Star of stage, screen, and lumber camps the world over.
Mississippi Brother Garry sent this picture of the best looking lumberjack in the deep South, his bride of almost fifty five years, Miss Jody. No wonder Garry walks around with a permanent smile on his face.

January 26, 2018 - Friday afternoon
38 degrees/clear skies/breezy
Pentoga Road

Those are impressive piles of firewood surrounding Miss Jody. The folks had a huge tree removed not long ago and even after giving part of it away, they still have enough to use in their fireplace for a long time to come. 

Speaking of wood, the winter is about half over and so is my estimated allotment of wood.



Should the cold weather run longer, I have a pile almost twice the size of the wood shed under cover in back. 

Hmm, to throw a pork chop on the grill or not. Now that is the question.

I decided earlier that I would drive over to Iron Mountain tonight to keep Sargie company on her drive home. I have a couple of hours to spend before leaving. To eat first or wait? Maybe I'll just write for a while and see how much time is left.

Friday was an active day. With a brief January thaw predicted, I didn't waste any time getting outside.

The sun is trying to shine through the early morning fog.

My walk was absolutely beautiful. 



The surrounding countryside was covered once again in hoar frost making everything look magical and surreal.



 The temperatures were rapidly rising and by the time I arrived home, four miles later, it had all melted or dissipated.

I didn't want to go town, but our grocery was having a sale too good to pass up, things like five frozen pizzas for ten dollars, apples, and pork chops. You know, all the major food groups. I also splurged and purchased a rib eye steak for $4.50 as pound. I never thought I'd pay that much for meat, but I decided to spoil myself. Sargie's not much of a steak eater, so I'll wait until Saturday night when she's once again working late to enjoy my prime piece of beef cooked slowly over a bed of charcoal. A rib eye steak is much too valuable to grill over gas. Only charcoal will do.

I piddled around removing the last of the snow and ice from the drive. It's nice to have it bare this late in the winter. 



I can remember in years past when there was a two to three inch build up of ice and snow that refused to be chipped or shoveled away. It finally disappeared late in the spring.

The rest of the day was spent in the shop cutting out cursive letters on the scroll saw. 



It's the first time I've sawed cursive and have learned quite a bit, mostly how to cut both sides of a very thin line without having the narrow wood break from the vibration of the saw. 



I can't show too much of what I'm doing as what I'm making are gifts.

Since I began writing, the executive decision was made to throw a couple of pork chops on the grill and eat before heading to Iron Mountain. They should be finished. In my never ending quest to keep my weight somewhat manageable, I'm better off eating now, at 5:30 PM, than just before bedtime at 9:30.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

What happens when one's soles of his hiking boots are worn completely through. My new ones should arrive today or the first part of next week.