The skies were ugly Tuesday evening

June 25, 2019 - Tuesday evening

69 degrees/cloudy/rain showers

Pentoga Road

Before I begin, Sargie and I want to wish Mom a happy 92nd birthday tomorrow. I wish we could be with you on Wednesday, Mom, but rest assured, we'll be there Saturday afternoon to let the celebrations begin!!

Happy birthday, Mama. We love you.

I thought sure the world was about to cave in an hour ago. The skies went from bright and sunny to almost pitch black in a matter of minutes. The wind howled and somewhat nervously, I looked off to the southwest, wondering if a funnel cloud might be in the mix.

As it turned out, the storm was all blow and no show. We must have received at least twenty raindrops from the entire system.

Today was another busy one. I was out the door early and had the remainder of the wood that was still in the trailer worked up by mid morning.



I'll take the trailer back to Yooper Brother Mark's plant next week to be filled again. Six more loads and I'll be good for next winter.

Sargie and I made a quick trip to town to run an errand before she had to leave for work.

The new iPhone arrived via Fed Ex today and I spent a couple of hours setting it up. For whatever reason, Verizon couldn't get their network to recognize the phone. We worked together for over an hour until I discovered that I'd put the SIM card in backwards. 

Whoops.

I hopped on the rider early in the afternoon, mowing some of the rougher areas. Sargie said she'd finish Wednesday evening after work. 

The rest of the afternoon and early evening was spent digging and moving dirt.



I may have been a bit optimistic to think I'd finish digging out the bottom today. The digging is the easy part. Getting rid of and making room for loose dirt is what takes the time.

I got into a bit of a jam at one point. The hole in front of me was deep enough that I couldn't use the boom to take the backhoe up the ramp. The more I tried, the closer the legs got to the edge.

I finally got a tow strap from the barn and tied one end onto the tractor, the other to the backhoe.



As it turned out, I managed to gain some traction and get the backhoe out on its own. The tractor wasn't needed, but it still felt good knowing that I couldn't/wouldn't go head first into the hole.

The ramp was dug a bit wider and shallower after to ensure that doesn't happen again.

Sargie will be home in a while, so I guess I ought to get supper ready. She opens tomorrow and I'll be riding with her partway and walking back home. Otherwise, it's back to the garden. I have yards and yards of dirt to move before I can finish digging the bottom of the pond... and miles to go before I sleep. (Where'd that come from? I bet Robert Frost wasn't referring to digging a pond in his side yard.)

The very bottom is somewhat shaped. Now I need to dig about three feet deeper and that will be done. 

The part in the shadow, is ten feet deep. The area to the right is around seven feet. Three more to go.

After the bottom is finished, I'll put that side of the pond back together, reconstruct the terraces, and begin the shovel/hand work.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...