Spring is over. It's back to wintertime.

January 26, 2017 - Thursday

27 degrees/light snow/breezy

Pentoga Road

I almost didn't write this morning. Unless one is into squash, there's just not a whole lot of substance that follows. 

I never entered the shop on Wednesday, let alone clean the place, and the only break away from putting up squash was a quick trip to town. 

Wednesday's walk was uneventful except I quickly discovered the podcast I usually listen to hadn't downloaded. No talking or music filled my ears. It was just me, myself, and I, who trudged down those long and lonely country roads.

I often play a mind game while walking. Yesterday, I imagined myself hoofing along the Appalachian Trail, an old man who was showing the kids how it's done. It's true, there's a bit of Walter Mitty who resides inside me.

Once home, I decided I'd put up two large Hubbard squash that were beginning to go bad. What I found was about half of last year's crop that was either turning or too far gone and needed to be quickly processed or in some cases, thrown out.

All I can say is that there'll be some fat and happy deer who live in the woods alongside Pentoga Road. I made three trips on snowmobile deep into the woods.

The rest of the day was spent cleaning, cutting, peeling, baking, and freezing squash; lots and lots of squash.

I took a late afternoon break and went to town for a few things. When I entered the house after, it smelled like Grandma's house at Thanksgiving, of someone who was baking wonderfully sweet pumpkin pies.

Some of the family has indicated they'd be willing to take some squash. Sargie will drop those off today in Iron Mountain. There are two more large Hubbard squash, the last two, that I'll butcher tomorrow and after that, our squash season will be over. We should have enough in the freezer to last us until next fall when we'll begin once again.

Sargie was home early last night. I grilled hamburgers outside and along with a salad, we had... squash. It was a nice, quiet, evening, and we finally had some time to enjoy each other's company. Her work schedule has been brutal this week. Sargie opens again today.

I'm going for my walk this morning then have no plans other than to clean the shop. I hope to do, as Mom used to call it, a "good Saturday cleaning," where everything is moved, swept under, dusted, swiped and wiped. Failing that, I've got to get rid of some of that sawdust before I start turning again. I have three or four new designs I've seen and am anxious get started, plus I have a couple of scroll saw pieces in the works. So much to do/so little of me. For cryin' out loud, is there no mercy?

Time to end and carry some squash up from the basement and load them into Sargie's car. I don't mind telling you, I'm about all squished from working up so much squash, but are we surprised?

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...