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Second Thoughts About Maple Syrup |
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Written by The Geezer
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Thursday, 08 May 2008 |
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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Written by The Geezer
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Thursday, 08 May 2008 |
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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Written by The Geezer
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Sunday, 09 March 2008 |
During the holidays I ventured out to do something that I don’t enjoy doing…. I went shopping! In fact, I would rather go to the dentist than shop. I know many of you guys and gals enjoy a nice day of shopping and we certainly have plenty of great stores in the area. I pity my poor wife having to put up with my groaning as I accompany her on our expeditions into Traverse City. It might not be quite as dismal a picture as I paint but let’s just say that my attention span and longevity in the stores is rather short lived. Soon I find myself looking for what I call the “husband bench.” You know what I mean. Just about every retail establishment has a bench or chair close to the entrance. That’s where weary husbands sit after telling their wives to go on without them. They see the opportunity to rest their tired feet and escape what they consider the tedious job of making shopping decisions.
Well, the particular shopping trip I am referring to was a little different than normal. We were doing some Christmas shopping and the spirit of the season was tugging at my heartstrings as well as my wallet. After all, there were grandchildren to shop for! Besides all that, I was looking for something for myself. I needed a new leather belt. Actually I have been looking for a new belt for some time because my old one was looking rather worn and shabby. I was certain that I would be out in public and the stitching or the buckle might give way. That would not be a pretty picture.
I knew what I was looking for and was certain that it wouldn’t take me long. It had to be brown leather, casual and of a width suitable for jeans or khakis. Oh yes, it has to be made in the United States of America. You see, I have this thing about all the imports. It bothers me that we can’t seem to find clothing that is made in our country anymore. With positive thoughts, I bounded through the doors of the mall and began my quest.
Has anyone else tried to buy an American-made belt lately? I started out at the discount type stores only to find that all of the belts were made in China. I then reasoned that if I went to the higher end stores, maybe where they sold more “name brands,” I would have better luck. Some of the belts had recognizable brand names but upon further inspection, there it was, “Made in China.” I even found one belt that was labeled, “Genuine Italian Leather – Made in China.” Figure that one out! I went to every major department store in town. My wife, who was getting frustrated with my quest for a “Made in America” belt, suggested that I just “deal with it” (a phrase she learned from me) and buy a nice belt imported from China. Reluctantly, I did and I am now wearing it. Oh, it’s a nice enough belt but as I drove home I wondered what would ever happen if we got into a war with those people. Would our soldiers have a problem keeping their pants up?
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Helping Hands Ease The Hunger |
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Written by The Geezer
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Sunday, 09 March 2008 |
Just prior to the holidays there was a sudden avalanche of media attention to the plight of the food pantries in the area. Most of the coverage revolved around the theme of bare shelves and the need for additional donations from the community. I have always thought it interesting how so much attention is devoted to the needy just prior to Thanksgiving and Christmas. One might think that people only get hungry in November and December.
Many communities have a food pantry and our little village is no exception. Like our village, our pantry is small and can be found tucked away in a corner of one of our local churches. It is operated by a devoted group of concerned citizens who felt the desire to get involved in the needs of the area. Every week, calls come in from people in trouble, who are hungry and need food. Some callers are unemployed, victims of downsizing or seasonal layoffs. A death in the family, a broken marriage, or a serious illness prompts others to seek assistance. Some people are just victims of the inflation that our leaders tell us is low. I think about that every time I pull up to a gas pump.
During the latter part of this past summer, we noticed a disturbing trend. The requests for food were going up and our shelves were becoming sparsely populated with groceries. In short, we were running out of food fast. The demand was exceeding the supply and that’s not a good thing especially with the holidays on the horizon. The amazing thing about food pantries is that most of the funding comes from the generous support of caring citizens and local businesses that want to help their neighbors.
In our case, the call went out to the community for help, explaining the need through our village web site, homemade signs posted on bulletin boards, word of mouth, and announcements in church bulletins. The response was tremendous. People started food drives and donations began to come in. A wheelbarrow was set up in the hardware store, which was filled again and again. Our local Girl Scout troop organized a door-to-door food drive. School classes collected food the kids brought from home. Churches announced the need during Sunday services and bags and boxes of food came rolling in. One enterprising local craftsman auctioned off one of his creations with the proceeds going to the cause. Local businesses got out their checkbooks along with individuals and made cash contributions while asking for no recognition.
Thanksgiving and Christmas came quickly and the pantry was able to provide food for those in our community who had a need. Families, who otherwise might not have been able to do so, were able to enjoy a traditional holiday dinner. Now that the holidays are behind us, we need to remember that hunger and hard times go on all year long. As our economy continues to struggle, we need to remind ourselves to look after those in need of a helping hand.
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