"Snow-mageddon" is what the headlines read. Okay, it's just not that bad. While it
has been a little challenging getting in and out of the house, and then in and out of the driveway, we've had no real problems at all. In fact, the snow and freezing temps actually have their pros. I got to
walk out onto the pond today to put some fresh wood shavings into the wood duck house. God forbid my beauties show up this year to find their warm, fluffy bed missing.
For the first year ever, we're going to tap one of our sugar maple trees. The sap will start running as soon the temperatures start to get above freezing during the day, while still dipping down below freezing overnight. The weather-chick says we should (finally) get above 30 degrees sometime next week, so the tap will go in this weekend. Since we will only be tapping one tree (as an experiment, really), we won't have enough sap to make anything significant from it (it takes about 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of maple syrup). So our plan is to add our sap to that of a friend's to produce a limited edition "blend" this year.
When all this snow melts, it's going to become one muddy mess around here. I refer to that time of year as Mud Season, and it is the bridge between our beautiful snows and the spirit-renewing sights and sounds of Spring. Mud Season arrives just before the trees start sprouting their green fuzz, and just as my skin color reaches its most lifeless shade of gray due to lack of sunlight. Alas, Mud Season is our ugliest time of year and try as I may to deny its inevitability, deep down I know it
will come.
So
this weather-chick says it is white and brisk and overcast and stark and utterly gorgeous out there!
