FYI - I was a tuba major in undergrad school fifty years ago, so inflating a beachball with big eyes named Eugene, one used to scare ducks and other critters from the pond area, came easy.

June 4, 2020 - Monday evening

78 degrees/clear skies/breezy

Pentoga Road

We're watching America's Got Talent (on DVR) this evening and I thought I might as well begin writing tomorrow's blog. 

Thursday morning began with the usual walk. I'm still amazed how fast we transition from wintry weather where the landscape is white and gray to a beautiful and colorful lush green.

The summer bounty begins
Pictured:
Asparagus, rhubarb, an apple tree, and honey berry bushes

I attached a string and one of Dad's old fishing weights to Eugene.

Pentoga Road's newest boogyman is supposed to keep ducks and ospreys away and scare off all kinds of critters including snakes, squirrels, lions and tigers and bears, oh my. We work hard to keep the pond clean, not only for aesthetic's sake, but it's also our swimming pool. 

Fully inflated and ready, I launched Eugene through the air and out into the pond.

Go get 'em tiger!

 We also have a new owl named Hooters to help Eugene. Just like the balloon, Hooter's job is to help keep the pond and garden area free of winged, four, and no legged intruders.

Hooter the Owl

 Sargie and I were rearranging some rocks and were reminded why we live in Iron County ten miles from from Iron River with Iron Mountain forty miles distant. Ironwood is eighty miles in the other direction.

This piece of iron ore even had a covering of rust

Under Eugene and Hooter's watchful eyes, the electronics locker was finished and moved to the pond/garden area via a special mobility unit.

It took awhile to hook up all the highly classified gismos, items like the fence charger, speaker, and an old iPhone.

Lacking a formal burglar proof latch, I had to improvise. The catch is made from a large staple used to anchor landscape cloth. I needn't have worried anyway. Eugene and Hooters are on duty twenty-four/seven to guard the pond and garden against all do'er's of evil.

The electronics locker was tested and certified ready for shocking deer and playing beautiful music this coming summer.

The bowl I started turning on Wednesday, the one made from ancient maple that's full of insect holes and worm tracks, was separated and completed. It was particularly difficult to achieve a shiny finish as the wood was so dry it absorbed every bit of finish. The tiny pits and holes in the wood also prevented giving the exterior a proper buffing. The bowl finally took on a sheen during the umpteenth application.

The exterior was turned round and sanded, yet left with natural imperfections complete with the insect damage for aesthetic value. 

I'll go for my walk first thing Friday morning. In the works are thoughts of spreading wood chips in some of the garden aisles. The peas also need weeding and a trellis built for them on which to climb. 

A pork loin was set out to thaw to put in the smoker tomorrow morning. 



It's time for this boy to go to bed. I'm all done in.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Flying through the mountains of Prince of Wales Island in a Dehavilland Beaver float plane.

Meet the newest member of the extended Milligan clan.
Sargie's son, Shea, and Nikki, are expecting our newest granddaughter later this summer.

June 4, 2020 - Thursday morning

45 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Yes, indeed, a baby girl will be coming our way sooner rather than later. Shea and Nikki live in Oconto, Wisconsin, about an hour and a half away and we're excited for the little one to arrive. This will bring our total grandbaby count to eleven.

There's not a whole lot to talk about today. With the pocket camera being repaired and Sargie not always around with the larger camera, few pictures were taken.

After my morning walk, I spent time in the shop working on one thing or the other. I stumbled upon a very old piece of maple earlier and was going to toss it in the burn pile. As I turned it over, I began wondering what it would look like as a bowl.

There was nothing to do but saw, slice, dice, shred, stamp, staple, rip, tear, and otherwise prepare it for turning.

An hour later, this emerged on the lathe.

Filled with worm holes and grooves made by insects, along with natural aging, I find it weirdly beautiful. It will go in our "art collection," a nice way of saying it's totally useless for anything other than being a conversation piece. 

My latest artwork should be finished later today.

Sargie and I made our way to Iron Mountain mid Wednesday afternoon. Rather than going into a long diatribe about what happened at one of the stores, I'll simply cut and paste what I wrote to corporate headquarters:

Hello, 

I'd like to complain about a clerk who is employed by ***** in Iron Mountain, MI. She was waiting on us Wednesday afternoon when a group of demonstrators walked by. An anti demonstrator and one of the group were having a disagreement, but not making any kind of a scene. Our clerk, ***, who was waiting on us told us she'd be right back, ran out the door, got into the fray, and began yelling and arguing with the anti demonstrator. 

Politics aside, I was extremely offended at her rudeness. I have spent no small amount of money at the store this past year and to witness such a lack of professionalism is beyond me. As a retired public school educator, administrator, and university professor, I found her behavior extremely unacceptable. I tried to contact a supervisor by phone later in the afternoon, but was told both had gone home for the day. 

  
I have always been treated fairly and courteously by the folks at *****. I live a goodly distance away and purposely drive over forty miles just to shop there. I will, however, not tolerate such behavior in the future. I am hoping this type of thing will be rectified or I'll be shopping  elsewhere. Sincerely....

Sad, eh, these times that we live in? I can't believe the lack of manners, the rudeness, that is becoming the norm rather than the exception. 

We were later at the McDonalds drive through, getting Sargie's Coke, when I had to remind the cashier to say thank you after she shoved our change in my face without making eye contact. 

I was so mad and upset after our experiences yesterday afternoon that I brashly told Sargie if it weren't for her, I'd sell everything and move back to the arctic. At least I wouldn't have to see or deal with all the nonsense happening around us. 

Life was much more simple on the other side of the arctic circle. I spent up to four hours a day simply living, cutting wood, fishing, hunting, fixing, helping, whatever, just so the few of us could survive in our very simple world. 

Now that I've calmed down and a day has passed, moving isn't an option nor would I want to live anywhere else. I've never been one to run away from anything and I have nothing to prove to anyone. 

Been there/done that. 

Shake your head if you want, but I'll continue to boycott the news and live somewhat ignorantly in my retirement years, pretending events like I witnessed Wednesday afternoon don't occur in our part of the world, happy to raise a garden, play in my shop, catch an occasional fish, and gladly share it all with Sargie, family, and close friends.

I guess my feelings were best penned by a mostly bedridden reader from Chicago who passed away three years ago from cancer. 

He wrote the day before he died saying, "You make Pentoga Road seem like such a magical place. In my mind, it truly is."

Sadly, his last wish was to actually visit Pentoga Road, walk through the garden, and as he wrote, "smell the North Woods and water." We made plans for his journey from Chicago with his brother to make his final wish come true, but he passed away a week before they were to come.

Sargie and I are going to do our best to keep Pentoga Road a magical place. The rest of the world will have to care for itself until people learn some manners.

Speaking of the rest of the world, it appears Ivy was enjoying a summer evening in northern Maine.

Closer to home, we enjoyed a wonderful Wednesday evening with Hambone, Mel, and Macrea. Macrea provided a spread that was to die for delicious, brats, burgers, mac and cheese, potato salad, and watermelon for desert. 

The five of us dined outside on the patio and were entertained after by Hambone's demonstration of how to blow huge bubbles.

The kids followed us partway home, to Florence, where we visited the ice cream shop and enjoyed huge cones and sinfully good, homemade, ice cream.

We're going to make a Hambone exchange this coming Sunday and he'll be with us for a few days next week. Meanwhile, Pawpaw's going to get lots of rest between now and then in preparation of a week of nonstop Hambone action.

It's time to take my walk. I'm thinking of pulling the trailer to Yooper Brother Mark's plant this morning and getting a load of firewood. Four more loads are needed in preparation for next winter's cold and snow. 

Meanwhile, relax and enjoy the following video sent by brother-in-law Ross taken from their back deck. They have a pair of loons nesting nearby.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Today's random Alaska picture: Edna Bay, Alaska
This was the entire middle/high school student population, all five of them, attending Edna Bay's one room school house.

God Bless America
She needs all the help she can get right now

June 3, 2020 - Wednesday
54 degrees/clear skies/calm winds
Pentoga Road

I was reading the headlines a bit ago and am sitting here, staring out the window into the dark, wondering where our country is heading. 

I have a feeling this could be a long, hot, summer that has the potential to ugly, very ugly.

It's said that history repeats itself. Let's pray that's not the case in America.

My son, Luke, a captain in South Portland, Maine, Fire Department
He and his crew are now forced to wear bullet proof vests while aiding and assisting those in need, regardless of their actions or beliefs

Whew, it was a warm one yesterday. We had a fire in the wood stove on Monday. Yesterday's high reached 91 degrees. 

Jambo and I went for our stroll to Pentoga Village and back Tuesday morning. After, I spent time in the shop working on my "electronics locker" as Sargie and I jokingly refer to the newly constructed red box.

First thing was to mount a speaker. As the Eagles so eloquently crooned over forty years ago, when it comes to the pond and garden, Sargie and I are living life in the fast lane. Our plans include streaming music in the pond and garden area.

This was Dad's jig saw. A Craftsman, it still runs as good as it did when Dad purchased it almost sixty years ago, back when Craftsman was one of the best brands a person could buy and made in America.

 I'll place another speaker on the side of the garden house for a surround sound effect. Initially, we were fearful that any music could be heard as far away as Jambo's, but soon discovered that the sound barely carries to the other side of the garden. There's little fear of bothering anyone with these giant, pulsing, four inch speakers.

An old iPhone will be kept in the box (used to stream the music) along with the fence charger and whatever other highly classified electronic paraphernalia that's deemed necessary. 

Once again, Sargie had the camera in hand and began snapping pictures. It feels strange. I'm usually the photographer, but with the pocket camera in for repair, Sargie's become the person behind the shutter of our professional model Nikon.

That's enamel paint, hence the gloves

The seldom seen inside workings of our very sophisticated electronics locker. Sounds official, doesn't it?

Sargie spent much of the day on the riding mower. With the recent rains and warm weather, the grass is growing, literally, inches per day.

I spent a couple of hours pushing the trim mower. Growing hot and weary, I eventually peeled off my clothes and jumped in the pond. 

For the first time since building and seeding the berm late last summer, the protective dike surrounding the garden was mowed.

I'm well pleased how it turned out and though it's not needed (yet) this year, there's little doubt Lake Pentoga will come flooding through our side yard at some point in the future. Next time, we'll be ready.

Sargie and I returned to the shop later in the afternoon where I finished the aspen (popple) bowl.

Separating the bowl from the tenon that's holds it in the chuck

Sanding the bottom

Thankfully, the temperature cooled off quickly last evening and Sargie and I slept well. It appears the hottest weather is over for a while.

Finally! One of my giant sunflowers has sprouted. They usually grow as high as fifteen feet, occasionally taller, and have heads up to two feet in diameter. My son, Josh, once grew sunflowers that were over nineteen feet tall. I wouldn't have believed it if I'd not seen them with my own eyes.

Other than my usual walk, I'm not certain what's on today's agenda. I need to get a load of firewood from the plant and get that worked up, but will probably wait until this weekend when the plant is closed and I don't have to worry about dodging the heavy equipment.

We're heading to Iron Mountain later today to pick up our house paint from the hardware store, get the oil changed in the Hyundai, and have supper with Hambone and his parents. 

Meanwhile, it's daylight and time to get this day started.

I was looking at my computer last night and happened to glance up at the tv. Maybe the people at Discovery Network should think about going back to school and learn how to spell. Nothing worse than "discrimintation".

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Out on a whale watching expedition with two of my undergrad students from Sheldon Jackson College in Sitka

A large bear crossed the road in front of me Monday morning

June 2, 2020 - Tuesday morning

55 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

I was driving to Crystal Falls yesterday morning to pick up a load of gravel when a large bear walked from the shoulder. Of course, my pocket camera has been sent in to be repaired so all I had was my phone.

I've gone all year and not seen a bear. This as the second sighting in the past week. 

Hmm, must have been a good hatch of bear eggs this spring. It's always good to see them as long as they stay out of the yard and garden.

Speaking of garden, I picked up another ton and a half of gravel yesterday morning and am happy to say that the gravel work around the pond/garden is now officially finished.

The first chore was to move some fairly hefty rocks and boulders. Between Sargie and me, we relocated each to different areas around the pond using the two wheeled dolly.

You'd think it would be easy to make a rubber lined pond look natural, but when it comes right down to it, it's a challenge. Sargie's got a good eye for what needs to be done, including where to put some boulders that weigh several hundred pounds.

With the boulders out of the way, I began shoveling dirt, smaller rocks, and leveling the space.

It was just a pain, just a major pain in the backside.

Finally, with landscape cloth laid, we began our routine. I'd shovel the gravel from the trailer into the wheelbarrow and dump it where Sargie  pointed. She raked while I was making a return trip.

The first drop of rain fell just as we were finishing. There's still a border to install around the garden and pond, but the gravel work is officially done, at least for this year.

Eventually, we'd like to lay pavers around the pond and in those areas where there'll be park benches and the like, but for now, crushed gravel will suffice.

With a beautiful rain pouring down, we made a quick trip to town and home again, I made a bee line for the shop. Thinking we might go to Iron Mountain to get our house paint, we never got the call that it had come in, so a rainy day made for the perfect excuse to play... I mean work, inside.



First order of business was to clean. Lord Almighty, I swear Mississippi Brother Garry must be sneaking in and messing it up during the nighttime hours. There was sawdust and shavings all over the place.

Next came fixing an old floor reading light that had been designated for the dump. I've used it the past several years in conjunction with the lathe. The flexible neck is perfect for throwing light into those hard to see dark areas while hollowing out a bowl.

Next came painting the small box that will house our pond/garden electronics. I'll be cutting a circular hole in one side later today in which to mount a water proof speaker. 

Oh, yeah, baby. When it comes to the pond and garden, get out of the way. Sargie and I plan to live life in the fast lane. 

Sanding on the popple bowl was finished and I'm now in the process of making multiple applications of food safe finish. It should be done by the end of today.

We enjoyed Yooper steak last night for supper, two different kinds of brats from the grill. Mmm.

Jambo and I are going for a walk to Pentoga Village in a few minutes. After, I want to pick up another load of top soil and fill two empty raised beds on the orchard side of the garden. Initially, I wasn't going to use them, but I have the room and the frames. I may as well plant something.

Sanding bowls makes for pretty hands
I'm hoping a Hollywood agent might see this and offer me a job as a hand model. You can say you "knew me when..."

We need to get to Iron Mountain at some point. If the hardware store calls and says the house paint is in, we'll be making a trip in that direction.

Time to strap on the hikers and catch up on the news in Jambo's world.

Another flock of geese heading north for the summer

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Today's random Alaska picture: Matt and I were fishing when we saw the first of two killer whales heading directly for the boat. Now THAT will get your attention. Neither altered course, but rather, submerged just feet from the bow, swam directly under, and surfaced just past the stern.