The ladies of the Vision Center
L - R Michelle, Sargie, Alice, Laura
It was Michelle's birthday and had the day off.

July 27, 2018 - Friday evening

62 degrees/cloudy skies/breezy

Pentoga Road

My friends, Norriene and Jim, who live in Pennsylvania, sent pictures of their flooded yard after receiving four inches of rain in four hours.

Talking to Norriene, I'm well reminded of last year's deluge on Pentoga Road when we received seven inches of rain in one day. Norriene sent an email earlier today saying the water is beginning to recede.

Speaking of rain, it looked as though it could pour this morning. With that in mind, I skipped my usual walk in favor of making pickles.

I decided to raise a hybrid variety of cucumber this year, one that has all female flowers. As I've said previously, each blossom bears a fruit without a man blossom's assistance. 



There aren't as many cucumbers on the plants as usual, but each is large and seedless. The flavor is outstanding.

It didn't take long to slice the cucumbers using the food processor.

This morning's batch made eight jars bringing this year's total to fifteen quarts. Those should be enough to get us through to next summer.

I'm not certain I'll be canning anything else this year. The basement shelves are about full.



The rest of the day was spent in the shop. First on the agenda was to install a dust collection system on the scroll saw.

It eliminates the dust from above and below the saw table and allows me to work without wearing a dust mask. I couldn't be happier. 

Neighbor Mike, aka Jambo, stopped by and mentioned that they were going to Iron Mountain later this afternoon. I bummed a ride over so that I keep Sargie company on her commute home after work.

Though she was off for her birthday, Michelle was shopping with her mother and stopped by for a visit.

Michelle's mom, Rosealee, is an absolute sweetheart

Tonight's been a quiet one. Sargie opens the Vision Center on Saturday and has to work again on Sunday.

I told Yooper Brother Mark that I would help check in entries for Saturday afternoon's Caspian Centennial Parade.  Other than that, I need to repair a light on the large trailer. One was broken earlier this summer when it was being filled with firewood.

There's a wood furnace in Escanaba that, if still available next Tuesday when Sargie's off, we'd pull the trailer over and possibly purchase it. My thinking is to build a small shed along the north side of the barn and blow the hot air from the furnace into the shop. Due to the saw dust, I'd like to keep the wood stove outside the shop and barn if possible.

Sargie's getting ready for bed and I'm tired. It's time to drag myself up those long, steep, stairs to the bedroom. 

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Sargie's busy at work in the laboratory of the Vision Center