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Birds
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We had quite a winter here in the Great North. Our low temperature here at our location was -20 F and we had over 120 inches of snow. The ice on the lake was 18 inches thick on Easter Sunday and ice fisherman were driving cars and trucks out to their fishing holes on the ice.
The ice finally broke up and left us on April 16, 2008. It was a long winter for sure but it was great for all of the winter sports.
Residents are now installing their docks back in the lake and boats are being launched. Our loons are back on the lake and have already been visiting the nesting platform. We have had many varieties of ducks on the water as they migrate through the area on their way to their summer nesting grounds.
We saw our first humming bird yesterday and are putting out a new feeder today to welcome them back. Dafodills have been flowering and the fruit trees are all in bloom. Spring is a wonderful season and summer can't be far behind. Don't forget to continue to feed the birds and you will be rewarded with their continued visitations.
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Second Thoughts About Maple Syrup |
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Geezers Corner
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When winter gets a little long in the tooth and we have had our fill of the ice, snow, slush, colds, and dirty vehicles, we begin to long for spring. We start to wonder what the yard looks like and if there really is some grass under all that white? After all, we have not seen bare ground since November except for our one brief thaw. Are the morels beginning to wake up, getting ready to make their appearance? Maybe I’m getting a little ahead of myself but it helps to have something to look forward to!
Last year, about this time, I wrote a column about the temptation to produce my own maple syrup. My wife quickly brought me to my senses with a dose of reality. Making maple syrup, we learned, is a very long and involved process but results in a delightful tasting product that is hard to beat. It is like comparing homegrown tomatoes with store bought. There is just no comparison.
Several Sundays ago we were slipping and sliding down the road to church. After the service, we had a gathering in the church basement to share some coffee, snacks and conversation with our friends and neighbors. Our friend, Peter, and his daughters were there. Peter was the one who sparked my interest in maple syrup last year. During our chat I asked if he would soon be starting on this year’s harvest. I mentioned that I would be willing to lend a hand if I could be of some help. He surprised me by announcing that he was going to start tapping trees that very day and asked me if I could be there by three. He said, “By the way, bring your snowshoes.” Not only do I not own a pair of snowshoes, I have never been on a set in my life.
At three o’clock sharp I rolled into Peter’s drive eager to start. This was an opportunity for me to gain some hands-on experience at making maple syrup. I brought along my drill, hammer, pliers, and a bucket to tote everything in. Dressed in my Carhartts, gaiters, and hunting boots I was ready to go to work. As I exited my Jeep, their 95-pound Rottweiler, Natsu, came barreling out of nowhere to check out the intruder. Luckily for me I must have smelled like a friend rather than foe.
Without wasting any time, Peter and his daughter, Caitlin, helped me strap on their extra pair of snowshoes and we gathered buckets, covers, and splines and headed for their grove of maple trees. The process of tapping the tree is really quite simple. Using your power drill and a one-half inch bit, you simply drill a hole on the south side of the tree about two feet above the snow. The hole needs to be about 2 inches into the tree to accommodate the spline (spout) which is tapped into the hole. After completing this task, a bucket is hung on the spout and a cover installed to keep out debris that falls from the trees.
Working together we tapped and hung 40 buckets that afternoon which we considered a good start. Warm sunny days and cold nights cause the sap run. By the end of the day, we found that some of our buckets already had about a cup of sap in the bottom. We only have 300 gallons to go! Getting out into the woods on a beautiful afternoon and tromping around on a pair of snowshoes was just what I needed. It’s a sure sign that spring is just around the corner. I’m looking forward to following the entire process through to completion. Pure maple syrup is wonderful when drizzled over some good vanilla ice cream.
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Life Awaits You On Down The Road |
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Geezers Corner
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Last summer we said goodbye to some great friends. We were surprised when they announced that they were putting their home up for sale. They had lived on the lake for many years, but they also owned a second home in Arizona and in recent years had become what is commonly called snowbirds. Caring for two homes was a lot of work and the warmer winter climate had its appeal. Basically they wanted to simplify their lives while they were still young enough to make their own decisions. One of those decisions was to come back to the lake for summer visits and we look forward to seeing them again soon.
All of this got me to thinking about life and how we travel down different roads during our time here on earth. Life is truly a wonderful adventure. When we start out, we haven’t a clue where we are going to end up. Wouldn’t life be boring if we knew what the final outcome would be?
When I was a child, Mom and I used to take my red wagon and walk to the grocery store. On our way, we crossed the railroad tracks and often had to stop for a train passing by. It consisted of a steam engine, the freight cars and on the very end a red caboose. The caboose had a little back porch and we would sometimes see the brakeman there, leaning back in his chair with his feet propped up on the railing. He would often wave at me and I’d wave back. I thought to myself that he must have the best job in the world, watching the countryside as the train rattled down the tracks. I could picture being like him, crossing the nation in that caboose, going over the mountains and through the desert. After watching him, I was positive that I would work on the railroad someday.
Time goes by quickly and I grew up. Like most kids, I had a lot of dreams along the way but I never forgot that man on the back of the caboose. At some point, the railroads decided that it was cheaper to put a flashing light on the back of a freight train and eliminated the caboose altogether. Of course, they also eliminated the brakeman who sat on the back porch as well. So much for my first career choice.
I never did work for the railroad. I didn’t explore the South Pole or became a broadcaster like Walter Cronkite. Instead, I smile and tell people that I was just a weenie salesman for a meat packing company. Along the way however, I made a lot of friends, had two great children and have been blessed with a good life. After working for what seemed a lifetime, I retired here in Northern Michigan, thus fulfilling another boyhood dream, which was to live in the north woods. I hope to be here for the rest of my life but then you just never know what awaits you… on down the road.
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