Now we get the sugaring weather and the trees are leaving out!

Can you believe the temps?!  I know THIS is the normal temps of April and that teasing stuff we had was not the norm!  If this had come 3 weeks ago, it would be ideal!  That week of 70-80 degree weather, where I actually rode with the top down on my car one night was the end of sugaring!  If that week had not existed, we'd still be going strong probably! 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, that week was nicer than some Augusts we've had.  I mean, I actually put my insurance back on my car.....the first of April?! 

We had a good year of sugaring though.  We made 18 barrels, not too shabby.  In fact, the last night boiling, it was so warm in the sugarhouse the doors had to be left open.  It's so DRY here that he would only boil at night so he could keep an eye on the sparks, as to not start a fire.  That happened 4 years ago; a spark landed in the crotch of a tree, on top of some old leaves, it smoldered and before we knew it the woods had a little glow.  Thank goodness a visitor walking down to the sugarhouse noticed it.  We quickly shut down and got out the hoses, buckets and chainsaw.  If that had gone undetected I hate to think what would have happened. 

We started washing pipeline on the 3rd of April.  All six of us, teams of two, just like tapping.  Did a bit more Easter, after church.  That left Larry with a couple 100 to putter at through the next week after work.  Everything is all cleaned up now.  All we have left is to replace the wood and Larry is pulling out logs as I type.

Now I'm just looking forward to non-stop summer temps!  And to get rid of the cold I seemed to have caught this weekend!