One of Sargie's favorite flowers, the lowly onion blossom

 July 18, 2017 - Tuesday

64 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Talk about a swing in temperatures. Monday morning began with a low of 38 degrees, a mere six notches above freezing. By mid afternoon the thermometer showed 82, a forty-four degree difference in 9 hours. 

Carl the Weatherman has predicted that over an inch of rain could fall later this afternoon. As long as that's all we get, it could be beneficial.

I was working in the garden shortly after daylight Monday morning. My goal for the day was to weed all the beds.

Early morning dew covering the asparagus fronds

With the feet of water that's fallen this summer, plus the hoards of mosquitoes that have invaded us, the garden has been badly neglected. My goal yesterday was to make up for lost time.

After a quick three-mile walk, the rest of the morning and most of the afternoon was spent on the other side of the deer fence. I was happy to declare the beds free of weeds by mid afternoon.

Now that we've had several days of average temperatures and sunshine, everything is beginning to grow. We're still running a month later than normal and unless we have a warmer than normal fall, the long season vegetables probably won't make it.

I was happiest to see some blossoms on a few of the cucumber plants along with a several baby cucumbers. There's hope.

The Delicata winter squash are beginning to bloom. It's an early squash that can be eaten immediately after the growing season. Most winter varieties need to "season" for at least a month, sometimes longer, to allow the starch to turn to sugar. The large Hubbard squash that we grow aren't ready to eat until well past Christmas.

It was too nice of a day to sit at home. Though fishing was lousy it felt good to simply get out on the water and had I brought another pair of shorts, I'd have gone swimming before coming home.

My favorite fishin' hole was long on looks but short on fish Monday afternoon.

Sargie had to close Monday night and wasn't home until past 9:30. She opens today and is up early this morning which made a short night.

I'm going for my usual walk first thing today then plan to mow the weeds along the north side of the barn and around the equipment in the old popple woods. I really should hook up the bush hog, but the area that needs mowing only takes about four rounds when using the tractor, hardly worth all the effort.

I'll probably spend the rest of the day in shop. First thing will be to turn a new handle for my favorite hand trowel. The old one finally rotted away after years of use. I need to make one more cut/carved name and there's another puzzle to finish cutting on the scroll saw.

It's time to get this uploaded and begin the day.

Rather than grow red radishes with white insides, I grew the opposite, those with red interiors and white exteriors.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Beautiful bright yellow buttercups growing alongside the road