Slow Down

Reading two different blog posts with the same title must be a sign for something, I believe, especially when they are titled "Slow Down" (posts 1 and 2).  I definitely need to slow my life down a bit and not get overwhelmed with all of the things I have to do and complete.

I am still taking photos, but just can't find the time to upload them onto my computer or blog about them.  Until now, that is.

2013.03.23 - walking to school on a Saturday.  The snow is mostly gone now.

2013.03.25 - Almost full moon.

2013.03.26 - A few friends are trying to tap maple trees for the first time, and so I said why not.

At first, we tried using this old traditional hand-drill, but we did not go very deep.  In the end, we brought out the electric drill and it was much easier afterwards.

Collecting the sap.

Maple spile.

2013.03.31 - Maple sap boiling

After 5 days of sap collecting, we ended up with three big containers of sap.  So then it was time to boiling the sap.  (P.S. - don't ask me about any techniques because this is my first time making maple syrup and I am a complete amateur).  During the sap boiling process, I saw my first honey bee of the year!  What a find!

We constructed this nice-looking fire pit.

Starting out with clear slightly sweet-tasting liquid.

Chopping wood, making sure the sap don't boil over, and bird-watching at the same time.

Lots of chickadees on the property.

Almost seven hours later, we ended up with more than two glass jars of homemade syrup.  What an experience!

Later that evening, a friend and I drove from Peterborough to Burlington to see if we can witness the Jefferson Salamanders moving to their breeding pools.

Road closed for the safety of the salamanders.  We parked the vehicle outside the closed zone and walked on the dark road with headlamps.  Unfortunately, only one side of the road was completely closed off and while we were there, we saw three cars that came through the opened end.  Totally defeats the whole purpose of the closure if cars are still able to enter the road from one end.  I recommend them closing off the section completely.

Anyways, the weather was not as predicted (i.e., not warm nor rainy), and so we headed home seeing nothing at all.  And we didn't get back to Peterborough until 3 AM the following morning.

That was all that happened during this period of absence.  On Monday, I found a dead woolly bear on the ground because it was really cold, and yesterday (Tuesday), I presented two components of my thesis at the Trent Northern Studies Colloquium.  It was pretty good and definitely a worthwhile experience.  

I am currently revising my thesis draft and hope to submit it to my committee soon.  In the meantime, I definitely need to slow down.