The owner of exactly one share of Packers stock, Andy asked if I'd represent him at this year's shareholder's meeting. With Aaron Rodgers having a hissy fit, I'm going to make the motion we let the prima donna go and bring Brett Favre back into the fold.

July 3, 2021 - Saturday morning
65 degrees/hazy/calm winds
Pentoga Road

Makes perfect sense to me. As good as Aaron Rodgers is, we need a leader, not self appointed royalty. A fellow alum of Southern Miss, I say let's get Brett Favre back into green and gold and let 'er rip!

Whew, it's already humid and the sun's not quite over the horizon yet. Today's predicted high? 91 degrees. 

Friday was all about firewood. Yesterday's came in the form of a large ash tree that had been killed by Emerald Ash Borers.

The little worm invaded this part of the country long ago and when traps set out by the DNR failed, ash trees, large and small, literally millions of them, began to die.

Pentoga Road wasn't immune. Between the Emerald Ash Borer and the Spruce Bud Worm, much of our woods has fared poorly. From what the county forester/biologist told me, our woods is in better shape than most, but it's still sad.

With my morning walk out of the way and errands run in town, I made the power saws ready for a day in the woods.

The ash tree I cut yesterday was a large one. Deciding to have it fall into the woods and not onto the mowed path was a smart one. I wouldn't have to spend time clearing brush and small limbs. 

The tree, symmetric at the top, was easy to put down and I immediately started to "buck" it up. Things were going well until, at one point, the tree was faster than my reflexes and pinched the saw.

No problem, I walked back to the barn and got the tractor. The trunk was soon lifted enough to free the blade. I was back in business. 

The tractor certainly makes life easier when working up firewood. I utilize the tines on the bucket to lift the wood to waist height so I don't have to bend over and/or worry about hitting the ground while using the saw.

The trailer I purchased from Yooper Brother Mark is coming in handy. It, too, is just the right height and size, although I did manage to wedge it between two trees yesterday while trying to pull it out of the woods.

The wood was brought to the barn where it will be worked into burnable pieces and stored for next winter. 

One tree down, nine to go.

I'm horribly disappointed in my body. Used to be, I could work up wood all day long. The Pennington boys and I once began early on a morning and didn't quit until the sun was setting. I'd cut while they hauled, we'd split by hand using a twelve pound maul, then all of us would carry and stack the wood in the basement.

My mind is still that of a thirty year old, but my body seems to have other ideas. Though I'd planned on working up two trees yesterday, I quit after just one. I hate that my energy level and body has declined to such a state. 

With a mind set of working up a tree a day, my son, Luke, reminded me yesterday that I could work up one tree a week and still be finished well before snow falls. The boy has a point and after hearing the news that his father-in-law, George, who is the same age as I am, was recently hospitalized overnight from dehydration and possible heart problems caused from working up wood, I may follow Lukie's advice.

That's why he's the captain of his fire station and I'm a retired school teacher. He just knows these things.

Sargie wasn't idle yesterday. My girl wanted to make the yard look perfect for the holiday weekend and spent much of the day manicuring it to perfection.

Needless to say, we both slept like babies last night.

Sargie's son, Cale, is coming today and will spend the night. I'm heading out shortly for my morning walk then will return to the woods and take down a second large ash tree. It's my hope to get it sawed into chunks and possibly hauled in before Cale arrives. 

Oh, that tree a week thing that Luke was talking about? He made a good point, but I've been thinking.

I may be getting older, but I ain't near that slow. 

Whoops, I forgot about my shoes being filled with sawdust. Sargie loves when that happens.

Time to get a move on. Daylight's burnin'.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

No problem! Roomba to the rescue!