Photo by brother-in-law Ross

June 22, 2019 - Saturday morning

42 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

We're entering our second week of near perfect days and nights; highs in the low 70's with nighttime temperatures dipping into the 40's. Sargie and I let the window fan blow all night long and enjoy sleeping under several blankets as the temperature in our bedroom becomes the same as that outside. 

It's one of the many reasons we love the North Country. Little or no air conditioning needed. (Remind me I said that next January, would you?)

Ross has sent many beautiful pictures in the past, but these are outstanding. He and Holly live on a lake in Iron Mountain and are privy to some beautiful scenery.

A resident loon is a frequent visitor. Problem is, every time I stop by to see the bird, she's no where to be found. Consequently, I've begun calling Ross the loon whisperer.

Thanks for the pictures, Ross. They're beautiful.

Friday was a mixed bag of tricks. I found Jambo raking grass in his side yard. What you may or may not be able to see are the dragon flies. 

A new hatch had occurred and the air was thick with the mosquito munching dragon bombers.

Back home, I got busy working up the maple tree that Jerad had cut down for me a few weeks ago. Now that I have a place to put the wood, it was time.



I was especially tickled with my small electric wood splitter. I hesitated to buy it, but Sargie insisted. Purchased several years ago and relatively inexpensive, I wasn't sure if it would be powerful enough to split hard maple.  My fears were unfounded.

The machine has split many cords of soft wood, popple and pine, but had yet to be tested on anything harder. Bring on the maple!

My iPhone's battery has grown noticeably weaker in the past few months to only a few hours of operating time between charges. I know that Apple's batteries have a diminishing limit, forcing the user to purchase a new one every few years. 

I thought maybe I'd try to change the battery rather than buy a new phone. Batteries are just a few dollars and with the price of an upgrade, I figured I had little to lose.

Things were going well until I barely touched one of the ribbons that connects the screen to the processor. It fell apart just like ash. I didn't tug, didn't lift, didn't pull, it simply fell into dust.

So much for that iPhone.

Ribbon kits are available, but I was able to purchase a refurbished iPhone with a full three year guarantee for about the same amount of money.

So that's what I did. It's to arrive on Wednesday.

One other thing. We have several iPhones that are in perfectly good working condition that Verizon won't activate. They say they are too old. 

Yeah, you think that's not a money-making scheme?

Mike and Cosmo came over last night for pizza and a visit and I got some great news about that big hole in the middle of our garden.

Seems I'm on the right track, but the deepest part of the pond needs to be opened up another eight feet. That alone wouldn't be a big deal, but....

I'm going to have to tear up the far side of the pond and construct a dirt ramp going down to the middle to allow the bucket of the backhoe to reach that deep. As I told the guys, I'd much rather take an extra week now and do it right than regret getting in a hurry and pay for it in the years to come.

Otherwise, the pond is just as it should be and ready for the hand work, shaping, and measuring/ordering the underlayment and liner. I'll also be ordering a hundred bags in which to put sand to begin constructing my two-tiered under water gravel filter. 

And you thought I was kidding when I said this pond thing is more than just a mere hole in the ground.

You ain't seen nuthin' yet.

An artist by trade, (and pond builder) Cosmo reminded me once again that it's a process, but he said I should easily have it done well before Labor Day. Hey, he's the pondologist, so I have to believe him!

What's on the agenda for today? I'm going to continue bringing wood from the back pile that's been under a tarp and putting it in the front wood shed. After, I'll be working on the pond. Today's goal is to begin building the ramp down to the middle.

We hope to get Hambone sometime this afternoon and spend tomorrow with Mark and Sheri. The four of us have been planning a grandparent's day and taking Isabella and Grady to Eagle River, Wisconsin, to ride the bumper boats. 

Sargie found out last night that Grady's stomach issues, those that began earlier this week, have yet to be resolved, so we're waiting to hear from Mel or Macrea. Grandma Sargie and I have looked forward to tomorrow's trip for a long time and are hoping the Bone makes a turn for the better today. 

The sun's up and the thermometer is showing a balmy 49 degrees. It's time to head outside and get this day started.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...