October 14, 2020 - Wednesday morning

30 degrees/partly cloudy/calm winds

Pentoga Road

It appears today's high of 49 will be the warmest we'll see for awhile, possibly until next spring. With more rain predicted, the highs for the next ten days appear to reach only into the low 40's. I see the mention of snow in the forecast towards the end of the month. 

Time to button everything up tight and get ready for the six months ahead. 

Tuesday's hike was a good one, however, we seem to be the epicenter for deer activity this year. A large doe was hit by a truck at the base of our drive last week. 

I saw a smaller doe lying in the ditch at the edge of our property yesterday morning. As sad as it is, nothing goes to waste. I observed two eagles sitting on the carcass, eating their fill and venture to say that between the eagles, crows, foxes, and coyotes, there won't be anything but bones left when I walk by later this morning.

Sargie and I took a wonderful ride yesterday exploring some of the hundreds of miles of gravel roads in the national forest just to our south in Wisconsin. We never were lost, but there were a few times that we weren't quite sure where we were.

We came upon the crest of a high hill that afforded us a view of the area around Pentoga somewhere on the horizon. It was just beautiful.

Most of the afternoon was spent in the shop. I cut and carved a name for great nephew, Grayson.

The Milligan's will be gathering this Saturday to celebrate his first birthday. Grayson primped for his big day by getting his first big boy haircut a few days ago. 

I applied the last coat of food safe finish to the bowl I've been working on. I was going to toss it into the wood stove as there are so many mistakes, but Sargie wanted to keep it, so keep it we will. The interior errors won't be nearly as noticeable once it's filled with chips or peanuts.

More rings were glued and clamped as I continue the learning process of constructing and turning this new type of bowl.

I sawed a few more letters on the Lord's Prayer. I wish I had the patience of Mississippi Brother Garry who finished his much faster. 

Me? I cut a few letters and I'm ready to dig deeper into the toy box to see what other toy I can play with. At any given time, there are three, four, or even, five, ongoing projects to work on. When I grow tired of one, I simply go onto another.

I can sit at the scroll saw and watch the television, reflected in a mirror, while working.

Most of the afternoon was spent working on an old air compressor. It took forever to take apart, but once I was into the belly of beast, I found a gasket that is supposed to keep the air from escaping had worn out.

I used some silicone sealer to (hopefully) fix the problem. We'll see how it works later today.

The problem with Harbor Freight air compressors is that you get what you pay for. I'm on my second one in ten years. If the current fix doesn't work, I'll buy a more reliable name brand and hope it lasts longer.

In the "What's  New" department, my handy dandy power saw sharpener arrived in yesterday's mail.

This new knock off, straight from China, clamps onto the end of the bar prior to being closed and locked. To sharpen the chain, the operator only needs to rev the engine a few times while pushing the black part of the gismo against a tree. Supposedly, the chain will rub against the sharpening stone inside and become razor sharp within a matter of seconds.

If it's too good to be true, it probably is, but hey, I'm a sucker for such things. For $10, plus free shipping, on eBay, I have to try it.

Stay tuned for the full review.

In family photos, here's the latest of Makenna. Hopefully, we'll see her this weekend at Grayson's party. If not, Sargie's boys will be pulling in here the first weekend of November for two days of fun time.

Born three months prematurely and already four months old, Makenna is only in the 8th percentile for height and weight for her age. She's just a teeny, but very healthy, little girl.

It's time to go for my walk, at least it will be in a few minutes. The clock is showing 7 AM and it's barely light enough to see outside. The days are sure getting short.

OK, time to get moving.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

October 13, 2020 - Tuesday morning

36 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

I almost didn't write this morning. Why's that?

There's nothing to write about. 

The promised rain that was forecast arrived Monday morning by the buckets full. At times, it came down so hard that we had difficulty seeing more than a few feet into the yard. 

Thunder and lightening? Since when does it storm when the thermometer is barely registering fifty degrees? I know it happens, just not very often.

Sargie and I decided early on that yesterday was going to be an "us" day. Hopping in the car, we drove to town first thing for her Coke, then made a beeline back home. 

Other than throw an occasional log on the fire, our only activities were pulling a blanket over us as we snuggled together on the couch watching the television. We must have viewed ten programs and two complete movies before day's end.

It was wonderful.

I did sneak out for my walk late in the afternoon and arrived home at sundown, the perfect ending to a lazy day. My vote goes for doing it again soon.

The sun just came up and I'm off for my morning walk. I've been adding coats of finish to the new bowl and plan to continue today. It's been so damp that it takes forever to dry before I can add another. 

Other than that, who knows?

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

 

Look what's coming our way

October 12, 2020 - Monday morning

53 degrees/cloudy/WINDY

Pentoga Road

Just a second. I have some personal business to take are of. 

Wade, can you text me your phone number and I'll send what you need. I've searched every nook and cranny on my phone and can't find your's. Sorry about that buddy!

It looks likes it going to be a shop/garden house day. A cold front is headed our way and the last I read, we're to get a minimum of one, and quite possibly, two or more inches of rain today. 

Put it this way, Sargie and I won't be sitting on the back deck working on our highly defined tan lines over our deeply chiseled bodies today. 

Not a lot in the news department on Pentoga Road this morning. We had a typical quasi lazy Sunday. Though the sun shown brightly, it was windy.

We enjoyed a big brunch after my morning walk. Sargie had discovered a big hambone with plenty of attached meat we'd placed in the freezer sometime in the past ten years, so she decided to make a huge pot of bean soup.

With it simmering for the day, we set off on our ride through the Ottawa National Forest west of Iron River.

All the reds and oranges have disappeared, but isolated yellow patches of leaves still remain. We enjoyed driving through as many as we could find.

One of this week's goals is to finish dehydrating as many apples as possible. Another batch was worked up after our arrival home Sunday afternoon.

Each slice is covered in cinnamon and sugar, causing our house to smell like one big apple pie. People pay big money for artificial scents. Ours is all natural.

It was a learning afternoon in the shop that taught me no small amount of humility. After turning a bit on the laminated bowl, it became apparent that I'd cut the rings too thin, making me gently navigate between the inside and outside walls of the vessel.

I knew it was going to be close. Just a bit more... 

Yeah, a bit more was a bit too much. As I said, it was a learning day. I'll make more bowls like this one, the next one, segmented, but hopefully, the outcome will be better. At least yesterday's efforts didn't go completely to waste. At Sargie's suggestion, I turned below the tear and after some interior sanding, should finish a newly designed, more shallow, bowl later today.

It was cold and windy and nothing but the best of comfort foods would do. Sargie's bean soup, loaded with huge pieces of ham, filled the bill. 

I'm fairly certain Mozart's Requiem Mass in D Minor played in our bedroom over night. 

In family pictures, Shea sent the following. At four months of age, Makenna's growing like a weed and very alert.

So, a big rain is in the forecast. I'm going to zip out the door here in a few minutes and try to put a few miles under my feet before it arrives. Otherwise, there's the bowl to finish and Christmas presents on which to work. We'll go for our ride at some point today and then, there's more bean soup to enjoy.

Hmm, I'm thinking tonight's symphony might be more upbeat. How about Barnum and Bailey's Favorite, their famous circus theme song? As I remember, it's in Ab Major. Much faster and upbeat than the Requiem, I can do that, but it might require a third bowl.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

High atop Milligan Mountain, Aria couldn't figure out why this little boy wouldn't talk back. I'm told she later sat on his foot, hoping for a horsey ride. That didn't happen either.

Over the River and Through the Woods

October 11, 2020 - Sunday morning

33 degrees/cloudy skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

For whatever reason, I sense we've changed seasons overnight. It's just a feeling. Nothing has changed outwardly. It's chilly, still, and dark, just like yesterday at this time, but Saturday felt like a fall morning. Today, one has the sense that winter is quickly approaching. It feels like an early winter morning.

What's that all about?

Though plans changed a bit yesterday, it wasn't without its accomplishments. I finished cleaning the garden in preparation for the winter months. The large onions were transplanted to the end of one bed. Like most gardeners, we use the occasional onion for cooking, but have found that when left to overwinter in the soil, they come back next year and bear the most beautiful flowers that resemble allium bulbs.

We treat our rather pungent and tangy onions as much as a flowering plant as one that can be eaten.

The white carrots were dug. Most are quite large and it required some effort to pry them from the ground. We'll keep a few and give the rest away.

As with the onions, we use our carrots in a different manner than most. Sliced lengthways and fried, they provide a very sweet addition to any meal.

Sargie and I particularly enjoyed our early afternoon drive. We're now chasing the leaves, trying to find small patches of late season color to enjoy.

We found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow yesterday on a rural backroad around one of our area lakes. 

What was this, a gravel path that we'd missed on our previous meanderings? It led us up a gentle hill and accorded Sargie and me a beautiful view of the shallow valley and fields below.

We stopped by Neighbor Sue's on the way home to move a large maple branch that had fallen into her yard during the last storm. We enjoyed a brief chat  before returning home.

With the season getting on and not wanting to cart a ton of apples into the basement, Sargie and I got on with dehydrating more slices.

Yesterday's treats were rolled in Stevia and cinnamon, rather than sugar, to give to friends who have to watch their blood sugar. 

I spent the last hours of the day in the shop cutting and laminating (gluing) rings for a new bowl. I've never made one like this before, so it's quite simple... I think. The next step is to mount it on the lathe and begin turning. Since this is my first of this type, I am using scrap pieces of mahogany and pine. 

Other than going for my morning walk, I'm not certain what's on today's agenda. There's still the garden house to wire, but I've been delaying that until bad weather arrives. Any exterior work is finished for the year and I can install the outlets, wire, and switches inside on nasty days.

I'd like to work on the bowl a bit, maybe continue on the Lord's Prayer, and we'll take our drive. Oh yeah, there's that mandatory Sunday afternoon grandpa nap.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

 

Our great niece, Aria, cruisin' around in her stroller wearing her shades

It was a side-by-side parade that passed me early Friday morning on Pentoga Road

October 10, 2020 - Saturday morning

44 degrees/clear skies/breezy

Pentoga Road

It looks to be another nice day in store. Friday reached into the 70's, but how the wind howled. 

Al Gore would have been proud to have claimed yesterday's above normal temperatures as his own.

Oh wait, next week's highs are forecast to be in the forties. Never mind, Al.

I decided to mow the newly landscaped area in front of the garden Friday morning. The grass, a mixture of annual rye and bluegrass, had grown tall as we've been unable to mow it for several weeks due to standing water. It was time.

Problem was, I got a bit too close to the water and managed to get stuck. It took only a quick pull with the four wheeler to resume mowing.

The water sitting on the surface isn't merely a puddle, it's the water table. I wouldn't be surprised if we don't end up growing cattails or some sort of water grass in that small area. 

Friday was as warm as it's going to get before snow flies. With one pail of pavement sealer to use before cold weather arrives, (it's no good if it freezes) I spread the gooey stuff in front of the garage, the barn, and used what remained on the roof of the storage shed.

Sargie stayed ahead of me and used the leaf blower to clear those places of any leaves and spruce needles.

With the messy part of the day over, we enjoyed our usual drive. Someone, just a few miles from here, is celebrating Halloween.

I love the boots on the horse and cowboy hat on the skeleton, also the teepee in the background. I saw an older man, I assume a grandpa, with some younger children there earlier this summer. I have no idea who he is, but I'd bet good money he's a wonderful and fun grandfather.

Arriving home, I wanted to begin tilling the shredded leaves into the garden beds. Sargie decided to blow and rake the remaining leaves that were still lying on the ground between the barn and wood sheds. It was a busy afternoon.

After several years of tilling shredded leaves into the garden beds, I'm happy how rich the soil is becoming.

Much of it was originally so sandy that it held little moisture and/or nutrients. I've noticed in the past couple of years that I've had to water less and less when Mother Nature refuses to cooperate.

The blueberries are displaying their prime fall colors. It's time to spread aluminum sulfate to keep the PH low and fertilize. It's recommended it be done in the spring, but I've had such good luck spreading both in the fall that I'll stick with my regular plan.

If it ain't broke, why fix it?

There are still five garden beds to till so that will be the first thing on the agenda after this morning's walk. I think I'll make a concerted effort to wire the garden house today and I really would like to laminate some wood and start making this year's Christmas presents.

Sargie found this lone mushroom growing under the pile of leaves while raking.

After all, a man's work is never done

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

As I've said earlier, it's been a rainy summer. The driver of this logging truck discovered just how wet it is in the woods. 

 

That's Yooper Brother Mark, texting, asking if he can come play outside with me. I told him to hurry up and retire.

Ocober 9, 2020 - Friday morning

48 degrees/partly cloudy/windy

Pentoga Road

It appears this could be our last day of seventy degree temperatures for the year. It was warm during the night and with the breeze causing the wind chimes to play their mystical music, I slept like a baby, over an hour longer than usual.

Jambo wanted to go fishing Thursday morning, so after my early morning walk, that's exactly what we did. 

It was cold and windy and required some of my sharpest guiding skills to put the boy on fish... exactly one fish. Evidently, I'm going to have to ask Master Angler Crappie Queen Sargie to give Jambo some lessons as he had only a lone crappie, a baby at that, to show for all his efforts.

Naw, I jest. Fishing was lousy and borderline miserable. The temperature registered only 39 degrees when we finished. The wind made it seem much colder.

We finally found a cove where the water was still. Fishing was no better, but the sun and still air felt heavenly. 

In the end, all that we could claim for a morning's worth of angling was a few hours of wonderful fellowship along with lots of fresh air.

I had the chills when I arrived home. Sargie immediately shoved a cup of HOT chocolate into my shaking hands so I could warm from the inside out. It wasn't until we took our ride after breakfast that I finally stopped shivering and that was only after the heater in the car was run full blast for twenty minutes or more. 

The afternoon was spent installing the booster on the over-the-air antenna for the television in the shop. I had to take down the pole, do some electrical work on top, then with Sargie's assistance, point the antenna in exactly the right direction.

Shop reception went from zero channels before the booster to ten after installation. That should be enough to lull me into an after lunch slumber while reclined in my Lazy Boy this winter. 

Sargie was busy in the house all day doing what it is Sargie does. The annual migration of cluster flies are making their last ditch effort to escape the outside cold temperatures. Sargie sucks them up with the vacuum and yesterday, was washing all the downstairs windows.

As always, she has our home looking like a million dollars.

I'm heading out the door for my morning walk in a few minutes. Today's list includes spreading the last pail of blacktop sealer. I have one left from earlier this summer that needs to be used as the concoction is no good if it freezes. Part of it will be used to coat the rolled roofing over the storage shed and the rest spread on the most used parts of the drive.

The garden beds still need to be tilled and if I have any energy after that, I'll laminate some oak and mahogany wood in preparation for turning a bowl on the lathe. Oh, and of course, we'll take our usual drive to town.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

 

v

Though most of the leaves have fallen to the ground, there's still an occasional tree that grabs one's attention.

October 7, 2020 - Wednesday evening

43 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Sargie wanted to watch tonight's debate so I decided to come upstairs and write as I have no interest in witnessing the vice presidential candidates sling mud back and forth. We've heard the same stories from both sides over and over and over and over again.

Most know I'm a staunch Conservative and proud of it. Some accuse me of being to the right of Attila the Hun and that's okay. Regardless, I'm sick and tired of being politically bombarded from both sides. If it's not politics, then it's the virus. In their infinite wisdom, the politicians have even invaded the health industry and seem to know more than the doctors, but then, the doctors can't agree and the CDC has changed their story a few dozen times. The Covid has been so politicized that no one knows what to believe. 

I'm under the opinion that if I become infected, then so be it. When it's time for God to call me Home, He will, Covid or not. 

Sargie and I are good citizens and though we hate wearing masks, we do so when appropriate. We don't riot, whine, loot, protest, or call people names. We wear them because it's the law. 

It's what grown ups do.

Back on the political side, I really believe that most people know who they are going to vote for and if the election was held tomorrow, the results would be no different than they will be after November 3rd.  

I'm not sure what I'm trying to say other than I wish life would get back to normal. Politics, rioting, and the Covid, have kept Sargie and me from seeing my sons and grandchildren on the East Coast this year. 

That makes me angry, damn angry, and I resent it. I resent it a lot.

I'm tired of political commercials, sick of hearing about the pandemic, and have quit watching the national news as I can't find a network that won't preach politics and the evils of wearing or not wearing a mask. 

So we have, what, a bit over three weeks left before the election? Regardless of the outcome, I'm fearful things are going to get ugly in our country, but that's a different story for another time. 

Well, anyway, this isn't a political blog and I don't want it to become one, so I'll move on.

Oh, just one last thing.

I well remember President Eisenhower who served during a time of great prosperity, peace, and patriotism. I also remember Walter Cronkite, who would have rather taken a bullet to the head than slanted a story left or right, let alone tell an untruth.

So I have one question. Where are you Ike and Walter? We need you. God, how we need you both.

On the other hand, maybe you're the lucky ones. You don't have to be exposed to endless piles of horse manure being slung by our politicians. You both had way too much class to endure such nonsense.

Hopefully, in another three weeks, neither will we.

Sargie and I went shopping on Wednesday. I bought about half of Harbor Freight's inventory while Sargie shopped at a women's store close by.

I even showed my more sensitive side and walked Sargie to Bath and Body Works for good smelling soap.

 

I'm not certain how many stores we visited, but there weren't many left unexplored. 

We purchased everything from groceries to Christmas decorations to electrical supplies for the garden house.

Okay, so maybe that's an exaggeration and not THAT much money was spent, but we had fun window shopping and getting what we needed.

Tonight's been a quiet one. Once the debate started, it grew even quieter. 

I'll go for my walk Thursday morning before returning home to till the garden beds. If the wind doesn't howl, I hope Sargie and I can go fishing tomorrow afternoon. Otherwise, it'll be time to start wiring the garden house.

Honestly, I dont care what we do as long as there are no politics involved and I don't have to wear a mask.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...