Spring Syrup-Making and a Visit from Susan, Jay, and Oliver!

Cooking maple sap over a wood fire

Well, we're in the very early stages of spring here in Wisconsin. Most of the snow and ice are gone and there's buds on the trees. Green shoots are coming up in our perennial beds. No flowers yet, but the robins are back. Earlier this week we had one really warm day that was probably in the 70's.


One new activity Jon took up this spring is maple syrup-making.


He bought a $50 starter kit with spigots to tap into the tree trunks. The sap falls down into thick plastic collection bags that can be emptied and re-used as needed. The sap flows best when it warms up during the day but is still cold at night. Collection needs to be done before the trees bud or the sap can turn bitter.

Jon's home-made maple syrup!

After that, it's just a matter of cooking the sap down into syrup. There are no other ingredients in true maple syrup. For economy and for keeping our kitchen walls clean, Jon's been doing most of the boiling outside over a wood fire, while he does other yard work. If Leila's not in school, she likes to help him. Once the sap has boiled down significantly, he brings it into the house. He then filters it through a sieve and a clean linen cloth to remove any ash or impurities. Then he finishes cooking the sap down in a small pot until he determines that it looks and tastes right.


This syrup is so mild and fresh and wholesome... we love it. Served over vanilla ice cream it tastes like gourmet caramel.

Gator handles rough terrain pretty easily

Dad getting a ride in the Gator

Jon and the girls have been collecting the sap in our new Gator all-terrain vehicle. Jon assures me that the Gator is for hauling firewood and other practical farm and yard-related chores. I do, however, notice, that it is also used for fun...

The recreational side of the Gator

Samantha the calf

Another change has been the addition of a small calf hut next to the chicken coop in our backyard. The cute little calf (Samantha) is learning to eat hay and grain, but still needs to be fed a bottle every morning and night. It's amazing how fast she gulps down the bottle.


When the calf gets bigger we'll keep her up by the rest of Johnne's cows. Jon has a couple of cows at our neighbor Johnne's already, mixed with her herd, but they didn't get pregnant this year, as hoped. Jon may buy a few more calves this spring to augment the little herd he's started, if he can get them at a decent price. He's been going to cattle auctions and checks on craigslist.

Here are some pictures from Michael and Emma's school activities:

Emma with her D.I. team

Emma's D.I. team performing

Michael in track

Emma with basketball team

This next picture fits into the "small world" category... I went to a Pampered Chef party for one of Emma's school friends' mom, and who was doing the demonstration but Brandi Noller, my cousin Dave's wife-! Actually, Dave's mother Fran is my cousin, so that makes Dave my second cousin. But still-! Small world.

Brandi Noller, Pampered Chef rep!

One spontaneous and rather amazing thing that just happened was that Susan, Jay, and Oliver were in Wisconsin. They stayed several days with us and then overnight at each of Susan's grandmas' houses. It was so fun seeing Oliver at this little bit later stage of development. He's much more expressive now and, of course, spends more time with his eyes open. We also enjoyed seeing Susan and Jay more settled in their mom and dad roles, playing with Oliver and coaxing great big smiles out of him...

Leila and Oliver taking a bath

Our green hat boys

Which is the bigger baby?

Sweater set from Grandma Jane

The little traveler

Kissy lips

This little guy gets kissed and talked to all the time

Mommy and son

A pensive and soon to fall asleep Grandma Lisa

Now that most of us have cell phones with internet, so we know all the silly and time-wasting things available to do with our phones... for example, my 14 year-old likes to take selfies on my phone and then make them into my wallpaper:

Example of what Emma uses my phone for

Therefore it was a refreshing change to see Susan using her iphone for geneology. Using an app called ancestry.com (Susan, correct me if that's wrong), Susan has been doing geneology and connecting with other family members. The app includes a database of information (birth records, and so on), but it also helps users connect with other relatives. People can add pictures and birthdates and additional information that other people interested can then access (or add to themselves). In this way Susan was able to show Grandma Jane old family pictures she had never seen before and let her know that one of Grandma Jane's uncles, a long-lost Uncle Frank, is still alive (and living in Louisville, Kentucky). This is very cool stuff!

Example of what Susan uses HER phone for

Well, that's enough blog for now, I'd say! If you read it all from start to finish I really have to congratulate you :). Sorry I'm so long-winded.