Andy

Wild violets growing in the front meadow

May 13, 2016 - Friday

45 degrees/cloudy/breezy

Pentoga Road

Sargie and I are up and around this morning, getting ready to drive over to Escanaba for the day. ROAD TRIP! Anyone who knows either of us understands that we'll hop in a car or truck and go about anywhere in the name of taking a trip. Today's will find us over on the northern shores of Lake Michigan.

Our shopping list is extensive and as I told someone earlier, I hope that I still have my undershorts by the time we arrive back home tonight. 

Page Two:

Andy sent this picture of Ivy who crawled five feet yesterday. Unfortunately, it appears much of it was done at the expense of her nose. He said Ivy was so happy that she threw up after!

Page Three:

I was going to work in the shop yesterday, but the day turned out to be fairly nice. After my walk, I turned my attentions to digging out several areas where the grass had died around the deck.

Initially, I thought it was winter kill that had caused the grass to die, but on closer inspection, I believe it was from a certain bulldog, one that is so lazy that during the winter months, he barely stepped off the deck to piddle. 



Since he no longer lifts his leg (that requires a LOT of work, you know) he simply goes where it's closest and most convenient. We're currently rectifying that situation so it doesn't happen again.



I filled the dead places with top soil and compost, then dug plugs of grass that had encroached into the flower beds. I'll supplement their growth with grass seed and hopefully, everything will be filled in in a few short weeks.



Page Four:

The rest of the day was spent working in the popple woods. 



I accomplished quite a bit and believe that given another two or three weeks of decent weather, I'll be finished.



One of the challenges is pulling out old, rotted, stumps, those I don't want to mow around for the rest of my life. It takes a while, but well worth removing each and doing it right.

Page Five:

I'm running behind on my gardening this year, mostly because of the weekly extreme cold nightly temperatures. At least the radishes I planted last week don't seem to mind.



Regardless of the forecast of snow for this weekend, spring is definitely upon us. The wild flowers are beginning their annual display. The front meadow is full of wild violets that give the deep green grass a wonderful purplish hue.



Walking down Pentoga Road, everywhere one looks, there are choke cherries in blossom. It's sort of the Pentoga Road version of the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington DC, only here, we try to tell the truth.



Sargie's about ready and it's time to get this show on the road. She has three wonderful days off in a row and we're planning on taking advantage of each and every one of them.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Luke just sent this picture of his multi million dollar stainless steel grill. His old one had a five year warrantee and died after three, so was able to upgrade for a very reasonable price. 

The flower box in the front was made ready to plant. All we need is warm weather.

 May 12, 2016 - Thursday

55 degrees/drizzle/calm winds

Pentoga Road

It's a stitch-free boy who writes this morning. Wednesday's meeting with the surgeon went well and I was released to resume life as normal assuming I use common sense. As the good doctor said, "No heroics." Ah, who wants to be a super hero anyway?

I made a stop at the bank to close out the savings account mentioned yesterday, but not before I shared my thoughts with one of the managers. I never withdrew any money from my savings, yet they wrote me a check yesterday for five dollars less than the amount I deposited four years ago. I can understand why Grandpa Pennington, who lost money in a bank during the Great Depression, felt as he did about many of our "savings" institutions. Crooks. I'm right there beside him. 

Page Two:

Back home, I changed clothes and with a clean bill of health, began hauling dirt to fill the new planter by the deck. 

I lined the box with black plastic on the sides and stapled porous black cloth on the bottom to prohibit weed growth.

The next order of business was to plant violets, some that were dug from the woods while others were purchased.

After, I turned my dirt-moving operations to the front planter. Right now, we're just waiting for warmer weather.

The rest of the day was spent cleaning up logs and debris with the front end loader from the old popple woods.

I later used the backhoe to clean the nearest corner of rocks and wood. It had been used as a burn/trash pile for many years prior to my purchasing the place. As soon as the debris piles are cleared away, that area can be mowed.



Sargie arrived home after 9 last night and we had a very short evening before going to bed. She opens this morning, but has the next three days off. 

We're going to drive to Escanaba, Michigan, tomorrow, about two hours south and east of here. I want to visit with the bicycle man who sells the brand of trike that I'm interested in. No doubt, we'll also do some shopping. Sargie and I love our road trips, even if they are only two hours in length.

I'm going to walk this morning then work on Sheri's great grandpa's grave marker. I bought a really nice piece of cedar from which to make it and I'd like to finish before Memorial Day so they can put the old guy to rest. He died and was buried in 1933.

It's time to get this uploaded and begin the day. After all, a man's work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

When first buying the house and land, the area on the right was waist-high brush, saplings, and thistles, with just a teeny path going towards the rear of the property. The area on the left was a shoulder-high dump/burn area at the edge of the popple woods that stretched from the lower left of the picture down to the current burn pile. Much of the land was so overgrown with scrub brush and weeds that I didn't fully know what I'd purchased.

Getting ready to build a new flower box in front of the deck on Tuesday.

May 11, 2016 - Wednesday 

44 degrees/cloudy/windy

Pentoga Road

"These are the times that try men's souls..." Boy, ours are really being tested. Carl the Weatherman is forecasting one to three inches of snow to fall on Saturday night. Talk about raining on our parade... or snowing on our garden. How the devil can I grow a pumpkin over six-hundred pounds in the snow? Oh well, it's what makes us northerners tough. Some people season their vegetables with salt and pepper. We use snow. 

Page Two:

I wonder where Mrs. Wilkins is? An elderly widow, she lives down the road in a small log home by herself and other than shuffling out onto her porch to smoke a cigarette, is seldom seen. There were two ambulances and a sherif's car parked in front of her home the other night and no one has seen or heard from her since. I know Mrs. Wilkins has a daughter who lives in Marquette, but I don't have a name or telephone number. All we can do at this point is pray our neighbor is doing okay.

Page Three:

Today is doctor day. I have an appointment this morning and hope to have the remaining exterior stitch removed. It's the one that is continually being rubbed by my belt, the stitch that remains ugly and red and must be connected to everything on the inside. I say that because when it becomes irritated or I twist the wrong way, I can feel it pull all the way down to my toes. 

It's been a different type of two weeks since the surgery and I've discovered a couple of interesting facts during that time:

* I am capable of policing myself and not lifting anything over twenty pounds. In the old days, I wouldn't have given it a thought, but it's become increasingly apparent to me in my more senior years that I am mortal. For my self restraint, I am very proud.

* That as mild and meek as she appears, Sargie has another side to her, that of turning into something forceful and frightening if she thinks I'm being too active. I swear, her eyes begin to glow red, her head does a 360 degree turn, and her voice deepens into an eery, echoing, sound as she chastises me about doing one thing or the other. I'm hardly allowed to carry my own mug of tea in Sargie's presence, let alone a piece or two of fire wood, a shovel full of dirt, the dog's water bowl, or anything else that might weigh more than a few ounces. 

So today will be my two-week check up. I know I have two more weeks of light activity, but hopefully, the bonds of being a wimpy semi invalid will be lifted so I can begin to frolic and play in my usual manner. If not, well, I'll continue to police myself and steer clear of Sargie during my more active times. All teasing aside, I really appreciate her obvious love, concern, and attention. It's those glowing red eyes combined with the swiveling head and deep voice that kind of freaks me out.

Page Four:

Most of Tuesday was spent building the flower planter to go in front of the deck. There was one when the house was initially purchased years ago, but it was poorly constructed and rotted away.

I occasionally become upset when constructing something. What used to take me an hour now requires several. The most frustrating thing is pounding a simple nail. 

I was using five inch pole barn nails yesterday to attach the timbers to each other. Five inches! Even Helen Keller could hit a five inch nail. I couldn't.

Those things are hardened and are really difficult to bend, but I managed to put a curve in several. I really hate to get my nose too close to the nail while pounding for fear a piece might fly off and hit me in the face.

It took most the day, but in the end, the planter was built and even received two thumbs up from Sargie when she looked at it last night. I was happy.

A shrub will be planted in the ground to the left of flower box.

Page Five:

I took a break from the action yesterday and drove to the lumber yard for some needed supplies. Stopping by the plant, I found Yooper Brother Mark working on the production floor, getting a large pallet of animal bedding ready to ship.

He said several workers are on vacation so he stepped away from his desk and joined those who were getting the product ready.

Page Six:

Since Sargie works late today and my appointment is scheduled for mid morning, I drove to Iron Mountain last night so we could ride home together and then back today. It makes her drive seem shorter to have company and gives us some badly needed time together.

I'm not certain what's on my post-appointment agenda today. I would like to find some shrubbery to plant alongside the back of the house and deck. Since Sargie and I are going to Escanaba Friday, I might wait to purchase anything until then. She says there's a large nursery over there that should have a big selection to choose from. 

I'm going to stop by a bank this morning in Iron Mountain where I've had a small savings account for several years. They seem to have difficulty with their bookkeeping and have put my automatic mortgage payment into the savings and tried charging me a late fee twice now. That won't happen again. There'll be no savings account in which to deposit the payment. I'm closing it out today.

 Their newest bugaboo is a regulation that charges a five dollar monthly fee to "service" my savings account. As I told them on the phone, I'll bury the small amount of cash in the back yard before I pay them for the privilege of charging me to use my money. If the house weren't almost paid off, I'd move the mortgage too.

So with that being said, I think I'll close and spend some time listening to the news and thinking deep thoughts. 

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Despite the forecast of snow, many of the wild fruit trees are in blossom.

What used to be the popple woods was mowed for the first time ever on Monday afternoon.

May 10, 2016 - Tuesday

37 degrees/clear/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Whew, I don't know which eighteen-wheeler ran over me during the night, but I slept like a rock right up until the alarm rang this morning. After only two to three hours of slumber the night before, I was a tired boy. Thankfully, my mind didn't insist on working overtime and allowed me to sleep the night through.

Arriving home from Iron Mountain on Monday morning, I immediately got to work cleaning out the area around the back patio. Sargie has been sounding the alarm about a critter getting under the deck, most likely, a skunk. She suggested a proactive approach might be preferable to that of being reactive.

I stalled and tried to make up any excuse that came to mind, even saying that skunks need love too, but in the end, she was right.

I have several rolls of used chicken wire. It wouldn't take much. After gathering the tools, I began. What a pain. 

After several hours of frustrating work, the wire was cut and stapled to the bottom of the deck, then buried several inches into the ground. We should now remain critter-free.

It was afternoon before I started the old Ford tractor and used the front end loader to move the boulders that were dug from the yard on Sunday afternoon.

I was driving through the woods to dump a large rock when I ran up on a dead log, causing one end to rise and break the exhaust pipe that runs under the floor board of the tractor.

Thank goodness for my always-pleasant, calm, and even personality, even in times of unplanned malady. Okay, I lied. Mom would have definitely washed my mouth out with soap.

There was nothing to do but drive the tractor to the shop and get to work. I found some flashing and muffler clamps to temporarily patch the thing.

I even found a piece of heavy aluminum to bend and put over the flashing to give the pipe some strength. At first, I was going to weld a repair, but the exhaust was too rusted. There was nothing solid to weld to. An entire new system only costs around $35, so that'll be on my list of things to do for later this summer.

The rest of the day was spent mowing the front half of the old popple woods. After cutting thousands of saplings four years ago and spending the time since cleaning up garbage from the area area, I was finally able to get the mower over part of it. I've alway dreamed of having that area be a park-like setting, maybe even fencing part of it for a few head of livestock, a miniature pony and an alpaca or two. Anything is preferable to the saplings, weeds, and thistles that have always grown there.

Sargie had a good day on Monday and was home in time so that we could watch Dancing With the Stars. Bedtime came soon after.

Sargie opens today which means she should be home early this evening. I'm going to have coffee with Neighbor Mike first thing this morning, swap a few lies, then work some more around the patio area. Other than that, the sky's the limit.

It's time to get the boat ready for another season of fishing.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

The radishes planted three days ago are beginning to pop from the ground.

Grandbabies, Emerson and baby brother, Bennet, both at three months of age. Think they are related?

May 9, 2016 - Monday

30 degees/clear/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Well, darn it anyway. I've slept well this past week, but it wasn't to be last night. I fell sound asleep, but awakened around 2 AM, my mind going a hundred miles an hour. Try as I may, I was still thinking deep thoughts two hours later, so I finally gave up and came downstairs. Maybe I can grab another hour of slumber when I finish writing. If not, I'm up for the day.

We had Grady up and ready by the time his mama and daddy arrived to pick him up Sunday morning.

Grandma Sargie had him bathed, fed, and dressed for church, all before she had to leave for work.

We're hoping Grady will be back this next weekend for a day or two. After all, it will be time to plant peas and make roads and play in the sandbox!

Sargie left for work Sunday morning and I prepared the turkey for the smoker.

It seems to take about as long to prepare a piece of meat as it does to smoke the thing. This turkey was injected with a quarter pound of melted butter, then had a pound of fat bacon draped over the top with about half stuffed in the cavity.

I should have become a doctor rather than a school teacher

It takes quite a while to get a decent bed of charcoal ready for good even heat with charcoal and dampened hickory chips added throughout the day. 

By late afternoon, the turkey was finished. Tasty and moist, it was done just the way we like it. As I've said previously, butter and bacon makes everything taste better.

While the turkey was in the smoker, I worked on rebuilding parts of the planters on the back patio.

Though the timbers are treated, it seems those around the top need replacing every few years. This was the year.

I forgot to purchase long deck nails and was very careful to remove the old ones so they could be used again.

Unfortunately, I occasionally ran into one that had outlived its usefulness. 

Looks like a nightcrawler with a nail head on one end.

With the turkey still in the smoker, I fired up the backhoe and dug several rocks from the rear of the backyard, those that I've occasionally hit with the mower. 

I'll move them today using the tractor, but will have to wait until the doctor gives me the all clear before I can fill in the holes.

Four o'clock came along, the turkey was finished, and since it was Mother's Day, I decided to drive to Iron Mountain and ride home with Sargie. It would give us an opportunity to spend a little more time together. 

What's for dinner? Naturally, we had a Thanksgiving meal on Mother's Day, doesn't everyone? Mmm, turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, a big salad... all food groups that make up a special meal. The turkey that is left (lots of it) will be used to make sandwiches for Sargie's lunches. Some will be frozen to provide a variety later this summer. 

I'll ride back with Sargie first thing this morning. On the agenda for today... well, I'm not sure. There's so much to do and so little of me. If only you had my life.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

One of Sargie's vinca vines that over wintered in the basement is in full blossom. Its roots are barely covered and has yet to be planted in its permanent summer growing place.

Saturday was spent planting potatoes and filling the large flower planter

Mothers Day!

May 8, 2016 - Sunday 

32 degrees/clear/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Happy Mother's Day to all who are a mother, are married to a mother, or are the child of a mother. 

So today, I say a prayer of gratitude and pay homage to mothers everywhere, but especially for my mom, who has so lovingly cared and nurtured my sister and me for well over sixty years, to Sargie, the mother of four boys, and to my sons' mother, also the mom of four, when I say thank you and God Bless. Happy Mother's Day. This is your day.

Page Two:

After a grocery run Saturday morning, the rest of the day was spent outside. Grady and Sargie did most the work. Me? Still healing, I wasn't allowed to do much. Mostly, I was just along for the ride.

Munching on a slice of tangerine, Grady's had his bath, is dressed, and ready to go grocery shopping.

We took advantage of several items at a local grocery's one-day-sale.

This is the second young grandchild I've seen reading this week. Grady's checking out the bargains... even reading the sales flyer upside down. It must be in the genes.

Grady was good to help unload the car.

Once home, it was time to change clothes and help PawPaw plant potatoes.

I was impressed. He quickly learned to put the cut side down, leaving the eyes facing up, then pressed the potato gently into the soil. The boy has the makings of a master gardener.

Grady also helped to haul compost to spread on top of the potatoes.

And needed only a little help from Grandma Sargie when the going got rough in the garden.

It was time for a break and what better place to take one than the sandbox?

Though they tend to get into each other's way when in the house, outside, Brutus seldom lets Grady get out of his sight. In the yard or the woods, they are best buddies.

It was time to get back to work, this time, helping Grandma Sargie haul top soil and compost to fill the large planter attached to the greenhouse.

Compost is almost as much fun as sand!

Here, Grandma, let me help

In the end, the planter was filled and made ready for this coming growing season.



It was a tired two-year-old boy, his Grandma Sargie, and even PawPaw, who finally called it a day and trudged indoors last night. After all that gardening, playing in the sandbox, and hauling soil, Grady was about all done in.




What makes everything worthwhile and feel better is, following a bath, when Grandma Sargie holds the little guy tight and lets him know how very special he is to this grandma and grandpa.



It was early to bed and everyone slept well through the night.

Macrea will be along after while to pick up Grady. He will be attending Mother's Day activities on the other side of the family.

Sargie has to work from noon to five at the Vision Center. I'm going to fire up the smoker and do a fifteen pound turkey that we purchased yesterday on sale. I'll freeze half for the future and the rest will provide us with plenty of eating and sandwich meat for the next couple of weeks.

It's time to awaken Sargie and the get the day started.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...