Happy Fourth of July
God Bless America!

July 4, 2019 - Thursday morning

54 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Sitting here this morning, just before sunrise, I was reflecting on past Independence Days. 

As a small boy, it barely ranked below birthdays and Christmas. Dad would purchase some sparklers and other small fireworks and just the anticipation of the coming night's firework's display was enough to make the day crawl by agonizingly slow. 

We usually churned homemade ice cream on the Fourth, a tradition kept alive even after my sons were born. Dad's specialty was "charcoaling chicken" as he called it. The weekend outdoor chef would stand alongside his grill for hours basting chicken with pounds of melted butter making the skin golden brown, crispy, and the meat tender and juicy.

Dad would jokingly make a show of brushing on the melted butter, saying it had to be done in a gentle manner. To do so otherwise, would "bruise the chicken." 

Mom will be the first to say that indoors, Dad couldn't boil water, but outside, he was truly the master of the charcoal grill. 

Today, there'll be no personal fireworks, but we'll spend it with the Milligan's, swimming, eating, laughing, and catching up on the news from others in the family. 

Come to think of it, in my senior years, the Fourth of July still ranks right up there with Christmas and birthdays.

Wednesday was a hot, but busy, one on Pentoga Road. I began the early morning by spraying several tankful's of weed killer around the yard and garden. It's something I normally do earlier in the summer. Digging the pond dictated otherwise. I don't like using the stuff, but with the large area we mow, trimming everything by hand would be a full time job and time is something I don't have a lot of this summer.

I moved from the yard to the shop to continue work on a wooden monogram to give to Derek and Leah today as a gift for hosting the Milligan gathering.

I had to chuckle. The monogram is cut from a piece of scrap wood that was in the kindling bin and the background is from old flooring that I use as backing when I make the grandbabies their puzzles. 

The letter "D"
I'm not certain it's my favorite font, but you never know unless you try.

I was working in the shop when there was a knock on the door. Who entered but Isabella! She'd brought her mommy, Sarah.

We had a good visit and caught up on each other's lives. Yooper Brother Mark's daughter was an education major and student of mine in Alaska.

Sarah now teaches developmental kindergarten in Wyoming. 

And Isabella? Well, she just enjoys eating some of Uncle Tom's cookies (right out of the package) while sipping cold milk.

Many already know the story, but for those that don't, Sarah's the reason I ended up in the UP. If it weren't for her, I'd have never met Yooper Brother Mark, Sheri, Jerad, and most importantly, Sargie.

Sarah was a senior and a few weeks before completing her teaching degree, asked if I might take her father and brother out on my boat fishing when the family traveled north for her graduation. Of course, I said I would.

Turns out Mark and I immediately hit it off and as he so fondly tells the story, I took him fishing then followed him back to the UP. The rest is history.

Sargie and I traveled to town yesterday where we bought goodies for today's gathering. I purchased ten pounds of chicken quarters, thighs and legs, and will be cutting and parboiling them in a bit. I like to get them fairly well cooked on the inside so all Derek has to do is add barbecue sauce and crisp them up a bit on his charcoal grill.

Speaking of chicken, I bet I'm the only boy you know who, as part of his upbringing, had a mother who insisted he learn how to cut up a whole chicken. She not only wanted me to have a formal education, but a common sense one as well.

I'm grateful to this day that she did.

We took our time coming home and especially enjoyed watching a daddy and his two little guys fishing.

In these days of smartphones and technology, it seems for many, family activities are a thing of the past. Sargie and I especially enjoy watching parents spend real quality time with their munchkins.

Back home, I headed to the strawberry bed and picked this year's first bowlful. 

Unfortunately, with this past week's hot and humid weather, several berries had baked on the vine rather than ripen. I'm not worried. There'll be plenty for us and a few to share.

Speaking of sharing, we took some berries to our neighbor, Sue. A widow and unable to do any gardening herself, she really appreciates any fresh vegetables and fruit.

Coming home, a doe and fawn crossed the road in front of us.

Sargie volunteered to be water girl last night. 

I weeded while she irrigated and both of us were surprised how dry everything is. I dug down near some of the plants so the hole could be filled with water. The soil sucked it up and wanted more.

The beets needed thinning, so I made our first harvest of beet greens. Tasting much like fresh spinach, boiled and topped with melted butter, they were part of last night's supper.  

What's a real summer evening meal without grilled bratwursts? These were cheddar brats.

I'm pretty sure between the greens, the brats, and ice cream smothered in fresh strawberries later in the evening, we touched on most the food groups yesterday.

Though Wednesday was in the upper 80's, last night saw the temperature dip into the low 50's which made for great sleeping. 

I guess I ought to get this uploaded and head to the kitchen to begin cutting and parboiling chicken quarters. Sargie's in charge of any other goodies that we'll be taking.

Sargie's watering the other side of the garden.
I hope to finish the terraces this coming week in the pond and order the liner.

Okay, the coffee's gone and emails and blog written. There's nothing left to do but work up the chicken. For shore, it ain't gonna cut and parboil itself.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Everyone knows it's more fun to draw pictures on Uncle Tom's lap.