Maple Sugar Time

The last day of vacation and I was out of the house for most of it.  A few chores were done and then I headed out to SCA fighting practice.  This one takes place about an hour north of home, in the White Mountains.  There were only 2 fighters and the marshal that were there to practice fighting today.  There was also a spouse who is hoping to take up fighting soon and 3 kids running around.  Until going to this I forgot that I used to enjoy going to practices.  It has been years since I have gone to just a practice rather than a tournament.  Tournaments can be fun, but I like the stop and teach moments that happen more at a practice.  I don't like the part that can happen where people get hurt, that can happen in any sport.  After I was there a bit another person showed up to watch.  I had been trying to undue a rather large knot of silk and she offered to help.  Soon the 3 of us were deeply engaged in untangling and talking while the 3 fighter types practiced and taught and the 3 boys ran around (away from the fighting) playing.  It was a lot of fun and I hope to make it up there to another practice soon.  Maybe next time I will think to take pictures.

On the way home I stopped by a friends house for a visit.  I hadn't seen him since last year when he had a few friends over for his 50th birthday and I got to go with him as he cared for honey bees.  Today he was busy doing the first run of maple syrup.  We stood in the sugar shack and talked for about 3 hours.  I met his lady and her mom and a few other friends that stopped by while we visited.  Nice people.  I feel like I smell like the maple steam, but K and Z don't smell it on me.  I'm so glad that I happened to pick today to stop by.  So many memories of my childhood and tapping trees with my dad, getting to eat the little bits of frozen sap first thing in the morning off the tap as a kid and the smell of it cooking in the kitchen.  We didn't have enough trees to have a shack, just enough for a family and some precious memories.  Also, so many memories and just catching up with my friend in that 3 hours.  I have some absolutely fantastic friends. 

So many happy things for today:  Friends, old and new; memories; mountains, and that smell of maple sap as it heats up and starts to turn into maple syrup.  🍁 😋

Rocks and mountains, because they are pretty.

Maple Syrup Cooker. 

☮☮☮☮