That's my good buddy, Uncle Bobby "The Love Doctor" Love with a 30 lb king salmon caught in Sitka Sound.

July 6, 2017 - Thursday

64 degrees/partly cloudy skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Bob and I taught and worked together for a good many years, both for the University of Alaska - Fairbanks and UA - Southeast. It was one of those immediate bonds, two old grizzly school teachers who happened to agree on most everything.

I guess I could pretend to not be jealous when seeing Bob with his nice king salmon, but I'd be lying. It's difficult going from years of world class fishing, catching halibut weighing hundreds of pounds, giant red snapper, ling cod, sea bass, and salmon (and that doesn't include the monster pike, trout, and fifty-pound sii fish I caught in the arctic) to landing palm-sized bluegills in the Upper Peninsula.  

I sorely miss Alaska, the adventure and outdoors, and most of all, my friends, but when I was in Alaska, I often missed not being able to grow a decent garden, have a nice yard, acres of woods and a house to call my own, a shop in which to make a mess, all those things people who live on the outside take for granted... and the hard cold reality of it is, with my diminishing sight, I'm exactly where I need to be. 

It's said life is about trade off's and through a set of circumstances that only God could set into motion, I landed right here in the Upper Peninsula, or as I call it, "Alaska Light." 

Home is where the heart is and mine lies on Pentoga Road alongside that pretty girl from Foster City, (population - a few) who's upstairs sleeping in these predawn, early morning, hours.

Thanks for sending the picture, Uncle Bobby. Just keep 'em coming. Yeah, and I miss you too, buddy.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch:

There's some big news in the gardening world on Pentoga Road. Finally, we have a male pumpkin blossom!

The female's not quite ready, but I'm feeling more confident that there'll be curcubita pepo love in the air when the time is right. I need to have a talk with that boy flower, tell him to romance the girl blossom up a bit, get her in the mood.

As in year's past, I'll be hand pollinating the female and hoping for a bouncing, round, little baby giant pumpkin in another week or two. 

The ample sunshine and warm weather of the past few days has caused the garden and flowers to kick the growing season into overdrive.

The violets and violas have gone viral

It's as if the plants understand they are a month behind schedule and need to make up for lost time.

The first broccoli was picked yesterday and the cucumbers are beginning their long climb up the trellis.

Both grape starts that were mere sticks a month ago are almost waist high and are crawling up the arbor inches per day.

The giant pumpkin plants are sending runners that are rapidly growing towards each other. Each was under several inches of rushing water just a month ago. 

Much of Wednesday morning was spent talking with the phone and insurance companies. It seems every now and then, rates just magically jump a few dollars per month, no explanation given, and unless one checks closely, it could go unnoticed. 

AT&T and I reached an agreement for this coming year's rates and as far as the auto and home owner's insurance goes, to quote the old tune, "You'd better shop around." 

I started yesterday and have already found one company that will save us almost $500 a year on auto and homeowners combined.

The afternoon was spent in the shop where I cut and carved several names.

Poor Hambone. I see him quite often, but somehow or the other, he's never gotten his own cut and carved name.

I'm doing several names to put online in preparation for advertising, see if Sargie and I can't get a little mom and pop industry going. We're hoping to take orders for names and expand into seasonal ornaments and of course, bowls, plates, and whatever other creations might come out of the shop. Neither of us are into craft shows so we're hoping that digital marketing will be the way to go.

A Dremel is used to actually carve the letters once they are cut out using the band and scroll saws.

OH NO! The worst happened before I was finished yesterday. The lens of my magnifiers became detached from the frames. Without them, I'm unable to do any close work.

Thankfully, I have plenty of CA glue, a super glue for wood, that seemed to have solved the problem.

With a final grind, a bit of sanding, and a coat of polyurethane, Hambone will finally get his own name.

Sargie had a beautician's appointment after work, so it was well into the evening before she pulled in the drive. Bedtime came fairly early and neither of us had a hard time falling asleep.

Sargie closes tonight, another long day for her. I'm going to walk my three miles this morning then if it's not raining, spend some time in the garden. I hope to make another two or three names this afternoon and who knows, I might just solve the secret of perpetual motion while I'm at it.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...