Garage Sale

Last weekend (May 2 and 3) was our annual Village Wide Garage Sales. I have had a few of my own sales over the years, but this year I helped organize a friends sale. She was selling her sister in laws (house contents). What a job!!! She spent several weeks gathering it together and I helped her mark items and display them. I spent about 4 days helping her and then selling on the two days of the sale. My friend, Sharon also sold a lot of her things, as did her husband and her daughter. They sold over $3000. worth of stuff and there was a lot left that didn't sell. It was tiring, cold, and wet, but we had a lot of fun anyway. (it rained both days off and on).

My friend Laurie Mach came to the sale and found some neat bargains.

A SAD DAY HERE AT THE CABIN

S-TER

1996 - 2008

My goat S-ter died last night. She seemed to be fine yesterday. I will miss her!!!

She was 12 years old so I think she just died of old age.

GRANDKIDS HAVE GONE HOME

Mackenzie went home late yesterday afternoon. Gpa drove her half way to meet her Mom in Richfield Springs. We sure did miss her presence here last night. What a lot of fun she is.

While Gpa was gone with Mack, Jessie and I got subs and Dunkin Doughnuts and brought them home to eat. In the evening when Gpa got home we went to Cranberry Creek to watch the fish swim upstream to spawn. They hadn't started yet, someone there told us that they'll be moving upstream in a few days, so we missed them. We played Upwards and "pigged out" on junk for the rest of the evening.

Mack getting the mail for Gma and Gpa

Jessie and her cat, Little One. This cat weighs 16 lbs. We gave her L. O. years

ago, but she can't take it home because her Dad is allergic to cats.

Jess left this morning...sigh ! Her Dad got here about 8:30 and they left about 9. Jessie is such a neat teenager, didn't seem to get bored at all the whole time she was here and that's pretty good for a teen. She kept busy and seemed to enjoy everything we did, never complained.

Love ya Jess

Mack and Jessie and our dog Molly sunning themselves on our beach

One of the many activities of the week was to jog around the pond. It's 1/4 if a mile all the way around. I don't know how many times they ran around it. Mack did real well to keep up, but I'm sure Jessie had to slow down a bit. (Jess is so patient with Mack who is only 7) Jess did get up one morning real early and ran around it by herself.

Thanks for a great week kids...we miss you.

JACKWAX

"Sugaring" is done for the season in our area. We just bought another fresh gallon from a local maple sugar sap house at $39.00 a gallon. We wouldn't use anything else on our pancakes, waffles, and biscuits!!! We also buy the maple cream which is made from boiling the sap down (thicker), then stirred 'til get gets to the consistency of creamy peanut butter. (maybe a little softer)

To make jackwax, you boil the maple syrup until it "hairs", like when you make fudge. The next step is to find real clean snow (we still have a huge pile of it that came off the roof of the barn), put the snow into pans, and then pour the hot concentrated sap over the snow. It immediately hardens to the consistency of taffy (and sometimes harder). Take fork and twirl it around the "candy" and ENJOY.

Years ago they had Jackwax parties, which was a big treat. They often took place after a group of young people would have been on a hay ride. They'd meet at someone's house where they'd prepare the sap, gather the snow in pans, and enjoy their treat.

Mackenzie's first taste. She loved it

Jessie liked it too.

GRANDKIDS HERE FOR THE WEEK

School is out for a week, so two of our younger grandkids are here for one their annual weeks vacation. Mackenzie is 7 and from Erieville, NY and daughter of our youngest daughter, Sue . Jessie is 15 and she is from Johnson City, NY. and is the daughter of our youngest son, Scott.

We have all kinds of attivities planned for the week.

Mackenzie (Kenzie) and Jessie

on the bridge that is named after their 4th great grandfather

who arrived in the USA in 1854 and settled near this bridge,

which is about 10 miles from our home.

THE ANSWER

Ok those who are curious about the stick. Here is your answer. It's a weather stick... check this website out http://www.snowsource.com/generalstore_davishillweatherstick.htm

DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS IS?

This is an instrument that is working everyday. It doesn't use batteries or electric power. Some times is sticks out straight and sometimes it points upward. As you can see, it is pointing down today. Just comment that you do or don't know what it is...the answer will come later.