Miss Jody sent a few pictures of the flowers and shrubbery (bridal wreath) blooming in southern Mississippi. Here in the UP, we can only dream.

March 10, 2017 - Friday

2 degrees/clear/windy (again)

Pentoga Road

There, that's better. I've developed such an early morning writing habit over the past several decades that I don't know what to do with myself while the rest of the world sleeps. Good, bad, or ugly, my fingers are happiest when they are busy tapping on the keyboard in the dark, predawn, hours of the coming day. 

This past week been somewhat different than normal. Sargie's been ill, the flu. She started with a severe headache and feeling unwell. From there, her throat became scratchy and she developed a deep cough. I tried teasing her back to health, saying she sounded like an 80 year old man who had smoked three packs a day since he was a youngster. 

Someday, I'll learn to keep my mouth shut and teasing to myself. I'm sure that goose egg on my head will subside some day.

Modern technology arrived on Pentoga Road Wednesday afternoon. With Sargie missing work and growing more miserable by the hour, we took advantage of an online medical site, doctorondemand.com, a place where Sargie could video conference with a physician, receive a diagnosis, and have a prescription sent to our local pharmacy. 

Admittedly, we were skeptical at first, but the female MD on the other end soon put Sargie at ease and it was easy to forget that we were sitting in our living room rather than her office. 

The diagnosis was the flu and medication prescribed that was picked up at our local pharmacy a short time later. I'm happy to say that after a mere twenty-four hours, Sargie is feeling better. She's no longer begging me to put her out of her misery, but the girl has a ways to go before she's completely out of the woods.

Severe winds have been blowing nonstop for the past several days. They finally ended on Thursday, but are beginning again this morning. At one time, they were howling at forty miles per hour with gusts to well over sixty and damage is widespread and evident all around the Upper Peninsula. 

Miss Jody said this plant is called a Thrift and claims she dug them from across their road. I wish Neighbor Mike had some flowers worth digging.

Brutus and I took a walk Thursday afternoon and I discovered several large spruce trees had been toppled.

I don't know what to do with the downed trees. Other than for weenie roasts, they aren't really fit to burn. I almost wish I'd have gone ahead and bought the sawmill last fall. Between the bud worm infestation and wind damage, I could make a decent amount of milled lumber. I'll salvage what I can this summer and stack the logs under cover. Maybe a small sawmill will be in my future in the next year or two.

I was very happy to see Brutus return to his old service dog form. The wolves have evidently moved on as my four legged buddy didn't hesitate to guide me around downed trees and other obstacles and stayed by my side the entire time we were in the woods. Upon command, he led me home, always staying just a few feet ahead until we arrived at the back door.

I spent time in the shop yesterday while Sargie was resting. I've been working on this piece for Easter on the scroll saw.

There's a lot of work, sanding and painting, before it's finished and mounted.

I also began work on a more advanced alphabet puzzle.

The alphabet is simple enough, but piecing the letters back together is a challenge. It took quite a while to cut the letters apart and as Sargie and I discovered, putting them back together was just as difficult.

This is my first recessed puzzle. Of course, the letters will be sanded, the recessed background painted and the frame sanded and possibly painted.

One of the indoor greenhouses was retrieved from the basement and assembled Thursday afternoon. Later today, double ruffled petunia seeds will be lovingly scattered upon the surface of highly refined potting soil, misted, and along with a little prayer to the god of doubled ruffled petunias everywhere, be gently placed on a heat mat inside the greenhouse. 

Gentlemen, start your engines and plant your seed. The 2017 gardening season is about to begin!

Sargie and I ventured into town yesterday to retrieve the Kia from the mechanic's. With the odometer registering 170,000 miles, it was time for a new timing belt. While in the shop, the water pump and serpentine belt were also replaced. Sargie's little car should be good for another 170,000 miles.

I almost had a disaster in the shop late Thursday afternoon. The propane heater was making a different type sound. When I went to investigate, it went POOF and suddenly broke out into large flames. I retrieved a pair of leather welding gloves, reached through the fire, and turned off the gas.

Needless to say, I'll be heading to town after while to buy another heater. It's said that a lay person should never attempt to repair a propane heater. I thought I had over a month ago, but obviously, something wasn't right. Lesson learned.

Sargie's appetite has been slim to nil. Still, there's no reason why I should deprive myself of one of life's pleasures because she's under the weather. I enjoyed a large plate of shrimp chop suey for supper last evening.

Sargie's going to stay home again today. She's feeling a bit better, but is still weak. About the time she thinks she's getting over it all, waves of pain, dizziness, headaches, and weakness, come roaring back, forcing her to lie down and rest, something that's not in her nature. 

I'm going to brave the cold and winds and head into town after while to purchase another heater. Hey, it's only money and doesn't that grow on trees everywhere?

Aunt Joanne sent this picture from the Atlanta area where the flowers and shrubs are beginning to flower. She mentioned today's high is to be 75 degrees. Our's is predicted to remain in the single numbers.

Other than work in the shop, this afternoon's biggest activity will be to plant the double ruffled petunias and get the 2017 gardening season underway.

To rub it in, Miss Jody also included a picture of her dwarf azaleas fully in bloom. 

It's time to check on Sargie, throw another log on the fire, and get ready to go to town. 

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

This business of guiding an old man through the woods can tire a puppy out. What better place to hide than under the coffee table.

The folks at our local hardware store seem to think maple season is right around the corner. Let's hope Mother Nature reads the sign.

March 5, 2017 - Sunday

25 degrees/cloudy/breezy

Pentoga Road

Hmm, for whatever reason, it appears our internet is out this morning. I guess I shouldn't complain. It's been what, three weeks since the last outage? 

I laugh when I hear people who live in more urban areas complain that their 100 kps internet reception is down to half that. On Pentoga Road, we do well if ours chugs along at 1.5 and occasionally, on a good day, we'll reach 3 kps. Frustrating? By all means, but our provider is the only game in our neck of the woods.

Even in the modern 21st Century, there are still remote areas in the lower 48 that are relatively untouched by the internet. Ours is only possible because of an antenna perched forty feet up in the top of a large spruce tree. 

I skipped walking Saturday morning to go grocery shopping. One of our supermarkets was having their once-a-month, one-day, sale. After purchasing the needed goodies, I stopped by the hardware store to buy a new battery for my ice fishing sonar, then drove by Yooper Brother Mark's house for a visit. It was good to get caught up and enjoy some guy-time. 

I made a stop at the old mining pit across the road from Mark and Sheri's.

Mining towers like the one on the left are a common sight in the area. The church steeple at the far right is the old Gaastra Catholic Church that was moved several miles to be a part of the Iron County Museum complex. It features, in part, old equipment of the mining days gone by.

The pit formed when the old mine shaft caved in long ago creating a seemingly bottomless lake. This area is dotted with hundreds of them, all reminders of the miles and miles of tunnels left by the iron mining industry. It's not unusual to be strolling though the woods and stumble upon a fenced off area where the ground is deemed too dangerous on which to walk. 

Even in the middle of town, the beavers have been busy as evidenced by this downed popple tree.

Back on Pentoga Road, I headed to my home away from home, the shop, where I finished three more block names and polished a fourth.

I also completed the bowl I'd been working on the day before. 

It turned out to be one of my favorites so far. It's a bit larger in size and I'm learning to make thinner, curved walls to more closely match the shape of the exterior. 

I've been saving a piece of spalted birch out of which to make something special. Spalted is a term that actually defines the process of a fungus entering a tree, dead or alive, that in the end, accentuates the grain of the wood. 

A Sudoku and puzzle aficionado, Mom's been wanting a pencil holder. I immediately thought of the spalted wood. 

Unfortunately, I discovered the wood was not only spalted, it was half rotten, but how beautiful would it be if I could turn Mom's holder from it.

I had just finished turning the shape and hollowing out the inside when the entire top half exploded into a gajillion pieces of saw dust. 

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. 

Sargie was home late last night, her second in a row. My girl is off today and is a bit under the weather. I hope she gets some real, honest-to-goodness rest today.

I'm heading out to the shop in a few minutes to enjoy the peace and quiet of the early morning hours. We're supposed to be in for a warming trend with rain forecast for tomorrow. Originally, this week was predicted to be warm during the days, cooler at night. That's all changed and it appears conditions will not be all that good for harvesting sap and making maple syrup. Seems it could be another week or two.. or three... or four.

With that being said, it's time to take a break from writing for a while. We're in the late winter doldrums where daily life simply recycles itself day in and day out making writing difficult. 

Caught 'cha

Meanwhile, know that I'll be taking my daily walks then returning home to make new bowls, block names, or puzzles, while waiting for spring to arrive. 

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

We awakened to a picture painted by Mother Nature from frost on a corner of a window pane this morning. I see a pine or spruce tree, a hard wood tree, and a beautiful landscape.

March 4, 2017 - Saturday

-11 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

What's this?

Neighbor Mike and Germaine are enjoying their month-long vacation in New Zealand.

I have no idea why Neighbor Mike and Germaine, would decide to go to New Zealand this time of the year. I mean, it's currently -11 degrees (ELEVEN BELOW zero) accompanied by snow squalls two or three times a week. 

It's summer in New Zealand. Wading knee deep in crystal clear water, Mike is obviously enjoying it.

Mike said they are enjoying themselves sight seeing, fishing, hiking, and doing whatever it is tourists do, including catch big trout.

Back on Pentoga Road, things weren't nearly as exciting on Friday. In fact, it seems I've settled into a mundane routine.

I go for my walk then come home, run errands if I have any, then spend the day in the shop.

After Friday's walk, I took the name blocks to Trish who is a loan officer at the bank in Crystal Falls. She and Donny will deliver them to their grandbabies in Texas.

Three more names were cut out Friday.

Mississippi Brother Garry quipped that the reason Caitlin's name was misspelled the day before yesterday happened because I was too cheap to purchase a scroll saw that had spell check. 

It was time for the carving and sanding on the names and I didn't feel like doing it. The blocks were set aside for another day.

I began turning a new bowl from birch. Things went well and I was ready for the final sanding and buffing with beeswax when I noticed a small crack. Glue and clamps were applied and I'll finish the bowl tomorrow.

Two loads of laundry were put through the washer and dryer and all was hung by late afternoon.

Sargie closed last night and has the same schedule today. It was well past 9:30 before she walked in the door.

I'm going for my walk this morning then think I'll head to the hardware store in town. I'm out of poly to spray on my projects. If Yooper Brother Mark isn't working, I'll stop and visit with him. He's been putting in such long hours at the plant that our conversations have been limited to small quips and an occasional text here and there. 

Melinda and Tom asked if I wanted to go ice fishing with them tomorrow, but I'm going take a pass. Sunday is Sargie's only day off until next Thursday so we'll enjoy some quality Sargie/Tom time. 

Meanwhile, I'm going to throw another log on the fire and get this day started. 

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Sundown over Neighbor Mike's camp

The predicted high for next Monday is 53 degrees. Right now, that's difficult to believe.

March 3, 2017 - Friday

-1 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

I'm on the third day of my annual springtime diet. When you hear someone refer to Fat Tuesday, they are really talking about me.

I hear gaining weight and becoming saggy is a rite of aging caused, in part, by a slowing metabolism. Right now, if I were a member of the animal kingdom, I'd be a hybrid cross between a sloth and a slug. Even with walking between three and five miles daily, my belly insists on leading the way. 

Sargie and I were looking at old pictures, some from my high school and university days. At one point, I actually had a belly that resembled a six-pack along with some noticeable abs. My body had yet to sag and I remember walking around without a shirt during the summer months thinking how horrible it must be to be an old guy, someone whose body was saggy and baggy and not good looking at all.

So far, so good, with the diet. My goal is to lose ten pounds over the next six to eight weeks, to get back into my summer shape. I'll once again have a rippling six pack, well defined tan lines, and be able to walk around without a shirt. All my neighbors will want to be me... well, the guys anyway.

Oh wait, I don't have any neighbors. Never mind.

The weather on Thursday was a mixed bag. The day began as clear and calm. My morning walk was beautiful and I enjoyed hearing the crisp sound of my feet crunching through a skim of newly fallen snow along the shoulders of the road.

Snow squalls blew into the area later in the afternoon and at one point, a full blown gale raged for all of sixty seconds followed by immediate sunshine. 

Once home, I drove to town for a few errands. My last stop was to see Yooper Brother Mark at the plant. As usual, he seemed to have everything under control so I didn't bother to impart any sage wisdom.

The rest of the day was spent in the shop. My goal was to make three names, those of Sargie's great nieces and nephew who live in Texas. Trish and Donnie, Sargie's sister and brother-in-law, are flying down this weekend to visit their daughter, son-in-law, and of course, the grandbabies. I wanted to get the munchkins' block names finished so they could take them with.

Things went well until I misspelled little Caitlin's name. 

When I brought the block name in, initially, something seemed wrong. I'd left out the letter i. All that work for nothing.

I thought of asking Lisa, Caitlin's mother, if she might consider legally changing the spelling of her daughter's name, but finally decided to head back out to the shop, turn on the lights, crank up the heat, and make it again, this time correctly.

All three names are finished, covered with poly, and I'll deliver them to Trish this morning to be packed away and bound for Texas.

The dining room table is filling with names. I need to get them in the mail and deliver those that are local. I've calculated I still have about ten more to do, mostly my grand babies. 

How's that saying go... the carpenter's house is the last one to be built.  

Sargie was home early last night and we stood by each other chopping vegetables and catching up on the day while preparing salads for supper.

Sargie closes tonight. I'm going for my walk then will drive to Crystal Falls and deliver the block names to Trish. 

The high today is top out around twenty degrees, so most of it will be spent inside, either in the house or the shop. There's laundry to be done and names to be fashioned and I've been asked to turn a couple of items for people on the lathe. If only you had my life, you'd understand. 

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Two more block letter names were made Wednesday

March 2, 2017 - Thursday

8 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Well, darn, I wish there was something more to talk about than what I did in the shop on Wednesday. 

It's the time of year. Other than the occasional foray onto the ice to go fishing, there's not a lot a person can do outside for entertainment... unless you count shoveling and plowing snow. 

It's either stay inside and watch television or make dust out in the shop. I'll take the shop.

Worry not, there are more outside projects and adventures on the agenda for this summer than ever. The shop will soon be a fond recent memory, not to be awakened until next fall, once warm weather arrives.

Well, that's a lie, but I am eager to be busy outdoors rather than being inside looking out.

I was a bit distraught to see that something, a raccoon, I imagine, had torn down two of the suet cages and ripped apart the live cage set to catch squirrels Tuesday night. 

I doubt it was a bear. It's still awfully early in the year and cold. Since snow was falling this morning, there were no visible tracks.

I refilled the bird feeders and hung the cages filled with suet. Oh, and I also set a raccoon trap that is dog proof. Whew, what a rodeo that would be if Brutus managed to get one of his delicate tootsies caught. 

Returning home from my morning walk, I cleared the drive and patio of two inches of newly fallen snow then it was back to the shop.

I managed to salvage the bowl that broke apart on Tuesday. Hmm, how best to hide the small cracks made from breaking. I decided to make a sugar bowl with matching handles on each side.

The biggest challenge was to cut and carve two handles from a tiny piece of wild cherry.

To make them similar was the challenge. The next step is to make a lid to fit over the bowl. 

The sugar bowl is in the foreground.

There was a perfect size stock still mounted in the lathe from which to turn another tea cup and saucer. Why not?

I'm finding the most difficult challenge in turning a tea set is to make the cups exact. The new one has thicker walls and is a fraction taller than the other two. Oh well, I doubt a four-year-old little girl is really going to know or care.

The newest cup is on the far left

It's amazing, the various shades of color that can come out of the same species of tree. Yesterday's cup was much lighter than those made previously even though all are wild cherry.

It was getting on into the afternoon. I carried in wood and scraped the drive a bit more. I just didn't want to go in the house so I headed back to the shop thinking I'd watch television, maybe take a short nap, and think deep thoughts. 

I ended up making two more block names instead.

Someone asked if I hand carve each. No. The first step is to cut as much as I can using the band saw. Then I move to the scroll saw for the finer cuts. In the end, I use a Dremel with a barrel sander attached to give them a rustic look. After timing myself, it appears that each name takes around forty-five minutes to an hour from start to finish.

Sargie was home by 6:30 last night and we enjoyed a large salad for supper. The rest of the evening was spent relaxing.

She opens the Vision Center today. I'm going for my usual walk then plan to dig out the maple pans and grate from under the snow alongside the barn. It appears that warmer weather is headed our way on Sunday and next week is forecast to be above freezing every day, but drop below freezing each night, a perfect formula to make sap run. 

Other than that... it's back to the shop. There are three names to cut out on the agenda for today.  I also need to make a trip to town on errands, so it appears Thursday's going to be a busy one.

Meanwhile, I'm going to listen to the news, sip a cup of coffee, and think happy thoughts of warm weather and summertime activities.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Last 4th of July

I'm losing my fishing mojo. Three tiny perch and two little bluegills were the sum total of Tuesday's trip out onto the ice.

March 1, 2017 - Wednesday

21 degrees/light snow/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Naturally, it's Sargie's first day back to work after a short vacation and I overslept. I've got the fingers flying this morning playing catch-up.

Tuesday was a fairly lazy day. I spent all morning in the shop, first making another block letter name and sanding it, then beginning work on another tea cup for a granddaughter's tea set.

Talk about an exercise in frustration. I should have quit while I was ahead. First, the bandsaw blade became bound in the raw piece of wild cherry wood while I was cutting it down to size.

After I got started, I found I'd incorrectly measured the length of the cup and was off by a quarter of an inch. That didn't make me overly thrilled, but I figured a little girl wouldn't care nor would she know the difference.

I was hollowing out the cup when suddenly, the thing flew apart breaking into pieces. 

That was the crowning moment of Tuesday morning's shop project. I glued the cup back together, tightened a radiator clamp around the entire thing, turned off the lights, and walked away.

We had a nice drive Tuesday afternoon sipping Cokes and eating chicken tenders from the deli while driving around the area.

This antique car got our attention. It's owned by the local grocery and is usually driven in parades and special events. 

We had just arrived home Tuesday afternoon when I received a text from Tom and Melinda saying they were going fishing at the local lake. I decided to join them.

Meanwhile, there was a clearance sale at the ladies store in town, so Sargie hopped in the car and took off in that direction.

Fishing was lousy, but the company was great. Sargie found several clearance items she liked for the right price, so it was the perfect ending to a great vacation.

Sargie opens today. I'm going for my usual walk then will, no doubt, spend time in the shop. I've got another name to make, then there's that darn tea cup. Should I junk it or try to salvage the thing? Time will tell.

Oops, time to get breakfast ready and pack Sargie's lunch. I'm running a day late and a dollar short and the day hasn't even started.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Tom and Melinda didn't do any better in the fish department