Sweet!

You know what’s sweet?

Maple syrup!

You know what’s really sweet?

When the maple syrup comes from your own back yard!

And, you know what’s EVEN sweeter?

When the maple sap starts to run earlier in the season than usual, and you manage to figure that out before it’s too late! 😀

You see, typically, the sap starts to run in mid-March. And it’s those days when the temps are above 5C in today and well below freezing at night that triggers the sap to glow up the tree. But we all know, (of us, everywhere!) that weather patterns are bonkers, do we must remain vigilant and observant.

In early February, I noticed the maple buds starting to swell and took a chance. Taps in trees – buckets under taps – sap boiled down (40 litres of sap = 1 litre of syrup). And, voila!!

Our own Maple Syrup! SWEET!!!

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A Walk Around Toronto – with Thursday Doors!

After last week’s snow stormy extravaganza, I was lucky enough to escape it all and head to Toronto.  

See you later snow banks!

My husband was working in “the big smoke” all week and number two son was also there, visiting his girl during university spring break.  Sometime you just gotta go where your people are. 

And wow!! It was as if we travelled to another country!  Toronto was all sunshine and warm temperatures! Not a snowflake in sight. 

Glorious!

The boy and I explored s bit of the University of Toronto in search of an exhibit at the university Art Gallery.  

The UofT boasts some pretty spectacular doors.

We found our way to the Toronto Stock Exchange, but we’re not brave enough to try the door. 

Together, all four of us took in the Toronto Light Festival in the Distillery District. 

And yesterday we were treated to record-breaking high temperatures – for February. That was good news for me. Not so great for the skaters, who made their way through about an inch of water over the ice. (Nice reflections, though)

We finished with a stroll along the waterfront. Not bad, eh?

Thursday Doors

Snowy Doors …

Well, I guess it is February, after all.  But I can help but feel this is a little bit of Karma.  We’ve had such a mild winter up till now!  Weirdly mild. And I LOVED it. I even started to brag about it. I began to dream about an early spring. Maybe even a longer than usual growing season.

And then, BAM!  Winter!  The past seven days have brought 3 snow storms and dumped about a metre of snow.

It’s hard to know exactly how much because most of it fell “sideways” as it was accompanied with strong winds blowing the snow all over the place.  Mondays blizzard came with winds that gusted around 120 km/hr.
Yup. Those are some strong winds and they made for some interesting snowdrifts. Annnnnd power outages. We were without power ourselves for 24 hours. (Happy to have a fireplace and lots of candles)

Yesterday, I dug a path to the chicken coop, which suddenly seemed really far from the house. This morning, my path had completely disappeared. Last nights snow fall filled it all back in.  So, back at it.

As I drew closer, rapidly loosing steam I must add,  I could the hens inside cheering me on. I’m sure they were! They were rewarded with some extra cracked corn. And I got some eggs.

The positive thing (the ONLY positive thing) is that all that snow provides a nice blanket of insulation over the garden. And I suppose, a slow melt will help to keep the water table healthy.

But a melt, of any kind, seems a long way off.  Because, right now, yeah …. it’s snowing again.

***

Thursday Doors

Curve

Public skating rink at Nathan Phillips Square, in front of the iconic TorontoCity  Hall.  Photo taken on a chilly day last February.

WPC: curve