Tapping for Maple Syrup

Today Hubby and I volunteered at the Michigan State University Extension Service Tolgate Farm. We were tapping the Maple trees for Maple syrup. They tap about 200 trees. The volunteers would drill the holes and then insert a stile with a tube to a collection bucket. Most of their trees are connected by tubing to a large container. We just needed to make a new tap and attach the tubing. The sap is clear like water until it is boiled down. It takes 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of syrup. The farm has, what they call. a sugar shack. In it there is an evaporator which separates the syrup from the sap as it boils down. I am sorry I don't have pictures of what we did today, hopefully I will have some of the later process. It was a brisk morning but this had to be done before the sap flows. The sap will start to flow when the daytime temperature is in the near 40 degrees and the nighttime temperature is still well below freezing.

Spring Cleaning

Every year about this time I start my spring cleaning(along with a spreadsheet to chart my progress). I wish I could say I complete all the cleaning projects but alas...the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak(I'll bet you haven't heard that one in a long time). I have finished all the kitchen cupboards and the light fixtures in the kitchen (yech). I also completely did the lavatory, walls, cupboards and floor. I was going to start on the guest room bath when I decided the caulking around the shower base needed to be done. Unfortunately for Hubby, I say "Would you show me how to get that old caulking off?" and he takes the clue and does it. I hate manipulating women.

Arnold was under the weather for a couple of days. He mostly slept and shook his ears a lot when he was awake. We were pleased yesterday to see him be his old self again. He played with his toys, chased Fervor, got into my sewing and rattled the Venetian blinds.

Baby Yarn

Today I went to Michaels and bought Baby yarn in unisex colors. I bought enough for a blanket and two sweaters. I really hope the new grandchild is a girl because girls are fun to dress and buy things for. I know that when I was pregnant with my first I really wanted a boy. I wasn't unhappy that the second one was a boy, but by the time I was at the sixth one I really needed a girl.

An Academy Award Party

Last night I went to an Academy Award party. I am not much of a movie person and the only nominee I had seen was Frost-Nixon, which I thought was very good. There were about 25 women at this party, most in their late 30's and then a few of us old ladies. The food and wine was spectacular. They had several TV's on but the women talked so much you couldn't hear any of the dialog we could just read the award assignments. They had ballots and there was a prize for the one with the most correct guesses. I wasn't even close. It was a really fun night. The hostess does this every year. I hope I get invited again.

The Phone is Ringing!

We have three cordless phones and a base with a speaker phone only. However we can seldom find a phone. Sometimes we can't hear it ring because it was left somewhere in another part of the house and the only way we know it is ringing is because it is announced on the TV set. When we do find a phone and answer it, it almost immediately sounds low battery or just goes dead from the strain of being answered. At one point we put numbers on the phones to find which one goes dead the most frequently. We found that phone was number three. We have also found that number one is missing, presumably dead by now. When we do hear the phone ringing and go frantically searching for it, we usually find it is from "Out of Area" or "Hilton Grand Va" which we had no interest in answering anyway.

Lion Pancake Breakfast

Today the Lions had their annual Pancake Breakfast to benefit the Penrickton School for the Blind. Our turnout was huge. We all had a lot of fun. I was busy flipping pancakes when they announced the winner of the 50-50 raffle. I won $90. That was a real first for me. I have mentioned many times before how much I enjoy the Lions. A great bunch of people who enjoy themselves helping others.
Well it is snowing very heavily. I am adding a before picture to yesterday's blog and I will add one today when the snow stops.

Snow Forcast

Around the middle of January Hubby went to Sears to look at their snow blowers. He wasn't sure he really wanted one, so he decided to wait until we came back from the inauguration. When he did go back he found that he couldn't get one. Sears had sold out for the year. Then he knew he really wanted one. Today the weather forecast is for 5 to 8 inches of snow tomorrow. Hubby stopped at Sears and found they had a snow blower which had been returned. He bought it. We were sure we wouldn't get any snow tomorrow. Then he found he didn't have an ignition key. We were sure we would get blitzed. He found a dealer who sold him a key so we are back to very little snow tomorrow. It is amazing the control one has over the weather.