maple syrup

Large plastic canisters in backs of pickup trucks, and along sides of roads along with plastic tubing. Maple sugaring season has begun.

3/27/09
30's and foggy. Took a walk up the cross roads last night. As I started out, I saw steam rising out of the May's sugar house. I was happy to notice the first signs of sugaring I'd seen all year. As I got near the top, there was a pickup parked with its lights on. It was Justin Turco out collecting sap with his daughter. I met him as I was walking by, and he invited me to his sugarhouse. He said to go right in, and he would be along in a minute. Walking across the bridge over the creek in front of his house, bright lights from the sugarhouse ahead in the rainy gloom. His wife Tammy was inside sugaring. That smell! She gave me some hot syrup to sample, a taste of Vermont heaven. We had a great visit. Lights were on in the Johnson's sugarhouse at the bottom of the hill when heading home. Sparks shooting out of the chimney like stars in the sky. I realized there are four working sugarhouses within walking distance of our house. I think I am going to have pancakes with maple syrup tomorrow morning.