A welcome warm spell has brought some unintended hurry to our maple sugaring process – normally what gets done in a few weeks has to happen in essentially one week. Though we did start late this year (setbacks abound) we might finish ‘on time’. Josh drew the first delicious syrup yesterday. Fortunately the nights are cool enough to offset the warmth of the days (too warm and not only will the sap stop flowing, but the sap we have in 55 gallon drums will sour before we can get to boiling it) as long as Josh keeps up with the process (and bakes, delivers, collects sap, etc). It is a dawn to past dusk process.
Meanwhile, it’s officially Spring! Yay! Happy Spring! The snowmobile trail has been closed (though with the weather it seems it was a seamless transition from the sled to the motorcycle for local folks), and buds are swelling on the lilacs and the silver maple tree. There is still plenty of packed snow in the shady areas of the hill and woods but the garden is bare and the lower lawn can finally be seen again. I am still suspecting another snow but the ground will be thawing underneath at that point. The woodstove is still warming our nights despite my opening windows during the day.
Plans are still moving forward with the studio reno (though everything is on hold when it’s sugaring season), and renewed plans of the outdoor bread oven resurface. I must get to the seeds this week; I couldn’t find the front porch/seedling room for awhile there – it’s only really a 2-season porch so I had to wait until it warmed up enough (and over the Winter it was frequently used as a giant closet/storage shed). Now I must really begin growing those flowers and herbs in earnest.
The marvelous child has been up to loving the sunshine (cheer, cheer, cheer, like a cherry in my ear) – hula hoop tricks, mud baths, and egg hunts. She helps with the sugaring, the chickens, and has been collecting basketry supplies (mostly willow and bittersweet vine). And those chickens, well – they have been loving going off into the woods lately (makes me a bit nervous but ‘forest chickens’ are sort of a delight to wander upon). They have only been out for 2 hours this morning and I have already seen them traverse the dooryard, the orchard, the garden, and now they are working their way across the lower lawn – they get around!
We wish you well and hope your Spring brings fresh new awakenings.
Rock Bottom Homestead 