We’ve tapped a half-dozen sugar maples around the neighborhood, with plans for boiling our first batch of syrup on Sunday.

And I’ve learned that when you’re collecting the sap, it helps to have a partner along to help out:

March brought some good days for tapping our trees. Dori scouted out appropriate sugar maples, a crew bought the equipment, drilled and set up the buckets.

Sap ran immediately, and soon there was 40 gallons in a brand new trash barrel.

Kids building a fairy house under one of the sap buckets.

Sunday dawned sunny and warm; a good fire outside and the boiling sap was on its way to becoming syrup.  Lawn chairs, sunscreen, roasted potatoes, syrup tasting and marshmallows were some of the highlights enjoyed by all who helped or came to watch.

Night fell, the syrup was finished, the equipment washed, and the fire was put to bed.  Another great day in paradise!