Mississippi Brother Garry's son, Kevin, snapped a photo of these pelicans along the Gulf Coast recently.

July 23, 2019 - Tuesday morning

57 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

I can't say the Gulf looks as inviting this time of the year as it might six months from now, but Kevin certainly took a beautiful picture. 

Which reminds me, if you have a photo of something/somewhere/some place you think might be of interest to others or of which you are especially proud, feel free to let me know in the comment section and I'll be in touch. You have to subscribe (free) to Google to leave a comment, but that's an easy thing to do. Once I know that you are YOU and not a bot or spammer, I'll give you my email and you can send them that way. Several do.

There are those regular readers, Susan in San Diego, Norriene and Jim in Pennsylvania, (when they're not jet setting to France or some other far away paradise), Scotty in Atlanta, Eileen and Uncle Bert in Maine, Sue and Terry in Virginia, Freddie in Laurel, MS, Faye in Australia, Uncle Bobby and the rest of my Alaska family, Sarah in Wyoming, Marion in Iron Mountain, let alone Mom, Garry, Mark, Jambo, Ross, and all the other family and friends, plus many who I don't know and would like to meet. Feel free to share an occasional photo along with a bit of background. 

Monday morning was spent in the pond completing the finishing touches. At last, J'AI FINI!! 

I'm done.

I wondered where this random black rock, with gold speckles, came from among all the boring brown and tan rocks.

I called into our local radio talk show, Telephone Time, mid morning, asking, that if anyone had old area rugs or carpeting they wanted to get rid of, to give me a call. I'd no more left the air than the phone rang. Within an hour, I was on my way to Crystal Falls to pick up two large pieces in an apartment building.

My brother-in-law, Steve, was working in the area and heard me. He called and said he had several large pieces of mill felt, used in paper making, that he would drop off on his way to work Wednesday morning.

The phone continued to ring and I'm to meet a gentleman this morning for more, plus several large pieces are to be picked up in Crystal Falls Wednesday evening. Prices at the transfer station (what we used to call the dump) are calculated by weight and are quite expensive, so people are more than happy to donate their old carpet. 

It appears I should have all I need, or close to it.

The rest of the day was spent cutting and laying the carpeting and rugs in the pond.

I'm placing the heaviest pieces at the very bottom where the water pressure will be the highest. The last thing I want is for a sharp rock to puncture the liner. This carpeting and heavy rugs ensure it won't.

It's not pretty, but the mishmash of rugs and carpet will be covered with the formal black underlayment, then the liner, and finally, with a layer of landscape fabric, before water is added.

Speaking of water, I called the township and asked about tapping into their water supply. 

No response.

Called a local water bottling company that owns a huge semi tanker trailer about hauling water.

No response.

The next step will be to call our local fire department and ask about having water brought out in one of their tankers. I'd be happy to make a donation, but I'm not overly optimistic. 

I'm guessing that the pond will be filled via our well and hose. Right now, the plan is to let the water run for three or four hours a day for no more than an hour at a time. It may take a while, even a week or two, but in the long run, the results will be the same.

Grady arrived last night with Grandma Sargie in tow. The usually quiet and mellow Chief became a young pup again and it was a three ring circus around here before bedtime.

It's Hambone vs The Pup

Chief was up early this morning, standing at the bottom of the steps, wondering where his newest BFF was. It was the equivalent of a little boy standing at his best friend's door, nose pressed against the screen, wondering if Grady could come out and play.

Yeah, well, we're going to take the circus outside today and hopefully the two participants will wear each other out. Wednesday's supposed to be Chief's last day with us, but I've learned it could be Thursday. Either day will work.

There's a lot of running around to do today. I'm to meet a man at the local bait shop this morning to pick up unwanted carpeting, then meet a tractor/trailer to pick up a hundred feet of four-inch perforated flex pipe. We're in need of some basic groceries, so I can see a quick trip to Rhinelander, then of course, there's carpeting to lay in the pond.

Lord, I'm tired just writing about it and the day has yet to begin.

I'm still unsure if the liner will go in this Friday as planned. Seems a lot of my help that had earlier volunteered can't make it, so that date may be delayed somewhat. 

OK, time to get this uploaded and get the day underway. No doubt, the starring half the three ringed circus, Hambone, will be sprinting down the stairs at any moment, eager to see his buddy and after that, all bets are off.

The Auntie Hollyhocks, as Grady calls them, are beginning to bloom.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

It's going to be a race to see who wears the other out the quickest today. I think Hambone outlasted Chief last night.