There's been a good hatch of dragon flies this summer. We love them. More dragon flies = less mosquitoes.

June 27, 2019 - Thursday evening

67 degrees/cloudy/calm winds

Pentoga Road

It's been a warm one today, too warm. With the thermometer registering in the upper 80's and rain in the forecast, the humidity had to be around a hundred, billion, million, percent. 

By the time I returned home from my morning walk, I was drenched. 

There was a doe waiting on one of my favorite roads that refused to move, even when I got close. There's little doubt she had a fawn hiding nearby. 

I wanted to work in the garden before the temperature pushed the mercury too far up the thermometer. 

My goal was to install a trellis for Sargie and Hambone's snap peas. Both love to stand in the garden and eat the raw peas handful's at a time.

I've held onto a roll of flimsy deer fence/mesh for years thinking that it could come in handy in the future. Today was the day. 

I worked off and on carving terraces in the bottom of the pond all day. The sun was bright, there wasn't a hint of a breeze and to add insult to injury, I found nothing but rocks and rock solid clay.

Using a spade was out of the question. In desperation, I resorted to using a heavy steel rod, an old axle from an antique car, much like one would chip away at ice.

It can only be described as a slow death, very slow. Sweat kept dripping in my eyes and I was soon soaked. When I began having difficulty breathing, I knew it was time to climb out of the hole and get cooled off.

I'd been drinking plenty of water and munching handfuls of honeyberries. That was well and fine but I needed to cool off and quick. There's no better way to do that than riding a four wheeler to the local lake and jumping in.

Instant relief.

Thursday afternoon was once again spent at the bottom of the pond. I found an old pick/hammer that helped. I'd pound a bit, then scoop the rocks and clay away with the spade. It was slow going. 

One positive thing about having the pond close to the orchard is that I could run over to the honeyberry bushes every now for a handful of delicious fruit.

 If I ate one, I ate a hundred. Sweet, yet tart, they are a real treat on a hot and humid summer day.

I quit picking and shoveling late in the afternoon with the deepest terrace finished one swing at a time.



The excavation is almost to the point where I should be able to finish the terraces using the backhoe. 

Sargie and I talked about the next steps and we think it's time to fill in the ramp so I can dig around the entire pond. 

My bride arrived home from the Vision Center early and after changing clothes, hopped on the mower and took off for the front meadow.



She hadn't gone two feet before the skies opened and it began to rain. Waiting a few minutes, she proceeded to the meadow and... mowed in the rain.

That girl of mine sure loves her rider. I think she was afraid I'd mow tomorrow and she'd miss out. I'd hate to deprive her of such fun.

Sargie opens the Vision Center Friday morning, the last day before her official vacation begins. I'm going to take a break from the pond and work on washing the Kia and getting it ready for the trip south. I promised Sargie I'd clean it from the inside out. 

If it's dry enough, I may try to do some yard work. If it's not, I've got a small project going in the shop.

One of Sargie's Japanese Irises

I'm not worried about being bored.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

It was a bit warm down in that hole today.