Sping!

Like a mouse in the kitchen, spring has snuck up on me.  My favorite season has showed itself to me today.  Welcome back spring - I missed you so!  When I got home I changed my shoes and put on my sorels, strapped on a pair of snow shoes and hiked out to my maple trees with two empty gallon milk jugs, two lengths of plastic tubing, two tree taps, and my cordless drill.  I must have looked ridiculous in my black dress, gray tights, brown boots, blue snowshoes, blue spring jacket and no mittens or hat.  The air was warm and the sky was blue but it was quite a hike to the maple trees.  The snow has gone down at least six to eight inches but is still deeper than my knees. Now that the trail has been blazed all subsequent trips will be easier. Walking in snow shoes with big clumps of heavy wet snow on top of the snow shoe gave my quads a good work out.  I drilled new holes in the south sides of the two maple trees, inserted the taps, attached the tubing and set the milk jugs on the ground.  If the weather stays above freezing during the day and below freezing at night, my maple trees will send sap up and outward and into the milk jugs.  I still have a couple cups of syrup left from last year but I am excited to collect more.  When I accomplished my mission and retraced my steps the walking was much easier.  I noticed that my gait changed.  Where the walking was difficult because the blackberry brambles tripped me up, my gait was close together.  Where the walking was easier I  saw an 8 inch tall white wall of snow between my feet.  It sure felt good to be outside doing something functional other than shoveling snow.