Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

May 12, 2019 - Sunday - Mother's Day

46 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

I've said it before, I'll say it again. I feel sorry for anyone who can't claim Mom as their own. You see, my sister and I have the best mom in the whole, wide, world. 

On the other hand, our mother's heart is big enough to love everyone, so I won't be selfish. I'll share this beautiful, loving and kind woman with whomever wants to call her Mom.

She'd like that. She'd like that a lot.

Happy Mother's Day to all the mom's everywhere... and a special Happy Mother's Day to you, Mom. We love you.

It's another picture perfect day on Pentoga Road. In fact, the next several are supposed to be sunny, warm, and dry. Lord almighty, after this past winter, we'll take 'em.

Saturday began with my usual walk. I was happy to see Wisconsin Mike back for the summer months. We met and had a good, old fashioned, catch up session on the shoulder of Pentoga Road. Mike loves exploring in his bright yellow side-by-side SUV and knows this area's back country better than many of the locals.

Once home, I rearranged all the equipment and made ready to bring the tractor and backhoe down to the garden. It took a bit, but the four strand electric fence was made so that just one section can be removed during the day to make work easier, then replaced later for the nighttime hours.

The first chore was to gently scoop up the Sweet Williams. The bed originally started with a dozen plants grown from seed.

Prolific, they've multiplied into a full bed of color each summer. I gently dropped them into the wheel barrow to be transplanted elsewhere.

The rest of the morning and part of the afternoon was spent tearing into four of the five raised beds that have to be removed to make way for the new pond and garden house.

It was bitter sweet as all I could think of was how many hours went into building those beds. On the other hand, I grew bored looking at the same thing each summer. Just as furniture is rearranged or a woman gets a new hairdo, it's time for a change.

Sargie was anything but idle during this time. She worked hard raking and expanding the perennial flower bed in the front of the house.



It was past noon and time for a quick jaunt to town for Sargie's Coke. We also stopped by the deli for a few chicken strips, just enough to "take the edge off," as we jokingly say as we're stuffing our faces.

Once home, we returned to our labors.

Hmm, I was in a dilemma. The last raised bed needed to be removed, but I couldn't get to it without first moving the greenhouse. The greenhouse couldn't be removed because it's partially supported the water fall and the waterfall couldn't disappear without dirt and rocks falling into the garden pond.

Well, duh, the garden pond couldn't be moved until the fish were netted and put elsewhere and the river rocks shoveled out.

AND... sigh... the temporary home of the goldfish, the tote they lived in all winter, still had water in it down the basement.

There was nothing to do but begin carting buckets of water from the tote. It was finally brought up the steps, scrubbed and filled with clean water.



I started the pump and began removing water from the pond. 

It was time. Cowgirl Sargie grabbed the long handle butterfly net and let the rodeo begin.

It wasn't long before both the goldfish and water had been removed leaving a winter's worth of dead leaves, algae, and stuff too ugly to mention, along with the river rocks in the bottom of the pond.

I donned my Sitka sneakers and with shovel in hand, began scooping hundreds of pounds of rocks into the wheel barrow to be transported to a waiting tarp. They'll be power washed at some point in the future and returned to be part of the new pond.

I finally finished and called Sargie back from her flower bed, asking for help to remove the shell. Thankfully, it is lightweight and wasn't that difficult.

The old kitchen rug, used as a cushion to prevent rocks from poking holes in the pond, was in surprisingly good shape. I suggested we clean it and bring it back in the house, but Sargie nixed that idea.

The pressure washer was used and a pin prick hole patched in preparation for the shell to be refilled above ground elsewhere in the garden. It will serve as the goldfishes' temporary home until the next pond is dug and ready for permanent occupancy.

To say Sargie and I slept well last night would be an understatement. In fact, I didn't wake up until almost eight this morning. That's the equivalent of sleeping until noon for most people.

Sargie works from noon until five today. I need to make a quick trip to town for a couple of things before dismantling the waterfalls. Next will come emptying the greenhouse and finally, I hope once she's home this evening, that Sargie and I can move the greenhouse to the orchard before day's end.

Well, darn it anyway, nothing's going to happen unless I get in gear and begin the day. I probably should have waited a few years until Hambone's big enough to have helped. 

Live and learn.

After wintering under several feet of snow and growing through a thick layer of dead leaves, the spring wild flowers are beginning their annual display of colors.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

The temporary new garden pond

The newest member of the classic rock band, White Snake.
Rumored to be taking over from David Coverdale (lead singer) is my rocker son, Matt.

May 11, 2019 - Saturday morning

28 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Don't even ask. Obviously, Matt was having some fun last night and sent this picture to his brothers and me, starting a litany of comments and replies, none of which I'll post this morning.

When not handling his White Snake obligations, Matt can be found in China, South Korea, Vietnam, Europe, and all over the U.S. working his daytime job. 

Is it ever gorgeous out this morning. It's one of those days that I simply want to run outside and do everything all at once. Problem is, I don't know which spring/summer project to begin first. Right now, I'm dazed and confused, but no doubt, I'll get it all figured out before I'm back from my morning walk.

Friday morning began with a wonderful stroll. I am enjoying listening to a series of podcasts as I'm walking. The latest are by a man I've corresponded with, Steve Adams, an author and hiker, who is currently on the Appalachian Trail. He's the same age as me and I'm particularly interested in his take of being an older hiker. This is his second through hike of the AT, the first being in 2014. So far, his attitude is good, but his knees are giving him problems and he self describes his ascent up the mountains as "painfully slow." 

I think I'll be the same. Slow but steady, but that's okay. After all, in the end, the tortoise won the race.

I'm thinking of trying my hand at podcasting, a blog with a voice. In keeping with preparations, both mental and physical, for a two thousand-plus mile hike, I think I'd like to do a daily video podcast accompanied with pictures on the blog. 

I may be test driving some new software in the coming weeks/months, so be prepared.

I went to town Friday morning and got the bucket from Dave.

He did a wonderful job of welding, fixing, and straightening. I couldn't be happier.



Dave said if I find I need the bucket to move dirt, he could make this one into a more conventional style, or, he could simply manufacture a new bucket. 

I like the tines on this old manure bucket (built to pick up loose, soaked, straw and other goodies) as I can easily move rocks and boulders. It is also ideal for lifting a heavy log of fire wood waist high and cutting into burnable lengths without fear of hitting a rock underneath or having to bend over.

The next order of the day was to clean the shop and barn.

I've simply thrown tools and whatever onto the tops of the benches and tables during the past three weeks while doing various projects.




A messy shop is a positive sign that the near infrared treatments continue to keep my macular degeneration at bay. When I couldn't see so well, I was most careful about replacing each and every tool in it's exact place. If I didn't, I wouldn't be able to see good enough to find it.

With near perfect sight, I've turned back into a tool slob.

I tackled both the barn and the shop.



With all the lumber for the new garden house, plus the walls and whatever else, all I could really do in the barn was clean and sweep around everything. Still, it's much better than before.

The shop was a different story. I ran the vacuum, swept, dusted, put tools and patterns away, and made the place ready to mess up again.



It won't stay clean for long as there are two or three projects already going through my head. All require making sawdust.

We met Yooper Brother Mark and Sheri for a fish fry last night. The meal was great, the company better. 

Since we were early, we drove around a bit and saw something unusual, a shoe tree located at the entrance to someone's drive.

It appears laced shoes and boots have been thrown high into the branches for quite sometime. Though it's not my cup of tea, it is unique.

Like I said, today's forecast is for almost perfect weather and I'm in a quandary of what to do first. I think we'll bring the summer patio furniture from the storage container to the deck. I guess the biggest project of the day will be to move some of the electric deer fence in the garden so I can use the backhoe to begin moving the dirt in four of the raised beds. 



One thing is certain, nothing's going to be done until I take my morning stroll.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

There's no lack of frost on the pumpkin this morning.
Only one problem, there's no pumpkin.

A lynx, captured on film, close to the old family home in northern Maine

May 10, 2019 - Friday morning

39 degrees/partly cloudy/breezy

Pentoga Road

Seeing a large lynx in the side yard would make a person think twice about calling his kitty cat, eh? There weren't any of the big cats during my northern Maine years, but I'm told they are a common sight now. 

I saw quite a few lynx around the cabin during my arctic years in Alaska and though we have no lynx in the UP, I did capture a mountain lion on my trail camera several years ago towards the rear of the property. 

The monsoon we've been experiencing the past few days has finally moved on. It appears there about two and a half inches of water in the gauge from this last deluge.

Thankfully, we were on the warm side of the front as it came lumbering through. The poor folks in Duluth, right next door, woke up to ten inches of snow Thursday morning. 

Been there/done that.

I'm relishing my role of being retired once again and feel like a kid on his first day of summer vacation. Hopefully, I'll be able to call the time my own between now and when school begins next September.

The last two days with the second graders have been busy. The class is known as being quite... hmm... well, let's put it this way, they are an active bunch.

There're some unique personalities in the class and there are so many of them. More than once I could have sworn that they were multiplying. At least it sounded that way.

 I hated being the tough guy from the beginning bell to the end, but evidently the students didn't mind. When they walked in the room and saw I was going to be their teacher again on Thursday, they clapped and several came forward and hugged me around my waist. 

God love 'em. Active or not, I sure do.

With school done for the day, I picked up Sargie and we made our way to town for her Coke. Back home, we enjoyed huge bowls of Sargie's chicken and corn chowder, the perfect meal on a cold and rainy evening.

By 6 PM, my belly was full and my eyelids heavy. It was much too early to go to bed and I didn't want to spend an entire evening watching tv. 

What to do? Why not strap on the hikers and take a stroll to Pentoga Village and back! I felt the stress of the day begin to leave with each step and by the time I arrived back home, I was happy to enjoy a wonderful evening with Sargie.

We made some non cooking culinary magic in the kitchen last night by making up a big batch of trail mix.

Our's has very little candy, but rather is loaded with dehydrated fruit, yogurt in some form, nuts, berries, sunflower seeds, and judging by the after affects, lots of fiber, lots and lots of fiber.



Mechanic Dave called and said the bucket for the tractor is finished. I'm going to drive to town shortly to get that, return home and go for my morning walk, then head to the barn and shop with the intention of cleaning both. I've just thrown tools on one bench or the other for the past three weeks while trying to complete the insulation and deck projects. Now that those are finished, I think I'll put everything away so I can start again with the garden makeover. 

Sargie isn't working today, so no doubt, she'll have a thought or two about what we should do this afternoon. 

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Some of the kids and I were standing on our heads (literally) when one of my students said, "Oh yeah, well, can you do this?"
I told her I could if I wanted to, but after standing on my head and viewing the world upside down for a few seconds, I didn't feel like it. 

May 9, 2019 - Thursday morning
40 degrees/heavy clouds/breezy'
Pentoga Road

It's the ten minute drill again this morning as I simply overslept. With the rain pounding down on the metal roof overhead, the bedroom window wide open, and snuggled next to my Sargie, I awakened at the regular time, but drifted back into a blissful slumber. Reawakening with a start, it's been giddy up ever since.

Yesterday was a good one in the second grade room. There are a lot of seven and eight year olds, over twenty, and Lord, they are loud. Thankfully, Christina, the regular classroom teacher, has their schedule organized to where there's no down time what-so-ever. She subscribes to the adage of Idle hands are the devils playground, and thankfully, there are few idle hands during the day, just eager, active, loud, voices.

As of now, this is my last scheduled day of subbing for the year. Though I'll miss the little munchkins, faculty, and staff, and no doubt, will be chomping at the bit to go back at some point next fall or winter, I'm ready to fade back into a relative obscure retirement. 

I do have to say this. Subbing this year has made the winter fly by and allowed me to really appreciate the few idle days I've had to myself. I'm actually ahead of schedule on the spring and summertime projects I've planned to accomplish, so that tells me that by subbing, I've made better use of the time home that I could call my own. 

I'm going to miss my school family, Principal Neil, Miss Holly, and the gang. Being the educational social butterfly that I am, I've made some great acquaintances and more than one friend. I haven't felt this close to a group of people since the days of Uncle Bobby, Tiffany, Mandy Jo, and Coffee with the Grandpas, years ago in Sitka. It feels good, mighty good.

Well, anyway, I'm just reflecting on this past school year and honestly, I don't have time for that this morning. In fact, I need to get my (as Hambone says) bummers in gear and head to Florence Elementary, Home of the Purring Bobkitties.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road... 

On a clear day, you can see forever, especially from the top of the ski hill in Iron Mountain

May 7, 2019 - Tuesday evening

53 degrees/clear skies/breezy

Pentoga Road

Since I'll be a 2nd grade teacher on Wednesday, I figured I'd write tonight. Sargie and I both work tomorrow, so time will be at a premium in the morning.

I was up and at 'em early this morning. The first item on the agenda was to take the bucket to Mechanic Dave's to be welded. I never did see Dave, but had a quick conversation with Yooper Brother Mark. Things were busy, as always, at the plant.

Once home, I began applying water seal to the deck.

There was enough for three coats. The wood should be well protected.

Sargie and I left later in the morning for Iron Mountain. We arrived early enough to run a few errands before leaving her at the beauty parlor.  I drove on to the ski jump hill to walk the steps.



I think I'm in pretty good hiking shape, but not at all prepared to climb steep hills or mountains such as what one encounters on the Appalachian Trail. Climbing the hundred billion million steps at the ski hill will certainly help to prepare a hiker for most terrains.



I hope to walk the Iron Mountain steps at least once a week this summer as well as climb the Caspian ski hill nearby. 

It was too nice a day to stay inside so Sargie and I strapped on our hikers and walked to our local lake. The sun was bright, the temperature near 60.

What you can't see is the spider web that's trapped all the gnats

We were surprised to see a school of small minnows that had obviously hatched this spring. Seems it was just a few days ago that the ice finally disappeared from the lake.



We feasted on crab cakes tonight for supper. Those along with a fresh shrimp salad made for a great springtime supper.



Sargie and I both will be working tomorrow. I'll be at school by 7:30, she works from 1 tomorrow afternoon until closing.

The weather doesn't look ideal for the next couple of days. A combination of rain and snow is forecast to fall with clearing conditions arriving by week's end. That's okay, I'll be busy for the next couple of days.

Only a bit of snow remains on the ski hill

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Hambone at Wisconsin Dells celebrating his upcoming fifth birthday

May 7th, 2019 - Tuesday morning

26 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Ol' Grady's a lucky kid. His mama and daddy took him to Wisconsin Dells last weekend to enjoy the water park as only a youngster can. 

Meanwhile, back on Pentoga Road, Sargie and I picked 'em up and put 'em down on Monday.

Back from my morning stroll, I started the process of leveling the deck.  

I removed several boards and found the ground underneath to have the consistency of oatmeal. Two holes were dug halfway to China before I could find ground solid enough in which to place fifty pound cement blocks. What a mess.

The process took more than a bit of muttering and standing on my head.

But in the end, the deck was back to being fairly square and level, the flower boxes returned to their place, and the steps made solid and level.



Seems it was an extraordinarily hard winter on everyone's structures this year. Compared to some people I've talked with, we were fortunate that only the deck and hand rails had to be repaired. 

Dan called and said maintenance on the mower was finished and it was ready to go home. Sargie and I headed to town to run a few errands and bring her trusty four-wheeled steed home.

Sargie loves to mow, well, as long as she can ride and cut grass. I told someone earlier that it won't be long before she's perched high upon her motorized throne, iced tea at hand, donning sunglasses and viewing her green queendom as she zooms round and round the yard.

Speaking of Sargie, what a worker. Back home from town, I brought the high pressure washer up from it's winter home in the basement and dragged the hose from the storage container. With the deck back together, it was time for its yearly wash.

I'd just started spraying when Sargie volunteered to take over. Wearing my Sitka fishing bibs and Sitka sneakers (water boots) she grabbed the wand and began.

My bride may be a girly girl and look like a beautiful flower, but when it comes to work, there's nothing delicate about her.

While the deck was being washed, I turned my attentions to removing the bucket from the tractor. Mechanic Dave has asked me to bring it to town and he'll fix, straighten, patch, repair, and weld, the old relic back together.

Since the bucket's so heavy, I pulled the tractor up to the trailer.

I don't believe the bucket has been off the tractor since it was manufactured in June of 1952. It took some grinding, lots of pounding, and even more muttering, before the old Ford relinquished the bucket, dropping it into the trailer. 

Sargie was still washing the deck, so I began transplanting some perennial Auntie Hollyhocks (as Grady is so fond of calling them in honor of Sargie's oldest sister, Holly.)



Since the solar panels will be relocated to the south side of the new garden house, the flowers were planted to fill in that area.

It was late afternoon before Sargie was finished and everything was put away. 



We'll be going over to Iron Mountain later this morning as Sargie has an appointment with our friend, Melinda, her beautician. I'm going to Home Depot for one last piece of lattice and purchasing some needed hose parts. Once home, I want apply Thompson's Water Seal on the deck.  Other than fixing and painting the hand railing, we can check the deck off our springtime list of things to do. I also need to leave the bucket in town for Dave to weld.

I sub Wednesday and Thursday this week in the second grade room. I HOPE these are my last two days this year, but we've heard that story before. Right now, weather permitting, I'm planning on tearing up the garden next week, moving the greenhouse, relocating four raised beds, and begin digging the new pond.

Enough writing. It's time to get this day started.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Sargie and I took a three mile stroll to our local lake Sunday evening

May 6, 2019 - Monday morning

43 degrees/calm winds/partly cloudy

Pentoga Road

Once again, Carl has surprised us, this time in a positive nature. Originally, he forecasted rain for this past weekend and right into this week. Now, he's changed his story and no rain is predicted to fall until Wednesday and Thursday, the two days I sub. Perfect timing!

Sunday was a busy affair on Pentoga Road. I took my usual morning hike then returned to begin boxing in the last side of the living room, that which lies under the deck.

The first order of business was to remove several decking boards so I could work from above, rather than crawl under the living room.

I'm not afraid of snakes and spiders or other creepy crawly things and tight spaces don't bother me. I simply hate bumping my head a thousand times as I wiggle my way under a structure that is only inches above my head.

Yesterday's job went faster than expected. Since the deck hides the crawl space, I was able to attach the insulated plywood directly onto the outside of the siding. It was by far the easiest in this big job of insulating the front foundation of the house and boxing in the crawl space. Other than trim, the job is finished.

We enjoyed a big breakfast of eggs and fried taters. After a bit of a break, I returned to the deck in an effort to level the thing. Boards came off, jacks came out. Rain began to fall and forced me back inside.

So much for the deck.

Sargie and I made a quick trip to Iron Mountain where I purchased a twelve ton bottle jack. I've been needing one for years and have simply gotten by. Leveling the deck was the perfect reason why I should have my own.

It was too late to begin any meaningful work when we arrived back home. The weather had cleared and neither Sargie or I were ready to call it day. Why not walk to the lake?

Green is my most favorite color this time of the year.

The water level is the highest now that I've ever seen it, up to the 1970's levels. When I first bought the house on Pentoga Road, the water was eight or ten feet out from the bushes with a large gravel beach showing. Now it's almost up to a protective berm that was built years ago to keep the parking lot from flooding.



We "neighbor'd" a bit along the way, stopping and catching up on the local gossip with one who was working in his yard. Our third closest neighbor, he lives a mile away.

Last night was a quiet one until my feet developed a mind of their own. 

When I get tired, my feet start jumping. Restless Leg Syndrome I think it's called and prescription medication seems to have little effect. The only way I can escape the agony is to go to bed and fall asleep. 

I've always had it a bit, but in my advancing age, it's getting worse. As I keep saying, getting old sure isn't for sissies.

Sandhill Cranes

OK, enough whining. I'm going for my morning stroll then I want to get that deck leveled. The dealer called saying the riding mower is done and ready for another season of use. 

It's time to get this show on the road.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...