After a long, cold, winter in northern Maine, Ivy is celebrating spring.

May 26, 2017 - Friday

49 degrees/partly cloudy/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Seems that spring has finally arrived. The trees are almost leafed out and the grass is growing inches daily.

With the nice weather at hand, I wasted no time getting outside Thursday morning and was working up the potato bed shortly after sunrise. We didn't have to leave for Iron Mountain until mid morning.

Five pounds of seed potatoes were cut and ready to plant. 

In the ground and ready to cover over

An hour remained before we had to leave. The grass badly needed mowing and though it was still wet from the morning dew, I decided to go ahead and cut it.

Our trip to Iron Mountain was uneventful. Other than getting Sargie's car from the mechanic's, stops were made at Walmart, a hardware store, and a greenhouse. 

I learned something new on the way home. Just south of Alpha, off a gravel road, is a two track trail going into what I thought was lake or pit. I decided to drive in yesterday and explore.

Most of these lakes are old mine shafts that have caved in and are considered bottomless. When was the last time you saw a good old-fashioned knotted rope used for swinging into the water?

Obviously, it's a popular spot, but I had no idea the lake was there. I told Sargie that I'll be throwing a kayak on the water later this summer and do some real exploring.

It was past noon before I arrived home and I soon made my way to the garden to harvest several stalks of rhubarb.

It's particularly lush this year and the stalks are very tender.

The rest of the day was spent making strawberry/rhubarb jam. It takes longer to prepare everything than it does to actually make it. 

Thought I'd never finish washing jars, lids, and rings.

I cleaned strawberries and chopped rhubarb and was convinced my back was going to break in two. Working and bending is one thing, but to stand at the sink in one position is pure agony. 

It wasn't long before sugar and pectin were added and the whole mixture boiling. 

In the end, I canned twenty-four jars of jam. 

The next type of jelly made should be from honey berries in late June or early July with blueberry jelly to follow. Tomato preserves, one of our favorites, will be made when the tomatoes ripen. Depending on this year's crop, I'm hoping to try my hand making apple jelly this fall.

Sargie had to close last night and wasn't home until late. Thankfully, she has the next four days off. With Mom's party and family gathering in the near future, we're busy on Pentoga Road, mighty busy. 

That being said, I'd better get in gear.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Abby's helping her grandpa, Mississippi Brother Garry, around the yard. He reports that she does really well until she hits a bump. Abby's so light that she bounces off the seat causing the safety switch to kill the engine.