Keep It Going Down the Line

Since my last post, we've tapped the maples and begun sugar-bushing it old school again.  The day I hauled out the buckets and spiles seemed warm, but by the time I started the actual tapping, it was cold and windy out.  We plodded along to the bitter end, anyway, and even though the weather has been too wintry for the sap to flow most days since, I'm glad it's done.  It's becoming harder to heave my belly, baby, and doughnut rolls off the couch these days.

Without much fanfare, I present The First Tastes of Sap in the Year of Our Lord 2014.  (Zeke was inside napping at the time.  Don't tell him we cut him out of the deal, please.)



 


And then, since I handed off the camera for Annie to hold so I could tap the rest of the trees, here are pictures she took of me working and of Pip next to Mrs. Porky-- Pip's snow porcupine, whose husband, Mr. Porky, had melted the week previous in a tragic spring thaw. One can see Mrs. Porky is quite downcast about this.  Even her quills are drooping.