A good day.

Drip..drip..drip.drip.drip.drip.the steady sound of sap leaving the tap and falling into the bucket; quickly becoming a splash.
The weather has been beautiful this week. We've been gathering maple sap and will begin to reduce it in the next few days. As long as the nights are below freezing and the days are warmer, we can continue to collect sap until the trees begin to bud. We've had some great fun and good memories around the evaporator as we wait for the sweet water to turn into a stronger maple tea and then thicken to syrup. We may have to resort to crushed ice for our annual sugar-on-snow party.
We've modified a wood burner and made an evaporator pan to fit it. There's nothing like the added taste of a little wood smoke to make the syrup especially good!

Planted some leeks in the kitchen garden today. My daughter and I have been looking over seed packets...sorting and discussing what should go where in the garden.

I'm going to build a salad box for a center piece and grow some herbs on the window ledge. Both new ideas in our home. Now, if only I could master the art of growing rosemary indoors.

Attended a whole foods and detox seminar today. Basically it reinforced what I'd read from many sources. All in all it's been a good day.