~Maple Syrup Time~

Happy St. Patricks Day :-)

I was reading our local paper and I didn't realize that it was our

maple syrup time. That the sap is running back up to the trees.

With the warmer days it rises, then with our colder nights it goes

back down.. While its running is when they put a spout into the

tree and hang a pail under it and collect it to make some of THE
best syrup you will ever taste.. It cant even really be described.

There is a place not far that still does this and they have tours

and pancakes to eat with the freshly made Syrup..That photo

shows how they cooked the syrup years ago at this place where

they do the tours called Sugar Bush.. What is so amazing is it takes

40 gallons of sap to get one gallon of syrup.

When I was young..this time of year was a big event..My Aunt Gladys

had family that had a camp just for doing the maple collecting and

the cooking of the sap. Most of the family would go out there to help.

riding down the road you could start to smell the sweet odor that was

in the air and see the steam that was everywhere.. The closer we got

the stronger the smell and if you werent hungry when you got there

well you were by the time you left. It was anotherrr time of year for the

family to spend time together and it was great :-)

My Uncle Gordon and his family, Uncle Ernie and his, my Uncle Stanley

and his.. We all had designated jobs to do..Us kids well we did the

running back and forth carrying the pails to the wagons that would haul

it up to where they cooked it.. We had the best time..usually there was

snow on the ground and we would love to go back up to where they

cooked it.. the cooker would dribble some of the syrup onto the cold

snow and make it harden into some great candy..That was really good.

As the day wound down my Aunts and Mom would start to put out the

food they brought for all of Us to have a snack, which when you eat out

doors it always tastes good, plus food was a major part of our times

together that's when everyone really talked..

As we all sat around and the 'elder's' talked I always enjoyed listening

to the stories they told of past times when they were young and how it

was for them, when it came right down to it things then hadnt changed

on how the maple syrup gatherings were such a fun time of everyone

getting together.. But all our family times were great fun... Its nice that

this place has these tours so you can experience some of the old ways

of doing things and its still a nice time for family times..and the way

things are now.. family's sure need it..

Well I do have good news, Penny came today, and I told her about the

MIcrowave, she put the little dish of water in..re plugged it back in .. I

left it unplugged I wasn't taking any chances..she hit the time, then

start and zip..she ran like she had before.. NOW.. I un plugged, re did

the WHOLE plug..from the wall..even pulled the fridge out to make

sure it WAS plugged right.. so I dunno what was wrong..but she is fine

today.. I had Penny dig my last pasty out of the freezer that I had

from that great Pasty Central and cooked it.. Those are THE very best.

Soon they will stop shipping for the summer, so I hope I can get 4 more

before they stop.. I gave 1 to Donnie..and one to Penny, Now I wish I

had kept all 4 :-) they enjoyed them so that's the main thing..But I am

SO glad my nuker is working again.. Just made my day...All I could see

was no hot food with Out going through a zillion other things to set up

my other cooking stuff, that takes the joy out of eating for me..then my

appetite goes out the window and im tired before I get started ! :-)

Tired is me, I got up early this morning as I just couldn't go back to

sleep, and was kinda hetic , always is when Penny is here to clean..

Ive not heard from the skin Dr, and there is no change in my hands.

I need to get out of this chair for today and work on the blanket...

So that means its time for my famous GORGEOUS WEEBLE words..

"Nitey Nite" :-)

Y'all have a good one now, Y'hear? love ya and THANKS !!! :-)

ALways, Lois ****

.

God Bless you, is my prayer today,

I'm so honored to call you "friend";

I pray the Lord will keep you safe,

Until I write again.....