It's Maple Syrup Time Again

Hubby and I went out to Tollgate Farm today to tap trees for maple syrup. The sap in the maple trees flows when the temperature is in the high 30's in the daytime and below freezing at night. So we wanted to have the tubes hooked up and ready. The trees are connected by tubes to large holding tanks which are then emptied into the evaporator. It takes 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of syrup. Every year new holes have to be drilled and then connected to the tubing. The snow was quite deep and when I stepped into snow that went above my boot and hit my bare leg I let out a little bit of a whoop. We drill with an electric drill and then we pound in a plastic style which is attached to the tubing.

Finishing projects

I have made it a point to finish projects from my to do list. Once I start them I will complete them but I have an enormous number of projects that are not even started but I hope to complete. Since the first of the year I embroidered a tablecloth, made a quilt for charity, and sewed the patches on the Lions Club banner. It's a start.

A Cold Night for Arnold

We have three cats at our house. Fervor, the youngest, is terrified of going outside. Cleo has only gone outside when a chipmunk ran across the porch as we were going out. Arnold tries to get outside whenever he can. We started taking him outside on the leash in the attempt to get him to think that this was the way to get out. He loves it. Well, last night, I put the recycling from dinner into the garage and Arnold must have slipped out without me seeing him. This morning when I opened the door to the garage, there was a very cold Arnold. He was very anxious to get inside.

Snowblower

We didn't get anywhere near as much snow as the East Coast but it was plenty as far as I am concerned. We got about 8 inches. Hubby has used his snowblower about four times already this year. He even does the sidewalks for the houses next to ours. Several, unfortunately,are empty. He really loves his"Big red machine."

I Like Being Retired!!

I really like being retired! Aside from the fact that in this economy it is nice not to be looking for a job or worrying about keeping one, it is fun being free. Well, free is a relative term. Hubby and I are members of the Lion's Club, which means we go to meetings twice a month, plus I have a board meeting every two months. Tonight we will be cutting fruit for the pancake breakfast tomorrow, which we will also work at.
Hubby and I also take Spanish lessons every Wednesday night and have been for the last 2 years. We spend a lot of time studying Spanish as well. I belong to a quilt club which has a meeting once a month and also requires some charity work. I belong to a small book club that meets once a month.
Hubby and I are Master Gardeners. Hubby is on their board and compiles their newsletter. We are required to do 15 hours of volunteer work for them and take 5 hours of education classes in gardening.
I like being free to go to lunch once a week with my Mom who is 92 years old as well as being able to help her or anyone else who needs me on the spur of the moment.
Hubby and I like to travel and do things together. He says he misses me when I am not around.
Isn't retirement great! We are busy. They are fun things to do. We are needed and appreciated. What more could you want?

Arnold is Feeling better

Last Thursday Arnold went to the vets for his rabies shot and a teeth cleaning. In the process he needed one of his teeth pulled as it had a large cavity. We have to give Arnold an antibiotic which he does not enjoy. However we have noticed he doesn't walk around the house howling as much as he used to. I wonder if he wasn't just being a chatty cat maybe he had a legitimate complaint. At any rate he is back into mischief as usual.

Quilts

I finished the quilt top for Margie's quilt.(Note how nicely the border met at the corners.) I think I will start quilting it the first of March. It is a big queen size so I have to put the frame in the family room. It cuts our television watching in half.(We can only see the top half of the screen.) I bought a "walking foot" so that I can quilt my "charity " quilt on machine. (The Cameo quilt club to which I belong requires a charity donation once a year). I like the hand quilting for my own quilts.