March came in like a lion with three snowfalls in a week. We moved 16″ along with a lot of ice chipping to be able to do that.
The sun is shining today, and there’s no snow in the forecast which definitely brings a smile. I can use a break from ice chipping, snow blowing, and roof raking. I read the average snowfall for NH this year so far is 71″. I’m thinking that’s good, Mother Nature, it can stop right there. 🙂
The 21″ Toro Single-Stage Self Propelled Gas Snow Blower with Electric Start was a good buy. It has been a learning experience with regard to where to start first, but I’ve got it down pretty well now.
The maple sap is running because of warmer days and cooler nights. NH and VT Maple Syrup is a wonderful thing, and if you haven’t had the ‘real’ thing you’re really missing out. We tapped our maple trees a couple of years so our grandkids could have the experience, and good friends also had their own sap house for many years. They had a full scale operation and produced some exceptional Maple Syrup.
Here are a few pictures.
I’ve been sewing on a twin sized quilt top, started a fabric barn quilt, and just finished reading C. J. Box’s latest Joe Pickett adventures in “Storm Watch.” That was the perfect title of a book for last weekend. Now, I need to begin thinking about starting some seeds. Ah, hands in the dirt. 🙂
Have a great week.
NewEnglandGardenAndThread 
That’s a lot of snow!
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It is. 🙂 The snowbank by the barn is a little over 4′ tall.
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Wow!
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Funny. I just finished reading an old CJ Box Book, Trophy Hunt. I haven’t read one of his books in awhile. Larry and I both like him.
We had a lot of snow last week with freezing rain on top. Our driveway didn’t get plowed because of the ice. Our drive gets very little sun so I haven’t been out to shovel. Too much work for the back and knee. It did warm up so I tried moving some of the icy mix a day ago. It was a couple inches of ice. My young man neighbor came home from work as I was shoveling. He shooed me inside and finished it for us. I made him some Irish Soda bread as a thank you.
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C. J. Box writes a good book. Our driveway is on the north side, so I understand that for sure. Before this last storm, I chopped from the top and chipped from the bottom to get a lot of ice off so the snowblower would be able to move the new stuff. It is a lot of work for sure. Nice neighbor, and I’ll bet he appreciated that Irish Soda bread.
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Sun here too and I’m drinking it in!
No matter how old I get, I always get a thrill when I hear that ping when the sap bucket gets changed and the first drips dance around in the bottom. Although, I only have one friend now who still uses buckets, and only on the roadside for show, the rest of his sugarbush is tapped with plastic tubing.
Sigh.
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We would be so anxious to go check those buckets. Fun times and good memories. Miles and miles of lines in both our states now pulling sap from trees and making some mighty fine tasting maple syrup.
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I know it is a lot easier and cost effective, but I can’t help but feeling like it is kind of cheating. But our syrup would probably cost $80 a gallon if they didn’t move with the times!
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It just kind of goes against the grain when you hear ‘vacuuming the sap’ from the trees. Sounds harsh, but as you said the price would be outrageous if they were still doing it the old fashioned way.
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Like a lion is right! We got 13 inches of snow from the last storm. It was heavy snow, but fortunately not icy. Snow-Joe handled the job, but just barely, and I did a fair amount of shoveling. Nature’s gym. 😉 This is the time of year when we start yearning for warmer weather and melting snow and hands in the dirt. In the meantime, there are indoor projects.
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13″ is a lot, and I applaud your Snow-Joe. I must admit the Toro was challenged with the first 5″ when I was throwing 5″ more on top of it and then trying to move all of it, but I took smaller bites and we made it. Hands in the dirt seems like a wonderful thing about now.
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We were fortunate to miss most snow this winter. So far we had two snowfalls with less than 2″. Because of the warm weather, it melted without any help from us.
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Sounds like a good plan to me.
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We had snow, but nowhere near your amounts. None of our has lasted long enough to grow snow banks. I’d say you’ve had enough for one winter, certainly one March! I hope you can turn your attention to things that grow. The forecast looks pretty mild for the week. I hope it’s a good one.
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One of the challenges in areas where I have to use the shovel is getting it up and over the banks. Today we had sun, but we’re getting a lot of wind right now. Wind hasn’t been our friend this winter so I hope it comes and goes without any damage.
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I injured my shoulder in 2010 and I have trouble lifting something like a shovel over my head. I’ve been known to shovel snow into a pile and then use the blower to move the pile. I hope the wind dies down.
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Thank you for another snowblower tip!
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That snowblower turned out to be a “best buy”! That’s a lot of snow and ice to move.
Your current sewing projects sound terrific. I wouldn’t expect anything less from you.
Yes, time for hands in the dirt, rakes, lawnmowers, bees and plants blossoming.
You know, when your back is killing you from all that snow removal, you could just sit down in the snow bank by the barn and ice yourself from head to toe. One and done! 🤗
Ginger
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I got a chuckle from your suggestion, Ginger. We could do the same here in MN.
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Su, I’m so glad I could provide you with a chuckle. With the weather NH and MN have been getting you all need some chuckles in your lives! Mother Nature definitely has a bad case of PMS! Ether that or my mother-in-law is filling in for her!
Hope the mid-week weather you will be gifted with fizzles out before it hits the ground.
Ginger
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Okay, I never thought of that, but it’s a pretty good idea rather than coming inside and using ice packs. Leave it to you to think of that. 🙂
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I send a truckload of sympathy, though you’d probably prefer a truckload of Tollhouse. You are so right that Mother Nature can stop any time now, having shown us what she can do. Enough already! I hope you will show us your projects when you are finished; they are always so inspiring. I can’t do what you can do, but I can be inspired! Real maple syrup is not much in my experience, but it sounds wonderful, especially with grandkids.
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Oh, definitely a truckload of Tollhouse would be greatly appreciated especially since we finished the last of our dessert today. Tomorrow will need to including a baking experience for sure. 🙂
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I just love the maple sap buckets. Most people where we were in the Townships use the blue tubing. I understand it makes things a lot easier – not as pretty though! And yes – time to think of seeds! I always have to hold back and not start too soon.
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Blue tubing around here too, but there’s nothing like the antique buckets. I have a supply in my attic. 🙂 I can’t believe I’ve held myself off on the seeds this far except I keep reminding myself of the lack of space I encountered last year.
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I’ve had the same feeling about March out here. The weather experts are saying the snow fall for 22/23 is 153% higher than the historical average. Even my Baby Girl on the other side of the mountains at 3200 ft is getting way more snow than us here at 4750 ft. It’s a record for them as well.
I’m putting that snow blower you have on my radar. We’ve been shoveling several times a day for most this winter!
We had some snow last night to shovel this morning, but we have sun today, and more snow forecasted for tomorrow. The piles around our house are getting so high!
I was wondering if you covered the maple syrup catcher. It sounds delicious. Is it delicious straight from the tree?
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For your radar, I have the 21″ with the larger motor which is wonderful, but they do make a 24″, and if I was doing it again, I’d probably go with that one because every inch counts when you’re walking and blowing. The electric start is also a plus and interesting. You plug it into an extension cord, prime it, turn the throttle to mid point, push the button, and it starts. It doesn’t have to be kept plugged in to charge or anything. The handle folds down for storage as well. It works like a charm. 🙂 Large producers use tubing and a vacuum and actually suck it right out of the trees. Harsh, but they like it. Small timers use buckets, and yes they are always covered. The sap that comes out of the tree looks exactly like water. When you boil it, the water boils off, and the syrup is left. It requires 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup. It’s an interesting process and also a learning experience. Your grandsons would like it. 🙂
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Judy, we had about 10 inches of snow here in the Upper Valley. We have an electric Toro snowblower. It did a great job clearing our driveway which is about 120 feet long. It is sunny today so that should melt the snow left on the driveway.
I agree that NH and VT maple syrup is a wonderful thing!
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Go Toro! I’m sure glad both ours fired right up because I would not have wanted to hand shovel three times last week. 🙂 There is no comparison to real NH and VT maple syrup is there? I know some folks don’t know the difference and enjoy store bought which is fine, but picking up some from a local producer is like nothing else. Pure amber gold on a pancake. 🙂 Thank you for stopping by.
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The idyllic images of New England rural living that we midwesterners cherish come to life in your blog! You live right inside a Charles Wysocki limited edition print! The maple syrup, heavy snowfall, knock dead fall color, blueberry and cranberry abundance….you’ve got it all! Plus the ultimate charm of your small town mounted police force, quick access to more oceanside states, and deep, rich national history. Wonderful, self sufficient living!
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Now didn’t you make my morning. 🙂 Your grandkids would love the syrup process of collecting the sap, boiling it down (40 gallons of sap to 1 gallon of syrup), and then enjoying it on a stack of pancakes. It’s also a history learning experience if you add in how the Native Americans used the sap.
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More wet, heavy snow here, too. About 2″, and so wet that the snowblower just packs it into even heavier globs. I’m ready for it to be over, but we’re expecting more mid-week.
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Snowblowers were really not meant to remove the wet sludge we’ve all been getting instead of nice fluffy stuff. I’ve been spraying mine with a silicone spray which has seemed to help some. I didn’t have to stop and clear it until I was done which I considered a win. 🙂 Bring on spring!
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Good idea – we’ll have to try that. Thanks for the tip!
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I got the tip from Dan at No Facilities, and I greatly appreciated it so I’m glad to pass it along.
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I’m so impressed that you tapped your own maple trees (I guess in the same way others are impressed that I can walk out into my backyard and pick lemons, oranges, and limes). I had the real thing when we visited Vermont years ago… sooo good! I hope Lady Spring visits you soon, Judy!
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It was fun when we did it for sure. 🙂 I am notably impressed that you can pick fresh fruit in your backyard. I can only imagine the joy from doing that and the good eating and drinking involved.
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Boy, can I sympathize! Hope we get no more ‘big ones.’ My onions have sprouted, so we’re on our way. 🙂
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Now, there’s a sign of spring – sprouts! It would be nice if that was the last snow, but I guess we’ll see.
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Judy, I love to see your pictures of the snow but I’m glad I don’t have to shovel or blow any! Wow! Maple syrup from your own trees sounds amazing! We were in Maine one year for Maine Maple Sunday and went to a family owned small farm to see how it was made. I bought so many bottles I had to ship some home (we were flying home). Best maple syrup ever! Now I want some!
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When you’re younger and enjoy snow related winter sports it is a wonderful thing, but when you get to be a senior all that is left is moving it which becomes more challenging each year. 🙂 Maple weekends in March are a big thing and picking up fresh syrup is a plus. I can only imagine your family and friends enjoyed their gifts. Yes, once you’ve had the real thing, it’s hard to accept the watered down grocery store version.
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There’s nothing better then real maple syrup! And hands in the dirt always makes me smile!
Telling MotherNature to stop the snow for you.
Meanwhile… make some maple syrup snow sundaes.
Happy Monday!
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My grandparents always made sugar on snow around the holidays, and it makes me smile thinking how sticky and good it was.
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Time to relive the “sweet memories!”
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What a treat to be able to harvest your own maple syrup. Lucky you. I hope you’ve seen the last of the snow for this season.
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Harvesting maple syrup is a fun process, and we have quite a few maple trees on the property. It would be nice if this was the last big snow for the season. Fingers crossed.
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I’m so glad you tapped your trees so the kids could experience that! There’s nothing like real maple syrup and maple sugar. When we visit family in NH, I always come home with some! I especially love the granulated maple sugar you can sprinkle on toast.
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Thank you for smile. Granulated maple sugar on some nice brioche toast sounds like a perfect way to start the day for sure.
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Sugaring is not practical here, although the bigleaf maple, which is a sugaring maple farther north in British Columbia, is native. Winters never get very cold, and when the weather starts to warm up during the day, there is not so much fluctuation to cooler weather at night. I did it before only because colleagues told me that I could not.
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I love that you did it after being told you could not. There’s nothing like a good challenge to fire someone up. 🙂
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Well, both Brent and I were nonconformists while we were in school, although in two distinct manners. I was ridiculed more for it than he was because he is a landscape designer and I am a nurseryman. Yet, after all these years, he and I are the only two that I am aware of who made careers of horticulture.
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Oh wow Judy what a lot of snow! I hope your don’t get any more snow lions calling.
I love all Maple Syrups but will look out for some New England Maple Syrup from now on. (we tend to get Canadian maple syrup here)
It would be lovely to see your quilt top and barn quilt when they are finished. Now that is talent!
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I’m sure CN maple syrup is good as well. I will share photos when I get done with the quilting. I’m off to see the talented long arm quilter friend this morning to have the twin sized one done professionally. She is a talent so it will look good when I get it back.
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You need to read about spring girlfriend. How about Wordsworth? Stay Warm.
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The calendar says 13 days until spring, but we’ll have to see what Mother Nature’s calendar says. 🙂
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Here at the southern end of central MA, we’ve gotten very little snow. Lots of 2 or 3 inchers, but not that lasted more than a few hours. I wake up in the morning and it’s a lovely white world. By lunch, it’s just mud. Just as well. The price of hiring a plow is astronomical now and our driveway is beyond our ability to cope with it. But I’m glad there is still snow in New England. It gives me a little ray of hope.
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I’m happy for the ski industry because they sure need it, and the states need the revenue. As for my driveway, I wish it would melt like yours. 🙂
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We’ve had a really mild winter with a few cold days. I don’t mind. I’m not a big fan of falling down on my driveway. But I’m glad there WAS snow, if not here, than elsewhere. It’s amazing what a few miles difference makes in the weather.
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You guys really have had a winter, haven’t you? When you’re raking the roof, that’s serious! Where I live, it’s been unbelievably mild all winter.
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We’ve sure had our share of snow. Roof raking from the ground, which is the only way I do it, is not bad except for the unwieldiness of the rake and pole. We have an overhang that I have to rake otherwise it turns into a block of ice that is too heavy. We’ve had a couple of days of mild temps, and the piles are melting a little.
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Oh, Judy! Hang in there, my friend! You have really been buried under so much snow this winter. I hope it will melt slowly… and that you will discover green, Spring surprises popping up in your garden beds. In the meantime, your weather is perfect for quilting, reading, and baking cookies!
In Chicagoland, we are 15 inches below our average snow fall. Our Toro is all gassed up and waiting, but our snowfalls have been easy to shovel so far. It’s so strange…
On my daily garden walkabouts, I have been seeing green sprouts since February. The daffodils are forming buds already.
Spring is just around the corner. Your garden will be well-watered as the snow melts. Think green thoughts! Keeping you in my thoughts, Judy!
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We had quite a melt this week, and I can even see some mud which is always the next season for us. We have more snow coming in on Tuesday. Maybe that will be the last one. Fingers crossed.
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Our March weather has been somewhat the same, Judy, but perhaps a little less snow. This has been the snowy month for us after getting through most of winter with minimal snowstorms. It actually started at the end of February, when our snowless landscape turned white and has pretty much stayed that way. We’ve had some nice days and melting, but can’t quite get back to being without the white stuff.
I love a good maple syrup. I’ve had some bad ones that were local, so I’m careful about what I buy. I’ve learned that I get what I pay for.
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Yes, that’s always a lesson we should remember because ‘good’ maple syrup is expensive these days. Happy pancakes and syrup as we wait for spring.
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My heart goes out to you. It is beautiful, but that’s a lot of work! I have had the ‘real thing’ and it is delicious. How nice that you have your own source. P.S. I won’t mention that we have had the most perfect beach days these last few weeks. sorry….
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By all means, enjoy those beach days. We’re looking at more snow this week. 🙂
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Fascinating to read about your winter experiences. I’ve never seen 71 inches of snow in my life. We did get a few minutes of sleet and then some large snowflakes mixed in when I was driving to yoga class yesterday. All turned to rain by the time class was over. A few days of below freezing in the forecasts now but nothing like what you’ve had. Quilting seems to be one of your many pleasures.
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We got another 10″ this week that had to be cleared. 🙂 Quilting keeps me mentally challenged during my inside days.
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Gorgeous snowy pics. I love to see them. Everyone looks so fresh and clean. I believe there has been some huge dumps across the North of our planet – friends in Norway that live on the coast have been complaining about the depth of the snowfall. Is it normally this way in March in your area?
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Not always, but this year it sure is snowy. We just cleared 10″ this week. The weather is not as reliable as it use to be and is pretty volatile.
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It is volatile everywhere. Lots of floods here followed immediately by severe drought. It would be tough to be a farmer.
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Seems like the persimmons were correct. Overly so. Except for us. We’ve had tons of rain this winter and barely 6 inches of snow.
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Moisture that you don’t have to move is a good thing. 🙂
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No argument there! 👍
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