Grady, meet Jimmy

April 12, 2018 - Thursday

30 degrees/snow/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Once again, it's another rush job with the blog this morning. I'd like to get the remaining sap boiled down before the next wave of storms strikes the UP. We've already received around three inches of wet, heavy, snow overnight.

Hambone, (or Meat Head as Mike calls him) Mike, and I were all busy yesterday, either in the woods, feeding wood into the boiler, or transferring sap from one pan to the other.

Grady kept occupied by bouncing from one thing to the other and had a good time just being with the guys.

Hambone and Mike are BFF's. When they weren't in the woods gathering sap, they kept busy feeding Jimmy. 

Initially, Grady tended to jerk his hand when the bird landed, so Mike gently held it until Grady got over any fears of his newest tiny, feathered, friend.

Finally, it happened. Jimmy flew around Grady several times then settled in for a landing.

Hambone ended up with the bird on his hand all by himself later in the afternoon. I can see it on the big screen now, Hambone, the Bird Whisperer. He can say he got his start at Pawpaw and Grandma Sargie's house.

Grady also discovered the age-old art of sap sipping. 

After Mike emptied a bag, Grady was just the right height to stand underneath with his mouth open so he could catch the remaining few drops.

Sap sipping is an art perfected by the Pennington boys many years ago in northern Maine. About Grady's age then, Andy was a superior sap sipper. 

Ah, it was a busy day on Pentoga Road for Hambone. He began to fade during the late afternoon and even he thought a nap was a good idea. We'd tuckered the little guy out. It's tough when you're four years old trying to keep up with the big boys in the fast lane of life.

While Hambone/Meat Head/Grady... whatever his name is, was sleeping, Mike and I boiled off another gallon and a half of good quality sap for a total of three and a half gallons. My goal is four gallons for the year.

Mike and Germaine had pizza with us last night followed by vanilla ice cream topped with fresh maple syrup. I didn't hear any complaints.

I want to boil down what sap we have this morning then pull the taps sometime this afternoon. A series of winter storms are to dump some major snow on the area and I'd like to be finished before they rumble through. Though I could collect for another week or two and make a few more gallons, it's time for the maple season to end on Pentoga Road. 

Sargie's off today. Grady will be with us until his daddy comes through this evening to take him back to Iron Mountain.

Looks to be another action packed day.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

The action of the day wore Hambone down to the bone. He was happy to take an afternoon nap on Wednesday.