With sleeves rolled up and on a mission, it was wise to stay well out of Sargie's way Saturday afternoon.

May 3, 2020 - Sunday morning

41 degrees/clear skies/windy

Pentoga Road

Anyone else notice that those things we used to call tangerines are becoming more difficult to peel? Also, the munchkin oranges have shrunk in size. They taste okay, but I miss the old fashioned tangerines, the ones where the peel easily fell away from the fruit. 

And what's with the names of these marble sized tangerines? Halo. Cutie Pie. 

I eat one then have the urge to play with Barbi dolls.

All are seedless. Why does everyone think seedless fruits are better? Sixty-plus years ago, I loved spitting the projectiles at any convenient target, especially when Mom and Dad weren't looking and rapid firing a few in the direction of my sister, Barb. 

Ah, for the good old days.

As Dad used to say, "The world's just going to hell in a hand basket."

At least in the world of tangerines, it is.

Yesterday was a busy one. I met Tim and family a mile up the road where we continued our morning stroll to the Pentoga Bridge over the Mighty Brule River. 

Sam, Rose, Tim, and Greta the Pup

The folks are in the middle of planting over two hundred trees on their property and have taken full advantage of our near perfect springtime weather.

I returned home to continue work on the old strawberry bed. Sargie was still in the house, so I improvised and made a partner with four wheels.

Problem is, the wagon went straight ahead making me lay my end on the ground and walk around to turn the wheels. Sargie came out later and we simply carried the frame to the garden where it will be filled with soil and turned into a raised bed.

I needed wood chips to cover the landscaping cloth on the old strawberry patch. Sargie and I loaded seven barrels into the Blazer and off we went to Yooper Brother Mark's plant.

Sargie shoveled the chips while I carried the full barrels from the trailer to the Blazer. Working as a team, it didn't take long.



The rest of my day was spent working mostly on the drive. There are some fairly significant cracks that occurred due to this spring's frost heaves. For most, I've opted to use a synthetic blacktop that comes on a roll. When pushed into a crack and heated with a torch, it melts and becomes a natural part of the pavement.



I'm very happy with the way it seals the cracks, but it takes a long time to do a small area as the cracks have to be cleaned and prepared first. That's okay, I have all summer.

Sargie was busy in the barn. Lumber was sawn and the driver kept busy as my girl made places for the shovels and rakes, pieces of pipe, re-rod, and other goodies that are essential for everyday fixing and construction around our home. 



The barn hasn't looked this good since... well, it's never looked this good.

Our last chore of the day was to place an old stump in a shallow area of the pond. There'll be a planter of some sort placed on top and once we're finished, it will hopefully be just one part of a natural landscape.



Of course, the thing weighed a hundred billion pounds on land, but once in the water, had the tendency to float away. A small rock was sufficient to keep it in place. A planted pot will do the same.




Dean and Sparky happened along on their nightly walk. Sparky had her daily swim and Dean helped me move a very heavy park bench with cement ends. As always, it was good to see both.

Other than feed the goldfish worms and nightcrawlers, we called it day. Showers were taken, supper eaten, and my eyes had the tendency to close while sitting on the couch watching tv. Neither of us had any problem sleeping last night.



My lathe was due to be delivered last Friday. I see it's made its way to Iron Mountain, so I'm assuming it will arrive on Pentoga Road tomorrow.

Is Tommy P excited? Bring 'er awn!

We're going to take the patio furniture out of the storage container today and exchange it with the last of the winter equipment, snow blower and all. I'd like to finish the old strawberry bed so I can turn my attentions to the garden this coming week.  There are onions and peas to plant. If Carl the Weatherman isn't lying, the coming days look to be a cool, but dry.



After all, a man's work, and that of his bride's, is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Today's random Alaska picture:
In the arctic. Many miles up a tributary on my way to a village, I had just climbed out of my small 18 ft jon boat to stretch my legs and have a bite to eat.
I found this anonymous grave on the very remote, solitary, river bank.