We are having bright, lovely days in the upper thirties, sometimes hitting forty. The nights are cold and the ice freezes like iron.
I haven't been out in the woods, but if this weather keeps up the sap will soon begin to run if it hasn't already. I love maple season!
Back in the day, when I was young and spry and had time on my hands, I ran a little line of taps and dad boiled the sap for us. We never got a lot of syrup, but there was great satisfaction in the doing. Later Mappy joined in and made an even bigger project of it...as guys are inclined to do I guess.
I used to go out on snowshoes that didn't fit right, with bindings that were so bad I supplemented them with baling twine. I dragged buckets and plastic barrels on a plastic sled and drove my spiles by hand. It was ridiculously hard, but I liked it, so I did it.
Now a large sugar bush owner taps our big maple woods and gives us a couple of gallons each year. It tastes almost as good, and the amount of effort it costs me is nice.....
I would like to wish all the maple sugarers out there the best of seasons, with perfect weather and a long, sweet run!
****Oh, and check this story out....seriously, go check it out. Hilarious!!! Yet another side track in the war on drugs.
Cathy and I were taking a winter afternoon walk in late February several years ago, high on a ridge above a river valley.
ReplyDeleteOff in the distance we heard tap...tap...tap...
We walked through the snow until we came on several buckets hanging from maple trees. The sap was dripping loudly into the bottom of the shiny metal buckets.
Real maple syrup is wonderful; Alaskans make & sell birch syrup, which is lighter, with a mild flavor.
ReplyDeleteYour tales of youthful exuberance made me smile.
Marianne. Posts like this inspire so many thoughts and more questions. But first I have to smile at Keith, above , who has taken part of his noon hour at the hospital to check in on Northview. Awwww.
ReplyDeleteSecond. Is there anything neat in this world you haven't done?
Third. I know you know how blessed you are to have had your metaphorical and literal feet on and of the land. Just wanna make sure. It so informs your writing - your heart.
Fourth. Those pictures on the November link . . that sun . . . it's headed back.
Keith, you have an amazing way with words...in just that short comment I was right there with you on that walk, hearing the sap thumping into the buckets. One of these days I am going to read your books!
ReplyDeleteRev. Paul, birch syrup sounds delightful! I love the sweet scent of the wood just under the bark of a birch tree!
Cathy, And he spoke so very skillfully of your walk....amazing...made me feel as if I was there.
Funny you should ask...the boss and I were just comparing notes of all we had behind us, and between us, for people who have traveled very little, we really have seen and done a lot. Never had any money, but we sure had fun! And we are seeing sun, not enough, but some