Sunrise on Monday morning

September 19, 2017 - Tuesday

54 degrees/cloudy/calm winds

Pentoga Road

I've waited a few days to share some big family news as I didn't want to diminish it's importance by writing about another grandchild or family happening. After being sworn to secrecy, I've now been given permission to announce this to the world.

Matt called last week and told us that we're going to be grandparents... AGAIN! He and Jessica recently learned that the new baby will be a boy, another male to carry the family name into the future. Matt and Jess have two beautiful babies, Emerson and Bennet. I've not heard any names being batted around for the newest member of the family.

I can't remember when Jess is due, but I think it's early next spring. 

I'm not a very good grandpa. I don't remember birthdays, forget exactly how old each is, and I seldom get to see my grandbabies. It doesn't mean I love them any less, I'm just date challenged.

The boys are really good about sending pictures though, something I appreciate. As you well know, this proud grandpa loves to share those photos with the world as I receive them. 

We have Abigail, Coleman, Ellie, Wyatt, Cody, Emerson, Bennet, Grady, and Ivy. The new baby will bring the total to ten, a nice even number. 

Congratulations Jess, Matt, Emerson, and Bennet! Grandma Sargie and I love you all.

Back on Pentoga Road...

After returning home from Iron Mountain Monday around noon, I noticed some of the tomatoes sitting on the workbench in the garage were showing signs of becoming over ripe and in danger of rotting. It was time to get serious about making jam.

Tomato preserves seems to be our jam of choice on Pentoga Road. It ranks over other popular types, honeyberry, rhubarb, blueberry, and even strawberry. There's something about that good, old fashioned, home grown, red ripe tomato flavor, mixed with sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice that can't be beat. 

Tomato preserves taste best if the fruits are very ripe, almost to the point of going bad. I placed them in boiling water for a minute, then into ice water to remove the skins.

After, it was a matter of squishing them with a potato masher and boiling them down... and boiling... and boiling some more. I remember making catsup years ago. It's the same process only for this, I include the seeds.

The sugar and cinnamon is added to the hard boil. After that, pectin is stirred in and everything is boiled to the point of overflowing, then boiled some more.

Neighbor Mike has been tutoring me on the art of making jams and jellies. I consider myself an average jamologist, but Neighbor Mike? Let me tell you, he knows his stuff. 

The man concocts a three berry jelly that tastes as though one is eating fruit right from the bush and his peach jam... I've eaten fresh peach pies that aren't as tasty as his jam.

In the neighborhood, everyone knows Neighbor Mike as Jam Man, but since we're close friends, I simply call him Jambo, the jam making Rambo of the North Woods.

While the mixture boiled, I prepared the jars in a very hot water bath, retrieved the ladle, the canning funnel, and prepared the new lids. 

The jars were filled and the rings secured the lids. Almost an hour had passed before I heard the first lid pop, signaling the jar had sealed. In the end, all sealed tightly.

Sargie arrived home late last evening in a rain storm. She had to sleep quickly during the night as she turns around and opens this morning. 

Today is beginning damp and gray. I'm heading to the shop as soon as Sargie leaves for work and see what happens. There's a scroll saw piece I'm going to begin and as always, I have a different idea in mind for a new bowl.

Hopefully, I'll have better luck in the shop today than I did on Sunday.

It's time to shake, rattle, and roll.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

I'll give you one guess which direction those geese are flying