before we were ready for our drive. You might recall that Sargie and I slept until ten Sunday morning, a very rare, but extremely enjoyable experience.

Starving, we purchased chicken tenders, sliced ham and even two egg rolls, from the deli at the grocery store. From there, we made our way across the road for two McDonald's Cokes.

It rained intermittently, but we didn't allow the soggy weather to shorten our drive. Chomping on chicken tenders and ham slices, we talked and ate our way around the countryside.

Back home, I told Sargie that I might load several barrels into the Blazer and drive to Yooper Brother Mark's plant for a load of wood chips. Those covering the garden aisles have begun to break down over the past several years leaving the black mulch showing through.

Sargie volunteered to go with. Together, we made not one, but two chip runs.

There weren't as many chips as usual, but plenty for what we needed. With Sargie's help, it took only minutes to fill the six barrels.

 I later emptied and raked the chips onto the paths. 

By afternoon's end, twelve barrels had been spread in the aisles of the vegetable garden. Another twelve to fifteen barrels should see the orchard finished as well and I'll be able to cross the chip project off my list.

Sargie continued her spring cleaning quest by emptying and washing everything in one bottom kitchen cupboard. We later emptied Grandma Reinhardt's china cabinet of its contents in the dining room. I retrieved an old bread tray from the barn and carried everything, figurines, china, pictures, and other nicknacks, into the kitchen where Sargie either washed or wiped each.

It was well into the evening before everything was put back and Sargie decided to call an end to our labors.

Yooper Brother Mark and Sheri had been out to visit while we were gone and had left a couple of small presents. Mark told me on the phone that we'd have to look for them.

We did look, but couldn't find anything. Knowing Mark, often the joker, neither Sargie or I were certain we should take him seriously.

He called late in the afternoon asking if we'd found the presents. Saying we hadn't, he began verbally leading us around the yard in much the same manner as the games we played as children, saying, "You're getting colder, warmer... Oh, you're getting hot, etc. etc." 

We had more fun for a few minutes wandering around the outside with cordless phones. The gifts, finally found in the front flower box, were bulbs of wild garlic Sheri had left along with four Christmas ornaments of cartoon-like fishermen with new fishing rods. What fun... and thanks, folks, for the gifts.

Sargie opens today. I'm going to make one, possibly two trips for more chips. I also hope to plant cauliflower and broccoli today. It's awfully wet, but it's time. I also need to put winter squash between wet paper towels in the house so they can begin to sprout. Hopefully, it will speed the process up and add another week to the already short growing season. 

The giant sunflowers I planted in the greenhouse last week have yet to sprout, so I brought those inside and placed the peat pots on a heated mat. I'm fearful if left to Mother Nature, the seeds will rot in the ground. It's been a difficult spring for gardening.

Time to move along and get this day going. Rain is in the forecast, AGAIN, but I'll do what the folks in Sitka do, ignore it and go about their daily living.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...