The leaves of mid August are signaling that a change is about to occur.

August 13, 2014 - Wednesday

46 degrees/clear/calm

Pentoga Road

I was up shortly after five this morning and it dawned on me how dark it has become in the early morning hours. It was light at 4 AM only a month ago, no lights needed. I guess winter's coming, like it or not.

I walked my usual five miles on Tuesday morning and came within two minutes of making it in record time. I'm in no hurry, it's simply a game I play. The skies were cloudy, the wind howling, and the temperatures barely out of the forties. For the first time in several weeks, I chose long pants and sleeves and was glad I did.

The wild raspberries are ripening in the woods. It took well over an hour to pick a mere two cups, enough to make three pint jars of jam. I spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon doing just that. It's a lot of work, but the jam will taste great when the snow is piled high and the temperatures are well below freezing. Going into winter, between this year and last, we have raspberry, blueberry, strawberry, and rhubarb jam; also tomato preserves. 

I turned my attentions to the garden, mostly picking cucumbers, broccoli, and green beans. I'll wait another day to make more bread and butter pickles as I was about two pounds shy of cukes to process a full batch (six quarts). The pole beans are producing heavily now and enough were gathered to enjoy for last night's supper and to share with our neighbor, a widow who seldom gets out, but loves fresh veggies. 

The broccoli is producing side shoots in record amounts and two quart bags were blanched and frozen for this winter's eating. I don't believe I've ever seen six plants produce the amounts of broccoli as these have this summer. Thankfully, I didn't plant more.

The giant pumpkins are finally growing and indeed, doubling in size every few days. It appears there's a good chance that Grady, Marley, Aubrey, Brielle, and Little Sasha, will get theirs this Halloween.

The day ended with raking rocks in the side yard. I thought most were picked up, but Monday afternoon's rain exposed thousands, maybe millions, that were lying on or near the surface. If rocks were gold, I'd be the wealthiest man in the world.

Sargie was home early last night and we enjoyed fresh beans and beets for supper. Well, she did. I'm not a huge bean and beet eater and elected to enjoy a big ol' bowl of macaroni and cheese. Don't worry, I ate plenty of vegetables earlier while working in the garden, mostly raw green beans, a tiny zucchini squash, and popped a few late-season peas in my mouth when I walked past . I love raw, fresh, vegetables, but tend to shy away from many once they are cooked.  They just don't taste the same.

Sargie works late today. I'm heading into town as soon as the lumber yard opens to purchase the roofing for the storage shed. And of course, there's always the rocks to move around, more beans to pick and process for winter eating, a belt that needs to be put on the riding mower, and there's that pesky class I teach that needs to be uploaded for the fall semester. 

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

The Cylindra beet on the bottom must be on growth hormones. I've never had one reach that size. Still, it was tender and not at all woody.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

It was a bit chilly last evening and Brutus is delicate. He opted to push my computer off to one side and warm his ears against the processor.