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 Lake Pentoga on Saturday afternoon

May 5, 2019 - Sunday morning

36 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

It's a beginning to another beautiful day here in God's country. Saturday's high of 72 felt downright heavenly. Unfortunately, that's the warmest it's to be for the next several days as Carl says our temperatures won't climb far out of the 50's. To add insult to injury, a smattering of rain is forecast to fall here and there.

Saturday morning began with a gorgeous five mile stroll.

Ever been alone and felt like someone/something was watching you?

This doe has to be someone's pet. I got within five feet of her before she slowly walked into the woods. When I turned to leave, she followed me closely up the road for a while.



 One of the camp owners must be doing some hand feeding. As wild as they are, deer will become tame as puppy dogs when food is involved.

Back home, I noticed the swallows are back.

I was working on the skirting for the crawl space under the living room when I heard Jambo's four wheeler. I walked to the road and watched as the boy loaded his two wheeled cart with precious and valuable Maple Valley rocks from our pile.

Caught on camera

I told him the only way he could have the rocks is if he took them all. He laughed, I laughed, and we'll let you laugh too if you want any. There're plenty to go around.

We enjoyed a cup of coffee later and solved all the world's problems. Okay, I lied, but we did agree that it's about time to go fishing.

Serious discussions finished, I got to work on the skirting. It had to fit in behind the siding and the thick Styrofoam insulation made installation more difficult than it should have been.

To make matters worse, I saw that a section of fiberboard had fallen down from under the floor. There was nothing to do but slide underneath on my back and fix it.

The old board had gotten wet and disintegrated when I tried to lift it back into place. That meant sliding back out to get a tape measure, then back in to measure, back out to find a piece of OSB plywood and cut it to size, then back in to attach the thing only inches above my face. 

The insulation and board were finally reinstalled and I was able to continue.

It was late afternoon and I was getting tired when the last piece of insulated skirting was fastened into place.

As of now, other than a bit of trim, the sides that face out are done. All that remains is the space between the living room and the deck.

I decided the solar panels will be relocated to the south side of the new garden house. I'll use them to provide power for the warming pads (mats for germinating seeds) and possibly run the fountain and filters in the new pond.

There was some lattice left over from doing the front of the house. Hmm. Why not?

The temperatures were warm and there was still some daylight left. I moved my attentions to removing the large planter on the deck closest to the house. 

My reasons are two fold. First, several boards next the the house will have to be removed so I can reach down to attach the skirt rather than crawl the entire distance under the living room.

Second, the deck still has a sag in the middle. I need to get as much weight off as possible so it can be leveled.

Only one problem. The old Ford tractor wasn't powerful enough to lift the planter. I had to remove most the dirt before it could be lifted high enough to clear the hand railing.

Sargie arrived home from work. We were unwilling to surrender the warmest day of the year, so we spent time walking around the yard and garden enjoying the evening.

A symphony of flowers, mostly violets and violas, are appearing around the yard and garden. The violins, cellos, and basses, shouldn't be far behind. The brass, woodwinds, and percussion, will be along after all danger of frost is gone for the season.




Our evening was a very quiet one last night. Shower taken and belly full, I fought to keep my eyes open past eight, but lasted until almost ten. It appears my night owl bride cleaned house while I was slumbering away upstairs.

I'm going to get this uploaded then go for my morning stroll. On the agenda for today will be to remove the deck boards nearest the house and finish skirting the living room. If there's any time and/or energy remaining, I'll begin leveling the deck. 

This frog has made the garden pond his home. He croaked all day yesterday hoping to find a girlfriend. If croaking is any indication, he still hasn't found her.

Regardless of time or energy, no doubt, we'll take our traditional Sunday afternoon drive and get Sargie's Coke.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Sargie found this in the laundry. During one of my many stories to the first graders, I'd told them of catching a larger than life halibut in Alaska. They asked if I'd bring a picture and I said that if I remembered, I would. Slipping me a note at the end of the day, one young fisherman wasn't going to let me forget.

Lunchtime in Bobkitty Land

May 3, 2019 - Friday evening

50 degrees/partly cloudy/calm winds

Pentoga Road

I had a good time in Florence on Friday, but I'm not sure how I could have crammed any more into one day.

The munchkins were as good as they could be, but were certainly active. From math to spelling, book buddies to an old fashioned sing along, we kept busy.

The fourth graders, for whom I've subbed many times, were busy outside doing sidewalk art. 

I was really impressed with the talent some of the students displayed.

School was over and I was soon on my way to Crystal Falls to help my friend, Bruce, cover his greenhouse so that he can begin selling bedding plants beginning Mother's Day weekend.

There were six of us that assisted in putting the poly film over the rafters. 

Thankfully, the wind was light making the job fairly easy.

Bruce teaches sixth grade at Florence Elementary.

With the top of Bruce's greenhouse covered, I made my way back to Pentoga Road and stopped to see Jambo and Germaine before pulling into our drive.

Jambo scored big today by shooting a very rare three-bearded Tom turkey.

As he said, it will probably be the only one like it I'll ever see. Needless to say, Neighbor Mike was a happy boy.

Strangest thing. Germaine's pet, Billy the Bluebird, kept us entertained by sitting on an outside rearview mirror and pecking away at the passenger side window.

Getting so close to a bluebird is rare. They truly are beautiful.

Germaine took the above picture and sent the following video.

Sargie opens the Vision Center Saturday morning. I need to make a quick trip to the lumber yard for another piece of treated plywood. After, I plan to spend the rest of the day working on closing in and insulating the crawl space under the living room. 

The phone just rang and my bride's on her way home. It's time to fix her supper. After closing tonight, she'll be a hungry and tired girl.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

The Bobkitties and I did some rockin' and rollin' today

Braving the cool temperatures, Sargie's painting the plywood that will be used to close in the crawl space under the living room.

May 2, 2019 - Thursday evening

48 degrees/partly cloudy/calm winds 

Pentoga Road

Isn't my bride a real trooper? It was a bit nippy, yet Sargie willingly came outside and worked alongside me this afternoon. What a honey.

Today's been a productive one. With Sargie's help, I hitched the trailer to the Blazer and hauled the riding mower to the dealer's for its annual maintenance.

Don't look now, but there's a mower following us.

While in town, we stopped by the lumber yard to purchase several sheets of treated plywood to use for closing in the crawl space under the living room. I also visited with Yooper Brother Mark for a few minutes.

This winter's snow was difficult on this derelict garage

Back home, we began measuring, cutting, and painting the plywood.

The biggest difficulty lay in working around the bushes that are alongside the house. Working on wet, often muddy, ground, removing the old lattice and measuring was a miserable experience.

I put the box on the little four wheeler earlier today and was able to use it as a sawhorse to cut the plywood to size.

After Sargie painted one side and let it dry, I began using adhesive to attach the special styrofoam insulation.

One panel is finished with several more to go.

The painted side of the board will face out. The top will fit up underneath the lowest layer of siding with the bottom sitting on the ground. The insulation will be on the inside.

Tired and cold, I grilled ribeye pork steaks on the grill for supper.

This evening's been a quiet one. Sargie heads back to the Vision Center tomorrow morning and I'll be teaching first graders.

Bruce has decided that we'll meet and cover his greenhouse with poly tomorrow night after school. Time's getting short for him as gardening and the need for bedding plants will soon be upon us.

It's time to close, start packing lunches, and get ready for another day in the land of bobkitties.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Pentoga Road
Taken during one of my two walks on Wednesday

May 2, 2019 - Thursday

37 degrees/cloudy/calm winds

Pentoga Road

What's that? No rain? No snow? Seems we're to get a temporary reprieve from both for two or three days with a high in the upper 60's forecast for Saturday.

You know, I really should quit my little girl whining. The folks just to the north of us are still digging out from over five inches of snow that fell yesterday. Thankfully, the inch of precipitation we received was mostly in the form of rain.

That being said, I didn't let a bit of moisture stop me from taking my Wednesday morning walk. I dug out my old Frog Toggs that Grandpa Stauber (Yooper Brother Mark's dad) gave me years ago, and away I went to Pentoga Village.

Once home, Sargie was ready for a road trip. Since we were out of fruits and vegetables, we decided to drive way down south where the selection might be greater, all the way to Rhinelander, Wisconsin. (And you thought I meant down south as in Florida.)

Our first stop was at Aldi Foods where we loaded up on grapes, a water melon, tangerines, and strawberries. After a long winter, it seems we are unable to eat enough fresh fruit to satisfy our cravings. Thankfully, most of what we wanted was on sale.

The next stop was at Menard's. I didn't know we needed anything, but I noticed walking out, the wallet was much lighter than when we entered.

Sargie's looking at blinds for the new living room windows

The winter didn't treat our drive kindly and I purchased some of what will be needed to fill in the cracks and make other repairs. Those will begin as soon as the weather warms.

Back home and with the groceries put away, I strapped on my hikers to make one last late afternoon trek for the day. I had just come up Pentoga Hill when I saw someone walking in my direction. 

As Dad would have said, as he clasped his hands over his heart while swaying back and forth, "A vision of loveliness!"

It was my bride, coming to join me for a bit of a stroll. I was proud of her. Sargie walked almost a mile and a half, most of it up and down some pretty steep hills.

Last night was a mellow one. We stuffed our faces with massive amounts of popcorn while watching tv. After a very active day, Sargie and I slept like rocks.

On the agenda for today:

I'm going to get this uploaded then go for my morning stroll. I want to get the riding mower into the dealer's and leave it for its annual maintenance. I think while the trailer is hooked to the Blazer and I'm in town, I'll swing by the lumber yard and purchase a couple of sheets of treated plywood. One of this weekend's projects is to box in and insulate the crawl space around the bottom of the living room. I also need to take the bucket off the Ford tractor and get it to Mechanic Dave's to be welded.

So much of to do, so little of me.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

The vision of loveliness and my newest hiking partner.
With hands pulled up into her sleeves and shivering, doesn't it look like Sargie's having fun?

A bit of impromptu art by one of the first grade bobkitties

May 1, 2019 - Wednesday

36 degrees/rain/snow/wind

Pentoga Road

Oh Lord, would someone just shoot me? If I'd have wanted this weather day in and day out, I'd have remained in Sitka, which is centered smack dab in the middle of the world's largest moderate rain forest. 

Make the rain and snow and cold go away, please?

 We must have received some snow during the night as there's an inch of slush on the back deck. Thankfully, the white stuff turned to rain and the slush should be gone in short order.

Meanwhile, I'm going to that happy place in my mind.

Ah, the first day of May. Mayday. I believe I tell the story every year of how in first grade, my beloved teacher, Mrs. McDonald, taught us to make May baskets from construction paper and paste. After, we'd go outside and fill them with dandelions and violets, arranging them just so.

The high point of May Day was walking several blocks in a single file line and taking turns hanging a basket on someone's door, ringing the doorbell, them running and hiding, but not so far that we couldn't see the expression on the person's face when she discovered that a secret friend had left a gift of flowers.

I thought that if I'd have been subbing in first grade today and the weather would have been decent, I'd do the same with my class. It's probably a good thing I'm not since there are no flowers to pick.

Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, and other major holiday's are most people's favorites. Mayday ranks right up there as mine. 

https://www.npr.org/sections/npr-history-dept/2015/04/30/402817821/a-forgotten-tradition-may-basket-day

... and to Mrs. McDonald of 1958, thank you for setting the common sense education bar so high. I've tried to live up to your standards over the years. Most of all, thank you for the wonderful memories of May Day. May you and Mr. McDonald continue to rest in peace.

Speaking of education, I had a wonderful day in Bobkittyland on Tuesday. The munchkins were good as they could be and we picked 'em up and put 'em down in the name of learning.

The past two days have flown by and I'm looking forward to teaching the same class this coming Friday. 

I met my friend and fellow educator, Bruce, his brother, and another friend, after school at the site where he'll be selling bedding plants this spring.  

He's built a garage/pole building, leaving the roofing panels off the rear half and will be putting poly film over those to have a selling greenhouse.

Since he's working with metal rafters and not the conventional hoops, several of us gathered to add our ideas on how we felt he might improvise in putting on the poly. 

I think we came up with a workable solution and five of us will gather after school on Friday afternoon to put the plan into place.

Since several of the larger area greenhouses caved in this winter due to the massive amounts of snow, Bruce should have a booming business and his first year extremely successful.

Sargie and I went to town late in the afternoon for her Coke. Once home, we enjoyed bowls of her broccoli/cheesy soup she'd made earlier in the day. 

Today. The weather's not fit to do anything. I don't feel like warming up the shop as it's so chilly and damp. I've thought about putting on my rain gear and going for my usual walk, but... 

Maybe Sargie and I will take a ride to some far distant town in the name of discovering bargains and treasures such as the world has never seen. 

On the other hand, we might just hunker down and hibernate inside the house.

In mathematical terms, one might put forth that:

hot soup + cold rainy weather + cozy warmth from the wood stove + a comfortable couch = closed eyes.

That's a formula you can take to the bank.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...