We'll be making syrup with our neighbors in their beautiful sugar bush again this year.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxelzdhNt51DJKoVUjRvQ-EXYOU4IbnTGOUNA9hawpY2PXXtZsedcwNKRASovrAAaQPRqsbNKRK0QiCoSj_Lh7x1gdHN8cyCd1qfbkZtMya-kagmiGBq2Vxo_2FYq6UtPvb9euA9TL3Qy2/s400/IMG_1980_1.jpg)
Sunday morning was beautiful with its sunny blue skies.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicy4N6keRwBR3cH_bu8iZyvFDrUyzW4xkInyPyzXEZOLdgBGHw17jHeRD3fZBBxqYgbqjGe_i_HhI9uzvK7iQYNuNR4e5SZjJmGi0yFTmvKOC8uh4f4XtghtYT6HZuqrzybRBdeCU9U6vo/s400/IMG_1963_1.jpg)
So we headed into the woods with a hand drill, a bucket of spiles and a sled full of sap buckets.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNE6RkQEDk4pEah5dfUb6m2AsoRKSAlxERcAJViHfDXL701xcAaQtfum284P4NMzaTK8wVHD9k89eS_m9g40UbO2QBLV9RQJI5yyaq2TStzduPzI9REpCECMi6BWr-xZJ23bYD0Q4OD0jE/s400/IMG_1932_1.jpg)
This is a week and half earlier than last year, but it's been that kind of a winter.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEion-nXQ0QGhsQvN6AegNDtsrP7tpfe22We0eqLo70tN-ceK3JZ6yphLNpODSeU__0F-XHhBTEqsct78jsshaLINbwUJ4sK6eOplh4AOGyaX9ssLvxjsjLiLdzPh1wmeH6esZOC1YYxDUnd/s400/IMG_1933_1.jpg)
Rich is already hearing stories of flowing sap next-door in Rusk county,
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6DkeXUNC89RAaMCRSsnsKTja9YTIdxudQCzNdi4aKOVNxsYxoj-sGAbVQ4M7CvcTJNZ8zB3c7IJedL-RCLQVg7sQNA9w82EmLSL64KgMOZrdEd-G98UUgwewoLaW8Xr3WlIwiLgOsQ4Vn/s400/IMG_1950_1.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsolkI0PM1xNgtw47ROJV2wHJGiZgECAz1RbnBIh16Sd7DYOWLdAujZGC5Fnh41ktciG7RHgLYMOacO_wWqiFqWX5GNZTy2lRGLiM90DHikeAfmeZvuWz-K8AeCK7KmvMBLhhmY6J0BcRz/s400/IMG_1970_1.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioo5px4JuhC51ijLBe7Vp5sihkHx0ZlzPzC2HJ2d5zUywOssigGb5QU8w_VP_H2TiMW5VVhJW7uMatc6Sd3nkZUTjkx-Tjbxkr9D5dl2aOSQenFEfZLUZp35ySGhLfkHqUE_jiHgYijFIF/s400/IMG_1923_1.jpg)
as we struggled to make our way from tree to tree in the knee-deep snow,
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7AN3vW8ItahpawhwgfRhuGhbFacWiwGz0Rk47K1wraL3bQWgNGtRVk-byld0V69GjRwn_cUUt5HkubC2IgSUeIMKS4vZckjfjUnYOJWbve8L_aREe0C1t0hqDoD7y4VLFzndh15ek5BMY/s400/IMG_1969_1.jpg)
drilling each hole, pounding in the spile, and hanging each bucket as we went.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvkqp5caTxe_3vB9sYyo0-7RQ2ShuL84s1dDy58SEcANSdfGE_AW4HSiVINRGimx4y7-wj2pJHkHCxYiV7WBJOgi4Or3ReRAvbBvAmBlRIFneWOGoDxYmIM_tFJoDRnl10umen3Pku548v/s400/IMG_1967_1.jpg)
But the gorgeous day, great company, and the promise of our own delicious syrup,
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuy0Q1EtnJaTzlu53asW5IYaEaxyWnyRNd_LajuX0LcR8d0i5vXgc6QJ0FgohIkpI-cvO9Ksr1fLnMqV_mznmoCBeqw3U1h3VYeakKN36mTGHxxqaUEaxsUdFzMm5fmnCsFO6Qdgxy5xD2/s400/IMG_1947_1.jpg)
make it worth a little extra effort.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHLll4ta_JqZbD_vHPdZWFJwFeggno5-QvqDlWZfwdQljBZ051qzL58xHYCrdCXyOURj0u3cNbYmxG0PRG8xIGbYdTQ3A40ZkLxDANHVtNjvE13yWkzemVoUoUH61EO6YPFKFKU1aiQipG/s400/IMG_1982_1.jpg)