Maple flavored icicles

The iced storm was devastating to our forests. Now that the snow is retreating we can see the piles of downed limbs and brush to be cleared. Roadside signs have appeared offering chipping and brush clearing services. These limbs are green wood and are very heavy. Some are bent under tension so when I’m using the chainsaw I need to pay even more attention to the direction of the cuts. Everywhere in town folks are trying to burn piles of brush unsuccessfully because green wood is not very flammable. Kerosene helps for this task.

The other day I noted that chickadees were visiting the broken branches of maple trees. They were drinking the sap which is running freely now. My driveway is wet, my windshield is covered with it, all oozing from broken branches. In the morning after an overnight freeze I was greeted with maple flavored icicles, quite tasty I must say.