Sister-in-law, Nancy, sent this picture of a cougar crossing the road on the east side of Iron Mountain Tuesday morning. It was taken by a local real estate agent out on a morning walk.

July 27, 2017 - Thursday

59 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

I'm told the real estate agent said the big cat simply looked at her and kept walking. Strange, Michigan's DNR (Department of Natural Resources) claimed for years that there were no mountain lions (cougars) in the UP. Though many of us had proof, they still refused to admit there were big cats living in the Upper Peninsula.

My trail cam snapped a picture of one several years ago taken towards the back of our property.

The showers that were forecast for Wednesday produced only a trace amount of rain. Storms went to our south, some to the north, but by and large, we remained high and dry. The next chance of rain is predicted for the middle of next week.

I spent some time in the garden Wednesday morning. Blueberry season has arrived. They are the largest and most plentiful we've ever grown. The heavy rains that fell earlier certainly didn't hurt.

The green beans are setting on and we'll begin harvesting this weekend. 

Neighbor Mike made mention that he was out of maple syrup. Since they were leaving for Marquette Wednesday morning and I had a meeting in Crystal Falls, I left half a gallon on the front porch for him to pick up before they left. I noticed both the jars and Neighbor Mike had disappeared by the time I arrived back home.

A few of the pavers in the front stoop had loosened and a couple had become unstable. I removed several and found that mice had burrowed underneath. Essentially, the pavers were tipping into the mice borrows.

I raided Grady's sandbox, filled the burrows, and quickly replaced the pavers before someone could trip and break his leg. I plan to get more sand this morning and do the pavers correctly.

The mice population seems to have exploded this summer. We saw evidence of one in the basement last month, something that is quite unusual for this time of the year. We also saw an earlier influx of snakes around the house meaning they were hunting the rodents.

When we had such problems two years ago, I asked a professional exterminator what he did to rid homes of mice. He said the best way to prevent mice inside is to kill them on the outside. At that time, I put out bait stations and last winter, we had zero mice problems. We never saw evidence of any, either outside, in the barn, or in the house. 

I placed bait around the perimeter last month and since, our mice problems have gone away. It's about time to fill the bait stations again. Cold weather will be here before we know it, causing the critters to look for warmer places to spend the winter months.

With sunny, breezy, conditions replacing the morning's drizzle, I did several loads of laundry yesterday afternoon and hung out two sets of sheets on the line.

It felt good to lay between fresh sheets last night that smelled like the north woods.

With Sargie closing the Vision Center, I was in no hurry to come in the house, so after feeding the goldfish in the garden pond, I migrated to the shop.

I've had a new design idea for a miniature vase bouncing around my head for sometime. An appropriate piece of dried maple was dug from the wood pile and I began.

I often find it frustrating to transfer an idea that's between my ears onto a chunk of firewood. I can see it in my mind's eye, but sometimes, the hands controlling the chisels don't cooperate.

I wanted a lip that would curve outward, almost like a large wave about to break on the beach. I never did achieve that effect and when the walls became too thin I had to settle for a more conventional design around the top.

I'll get it. Oh yes, by all that is holy, that curved, flared, lip will be mine someday. I have forty-two acres of wood to practice on.

I guess I'll add yesterday's creation to the pile of goodies that are fun to look at, but have no practical value. I hope to make a much larger vase with a flared lip in the future to display in the gallery in Marquette.



Joanne called last night saying she made it back to the Atlanta without incident. I'm not certain who was happier to be home, Joanne or Schamz the Dog.

Sargie's off today. Our agenda is still undecided, but rest assured, we'll take our drive while sipping Cokes along the way. Other than that, we have no plans.

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


So are the tales from Pentoga Road...