Last Saturday, after a leisurely morning allowed for a colossal cup of tea along side a well-plated brunch, with a phone call first from my mother and then my daughter, I took to town with a list of errands. Today was the day to do what I never get to, like swinging by the jeweler’s to have my diamond cleaned and inspected, or sifting through the writer magazines at Barnes & Nobles to make notes on upcoming contests and submission deadlines. You know the kinds of things you do when life seems to be riding a straight line. But driving between Healthy Living and the next on my list I had a NPR moment… when your errands are put on hold or cancelled all together because you are captive in your car, essentially trapped by story.
The 100th post: Love
Seems like a lifetime ago when Nine Cent Girl was born… The fiery hues of autumn had just subsided into a monochromatic black and white across my Vermont landscape, fickle sunlight and arctic air drove me indoors; it was during this introspective time of the seasonal circle that my blog became a trusty beacon, illuminating my direction through what dark days lay ahead as well as brightening the unforeseen surprises dropped along my path.
It’s Sugar Time!
In late March–early April, Spring remains subtle in northern Vermont. Snow still covers the higher ground, while in the valley only the smallest of flowers break through the hard frozen earth. Sunny days might drive the temperature into the 40’s but nighttime sends it back below freezing. This pattern makes most of us stir crazy, but for the maple sugar maker this is a formula for success. Steam rising from sugar shacks once the boiling begins becomes the sign that Spring has indeed arrived and the sugar makers have no control over these fast and furious few weeks; once the nighttime stays too warm the sap slows and eventually stops. This labor intensive process can occupy a whole extended family and their neighbors, all coming together to gather the gallons of sap, boil it down and bottle the syrup.
