President's Weekend just around the corner...

...And with that comes tree tapping. I'm trying to talk John out of a big run this year. The top shelf of the fridge is still half full of syrup from the past two years. Every now and then, I pull them out to compare colors and determine which one to sample next. Will it be the golden amber, or the rich tobacco brown? Maybe half and half?
As much as I love maple syrup, the collecting and cooking can be hard work--lugging gallons of sap to the cooker and boiling, boiling, boiling it down to that single mason jar. But dang, it's so good!

Signs of Spring

Last night, a barking fox yanked Callie out of her sleepy stupor. She stood by the window, peering outside, and pacing the floors, whining to be let out. The critters are out and about with this warm weather. The skunk cabbage spathes have pushed up through the stream-side muck, slowly opening up with the sun's heat. And the birds--the winter birds are telling us all--spring has sprung!
We may have one more run of sap and then maple sugaring season will be over--a short year with 90% Grade B syrup, but enough to hold us through until next winter.