Sugar on snow & times, they are a changin

Sister Lori, nephew Jadon and I went to Putnam Brothers Sugar House last weekend. I am in a different time zone now, so by law I had to wait until now to post this.

While I was there I learned all sorts of New Englandy terms about how to make Maple Syrup that I have already forgotten. The essentials though are that they no longer use buckets on the side of a tree like the picture below shows. They now use miles of plastic tubing, which feed in to big vats. I was able to see the raw sap flow in to a vat. It is then brought in to a something that draws out moisture and in to another machine that boils it. Fancy physics involved there, really there is.

I was able to sip what the nice syrup guy called "the good stuff." Don't worry, I did not get drunk off of it, but it was a warm sweet shot glass of freshly made maple syrup. It beats Mrs. Butterfield any day of the week.

Jadon and I then had Sugar on Snow. They take pure maple syrup and pour it on snow (or in this case crushed ice). You then consume this with a fork; my sister taught me to swirl it like spaghetti, delicious. I have taken part in a great New England tradition, so I guess I have to start talking funny.

Time:

I have not worn a watch for years. I have used my cell phone in order to keep track of time. In fact, I callously referred to watch wearers as "old people." Well, I have repented of my mean ways. I now wear a watch every day to work. I cannot have my cell phone in prison. Apparently people in prison have been known to get a hold of them and misuse them, go figure. Here is the big change; I forgot my watch yesterday and looked at my empty wrist about 15 times. Times, they are a changin.