Sunday, March 22, 2015

Maple sugar Sunday...

Yes, it's March... yes, it's still cold... yes, it is still winter...the winds are howling, the wood stove is chugging, and we are waiting.....

for spring. 

It's so cold that even the snow from the barn roof is frozen in time.... each day it slips a bit more, but the cold catches it and it is stopped in mid air.  
One warm day, this will come down with a mighty crash, and thus, anyone with good sense would never walk under one of these snow jams....
but for picture taking, I figured just a few moments would be safe enough... and make for some pretty good shots!!!!
It's finished!!!! so there's one thing about really cold weather... I'm not all that interested in being outside, and that makes for a good time to do "inside projects"... like quilting.....
It took me "just" 10 years to finish this quilt!!! The top has been done for years, but since I wasn't that happy with the colors, I stuck it away...until Ed  kept "bugging" me about finishing it.  I pulled it out last winter and began to hand quilt it... then it got too warm to work on it... I was determined to finish it this year... and I made that goal.... It looks pretty good on the bed, but right now, I am just so tired of looking at it, that I'll probably stick it away for a while.....
I felt the same way about this quilt too... it's a Dresden  Plate... another quilt where I made the top, put that away, and years later pulled it out to quilt. I hand quilted this one as well... it's queen sized.... so, I have two big quilts done... I'd like to do a couple more, but having time to do them is the real "problem".... so I guess we'll see....
Despite the winter cold.. the sun is getting stronger. I love the way it shines in the house, and all afternoon, it lights the kitchen/living area... want to find the best sunny spots in the house....
just look to see where the dogs are!!! Hunter and Trev never miss a sunny spot in the afternoons.... they happily lay, soaking it all up in the happiest of ways.....
Today is Maple Sugar Sunday!!!! and even though the sap has been slow to run, the sugar houses are open and showing off their very best. We met up with Kass, Nate and Reagan and went exploring some of the local sugar houses. I love seeing the steam rising from the houses, and see the sap being boiled down.....
The sugar trees are holding pots collecting the sap.....but actually this is the old fashion way. Most sugar houses have gone to tubing the trees, it makes the collection easier, but certainly not as charming as the old buckets....
The tubing runs into large collection tanks, so it only make one stop for getting the sap, instead of having to stop by every tree.....


We really had to bundle up today, but Reagan was such a good sport. He loved seeing the houses, eating maple candy and climbing on the tractors that most of the houses had to show off.....
cold but fun day... we're a hardy lot!!!!
Many of the sugar houses in this area are pretty much commercial operations, so they have gone to the big ways of boiling. Even though it's modern, there is still a New England charm about it all and this time of year.....

However, it is surprising to see how many still re lie on wood as the source of heat. I think it might be a cheaper way to go,and perhaps they can regulate the temperature better. 
And I have to say... pancakes served on paper plates with new, warm syrup just makes the day so special. So, we bundle up, we brave the cold, and celebrate Maple sugar Sunday!!!!