The brand new hikers I've been waiting for

January 31, 2018 - Wednesday evening

17 degrees/clear skies/windy

Pentoga Road

The temperature has been crashing downwards from this afternoon's high of 38 degrees to the present 17 above. Looking at the ten day forecast, it appears we're in for a spell of below zero temperatures. What is this, the North Woods?

I love my new hiking boots. Keens are regarded as some the best footwear for serious hikers and I've wanted a pair for years. A couple of my sons have given me gift cards over the years and I saved them until I had enough to purchase my dream hiking boots.

The hikers will get a work out daily from now on and hopefully, last for many miles.

A few paltry inches of snow fell during the wee hours of Wednesday morning.



I enjoyed my morning stroll, but had to be extremely careful that my feet stayed under me. Pentoga Road has yet to be plowed and there's no shortage of glare ice under the snow.

I tackled the drive and patio once I arrived home. At first I was going to shovel the drive by hand, but seeing how much snow there was, decided to use the four-wheeler and plow.



The rest of the morning and part of the afternoon was spent plowing both our's and Neighbor Mike's drive.



Though the temperature was almost balmy, the wind made the air feel much colder than it really was. 



I spent most the afternoon just fiddling around outside, filling the bird feeders, working on the snowblower, shoveling snow from in front of the storage container, and whatever else I could think of to keep from going in.

This late afternoon was spent looking at flower pictures and attempting to cut out petals that looked similar. Tomorrow's goal is to make a stem with several small, delicate, white and yellow blooms. I also want to make a jig in which to place a wooden dowel rod that has soaked overnight. It ought to be flexible enough to be bent to fit in the jig and dry and permanently stay that way. 

Sargie closes tonight and won't be home until almost bedtime. I've been binge watching past seasons of Vikings on Hulu. One thing about it, there's no shortage of blood and gore.

I'll go for my walk Thursday morning then plan on spending the rest of the day in the shop. Well, that is unless I get sidetracked by fiddling around outside, filling the bird feeders, playing in the snow, and such. The stress level is mighty high around here this time of the year.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Macrea stopped by for lunch Tuesday afternoon

January 30, 2018 - Tuesday

17 degrees/light snow/windy

Pentoga Road

It appears we've got a bit of a snow event happening this evening and into tomorrow morning. The forecast is for just a couple of inches, not too much.

Tuesday was a mix of fun and games. I began the day by building a daisy. It was similar to making the other flowers except the petals had to be cut long and thin. 

The middle was made on the lathe then painted. The petals still need to be shaped, painted, and tinted, but I think it'll work in a bouquet.

There's still a great deal of work to do, two or three more flowers to make, and a good coat of poly needs to be applied, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel... or the birch vase and bouquet.

Sargie and I were taking a ride midday when Macrea texted saying he was in Iron River working and wondered what we were doing for lunch. We hurried home where I made a large pot of clam chowder.

I added several garden potatoes to the stock, a large can of clams, and big bag of shrimp.

Macrea, an avowed soup connoisseur, pronounced the clam chowder as excellent, so much so that he paid me the ultimate compliment. The boy had seconds!

Macrea had to go back to work. I strapped on my new hikers and bummed a ride four miles towards Iron River.

The fact that it was windy and cold didn't seem to matter to the outdoor enthusiasts enjoying the winter activities.

I had to laugh. Seems the fishermen were using tip up's. While waiting for a flag to go up indicating a fish was on, they sat in their vehicles with the heaters running, probably listening to the radio. Now that's ice fishing in luxury!

The sun suddenly disappeared, a sure sign that an impending front was coming through. 

I quickened my pace and arrived home in time to carry in tonight's firewood before the sun set.

Sargie's back to work and closes on Wednesday. I'm going to make a couple more flowers first thing, go for my walk when she leaves, then return home to work in the shop. I've been asked to make a puzzle and there are a couple of Valentine's gifts to finish. It's a busy time on Pentoga Road.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

An aging barn just down the road

Look who's going to real school one day a week!

January 29, 2018 - Monday evening

9 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Sporting a new book bag and more importantly, a packed lunch, Hambone dutifully climbed into his car seat last week for his first day of school. I was told they were barely out of the drive when Grady asked his mommy if he could eat his lunch. 

Ah, the first day of preschool. Doesn't get any better than that.

I worked most of Monday morning in the shop. It took almost two hours to finish the scroll saw work. 

Within each outline, a hole is drilled and the blade threaded through. After, it must be disconnected, removed, threaded through, the tension adjusted, and the cut begins again. The process is repeated over and over. 

For this, I'm using a very thin round blade.

I finished sawing and moved inside the house where I began painting one of the flowers that were made Sunday. Just as the flower making process was an experiment, so was today's painting.

I used two colors of blue, then outlined the petals in black. 

Speaking of painting, my granddaughter Ellie, who is in the fifth grade, painted this beautiful mountain scene. She also plays the flute. I told her daddy that I hope a few of her grandpa's artsy/craftsy genes were passed along. 

Sargie and I took an extended Monday afternoon drive to Rhinelander, Wisconsin, sixty miles away. Our main stop was at Menards Lumber. 

We didn't really need anything, but still managed to walk out seventy dollars poorer. Sargie did find a great clearance on hobby paint. It was such a good deal that I purchased three. 



The last stop of the day was at Walmart where Sargie got a flu shot and a shingles vaccination. 

Seems there's always paperwork, even for simple vaccinations.

 Sargie's off Tuesday. I think I'll go for an early morning walk then spend some time in the shop. No doubt, we'll take an afternoon drive and enjoy life.

After all, a man's work is done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

The snowman that Hambone and Grandma Sargie made two weeks ago is about to lose his head.

January 27, 2018 - Saturday evening
28 degrees/clear skies/windy
Pentoga Road

It's been another warm, but breezy, day in the UP. According to Carl the Weatherman, this was the last of our really warm days and after Tuesday, the temperatures are to dip into the below zero range.

A lot of snow has melted during the past two days.

After arriving home from Iron Mountain this morning, I headed to the shop. One more day of cutting on the scroll saw should see this current project finished. It's taken three days (so far) of fairly intensive work.

Despite the wind, Saturday afternoon was entirely too nice to waste by staying inside. I kissed the shop goodbye, strapped on my hikers, and took off for Pentoga Park, two miles away.



The road was icy and with melt water flowing over the top, walking was dicey at best.

There were several fishermen out on the lake. With plenty of ice, I found the parking lot empty as everyone is driving to their favorite fishing spot.



Sargie just called. She's on her way home after a twelve hour shift. My girl works Sunday from noon to five, but thankfully, has Monday and Tuesday off this coming week. 

I'll be heading out to the shop first thing Sunday morning before riding with Sargie a ways down the road so I can walk back home.

It's time to get Sargie's supper. That girl's going to be hungry after working a long day.

After all, a man's work (and his wife's) is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Star of stage, screen, and lumber camps the world over.
Mississippi Brother Garry sent this picture of the best looking lumberjack in the deep South, his bride of almost fifty five years, Miss Jody. No wonder Garry walks around with a permanent smile on his face.

January 26, 2018 - Friday afternoon
38 degrees/clear skies/breezy
Pentoga Road

Those are impressive piles of firewood surrounding Miss Jody. The folks had a huge tree removed not long ago and even after giving part of it away, they still have enough to use in their fireplace for a long time to come. 

Speaking of wood, the winter is about half over and so is my estimated allotment of wood.



Should the cold weather run longer, I have a pile almost twice the size of the wood shed under cover in back. 

Hmm, to throw a pork chop on the grill or not. Now that is the question.

I decided earlier that I would drive over to Iron Mountain tonight to keep Sargie company on her drive home. I have a couple of hours to spend before leaving. To eat first or wait? Maybe I'll just write for a while and see how much time is left.

Friday was an active day. With a brief January thaw predicted, I didn't waste any time getting outside.

The sun is trying to shine through the early morning fog.

My walk was absolutely beautiful. 



The surrounding countryside was covered once again in hoar frost making everything look magical and surreal.



 The temperatures were rapidly rising and by the time I arrived home, four miles later, it had all melted or dissipated.

I didn't want to go town, but our grocery was having a sale too good to pass up, things like five frozen pizzas for ten dollars, apples, and pork chops. You know, all the major food groups. I also splurged and purchased a rib eye steak for $4.50 as pound. I never thought I'd pay that much for meat, but I decided to spoil myself. Sargie's not much of a steak eater, so I'll wait until Saturday night when she's once again working late to enjoy my prime piece of beef cooked slowly over a bed of charcoal. A rib eye steak is much too valuable to grill over gas. Only charcoal will do.

I piddled around removing the last of the snow and ice from the drive. It's nice to have it bare this late in the winter. 



I can remember in years past when there was a two to three inch build up of ice and snow that refused to be chipped or shoveled away. It finally disappeared late in the spring.

The rest of the day was spent in the shop cutting out cursive letters on the scroll saw. 



It's the first time I've sawed cursive and have learned quite a bit, mostly how to cut both sides of a very thin line without having the narrow wood break from the vibration of the saw. 



I can't show too much of what I'm doing as what I'm making are gifts.

Since I began writing, the executive decision was made to throw a couple of pork chops on the grill and eat before heading to Iron Mountain. They should be finished. In my never ending quest to keep my weight somewhat manageable, I'm better off eating now, at 5:30 PM, than just before bedtime at 9:30.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

What happens when one's soles of his hiking boots are worn completely through. My new ones should arrive today or the first part of next week.

Thursday's big news? I ordered some new hiking boots.
I think I got my money's worth out of the old ones.

January 25, 2018 - Thursday evening
21 degrees/partly cloudy skies/calm winds
Pentoga Road

Thanks to those who reminded me it was time for the quarterly hiatus to end. Other than being with Sargie, I'm by nature, a solitary guy, but it feels good to know I'm surrounded by the Pentoga Tales family, no matter how distant you may be. 

Well, there's that and the fact that I didn't want Freddie sticking pins in a voodoo doll in an effort to get me off my lazy literary behind. (Freddie and his beautiful bride are friends who live just down the road from Mississippi Brother Garry and Miss Jody.) 

So let's see, what's happened this past week? Honestly, I can't remember what happened ten minutes ago, let alone eight days past. 

With a large snowstorm promised last weekend, Sargie and I took advantage of a warm afternoon and worked to clear the drive of any ice.



The snowstorm turned out to be a bust. At one point, twelve to eighteen inches had been mentioned. 

Yeah, sure. 

Supposedly we received five inches, but I'm not sure it was that much. 

I spent the next day clearing snow off the greenhouse and pruning the fruit trees.



For whatever reason, I'd completely forgotten about this season's ice and snow build up sitting on the light poly panels. Thankfully no harm was done.



I've had to take some drastic measures in pruning the apple tree growing by the greenhouse. 



Of the Wolf River variety, it was supposed to be a semi dwarf tree, just large enough to throw some shade onto the greenhouse without covering it.

Someone lied. The Wolf River turned out to be a full size tree and at eight years of age, it's just now beginning to take off.

I've been pruning it yearly in an attempt to train the thing to grow away from the greenhouse. I don't want to brag yet, but it's looking as though I might be winning the arbor war.

Sargie's doing really well. After years of working five days a week and seldom five in a row, it appears that at her request, she is being scheduled to work just four. It won't always work out that way week after week, but after years of laboring for long and odd hours, we'll take any extra day off she can get. 

Neighbor Mike and I spent some time ice fishing.

I can't say we had bad luck, but be sure to ask Mike about the one that got away. I'm sure it's grown by several pounds and multiple inches this past week.

Several solo ice fishing expeditions were taken and I finally found the fish. (NOTE: I didn't say catch fish, but I found where they are hiding.)

I'm especially happy with my entire ice fishing set up. The Tundra and Clam fit side by side neatly into the trailer along with the auger. It's just a matter of driving to which ever lake I want to fish.

We installed Neighbor Mike's plow and the boy finally got the opportunity to push some snow.

With a high end Moose plow and electric winch, he has the perfect snow removal rig. There's not a thing wrong with my four wheeler and plow, but I'll admit, I'm a bit envious. My plow is raised and lowered manually, not at the push of a button. 

I've been working in the shop daily. My last project was to fashion something from the natural maple log I'd hollowed out on the lathe a couple of weeks ago.

What to make? What to make?

I began by turning flowers on the lathe, in this instance, zinnia-type blooms.

It took some practice and a very sharp chisel. In the end, I put a sharp bevel on an old screw driver and made my own flower turning tool.

Next came turning a bird. 

The body and head were turned separately and attached later. The biggest challenge was getting the beak just right.

Finally I turned a couple of mushrooms. 

In the end, I took paintbrush in hand and made Sargie a center piece, something that, I hoped, would remind her of the warm summer ahead.

Sargie just called on her way home from work and said she's in Alpha, just a few miles away. I'd better wrap up here and heat some leftover chili  for supper.

Although I was happy to be away from writing for a few days, I have to admit, it feels good to be back in the saddle.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Think Sargie is trying to tell me something? I wonder if she realizes the G is upside down?