Finally. Finally I got the rest I needed and just what the doctor ordered....a day of peace and quiet in the woods.
I must admit tho, it was a mess out there. Right now, the woods is still so wet with snow, deep snow. The trails and roads that had been plowed all winter are either glare ice or mud.
Our object of the morning, was to empty the sap buckets. It had been raining and rain and maple sap makes for a muddy brown mess that gets dumped right onto the ground like Bill is doing above.
Frost is heaving and making muddy roads. Later this evening when we went back to gather clear sap, the roads were really getting sticky, gooey, pulling the side-by-side all over the place.
Last year it was in the 70's and 80's by now and the maples budded out quickly. Once that happens, the sap rises to the tree tops and anything in the buckets sours just as quickly....thus, the end of season. We don't mind the snow. We need cold nights and warm days for perfect sapping weather.
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| Murray Creek just below the Cabin |
With great regret, most all of today's sap had to be dumped out. The rain off the trees falls into the buckets and turns the sap brown. The sap that makes premium maple syrup for our family, comes out of the taps clear as spring water. It also makes the best Maple Sap Coffee while we wait for the sap to cook down into syrup. Mmmmm Good Stuff!
I sure enjoyed the day, even the water melting and rolling on top of the ice down and around the bends of the creek.
We even saw this sweet little yearling on the way out and the way home again. He was kind enough to stop for a photo shoot.
Seeing so much snow on the ground yet however, does concern me when the fawns start to drop. They are going to have a rude welcome into the world. I hope they don't have to find warmth
' under ' the snow.
No, this is not a real fawn. It's a rock that I'd painted years ago and forgot to put away last fall. It's just starting to peek out from under the edge of the flowerbed that still has a 3ft. snowbank on it.
I will show you another flowerbed next time.
Thanks for coming along to the woods and the cabin with us.
It was a blessing for me.
13 comments:
Well I love that beautiful area. Your cabin is wonderful. And now I see the sap trees - you are looking for clear sap? And that was brown. And you need to get it while the weather is still cold?
Loved the deer. And your painted rock. And that you got sleep today or rest.
sandie
Enjoyed that ride with you.
So sad that you had to dump that sap out. Hope the drips stop so you can get some good stuff for processing.
I'm so happy that you had a good day. I hope your days continue to be productive and cheerful.
Boy, you all just make all sorts of cool and tasty foods: Maple Syrup from your own trees, that's hard to beat. Sweet!
Love the yearling, it's so pretty. :)
Beautiful photographs! Love maple! And love your painted rock!!!
I sure did enjoy this....We just don't have the opportunity to see something like the sap flowing from trees. Would love for you to do a post about the procedures of collecting the sap and process of making syrup. Your part of the country is Beautiful..
I sure miss Mom & Dad's sapping adventures! They had plenty of help with all those excited Grandkids that we siblings gave them. Thanks for sparking so many fond memories of home.
'love & hugs from afar Sis'
Loved sharing your day of peace and quiet in the woods...I would like to have been there. Your little cabin is cute and I have always been amazed by the syrup coming from the trees...God thinks of everything. I pray you are rested...
Interesting info about sap collection. Something I don't know much about!
Ah, we need some umbrellas over the buckets. No I am not volunteering, LOL.
I loved the first picture of the cabin, it look like you are across the creek taking it. YOu guys have such a beautiful peaceful place out there.
Now ene us southerners can sympathize with the thaw,and mess, but of course ours is never as long as yours.
Love the blog, I got to see sorgum/molasses being made as a child, but never Maple syrple.
(((HUGS))
Amazing post take things easy and rest my friend
What a shame to dump all that good sap. Hope tomorrow is better. We're back home, and not liking all the snow and more to come!! I still have my winter decorations up... never took them down before we left. Maybe if the sun shines I'll get motivated.
Great post, beautiful photos:) Greetings
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