It's that time!

It's that time!  The maple sap is running already during this warm February week.  2 taps filled 2 gallon jugs today.  We have at least 5 sugar maples in the back yard, some quite big, so we really could get some more taps.  Problem is...no outdoor sugarhouse means a very foggy kitchen to make much at all :)  I suppose we could rig up some sort of outdoor boiling system...but then again, it's so very easy to buy a little jug...and my dear hubbie prefers artificially flavored corn syrup anyway :P   So we just boil a pot every year for the fun of it!  Owen loves to drink the cold sap right out of the tree.  It tastes like water to me, but he says he can taste the flavor of it and it's way better than water!

And many hours later, here is the essence of all that sap!

The spoon-licking team notes that it is very tasty indeed!

et cetera

And now we have a full 24 hrs of steady snow :}  Boy oh boy, winter seemed like it wasn't coming and is now making up for lost time.  Possibly another 16"!  Looks like Reuel might be home again on Monday (he had a snow day last Thursday).  We missed church this morning too, it had already started up at 8am.

We just discovered this relevant recording of Owen from probably 1st grade.  Ha!  Wasn't he a cutie?  He would not be caught singing so sincerely any more.  :}

Owen Sings 'Do you want to build a snowman?'

Susie Snowflake

Well, it's that time of year!  Today is a whiteout...snow from 8am to 8pm, 12-18" predicted.  And I had just cleared the driveway of built-up ice yesterday :}  Reuel is home and he and the kids are out in it in full gear...balaclavas and ski goggles included!

And some from earlier weeks...we've only had a little snow before this big one...and a whole lot of cold rain.  Ugh!