Lake Pentoga

April 6, 2020 - Monday morning

33 degrees/cloudy/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Hard to believe that, baring a deluge of heavy rain, we'll be mowing the grass under Lake Pentoga in a few weeks. Hopefully, it won't be a repeat of the summer of 2017 when we had lake front property for three months.

Mosquitoes? 

Boy, did we raise a bumper crop that year.

I had a most enjoyable seven mile stroll Sunday morning.

I wish I could find a fake, life sized, alligator to throw in the water. Now that would make the neighbors take notice.

 The sun was bright and after a chilly start to the day, the temperatures quickly warmed.

Back home, it was time to process the last of the sap in the boiler. 

It was a fast and furious morning, boiling and processing. When it was all finished, we ended the season with a total of nine gallons, one quart of beautiful, pure, maple syrup.

The bounty from the past two days. 
All will be stored on shelves in the basement

Sargie and I decided to celebrate the end of maple season and take a Sunday afternoon ride. It was a gorgeous day.

Practicing social distancing, ice fishermen taking advantage of the weather before the ice goes out.

 I dragged the garden hose from the storage container, filled a five gallon pail with hot water, and started cleaning the maple equipment.



The polished, stainless steel pan was quite easy to clean. The inside was done by hand with white vinegar, Dawn dish soap, and hot water. The high pressure washer was used to blast the suet from the bottom.

 Everything was washed by afternoon's end. Left out to dry, it will be stored away today for another year.

Our massive sap storage system (trash cans)

I hope to purchase two, two hundred and fifty gallon food grade storage containers this coming year and do away with the barrels. 

Meanwhile, Sargie was busy elsewhere. As the newly appointed Superintendent of Lawns and Everything Pretty, she's extending one corner of the yard down by the front meadow.

Sargie Pants even had me prying rocks and actually had the audacity to ask if I could help her today! 

Rocks anyone?

Geesh, give the girl a title and this is what happens. Though I'd planned to spend the day on the couch with my hair up in curlers, reading Harlequin romance novels, and watching Ellen, I guess I can tough it out and help Sargie rake. 

It should be daylight soon. Time to lace the hikers and take a stroll to Pentoga Village and back, see if there's anything new in our local ghost town.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Today's random Alaska picture:
I was leaving Anaktuvuk Pass at the edge of the Brooks Range, snowmobiling my way onto the North Slope.
These two munchkins, along with a few other people from the village, gathered to see me off.