Most of Monday was spent deciding what to do with all the wood I've accumulated over the years.

May 1, 2018 - Tuesday

56 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

May first... May Day. The majority of today's children have no idea what magic May 1st used to bring. To make a construction paper basket then fill it with violets and dandelions to hang on someone's door, ring the door bell, then run and hide, so they might be surprised.

Life was much more simple back in the 50's. To a young child, it meant simple delights. A piece of construction paper, a gob of school glue, and a fistful of hastily pulled flowers growing in the school yard. 

It's been sixty years and I still miss those days. Thank you Mrs. McDonald for teaching a bunch of first graders what true happiness can be.

I woke early this morning, way too early... like at 2 AM. Try as I may, sleep won't come, so I'll stay up and try going back to bed after while.

Monday was spent trying to put the barn/shop back together. I've decided to store much of my milled lumber under the three foot overhang in back of the storage unit.

That area faces east with lots of trees overhead and with the large overhang, it seldom gets wet. 

I fired up the old Ford tractor for the first time this year. As always, it started right off and after letting it idle for several minutes, was pressed into service.

I've made mention before that that old tractor was manufactured the same year and month that I was born. After sixty-five years, it's like its owner, getting slower as the years go by, but still dependable and steady.

Talk about going from winter into summer in a quick twenty-four hours!

We actually hit 80 degrees yesterday afternoon. I was tempted to change into shorts and with the forecast predicting more of the same for today, I could be wearing them before day's end.

I was looking around the outside of the barn yesterday afternoon and was shocked to see how much the frost is heaving the ground.

The ground has settled almost two inches.

Six more three year-old blueberry plants arrived in yesterday's mail along with three thornless blackberry plants. Since I'd already prepared the ground, it didn't take long to plant them on the orchard side of the garden.

Neighbor Mike had asked earlier if I wanted to do some exploring in back of our land to see where some major logging operations had taken place this past winter.

I was ready for a break and gladly accepted his invitation.

We hopped on our four wheelers and drove as far as we could before walking another mile or more.

Sargie arrived home well after nine last night with two surprises. First, she doesn't have to work today. The second, Hambone was in tow. He can help old Pawpaw finish cleaning the barn and putting things away.

In reality, he'll probably find a puddle or two in which to play. I notice he's wearing new, waterproof, boots. 

As mentioned above, I hope to get the barn cleaned good enough so that I can put Mom's car and the Blazer under roof by day's end. Much of what's on the floor will go overhead of the shop. The rest will fit on shelves, and some will go to the dump later this week. Spring cleaning, sorting, and pitching. It's a yearly tradition.

It's now 3 AM and I think I'll try going back to bed, snuggle with Sargie, and see if I can get some sleep. I took a Tylenol PM a while ago and I can feel that it's beginning to work.

Nighty night. Time for bed... again.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...