Eric’s spring 2020 diary

Eric’s been journaling during our adjustment to these rapidly changing times, so I’ve created a page on The Way to the Clearing for him to post his thoughts. (For Patti’s blog posts, visit the homepage or click here.) The sun shone brightly through the trees this morning making long, patient shadows. After warming the house … Read more

To go with the global mood right now, it’s been dreary and wet. Rain, snow, snow, rain, more rain, more snow, except for April 1st when I got to work out in the yard some. In fact, another rite of spring-is-almost-here, accomplished the day before yesterday, is raking up the “deposits” on the area of lawn … Read more

It snowed last night and everything this morning was highlighted in white with bright sun. Even in this it’s-supposed-to-be-spring season, it was the kind of snowfall that takes your breath away. And the sun warmed the land all day long. In the afternoon, I canned a gallon of maple syrup. I broke my thermometer (stupid), … Read more

I thought I saw a flash of light when lying in bed last evening, but it was so fleeting, it didn’t register. When Patti came in several moments later, there was a rumbling neither of us could pinpoint. I got up, went outside and shined the flashlight around. Nothing.  Back in bed, I thought I … Read more

(For Patti’s blog posts, visit the homepage or click here.) Sap has been running steadily. I collected 45 gallons, tapped another tree, and out on the roads, homemade “tanker trucks” are numerous. These are filled with sap collected by landowners and delivered to big sugaring operations like Goodrich’s Maple Farm in Cabot on US Route … Read more

The latest entry in Eric’s 2020 Spring Diary.(For Patti’s blog posts, visit the homepage or click here.) Plenty of coals this morning, but no kindling. Still, the fire in the main house started right up after stirring the coals and ashes with the fire poker and strategically placing two smallish logs on the embers glowing … Read more

Eric’s been journaling during our adjustment to these rapidly changing times, so I’ve created a page on The Way to the Clearing for him to post his thoughts. Here is entry number two. (For Patti’s blog posts, visit the homepage or click here.) I left the damper open on the woodstove when we retired to the bedroom last … Read more

Eric’s been journaling during our adjustment to these rapidly changing times, so I’ve created a page on The Way to the Clearing for him to post his thoughts. Here is entry number two. (For Patti’s blog posts, visit the homepage or click here.) Yesterday I didn’t get through the 30 gallons of collected sap, and those snow flurries? … Read more

Eric’s been journaling during our adjustment to these rapidly changing times, so I’ve created a page on The Way to the Clearing for him to post his thoughts. Here is entry number two. (For Patti’s blog posts, visit the homepage or click here.) I’m going to boil today, very much a spring-is-definitely-coming endeavor. But, again, it didn’t feel … Read more

Eric’s been journaling during our adjustment to these rapidly changing times, so I’ve created a page on The Way to the Clearing for him to post his thoughts. (For Patti’s blog posts, visit the homepage or click here.) After we all got up and took the poodly boys out back for their morning constitutional, the … Read more

The latest entry in Eric’s Spring 2020 diary. (For Patti’s blog posts, visit the homepage or click here.) Ah, spring has arrived! Yesterday it was gray but warm, and I collected an additional 15 gallons of sap. Today it is cold—for a couple of hours this morning, temperatures continued to drop after I got up—but … Read more

Eric’s been journaling during our adjustment to these rapidly changing times, so I’ve created a page on The Way to the Clearing for him to post his thoughts. Here is entry number two. (For Patti’s blog posts, visit the homepage or click here.) Eric’s entry: March 20 I exaggerated a bit yesterday. While the terrain is completely blanketed … Read more

Eric’s been journaling during our adjustment to these rapidly changing times, so I’ve created a page on The Way to the Clearing for him to post his thoughts. (For Patti’s blog posts, visit the homepage or click here.) Eric’s entry: March 19 There are few in the world today who don’t know how difficult these … Read more