Heavy frost on the neighbor's lawn

September 19, 2020 - Saturday morning 

30 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Indeed, these are chilly mornings. After Thursday night's killing freeze, the garden has given up growing for the season. The plush greenery that blocked the paths only a week ago has changed to brown and is withered and dying, serving as a reminder what season is just around the corner.

Sargie had her annual physical early Thursday morning. We enjoyed our drive to Iron Mountain, taking in the scenery along the way.

A large fog bank lies at the base of the hill in Alpha

I remained in the car while Sargie was getting her hundred thousand mile check up.

I've had my nose stuck in an electronic book for the past week, one of those that I have difficulty putting down, so I read, gabbed with Yooper Brother Mark on the phone, and may have closed my eyes once or twice.

Sargie emerged from the clinic an hour later doing cheers, back flips and cart wheels, exclaiming the doctor had given her a clean bill of health. 

(Hmm, maybe giving her one of those Dallas Cheerleader outfits for Christmas isn't completely out of the question. It's one of my deeper thoughts.)

As usual, we took our time driving home. The leaves aren't yet in full color, but there's more than enough at which to gawk.

Since we'd had only a minimal breakfast before leaving home, Sargie and I enjoyed a huge brunch. After, I went for my walk to Pentoga Village and back.

What was this? The UPS man had left a strange package on our doorstep. 

I didn't order anything. 

Bringing the small box to Sargie, she giggled and said she'd bought me a surprise. What could it be?

Why, yes, what I've always dreamed of owning! An electronic mousetrap!

I think Sargie purchased it more out of curiosity than anything. Jambo and Germaine had talked of one they have and like. Not wanting to be outdone by the neighbors in the mousetrap department, Sargie ordered one. 

Oh yeah, we can keep up with the trend setters here on Pentoga Road.

I set the trap out in the shop for a test drive. We'll soon see if anything wandered in last night.

The rest of the afternoon was spent dehydrating apples.

Sargie was busy dipping each slice in a cinnamon and sugar mixture while I operated the corer. 

The little machine will also peel at the same time, but we prefer to leave those on. The first batch was finished dehydrating last night just before bedtime. We'll prepare another later this morning.

We wanted to go fishing last night, but found the battery on the trolling motor dead. Evidently, I'd left the sonar running after using it the last time. There was nothing to do but stay home and let it charge over night.

I spent a while in the shop late in the afternoon and sawed a couple more words on the Lord's Prayer. Honestly, if I get any slower while sawing, I'll emerge someday from the shop and find time has wound backwards to last week.

Assuming the wind stays down, we will go fishing today. A string of Indian Summer days are upon us and we want to be outside as much as possible to enjoy these last vestiges of sun and warmth for the year.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

I've taken this picture in the same spot several times over the past few days to note how quickly the sugar maple by the house is changing colors.