Two weeks has also made all the difference in how we're feeling. When we arrived we were all sick and, thankfully, we're almost back to normal now. Last weekend, while we were still on the mend, we decided to take it easy and explore the nearby area. Massachusetts is only about half an hour away from us so we decided to head down for lunch. Being a child of the 80's, I was a big fan of New Kids on the Block. So when the show Wahlburgers aired, I was curious and watched a few episodes. Little did I know that my kids would latch on to it and become fans! When they requested that we visit the Wahlburgers flagship restaurant in Hingham, we happily obliged. I can see why Alma (The matriarch of the Wahlburg family) is always shown snacking on the fries! They were really good and we all had a fun visiting.
After lunch, we drove through Rhode Island (So sad the pictures seem to have disappeared!) to see where my ancestors lived and to check it off our list. We also passed a few other historic landmarks in Massachusetts that we want to go back and explore, like Adams National Historical Park. It's amazing how much history is concentrated in the New England area. The churches and graveyards alone are worthy of a tour!
The next day we drove through New Hampshire and saw places that still had snow drifts and frozen lakes. It was amazing! Other than this year (when we were away) I don't remember the lakes near us in Washington ever freezing over.
In January New England begins what is called "sugaring season". This means the sap of the maple trees begins to run and producers tap the trees so they can boil it into maple syrup. The end of March is about the time temperatures begin to warm up, and with that, sugaring season ends. To mark the occasion Maine holds "Maple Sunday". Sadly, we arrived one week later so we missed it, but the good people of York pointed me in the direction of some sugar houses less than a few hours away that were still boiling and giving tours. So on Tuesday I packed the kids into the car and drove to Parkers Maple Barn in Mason, New Hampshire. According to the locals, Mason is the childhood home of Uncle Sam. New Englanders drive hours to visit Parkers Maple Barn for tours and to eat at their restaurant.
We joined students from a local elementary school for the tour which was fun because they asked a lot of good questions. We were told that the maple trees need to be a certain circumference before they can be tapped.
They drill a hole, or several depending on the size, in the trunk of the tree and then insert a tap with a hook on it. The hook is for hanging the bucket so it doesn't get knocked over. A little roof is added to the top to keep out snow and debris and they empty the buckets as many times as needed.
Demonstrating how the tap is inserted.
See how the sap looks clear? That's what it looks like before it's been boiled into syrup.
The kids used measuring sticks to estimate how much sap there was in this bin. What you see here has probably all been boiled down by now.
Can you believe around 40 gallons of sap is needed to make 1 gallon of syrup, depending on the sugar content?! The sugar levels are higher at the beginning of sugaring season so it takes less time to boil down and the syrup is a higher quality (Grade A). Then as the season progresses, the sap needs to be boiled longer, resulting in darker syrups with different nuances in flavor (Grade B and C). We were told that during the height of sugaring season, the sugar houses are filled with sweet steam and a sweet-smelling mist hovers over the valleys because of all the boiling going on.
Different colors for different grades of syrup.
We were also surprised to learn that many of the people in Mason have partnered with Parkers Maple Barn and they let them tap their trees in return for syrup at the end of the season. Sounds like a sweet deal to me! We've noticed that much throughout New England people and businesses are very eco and sustainability minded.
There's a bit more that goes into the process of making maple syrup but that's the basic idea. It was really interesting. Afterward we stopped at the restaurant for breakfast- complete with syrup tapped and produced on-site! Delicious! There are all kinds of maple products available in their shop.
On our way home we stopped at the Brookline covered bridge, built in 1769. New England is known for their covered bridges so I'm glad we were able to see one.
From what we've experienced so far, Maine is a beautiful state. People have been really friendly and have a great sense of humor. I don't know if it's because they're just happy the sun is finally out, but it's wonderful to experience. At the grocery store people smile. They make room for each other and I frequently walk past people just chatting as old friends. They make eye contact and sincerely wish you a good day.
You can see one "Mainers" sense of humor and love of home in this redwork project. It was on display at a participating shop for the Maine Shop Hop, which is going on this month. The employees at Knight's Quilt Shop in Ogunquit were happy to inform me that aside from lobster, Maine is also known for Moxie soda, whoopie pies, and potatoes. Then they gave me tips for places we need to visit while we're here. See? Friendly!
Around Ogunquit and York, businesses are in the process of "shaking off the snow" as one local described it. We've been watching "closed for the season" signs slowly disappear as hotels air out and reopen. This is a new thing for us because Seattle never closes.
Wishing you all a wonderful Easter weekend!
- Jen
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