Thank you Grant Family and the Pond View Maple Sugar House for allowing me to take these pictures!
OK mom these next couple of pictures are for you. I arrived a little after 7 p.m, I knocked on large sliding pine door, (tap, tap). I introduced myself, in my simple soft voice.
Come in, Come in! A smiling friendly group of people welcomed me in. Introductions went around the room, I instantly felt at home.
It was warm and sweet.
I told the story of how every year my mom wants to see the boil and come to the open house, but she isn't home in time. She winters in Arizona and every year she asks me when the open house is.May I please, take some pictures to send to her so she could have a little taste of New England. Of course!, they said in unison.
Unfortunately, I could not get a good picture tonight of the outside of the sugar shack, the spot lights were on, people were coming and going and pallets of wood were being stacked by the sliding pine doors. However I got some pretty interesting shots from the inside.
If the weather is fare again tomorrow I'll take the girls for a little walk down the road and snap some good pictures of the outside.
The glare you see in this picture are on the tank. Coming from the chimney are bright orange embers shooting into the night sky.
I was granted a one of a kind Wednesday night tour. Marc, a very nice young man walked me through the process, and encouraged me to bring the family March 24 for their annual open house.
We attended an open house in March of 05' when the twins were a fragile 5 months old, many of our family and friends came. I'd love for us to do it again, mark your calendars everyone!
I see these men working hard as soon as the days turn warmer than the nights.
This tank holds 800 gallons of sap! They can burn 80 gallons an hour this one feeds directly into the evaporator. Their lines stretch from our little dirt road down to the main road. There are two other tanks that they pump and then transfer into this tank that feeds directly into the shack.
If I work or or go out I'll come over the hill and see those embers lighting the night sky. I'll drive slowly and try to peer though the steamy windows. It's alive with life yet hidden behind the steam of the evaporator, and the smoke from the stacks.
I love this time of year, winter on the cusp of spring!
Thank you so much for shareing these pictures with me, they are great, and hearing a little about how it runs was nice too. Tell them thanks too for letting you take the pictures. It just makes me more home sick.See you soon.
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