The late-night candle was burning in the shop Monday after learning Hambone would be coming home with Grandma Sargie.

November 21, 2017 - Tuesday

30 degrees/cloudy/very windy

Pentoga Road

It's obvious a front is about to march through as the winds are howling. Carl the Weatherman says our high today is to drop into the mid-twenties with lows in the single numbers or teens tonight.

I noticed during yesterday's walk that the ice has strengthened it's hold on our little lake at the end of the road.

It won't take many more nights of cold temperatures and you'll be able to find me drilling holes in search of large bluegills.

I went to town early in the afternoon to purchase new scroll saw blades. Earlier, I'd used my last one meant for cutting out puzzles and hoped the hardware store would have what I needed. They did.

Back home, I worked in the shop for a while, then decided to harvest what rutabagas would be needed for Thanksgiving. Since the temperatures are to get cool down over the next day or two, I figured I'd better get them out of the ground while it was fairly warm.

In the end, I pried, rather than pulled, each from the frozen earth. These are, by far, the largest rutabagas I've ever grown and should be very sweet. Freezing turns the starch to sugars, making for a sweeter taste than those purchased in the stores.

I harvested enough for the Milligan feast and then some. In the end, the bag I used ripped, spilling everything onto the ground. Gathering and lifting them, I estimated there were probably fifty pounds of rutabagas with more remaining in the raised bed.

I'll begin peeling and slicing the roots Wednesday.

I had just come inside and eaten lunch when Macrea called. I guess there is a problem with daycare and he wanted to know if Hambone could come visit today. 

Heck yeah! I always enjoy quality Hambone/Pawpaw time. 

Just one problem. I wanted to get a new turkey made before Thanksgiving Day. After all, what good is a turkey AFTER Thanksgiving?

I headed to shop and began. I'd already glued and clamped two pieces of 1x12's earlier in the day.

A string and pencil were used to draw the perfect large circle.

I'd never made this type of turkey before. All I had to go from were a few pictures on the computer.

It's been years since I've used a compass with which to do any real work. I'm the guy who failed geometry twice in high school and was still taking sophomore level math his senior year so he could graduate.

The cutting began. Mostly I used the scroll saw for the smaller, more intricate cuts, but also utilized the much larger bandsaw when possible.

It took well over an hour to cut the feathers.

It was time to draw the bottom tail feather piece, cut that out, then laminate it onto the large board.

It was 9:30 when Sargie and Grady pulled into the drive. I had just finished sawing the last foot. Perfect timing!

Sargie suggested last night that I make a pattern before I begin glueing and screwing the pieces together so that next time, I won't have to measure, calculate, and draw each and every one. I think that girl has a good idea!

Hambone was sound asleep when they arrived home. We carried him in the house and directly upstairs. He didn't wake up, even when Sargie put him in his jammies. Won't the little guy be surprised when he awakens after while?

Sargie opens this morning. Hambone and Pawpaw are going to hang out inside today. There are too many power tools to pique a three year old's attention to be in the shop. It'll be a day of putting together puzzles, playing trucks, and watching a few cartoons indoors.

I told Macrea we'd meet somewhere late this afternoon for the Hambone exchange. Pawpaw's got a busy Wednesday ahead, painting the turkey, making cranberry sauce, and working up a ton of rutabagas, but today, well, today's play day.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Let's see, E=MC squared... no, wrong equation.