Tales from Pentoga

May 30, 2021 - Sunday morning
39 degrees/partly cloudy/calm winds
Pentoga Road

Saturday morning's low temperatures quickly rebounded leaving a swath of damage in their wake. It appears there'll be no apples in Maple Valley this year. The trees were filled with open blossoms that simply shriveled and fell to the ground after the hard freeze.

We awakened to wilted spring greenery, but fortunately, most recovered as the day warmed.

We were a busy duo yesterday. I was out the door at sunrise working in the garden and was happy when the last of the chips and landscape cloth were laid well before noon.

Honestly, I don't care if I ever see another wood shaving or chip for the rest of my life.

Why all the wood chips this year?

It's well known that any type of natural mulch breaks down over time. I try to keep a layer in the rows between the beds and refresh them yearly as needed.

Since I'll not be here next spring, I decided to spread a thick layer this year so Sargie won't have to worry about it next.

I'd been working since daybreak in the garden when Yooper Brother Mark arrived for our Saturday morning walk, a good one.

We walked by a honey suckle bush that was so striking, it looked almost artificial. With dark green leaves and delicate pink flowers, I couldn't resist taking a picture.

A variety of other tasks were done throughout the day, those that had been ignored this past week in favor of laying wood chips. A panel had blown out in the greenhouse during the last wind storm.

The Harbor Freight polycarbonate greenhouse is beginning to show its age. The frame is like new, but the panels are quickly growing yellow and brittle. Unfortunately, to replace each individually costs more than an entire greenhouse. Go figure.

With Hambone, Cheeks, Sadie the dog, and Daddy, coming for a couple of days, I spent time cleaning Hambone Beach and skimming the pond. I am assuming the temperatures will warm enough so that we might take a dip at some point.

Sargie wasn't idle. Finished with housework, she made a bee line for the mower and spent all afternoon making the yard look pretty for the holiday weekend.

Hmm, it was warm, Sargie was busy, and there was a garden to tend. Pole beans were planted in a new bed around the base of the old garden windmill. I'm (seriously) ordering a rotating beacon to go on top where the windmill once turned so all the jets that fly overhead can stop at Pentoga International and enjoy some fresh pole beans.

Eeny, meeny, mini, moe

What should be planted next?

Delicata winter squash and our favorite melon from the Ukraine, Collective Farm Woman, were also planted. It's the only honey dew variety that seems to grow this far north and actually ripens.

Since Hambone and company were coming and we knew there'd be a boy and dog running in and out, I decided to pull the lawn rake over the newly cut grass. Better it stay outside than be tracked all through the house.

It was late evening before the family arrived. Grandma Sargie was delighted to have Cheeks all to herself.

Hambone became the teacher last night showing his pawpaw how to make paper airplanes. The kid's pretty good and I'm thinking if he keeps it up, he may be looking at a career in aeronautical engineering.

Speaking of Hambone, he's losing teeth at an alarming rate. I've asked him that when eating corn on the cob while having only one front tooth, does he eat first in one direction, then turn the cob over to finish what he missed.