Our youngest grandson, Wes.
A happy little guy, eh?

June 18th, 2018 - Monday

66 degrees/cloudy/breezy

Pentoga Road

Once again, the word for the day is rain, rain, and more rain. We've received 5.3 inches from this current system that began three days ago. Though some rain is forecast for today, the outlook for the week is for less humidity, cooler temperatures, and sunny skies. Thankfully, Lake Pentoga has remained underground and so far, anyway, the garden is high and dry... 'er wet, but not under water.

Sunday was a day much like any other. Sargie and I agreed that simply spending the day together was celebration enough for our anniversary.

With that being said, I left early in the morning to meet Yooper Brother Mark and drive to a friend of his who had an older lathe for sale. Unfortunately, the lathe was a very old one and with parts missing, it would have been of little use to me. I returned home within the hour empty handed.

I heard from all four sons yesterday and had a good, long, conversation with each except for poor Luke. He called last night just as the front was coming through. With thunder crashing, wind blowing hard, and rain pelting down, we had to cut our conversation short. I'll catch up with him in the next day or two.

Sargie and I spent much of the day taking a beautiful drive towards the Keweenaw Peninsula, just an hour north of Pentoga Road. Though we didn't go all the way to the end, we saw some beautiful country.

The old school in Covington, Michigan. It now serves as a UP artists' collective where local artisans can sell their creations.

With the weather forecast looking dire, we decided to head back home with plans that one of these days, we'll leave earlier in the morning to more thoroughly explore the Keweenaw. There's a lot of history on the peninsula, let alone the beauty.

Nothing but trees and forests as far as the eye can see

Back home, my beautiful bride challenged me to a game of P-I-G, the shortened version of H-O-R-S-E. 

Don't be fooled. Sargie looks innocent and acts like an angel, but when it comes to playing basketball, that's all an act. 

Don't all grandparents spend their anniversary playing basketball in the drive?

The girl is ruthless and without mercy. She cleaned my clock and currently holds the Pentoga Road P-I-G Champion of the World title.

With my delicate ego damaged, I set out to find something kinder, more gentle, that would soothe my soul. Photographing this swallowtail butterfly sufficed.



It was interested in only gathering nectar from the flowers, not pummeling me senselessly while playing basketball.

As I was cowering in fear from the sound beating on the court, Sargie removed the flowers and ferns from under the porch roof and placed them on the front steps so they could be watered by the impending storm.



And storm it did. The wind screamed and rain pelted down. Thankfully, we'd taken our showers earlier and gathered all the portable lights in anticipation. The power went off just minutes later and remained that way until 6 this morning.

Last evening was spent reading and talking while I was reminded of the years spent living off the grid north of the arctic circle. There's a small part of me that misses those days, but they still reside between my ears.

Sargie's still sound asleep, enjoying her second day of vacation. I need to get started installing a hand rail on the back deck before Mom arrives. We'll leave early Wednesday morning for Indiana to pick her up and plan to arrive back home Thursday afternoon. Even though she can still outrun me, just days short of turning 91, Mom likes a bit of extra security while navigating steps. I'll make sure those rails are there for her. 

She'll need them when she helps to mow the grass, weed the garden, and work up wood. (Of course, that's said tongue in cheek. Some might remember four summers ago when Mom INSISTED she help work up wood and she ended up in the emergency room that night as her heart was beating out of control. She later had a triple bypass operation at the age of 87.)

Nope, whether she likes it or not, Mom's main job is going to be keeping us supplied with lots of good conversation and laughs while she's here. 

Hmmm, hold the horses. Wait a minute. I just had another deep thought. 

I bet Mom could put up a mighty challenge on the basketball court to Sargie. Could we be looking at a new Pentoga Road P-I-G champion? This could get good.

Meanwhile, back to reality, I think I'll head outside and do some measuring for that new hand rail.

With all the rain, mushrooms are popping up all over the yard.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Aunt Joanne asked if I'd include more peony pictures as they are one of her favorite flowers. We're looking forward to her visit later this summer.