It's getting to be that time of year again

January 14, 2018 - Sunday
-23 degrees/clear skies/calm winds
Pentoga Road

It sure is quiet this morning since Hambone and the pup have departed for their respective homes. 

Seems as though my life has a switch with only two settings, on/off. There doesn't seem to be a middle. 

That's okay, it keeps my days interesting.

After going full throttle on Friday, the switch was turned off for most of Saturday. After arriving home from Iron Mountain, Chief and I played for a bit before he lay on the floor at my feet in front of the wood stove and happily dreamed puppy dog dreams. I managed to slowly work my toes in under his belly and for a short while, I forgot that it was Chief, not Brutus, who was keeping my tootsies toasty warm. 

I sure miss that big ol' tub of lard.

I'm still undecided about which direction to go if and when I choose to get another canine companion. Chief will be staying with us for several days in February and maybe after, I'll be able to make a decision. I've discovered that occasionally caring for someone else's dog can be enjoyable. It's like being a grandparent. I can enjoy the pup then send him home. 

I'm definitely leaning towards a small, non yapping, non shedding, companion; one that I can throw under my coat when I go outside, much like I used to with Casey, the Jack Russell. We'll see. No doubt I'll bounce these ideas off of you multiple times before I make up my mind later this winter or spring.



Tom and Melinda arrived later in the morning to get Chief. We had a great visit before they left for home.

Most of yesterday afternoon was spent looking at seed catalogues, circling those things that interested me, and denoting some importance of the vegetable or flower on the front of each catalogue. 



As tired and frustrated as I was after last summer's complete wash out, I'm already chomping at the bit to get started on this coming season's garden.

I've about made up my mind that I'm going to grow more flowers and less vegetables. 

Three reasons:

1. I, personally, don't care for many vegetables unless they are eaten raw, directly from the garden.

2. We eat as much as possible and try to give away what we can, and still, so much goes to waste. 

3. Growing flowers will allow me to do what I love doing, simply being in the garden, weeding, watering, and enjoying the moment. 

I love growing flowers. As a young boy, I grew marigolds for the sole reason of occasionally picking a fistful to give to Mom. Dad had given me a packet of flower seed along with a small space of about one by five feet along the foundation of the house to call my own. My interest in gardening began then, in the summer of my third grade year, tending my marigolds.

I still intend to grow all the basics, the pumpkins, squash, beans, beets, tomatoes, peppers, etc. etc., but I'm going to consciously attempt to cut back a bit. 

Yeah, we'll see how that plays out. That's like an alcoholic saying he's only going to have one drink. 

Much of Saturday afternoon was spent doing something I haven't done in years, READING A BOOK. I used to love curling up on a cold or rainy day with my nose stuck in a good novel. When the macular degeneration advanced, I gave up recreational reading for what I assumed was forever.  

It felt good to once again read the words and let a story play out in my imagination. Thank you, God.

Sargie was home early last night and we had a good, nutritional, supper of hot, buttered, popcorn, in front of the television set. It was a perfect evening.

Sargie's off today. With the frigid temperatures, I doubt we'll be water skiing or working on our tan lines. It's safe to say we might drive to town for a Coke, grab some chicken tenders and ham at the grocery deli, and take a ride around the countryside.

After all, a man's work is ever done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

A patch of last summer's Cosmos. I found a double ruffled variety that I'll try growing this coming summer.