It has been above freezing nearly every day and below freezing at night which are the conditions favorable to tapping maple trees for sap. Syrup season is in full swing and I can't wait to taste the results! I dream of salmon on the grill after soaking in a marinade of maple syrup and lemon juice. Yummy!
Not much exciting to report, but it is interesting to watch as people slowly come out of their winter "hibernation" dressed in lighter clothing with their shoulders relaxed instead of hunched up around their necks.
Things are melting on the farm and the horses are shedding buckets of fur which is picked up by the birds to use for nesting material. It is organic and recyclable, so highly desirable building material.This is what it looks like this morning. Still a lot of snow in the woods and around the edges of everything.
That's my favorite way to cook salmon, except I use honey instead of maple syrup, and I put in a dash of soy sauce and some crushed garlic.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy spring.
It all sounds so yummy right now!
DeleteSpring at last! Hurray!
ReplyDeleteThis winter seemed a little longer than usual even though it wasn't. The changes are finally here again and I am happy about that.
Deleteif it's spring at your house, the rest of us cannot be far behind! today it's sunny here and 60F. the back yard is still a mud pit after all the rain we had this week. real maple syrup - YUM! salmon - DOUBLE YUM!
ReplyDeleteIt'll be a while before we see 60, but the sunshine does its best to make up for it.
Deleterush hour traffic the other day. Traffic will be this heavy
ReplyDelete*Snort* One of the positives of rural living, I suppose. If I took a picture like that in the rush hour here in Portland, you wouldn't be able to see a single square inch of road through all the cars.
I had no idea that birds built nests out of horse hair. Despite the reputation of hair shirts, I suppose it's comfier than twigs.
Birds will use whatever is available. Horse tail hair is sometimes 3 or 4 feet long and looks especially decorative trailing out below the nests.
DeleteWe had a lovely sunny day here in the UK. Spring has definitely arrived. Nothing beats maple syrup on pancakes, but I'll have to wait until my next trip to the States to taste them!
ReplyDeleteIt is more expensive than the stuff that passes for "syrup" in the food stores, but nothing beats a good, real maple syrup.
DeleteSome hummingbirds line their nests with spiders silk.
DeleteCool! Do they use the stickiness to help hold the nest together?
DeleteWe tapped some maple trees in the Berkshires of western Mass. when I was a kid. As I remember, it was a lot of work!
ReplyDeleteIt is definitely a lot of work, but the results are worth it!
DeleteAhh, end of hibernation. The tourists are about to arrive. Last chance to enjoy the city center before it gets difficult to find parking. Here too but with tulips and bicycles instead.
ReplyDeleteTourists will be emerging from their dens any day now. Usually they are quite hungry. Parking as we know it will no longer exist and will be enhanced by noisy "security systems" honking and beeping unexpectedly at all hours of the day and night.
DeleteIt's quite different looking than the last pictures you posted! Spring is arriving here, too, in fits and starts, with the snow removal helped along by a recent pounding rainstorm. Maple syrple is running here, too! I don't care for the flavour but it's a sign of spring :)
ReplyDeleteHow can a self respecting Canadian not like maple syrup? Next you'll be telling me you don't like Tim Horton Donuts, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Bluenose schooner. Is that even LEGAL up there??
DeleteHah! I really don't care for any of those things, and I haven't been jailed yet :D
DeleteI'll be one of those tourists on that road - July 13th and 14th, staying on one of the Mokki cabins in town.
ReplyDeleteThe owner of those cabins and his girlfriend just reached the summit of Mt. Wood up in the Yukon two weeks ago. They should be thawed out by July to properly host.
DeleteMmmm salmon with maple syrup and some garlic and a dash of soy sauce, my mouth is watering! OlderSon usually taps his maple trees, I don't know if he's doing it this year. Snow slowly disappearing here but still have large dirty grey lumps of ice by the sides of the roads, they can really ruin your car if you hit them at speed. No spring flowers yet.... and it's -4C outside this morning.
ReplyDeleteI just broke off a little piece of my plastic bumper on a frozen snow bank when I parked a little too close. I'll glue it back on when things warm up.
DeleteYeah to melting! It's finally a consistent temp of not so cold your face hurts! We've got daffodils showing their beautiful selves and my tulips are 6 inches high. Almost....
ReplyDeleteYou are right about it warming up enough to not hurt the face anymore! Sure is a comforting feeling! It'll be another month before plants start showing signs of life up here.
DeleteWe have started Maple Syrup here in western Maine. This past weekend most of the Maple shacks were open for visitors. The true sign that spring is here.
ReplyDeletethe Ol'Buzzard
Does pancake consumption go up seasonally, also?
DeleteKind of funny to see "happy spring" by that huge pile of snow! My friend and I once got sick on Vermont maple candies. No regrets!
ReplyDeleteThe pile has gotten much smaller with the sun and (relative) heat. I would be tempted to get sick on maple candy just for being able to indulge.
ReplyDeleteHooray, happy spring! I like the "traffic" on your morning commute. Those are the roads I love to travel. :-)
ReplyDeleteIt is a real culture shock when I go down to the Big City. At least the transition from quiet to busy is a gradual one.
DeleteI had salmon tonight, but yours sounds better!
ReplyDeleteSnowbirds are leaving here, heading up your way.
I think I like salmon in just about any form. Maybe I am part Alaskan Brown Bear. Many snowbirds take a leisurely ride back this way, stopping to see children and grandchildren on the way. As I age, the snowbird lifestyle has more appeal to me than it used to.
Delete