Snow in the Valley

January is going out with a snow storm and February is  coming in with a storm.  This morning looking out the kitchen window it was the first hint that winter will soon be pushed away by spring.  The sun has moved down the valley giving way to beautiful sunshine in the back field earlier.  With the big flakes falling it reminds me of Maple Tapping Time.  Living on the farm tapping trees in March was a most exciting time and today that old memory just made me stand there visually seeing the "old sugar shack" with smoke coming out the chimney and steam rolling out the door from boiling sap that would soon be maple syrup.  What a great many pictures crossed my mind.  The fire wood stacked by the door that would dwindle down with each nights boiling.  Yes, nights because on a farm the cows need milked morning and night.  That left the middle of the day for the wagon to go through the Maple stand to empty the buckets and hauled back to be dumped in the big boiling pan.  After lunch the fire was started and the boiling would begin.  While it was still in the beginning stage it was off to the barn for evening chores.  Mom would take sandwiches, cookies and a thermos of coffee to the Sugar Shack for our supper. The sap was finished off to the beautiful golden syrup.  They always kept a little sauce pan to add syrup to, boil it down until it spun a hair and then pour it over a pile of fresh snow.  Heaven on the snow.  There is something about that memory that always makes me smile.  Even my parents would wind it up off the snow to eat.  Once the syrup was back to the house the next boiling started.  Mom would make maple cream and maple sugar candy.  If you have never had a warm buttermilk biscuit or piece of toast with butter and maple cream it should be on your to do list.  If you like maple you will be hooked on maple cream.  Take a trip to Rathbuns on the Eleven Mile Road this spring for their open house.  You can sample and buy maple cream and maple candy.

Our Sugar Shack was on the side hill at the edge of the Maple stand.  It was across from the farm house.  Being over there until midnight or later we could look at the house across the valley and see the warm glow of lights.  The later it got the more inviting it looked and thinking of a warm bed.  Being in the single digits of age I was never allowed to stay at the house alone.  Even when the morning milking was done I had to get up, go to the barn and there mom would take a blanket and make a little spot in the hay for me to sleep.  Can you believe it might be the best sleep ever?  Nestled in so warm, listening to the cows munch their grain and the sound of the old milkers going.  What a great way to live for me.  Simple, pure and relaxed.  At evening chore time it was take a book (Nancy Drew first choice), drawing tablet and a couple cookies. 

5:30 pm and still  daylight.  It makes going to do chores a Cook'n by the Creek later each night.  Chickens go by how much daylight is left before they want to go to roost.  Go to the barn any earlier and you just get frustrated trying to chase them into the coop.  They can be stubborn girls and won't break the habit.  Smokey also goes by daylight.  When he is ready for his supper he stands by the gate and looks over at the house.  He is also getting later each day.  Hard to believe we let animals run the show around here but it is just easier to go with their flow than to fight it.

With all the winter talk supper is more like a summer meal tonight.  When thinking of what's for supper this morning macaroni salad came to mind.  I can't remember when the last time it was made,   maybe around August.  Tonight is a little taste of summer food, macaroni salad, grilled bratwurst, pickles and a roll.  It won't be long and a whole new eating pattern will start around here.

I'm sure it is no different than in the summer but we both
thought it tasted great!