The syrup crew turned wood cutting crew has retired for the year. We finished up this afternoon with seven plus ranks of wood cut and split and stacked at the sugar house. I had started on Monday and the rest of the crew joined in on Friday and today. We were together on Thursday, but decided to take a hint from the rain mixed with snow weather to meet for our annual meeting to take care of the business of that which we do for enjoyment. With the exception of Thursday, the weather was most cooperative--sunny or only partly cloudy with temperatures near 50 degrees. One would do well to order up that kind of weather for wood making.

. . .

The past week has proved to be very invigorating on an emotional level, even though I feel its not so gentle impact on a 65 year old body. I hadn't been able to tackle the wood making project earlier in the summer, and as the summer became fall, the issues were both time and motivation, which kept me out of the woods. The double opportunity of a week of vacation at this time and the availability of the syrup partners fired up the motivation, got the job done with style and grace, and bolstered the spirit all-a-round. It is hard to beat an experience like this. I am looking forward to the 2012 syrup season and its mid-March start date.