It'll Get Here - the Sooner, the Better

-->

The Magic

It was a mild winter until Stella , a major snowstorm. Brought heavy snow squalls, high winds and frigid temperatures. Still digging out here. But with a mild February, the maple sap began to flow and the producers were were busy collecting and boiling.

This weekend is time to enjoy and learn all about maple syrup as the Northwestern Pennsylvania Maple Association  sponsors their annual Taste and Tour Open House this weekend Saturday, March 18 and Sunday March 19.

This will be the 14 year for the popular family event. The participating Sugar Houses will open their doors, free of charge, at 10 a.m. each day. The Taste and Tour ends each day at 4 p.m. Each participating Sugar House has a wide variety of different fun events, free samples and maple products which can be purchased. (one of my favs, besides the syrup. is maple mustard)

For more information on the Taste and Tour event click on the link above or at GoErie

Dress appropriately since some events are held outdoors; at this point there are no major storms headed this way,  although there is a chance of some snow each day possibly mixed with rain.

Nearby New York State also sponsors a similar Taste Tour event which can be found at New York Maple Tour

Enjoy sometime in the sugarbush this weekend!

Frog and Toads

The warmer than usual weather not only got the maple sap running; it also got the regions toads and frogs singing in late February. While I( did not hear any of them here, plenty of nearby neighborhoods enjoyed the chorus.

The warm weather was just in time for the two training sessions for volunteers in the FrogWatch program sponsored by the Pymatuning Lab of Ecology in Linesville.

For more information on this vital volunteer fun project  Probably Hiding

The Garden

The warm weather made me do it and now I have some tomato and pepper seedlings growing in the front sunny window. I might have been a tad early but I should be able to get them out in the greenhouse sometime in April and before the plants get too large.

I was somewhat surprised when I saw the garlic growing two weeks ago; it was up about two inches. Now the plants are buried under almost two feet of snow.

The bees were also out and about and it looks promising that the hive survived the winter.

Just For the Heck of It

• March 17, 1845 The rubber band was invented. Can you imagine life without them!?

• March 29, 1886- Coca Cola is invented.

• March 20 International Earth Day - also called Sun-Earth Day
• 
  
• March 20 Spring (Vernal) Equinox