Driving into the fog
Sargie's off to work early Thursday morning

October 11, 2019 - Friday morning

60 degrees/rain/wind

Pentoga Road

It doesn't look like Sargie and I will be sitting out on the deck today working on our highly defined tan lines. It's 60 degrees now, to drop to 40 later this morning, and keep going down from there. 

For sure, the tan lines are going to blur a bit over the next six to eight months. 

Dang.

Yesterday a was rootin' tootin', giddy up, ride 'em cowboy day. I departed, pulling the trailer to the Ready Mix plant for gravel as soon as Sargie left for work.

The fog was just crazy and it seemed around every curve a deer was lurking, ready to jump out in the front of the car.

I arrived back home with the first load. Though the trailer is rated to carry 1,800 pounds, it handled the 2,300 pounds of gravel with no problem.

One thing is certain. I had the most beautiful drive to town.

Navigating through the tower of colors was an absolute privilege. Too bad most of the leaves will be gone in a few short days, especially with the current heavy rain and wind.

Back home, I began the process of:

Raking any rocks out of the way

Leveling the bumps and hollows in the clay

Laying landscape cloth

Shoveling the gravel into a dump wagon

Hauling the gravel

Dumping the gravel

Raking the gravel smooth over the cloth

Several curiosity seekers slowed down on the road. One car stopped and took some pictures. I walked to the road and found they were retired folks from downstate Wisconsin, read the blog, and decided to take a drive to see Pentoga Road for themselves.

I'm embarrassed to say I can't remember their names and I didn't have the camera on me. 

It's always nice to make new friends and next time, I PROMISE I'll remember your names and take a picture.

Our neighbors, Ed and Elizabeth, stopped by for a peek. Chauffeured by their son, Ed and Elizabeth are both in their mid 90's, live in their own home a mile away, and are the nicest people, as is their son. 

Ed told me they'd been married 69 years. I asked Elizabeth how it's been to be married to him for that long. 

In the sweetest little old lady way, she replied, "It's been quite delightful, thank you."

I just wanted to give both a big hug.

Again, no camera in my pocket, darn it.

I wasn't alone working on the pond. Down on my hands and knees, I saw something moving out of the corner of my eye. This guy was watching me from mere inches away.

There are several frogs that call our pond their home. Where do they come from? Do frogs just randomly hop through the woods hoping they'll come across a pond somewhere or the other? What happens if they don't find water? Do they just shrivel up and die?

All these and more questions will have to be answered by someone who thinks deeper thoughts than I do. 

I'll ask Mississippi Brother Garry. He's the smart brother.

Arg. I ran out of gravel. There was nothing to do but go and get another load. I'm fairly certain that it costs more in gas per load than the actual crushed gravel. Oh well, it's still cheaper than having it delivered.

I sat on the scale and waited for the longest truck, a train actually, to unload dry concrete mix. Pulling two huge trailers, it was interesting to see the driver back the huge tandem rig into place. 

Two trailers/nine axles
Eleven counting the tractor

Back home, I resumed raking/laying/shoveling/hauling/dumping, and finished the majority of the area just before Sargie arrived home from work.

 Almost 5,000 pounds of gravel had been moved and raked in place. There's still a few places left, but if winter arrives and it's not finished, at least the worst is done and we can work around the pond/garden house next spring without wading in mud.

We'll be adding pavers, bricks, a waterfalls, etc. next summer, but for now, the gravel will do just fine.

There were a few things that needed attending to before I called it a day. It was time to bring in the first wheelbarrow filled with wood for the fall.



With the temperature forecast to plummet, I want to be ready to light the stove without getting wet. 

I'm delicate you know.

Sargie walked in the door saying she had a good day at the eye clinic. We made a quick trip to town for her Coke and grabbed burgers and fries. Neither of us had the want or the will to fix supper.

We covered the back wood pile with tarps before coming in for the night.



With heavy rains and the possibility of snow forecast, I didn't want the wood to get wet. 



Since it's covered, I doubt I'll be getting any more popple from the plant this fall. If I do, it'll have to go in the portable garage along with the hard wood.



Sargie and I both, fell into bed last night. I kept dozing while sitting on the couch and Sargie was having the same problem. I know the tv was on, but I'm not sure we watched too much.

I'm going to head out to the shop pretty soon and see if I remember how to work any of the machinery. There are the two arched windows in the garden house that need to be made along with several gifts for the new mommy/teachers that had babies over the summer at Florence Elementary. In addition, our neice, Courtney, is due any time.

No doubt, Sargie and I will take a drive later today. Long or short, it makes no difference. It's supposed to be cold with rain and snow for the next several days. 

A good lookin' woods nymph!

Or, better yet, I could just settle in that old recliner in the shop, close my eyes, and listen to the rain hit the metal roof overhead.

Yeah, that's it.

The sugar maple by the barn has to be one of the most colorful in the area

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

My colorful view from where I sit in the living room