Unusual Hostess Gift

I got two hostess gifts this week.  One was a softball sized mum with pipecleaner turkey tail and a pom pom turkey face on it; very cute. The other was a bag with five blue plastic bags.  I asked what this was.  I was told if I could figure it out I could not keep the gift.  Below the plasic bags were five metal minature torpedos.  I had to think a minute before I figured out they were maple taps.  I have been considering tapping my maple trees.  I even looked for taps last year but the stores were sold out before I could get there.  Now I am ready for the 2012 maple tapping season.  I think it's awesome when I am encouraged to be the tree-hugging/nature geek/do-it-yourselfer that I already am.  I once helped make maple syrup one spring in Lutsen almost 30 years ago.  We spent the weekend emptying milk jugs and boiling sap.  When it was time for lunch, we stuck hot dogs on sticks and boiled them in the sap (I was still a carnivore at that time).   I remember having a lot of fun in the maple forest that day.  Lets hope that this March was warm days and cold nights so I can collect enough sap for at least a couple meals of pancakes.