May 29, 2018 - Tuesday evening
76 degrees/clear skies/calm winds
Pentoga Road

First it was a gathering of toads. Then it was toad bliss. Pump clogging eggs followed. Now the garden pond has tadpoles, lots and lots of tadpoles.

With it being dead calm early this morning, I began the day by spraying herbicide around much of the yard. Without it, more time would be spent trimming than there are hours in the day.

Speaking of mowing, I haven't been able to get the deck adjusted on the new mower so that it cut evenly. I finally gave up and called the dealer who said to bring it in, he'd be happy to make everything work correctly.

I have to give the dealer, Dan, credit. There were over thirty mowers in for repair and somehow, he found the time to sharpen the blades and make all the necessary adjustments on mine. I told him he had a customer for life. 

Sargie and I took a nice ride today on a forest road from Pentoga Village to Tipler, Wisconsin.



The day was extremely warm, in the 90's, but the ride was pleasant driving in the deep shade. 

Coming home, Sargie saw a bear. I turned around and unfortunately, by the time I got the camera out of my pocket, all I got was his back end.

The bear was only feet away from a next door neighbor who was working in her yard. We stopped and informed her she was closer to some real wildlife than she knew. The last we saw Mary, she was heading in the house to call her husband.

I moved the last of small fish that have called a five gallon aquarium on the kitchen counter their home all winter out to the garden pond.

They're just minnows, but at least for the summer, they're free to swim in the pond.

It was time to try the mower. It cuts even and after I adjust the wheels on the deck, it should be absolutely perfect.



With lots of dips, hills and valleys, our yard is anything but level. I'd forgotten that I made multiple adjustments to the wheels on the deck of the old Cub Cadet until it mowed perfectly. 

Sargie took command of the mower and made it her own. I'm not sure I'll be able to call it the Man Mower any longer. 



The yard was finished and it was hot. My lawn mowing bride made mention that it might be cooler if we were on the lake rather than in the yard. Was that a hint? What better reason to go fishing?

Once again, Sargie put on a clinic. 

Casting a small lure rather than fishing with worms, she caught several nice-sized bass and more than half of the bluegills we put in the fish basket. In the end, we kept twenty.



It was almost dark before I finished cleaning fish. I promised Mom we'd have a big fish fry while she's visiting next month and by golly, we will!

Sargie closes Wednesday and Thursday, two long days for her. With cooler temperatures forecast along with an 80% chance of rain, I'm planning on being in the shop on Wednesday. There are several projects I have in mind and a rainy day would be a great excuse to begin at last one.



As always, my eyelids are getting heavy. I think it's time to begin that long, difficult, climb up the steps to bed.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...