This year, spring came early. We began tapping our sugar maples in the middle of February. One of the wonderful things that this business brings is the unknown. In our annual edition of "Maple News" we read as old-timers predicted what the season would bring. Some said it would be short, some said it would be the best. Others said, "we'll just have to wait and see..." Sugaring depends on a very particular weather pattern. From year to year, you simply cannot predict what the season will bring. This spring came in strong & fast. We were greeted with 40 degree days in the beginning of February. Although i welcome the sun and the warmth that comes with it, i do depend on it coming in the middle of march, not the middle of February. Yes, this season was short & sweet. So each time we boiled, we took it all in. The company of neighbors & friends. The kids getting muddy in the brook. The hikes along the lines to check for leaks. The sweet steam filling the sugar-house to the brim. And finally, the pure maple syrup we taste & enjoy. There is nothing like this time of year. The natural changing of the seasons is something we rely on. Something that we can trust and count on. Yes, Spring came early, so we tucked away our winter nighttime routines and greeted the sugar-house with snacks, stories, beverages & bluegrass.
This?
This is what spring is all about in our family....
Oh, how this brings back great memories from my childhood! I hope you could find some clean snow to make maple taffy on :)
ReplyDeleteAll that was left were little piles of snow, which seemed to be quite muddy from the kids & dogs....so no sugar on snow this year :( But it was a great season anyways!
ReplyDeleteOh, how I love these pictures. Your husband is so at home and happy in his sugarhouse! Please tell him that we just used the first of this year's syrup and I think it was the best I've ever tasted... Can't put my finger on the difference, but who cares?
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