Will We Go to the Dark Side this Year?

I read this on one of our local news websites today:  "Climatologically, Binghamton (New York) hits 50 degrees for the first time each year around January 27th but it has yet to do so this year."

Yes, tell us about it.

But spring is progressing, if you can call being able to see bare ground in some places for the first time since December "progress".

Last month, this was our front yard.  Looks kind of nice in the early morning light.

I know, underneath all that snow lie crocuses, hyacinths, grape hyacinths, tulips, and daffodils, just waiting for the secret signal Nature gives.

I also know that March can sneak in a few snowstorms.  One of our worst since I've lived here was March 13, 1993.

So winter isn't over just yet.

But the birds are singing (no robins yet) and I see tree buds starting to swell. 

And, best of all, it's Maple syrup season.  I wonder, though, if we are going to be able to have a maple festival this year.  They are trying.   Our Maple Weekends (when you can visit producers and see maple syruping in action) are in some doubt but they are also trying.  The official weekend is cancelled but local producers can choose, and we have retail sales available in the two local sites I know of (local meaning 30 miles from Binghamton or less.)

Our local syrup producer started to boil on February 27.  The sap is running.

Oh, those sweet memories of dark maple syrup.  Not the stuff you get in supermarkets, but oh so good.  Well, better than the supermarket type, especially if you have people who boil sap using wood.

Going to the dark side with others may have to wait until next year but we will still have local syrup.

Sweet!