I could hear it from across the yard.

The steady drip.
drip.

drip.
drip – drip.

 

drip.

The sap drummed on the empty buckets as the first drips fell. The next day the kids fished out the sweet, tender ice and stood in the sunshine, nibbling it with muddy hands.

Sage pulled the buckets and waited patiently for a slow fill. Spring is most definitely worth waiting for.

We simmered the first pail full on the stove and watched as the magic worked this pail of watery sap down to a thick, amber syrup for our breakfast. Ahh, sweet spring. What's not to love?

We've been busy inside too.

Playing,

knitting (see also Lu's green and blue hat in maple pictures above), 

pounding sauerkraut,

and grinding (eating) grains for bread.

Someday I'll build an outdoor bread oven so that we can kindle a wood fire and bake outside in the sunshine and fresh air. Today my plans are more simple. I just want to put my closeline up and welcome spring back with some crisp, sweet smelling bedsheets.