With the seat belt falling through the floor, the rocker panel almost hitting the ground, the front bumper ready to fall off, a frame rusted in two, and mice vacating the interior in every which direction, the Man Truck is officially ready for another season of use.

May 7, 2017 - Sunday

29 degrees/clear skies/windy

Pentoga Road

It took some effort, but the truck is up and running. I found the needed part(s) first thing Saturday morning and within a couple of hours, the old beast became like a wild animal suddenly unleashed. 

The first item needed was a bungee cord long enough to fasten onto and hold a plastic cover away from the accelerator spring. I robbed one off the tractor where it serves as a replacement for the missing spring that keeps the bucket from tripping.

A liberal spraying of lubricant finally loosened the accelerator, but that was only part of the problem. I needed to find a bread tie with which to attach the throttle cable. The part that holds the cable onto the accelerator broke long ago.

It's said that God gives us what we need when we need it. He certainly did.

I found the perfect sized tie, several inches long, that had originally bound a new garden hose purchased last fall. 

After wrapping wire around a hose connected to the power steering pump and filling the reservoir with used motor oil, I started the engine and pronounced the truck ready for another summer of use... assuming it doesn't break in two. The frame is rusted in half underneath. None-the-less, we're back in business.

The elderly father of an acquaintance of Sargie's passed away and Sargie was going to the visitation in Iron Mountain. I offered to ride with to keep her company, so it was off to the big city for both of us.  

Back home, Sargie spent part of the afternoon raking the perimeter of the yard and observed that the wild flowers are beginning to bloom.

She calls this a blood flower as when picked, the liquid that runs from the stem is bright red.

Sargie also noticed these yellow flowers are beginning to dot the woods.

They are quite delicate and the bloom is almost orchid-like.

Sargie loves her spikes, an ornamental summer plant that we keep through the winter in the basement under grow lights. Her's are the biggest we've ever seen, but unfortunately, over the years they've multiplied in their pots and have become root bound. 

It was time to separate the plants and repot each.

One was so root bound that no pot was needed. We eventually separated the plants and each will find a new home.

The last outside activity of the day was to move the pond liner to the garden and use spray paint to make an outline on the grass.

We moved it one way, then the other, tried to picture a waterfalls running into the pond, the screen house alongside, how it will look trimmed with pavers, flowers, will the lawn mower fit to trim, etc. etc. etc. 

Finally, an executive decision was made and we agreed that it should be slightly offset. I used spray paint to outline the circumference.

The stage is set. One area of the deer fence will be taken down later this morning and the backhoe moved in. I'll use what dirt is needed to form the height of the waterfalls in the existing planter alongside the greenhouse and put the rest into the old truck. 

I hope to have the hole dug, the waterfalls formed, excess dirt removed, the backhoe out of the garden, and the fence back in place by nightfall.

It's going to be a full day.

Neighbor Mike gave me two grape vines. I planted one on each side of the garden arch. Hopefully, they'll grow onto the lattice and over the arch in years to come.

With that being said, it's time to get busy. As my youngest son, Andy, likes to say about any particular activity, "That hole ain't gonna dig itself."

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

We missed Brutus late yesterday afternoon. After calling, I heard the little fella come bulldozing in from the woods. The bulldog went under the hose shortly after this picture was taken.