Thursday, February 24, 2011

love sap


artwork by Mary Reilly, graphite
"Graffiti Tree"
Call me a sap, I fall for trees that have been marked with love, well not so much the marking but the hole that has the tap for the maple sap to drip. It is Maple Sugaring time in the Northeast.

It's maple madness time in the Catskills and Frost Valley YMCA is offering a guided hike to the sap house.

The first step in making maple syrup begins with the collection of the sap.

The traditional method for collecting this sweet sap involves cutting a small hole in the tree then collecting the sap with a bucket.

The process of making maple syrup with a bucket still occurs today. However it has been largely replaced by a more efficient collection system.

Do you love maple syrup as much as I do?

17 comments:

quintessence said...

I do love maple syrup - but obviously only the real thing! I was a veteran tree climber as a child and always loved reading all the carvings!

pve design said...

Stacey-
Yes, the real thing of course to make a Tarte au sucre!
Sweet memories of climbing trees to you (and I) Those were the days....now it is probably not politically correct to hug a tree.
pve

Joyce said...

I am a tree and maple syrup lover too! I have always been drawn to years and was told once I am tree. smile... xo

Belle on Heels said...

i had a childhood vendetta against maple syrup, but i think because it wasn't the real deal. my little sis is now working/living on a sustainable farm in VT and she's learning how to maple sugar, so maybe this will win me over!!

Purple Flowers said...

I love trees. I believe the shape and forms represent their personality. Yes, I give them a unique distinction.

Last weekend in Vermont, I was lovin' maple syrup. Actually, we treat ourselves here, and buy the real stuff.

I Dream Of said...

Oh delicious! Makes me want a stack of pancakes. There is nothing more peaceful than being in the trees.
Hope you are having a sweet week!
Jeanne

Mona Thompson Providence Ltd. said...

How funny. I actually had maple syrup just yesterday and haven't had any in a long time. My husband had a mohs surgery procedure to take a skin cancer off of his forehead yesterday and we stopped and had a late breakfast on our way home as a treat. Love the new look of your blog. Mona

Ann said...

I love reading tree carvings,
if I get to see a tree with carvings on it, I'm sure to read it, no matter if I didn't know who they are, the more artistic and sentimental the writings are the better.

Unknown said...

I adore maple syrup and brought home the most beautiful bottle from vermont...which might lead to a post!

And, trees.....just back from yoga where the large picture windows (in lieu of a mirror) open onto a large field filled with stark, winter trees. While in my dancer's pose (no tree pose today) I thought of how fun it is to see the seasons change through this class and those windows!

xo e

Karena said...

Patricia, yes I love the Real Thing!! Your site looks just super!!

xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena

julielorusso@gmail.com said...

I love it! I love those little maple syrup candies too. Yum!

Julie

Unknown said...

There is a wonderful childrens' book--Sugar on Snow...
BarbaraG

Unknown said...

Hmmm, yummy! We are in maple sirup land! LOVE it!

Unknown said...

PVE,

Just in time for more pancakes please! Can't have one love without the other! Great photos.

Bette

Tonia Lee Smith said...

Just purchased maple syrup this week. It's a staple in this house. I keep forgetting the process, thanks for the reminder :)

Amy said...

We visit my husband's family in Vermont most summers and just ran out of the delicious maple syrup and were DEVASTATED! The grocery store stuff does NOT cut it! P.S. I think it is ALWAYS politically correct to hug a tree! :) *Amy

CREED said...

Being a Canadian, of course I love maple syrup, my pantry is never without. I use it for cooking all the time, from basting to baking, and salad dressings. The best is pouring it on fresh snow. : )