With sunny days in the 50's and 60's, the last vestiges of winter are quickly disappearing

May 1, 2020 - Friday morning

27 degrees/clear skies/slight breeze

Pentoga Road

Happy May Day, Mrs. Macdonald, wherever you are. Since Mrs. Macdonald was my first grade teacher and well into her 60's, I'm going to assume she may have passed on.

Back in the early 50's, when life was still simple, the world was less sophisticated and even the lesser holidays were still celebrated, Mrs. Macdonald had all of us first graders make May baskets from construction paper held together with paste. We filled them with violets and dandelions, then after hanging each on neighborhood doors, knocked loudly and ran and hid (usually) in nearby bushes. 

We tried to suppress our laughs and giggles as we watched the recipient's surprise when the beautiful bouquet of flowers were discovered. The class would sneak away in anticipation of surprising yet another unsuspecting neighbor. 

Sometimes, Iona Sear would give us away. 

That darn Iona. 

A large girl with a larger than life laugh, her giggles often erupted into a mountain of laughter that dwarfed Mt. Vesuvius. Her belly laughs made the rest of the class, including Mrs. Macdonald, laugh and laugh. Sometimes, we'd laugh so much that we'd fall to the ground, and once, my best friend, Dale Hogan, laughed so hard that he dribbled in his pants.

Mrs. Macdonald took him behind a lilac bush so Dale wouldn't have a bigger accident.

Thank you Mrs. Macdonald for helping to make May Day such a special time for all of us. God, how we loved you.

And thank you Iona, for your deep belly laughs that infected us all. It's been well over sixty years and here I am writing about it, still smiling at how good you made all of us feel. 

Oh, and Dale, I hope you got that dribble problem under control. As you've no doubt discovered, there's not always a lilac bush, or a Mrs. Macdonald, around every corner.

Happy May Day Mrs. Macdonald and Iona. Oh heck, and you too, Dale, dribbles and all. 

Happy May Day to everyone.

Thursday was a pick 'em up and throw 'em down day. After returning home from my early morning stroll, I began unloading the trailer filled with wood. Before I knew it, Sargie was out there beside me.

I told Wood Mama it wasn't necessary that she help, but the girl wanted to. I don't mind saying, the job truly does go twice as fast when two are doing it. 

I manhandled the heavier pieces and worked at the splitter most of the morning.

With the sun bright and the temperatures quickly warming, the time flew by and we finished by late morning.

Sargie Pants and I took a ride to town and around the countryside sipping Cokes to celebrate. I even had a McDonald's coke, something I don't normally have.

The last of the ice has lost its grip on the area lakes.

The strong wind was blowing it to one side and all the ice will, no doubt, be gone by the end of today.

I was putting away the trailer when I noticed one tire was rubbing on the fender. Taking off the wheel, I saw where the fastener to which the spring attaches had come loose and slipped to one side.

A session with a couple of large wrenches fixed that problem, but I also noticed one of the leaf springs was broken. I'm not sure where I'll find a replacement during the closing of most the local businesses. I'll call my friend, Mechanic Dave. He'll know. When it comes to fixing stuff, Dave knows almost everything. With any luck, maybe I can hire him to put heavy duty springs on both sides of the axle. 

Is the honeymoon over? I was rebuffed while trying to give Sargie and big ol' hug and kiss.
Sigh... my life story.

Sargie was raking while I worked on the trailer. Finishing, I joined her and we made quick work of the area around the back woodpile and portable garage.

We were working by the pond early in the evening when Neighbor Dean and his faithful companion, Sparky, the wonder dog, stopped in for a visit. I keep a tennis ball on a ledge in the garden house just for Sparky. She greeted me then ran into the shed and retrieved her ball.

The following pictures best tell the story.

If that pup could sprout wings, she'd fly forever.

It looks to be another red letter day ahead. After returning home from my usual early morning walk, I'm going to fire up the high pressure washer and clean the back deck. It's time to get the patio furniture out of the storage container in anticipation of the summer months ahead.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Today's random Alaska picture:
Kiana, Alaska - Approximately 100 miles up the Kobuk River
Which of these third graders do you think may have come out on the losing end of a snowball fight?