Another thing I loved about going away for March Break was coming home to SPRING! Longer days and sunshine with some heat in it; I love this time of year!
I remember a couple of years when we could just carry on wearing sandals when we arrived – with the heat on in the car obviously, but sandals just the same! That didn’t happen every year, and we can always expect an April snowfall, or at least a freezing rainstorm, but you can feel the transition to summer happening just the same.
Maple Syrup
For almost 30 years, Gilles has been tapping trees and boiling the sap in the backyard, culminating in a boiloff party that has become a family tradition. Friends and family would join us for pancakes and syrup, hot dogs cooked in the sap and a celebration of all things maple!
The kids would follow along with Gilles as they collected sap and carried it home in buckets, often stopping for a taste of the sap right from the tree. Many of those who joined us for the boiloff would head out to the “sugar bush” for an adventure and help with the sap collection to gain the full experience.
When the kids went off to university and beyond, they still came home whenever possible, and usually brought friends with them. One of the first times Erika came to visit she was wearing nice, fancy leather boots and got ridiculed for wearing them to the bush; she must really love Max because she stuck around for lots of teasing ever since!
We have so many great memories of pepere and his brothers coming down for the day to sit by the fire and give Gilles instructions on how to improve the operation. They loved to spend the day out there!
Not everyone can say that they grew up with a maple syrup operation as part of their family history. It is one of the things that I love about springtime in Muskoka.
Downside
I have to say that there are really only 2 months of the year when Muskoka is not breathtakingly beautiful – one is right now and the other is November. These months are both “between”; between lush beautiful green summer, colourful autumn and the crisp whiteness of winter when there is snow in every branch and the world looks like a winter wonderland.
Right now everything is brown and muddy! I am feeling for moms with little ones right now because I remember LOTS of clothing changes and filthy laundry at this time of year. And the boots and shoes, there was mud everywhere!
I remember one year when I got a call from Phil’s grade 1 teacher. I had unsuccessfully tried to convince him to wear splash pants to school and she was calling me following morning recess to request that I bring him another pair of pants. She laughed as she told me that when she asked what he thought I might say, he smiled and said, “it’s a good thing I’m cute!” She was laughing because that is exactly what I had said; he knew me well!
Hope
The good news about this stage is that you can see the beauty increasing day by day. You can feel the heat from the sun and soon there will be buds in the trees and then it seems that overnight everything turns green and lush and spring is in full session.
The added bonus this year is the excitement about COVID vaccines. There is light at the end of the tunnel and we will soon be able to travel and see loved ones again!
Spring is a time to celebrate hope!
Mario
I have many warm memories of sitting around the sap fire and exchanging ideas, stories and laughter. And saddened with the thought that certain friends won’t join us this year.
Carol
We certainly have lots of great memories of friends and family at the boil off…I am looking forward to socially distanced sharing of ideas, stories and laughter this year!