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| My beautiful granddaughter, Abigail, off to her first high school homecoming dance. |
41 degrees/cloudy/calm winds
Pentoga Road
Ah, it's dark outside, the fire is crackling, the coffee's hot, and the Packers play the Lions at noon.
I wonder what the poor people are doing?
Luke sent a picture last night of Abba just before she departed for her first-ever high school Homecoming dance. Holy cow, little Abba's about all grown up.
Suddenly, Grandpa's beginning to feel old, very old.
Grandpa felt especially old yesterday while cleaning out the garden. I knew removing giant sunflowers was going to be a chore. There were twenty five plants and each weighed in the thirty five pound range. By the time I pried the roots from the ground, shook them free of dirt, and dragged each to the trailer, I was about all done in.
The fact that we'd received over four inches of rain this past week didn't help any. I was soon covered in mud and gunk and soaked from brushing against the wet and dying plants.
I swear every year at this time that my giant sunflower days are over. This is the sixth year that I've selectively bred the same strain and they've gone from big to mega giant in size. They are not only labor intensive, but demolish the raised beds. On the other hand, come August, when strangers stop on the road to take pictures of the giant stalks and blooms, it somehow makes it all worth while.
No doubt I'll plant sunflowers next year. It seems to have become Pentoga Road tradition.
I finally quit at noon with only half the garden cleaned. The fuel was running low in the grandpa tank and I had other fish to fry before day's end. All the residue was taken up to Neighbor Mike's field for the deer to browse on. I noticed last night there was quite a herd of them gathered around the pile.
Back on Pentoga Road, wet, muddy, and tired, I stopped for an early afternoon break. All my clothes were draped near the wood stove to dry while eating lunch.
A full tummy and short nap recharged my internal batteries and I was soon back out the door. The next several hours were spent setting the last two posts of the lean-to in concrete and completing the framing.
I'd purchased a bundle of 2x6 "seconds" early last summer at 75% off the regular price and was happy yesterday that I'd done so. With a few exceptions, the entire lean-to is made from scrap material.
Late afternoon found the structure completely framed. All that's left is to add the metal roof.
The last outside chore of the day was to install a new primer in the Tundra snowmobile that had come in the mail earlier in the afternoon. I pumped the new primer three times and the trusty old machine started on the first pull. My winter transportation is ready to go.
Inside, I threw a load of laundry in the washer and vacuumed the floors and stairs. Sargie's been working some long hours and I didn't want her feeling as though she should start doing housework as soon as she set foot in the door last night.
Our evening was a good one, although I wasn't much company. My eyelids kept closing and finally giving up any pretense of remaining conscious, I kissed Sargie goodnight in the middle of a program and made that long, painful, journey, up the steps and into the bedroom. I don't even remember going to bed.
Sargie works from noon to five today. I'm going to head out to the shop to continue work on the Halloween goodies. Come noon, I'll be wearing my green and gold jersey, cheering the Pack on.
Meanwhile, it's time to get another cup of coffee and read the news.
After all, a man's work is never done.
So are the tales from Pentoga Road...
The fact that we'd received over four inches of rain this past week didn't help any. I was soon covered in mud and gunk and soaked from brushing against the wet and dying plants.
I swear every year at this time that my giant sunflower days are over. This is the sixth year that I've selectively bred the same strain and they've gone from big to mega giant in size. They are not only labor intensive, but demolish the raised beds. On the other hand, come August, when strangers stop on the road to take pictures of the giant stalks and blooms, it somehow makes it all worth while.
No doubt I'll plant sunflowers next year. It seems to have become Pentoga Road tradition.
I finally quit at noon with only half the garden cleaned. The fuel was running low in the grandpa tank and I had other fish to fry before day's end. All the residue was taken up to Neighbor Mike's field for the deer to browse on. I noticed last night there was quite a herd of them gathered around the pile.
Yooper Brother Mark stopped by for a visit and since I was on my way to purchase two treated posts, he rode with. We had a nice conversation catching up on each other's lives.
Back on Pentoga Road, wet, muddy, and tired, I stopped for an early afternoon break. All my clothes were draped near the wood stove to dry while eating lunch.
A full tummy and short nap recharged my internal batteries and I was soon back out the door. The next several hours were spent setting the last two posts of the lean-to in concrete and completing the framing.
I'd purchased a bundle of 2x6 "seconds" early last summer at 75% off the regular price and was happy yesterday that I'd done so. With a few exceptions, the entire lean-to is made from scrap material.
Late afternoon found the structure completely framed. All that's left is to add the metal roof.
The last outside chore of the day was to install a new primer in the Tundra snowmobile that had come in the mail earlier in the afternoon. I pumped the new primer three times and the trusty old machine started on the first pull. My winter transportation is ready to go.
Inside, I threw a load of laundry in the washer and vacuumed the floors and stairs. Sargie's been working some long hours and I didn't want her feeling as though she should start doing housework as soon as she set foot in the door last night.
Our evening was a good one, although I wasn't much company. My eyelids kept closing and finally giving up any pretense of remaining conscious, I kissed Sargie goodnight in the middle of a program and made that long, painful, journey, up the steps and into the bedroom. I don't even remember going to bed.
Sargie works from noon to five today. I'm going to head out to the shop to continue work on the Halloween goodies. Come noon, I'll be wearing my green and gold jersey, cheering the Pack on.
Meanwhile, it's time to get another cup of coffee and read the news.
After all, a man's work is never done.
So are the tales from Pentoga Road...
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| Looking towards Pentoga Road from Jambo's field. |
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