In case your calendar isn't marked, 'round these parts the syrup is running. And while the syrup season in recent years has been less than stellar, we hear that this year is awesome.
A family in our stake has a sugar house, and we've gone up there nearly every year we've lived here. This year's visit was especially fun--the sap was on at a full boil and the combination of the smell/warmth/sounds and company were phenomenal. It was an exceptional way to celebrate Blake's 1st birthday!
(We're having his birthday celebration today when Joe gets home from church--don't think we're ignoring our boy. Oh, no. You just wait. Chocolate will. be. everywhere.)
It was quite warm in the sugar house...the blanket and the hat didn't last long.
(And we took home nearly a half-gallon of the good stuff.)
The syrup in the window is a sure sign of spring. (THANK GOODNESS).
The steam. OH, THE STEAM! It smelled SO delicious.
I had to remind myself that Joe was being extra careful with my baby around the boiling hot sugar.
Once the sap-turned-syrup reaches the right temperature and color, it gets drained into a 5-gallon bucket via a thick (THICK!) felt filter.
Here in New England, Spring is referred to by her better-known name of "Mud Season."
This weekend delivered. Big time.
Raise your hand if you want to come visit!
They used to have the old-fashioned metal buckets on this tree....The plastic might not be as pretty, but it still does the job. (Note: This is not how sap is collected these days. There are some pictures of the "new school" way here.)
Proper footwear required.
Joe needs some wellies.
And this is just to prove that I was there.
Blake had a birthday munchkin...we'll see how he takes to cake tonight.
Annnnnnnnd
what do you have when the real syrup comes to town?
(...and you don't have any vanilla ice cream on-hand...)
Pancakes, of course!
As my gift to you:
Sometime soon, scoop yourself some good vanilla ice cream
(The good stuff, people. Promise me it'll be the good stuff.)
Pour some warmed real maple syrup on top.
You're welcome.
What a fun outing--and seriously. You canNOT get better than the real thing. YUMMMMMM.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a blast, Ian is getting so big & is so lucky to have such great syrupy trees to enjoy every year. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BLAKE!!
I love your post, Jen! I might want to borrow a couple of your pictures for my post if that's ok -- your syrup in the window is beautiful and just how I hoped ours would look, only I didn't communicate that to the picture taker at the time ;)
ReplyDeleteIt was fun to see you guys up there.
YUM YUM YUM. I really need to plan a March trip to visit you guys so that I can take part in this!
ReplyDeleteI'd like a bottle of the real syrup as my prize for winning the snow pile contest.
ReplyDelete