Tapping Weekend

March 14th through 16th, 2008

Lake Lucerne
After unpacking and eating on Friday, it was time to practice bartender type skills for the summer. I've been getting better at layering drinks and shots. Few left the bar thirsty.
Lake Lucerne
It was more than a little evident that the bottle rocket forts have lost much of their formidableness in the last few weeks.
Lake Lucerne
The webcam's time was not corrected. It seemed happier running in a world unspoiled by daylight saving time. Maybe next weekend.
Lake Lucerne
While hiking the paths to the sugarbush, we found that the burdock is plentiful, clingy.
Lake Lucerne
Despite unseasonablely cool weather, xLt had the gas powered drill fired up and was holing trees at a rate that would have enraged any Ents in the area.
Lake Lucerne
The skeptics were silenced when sap dribbled from the fresh holes.
Lake Lucerne
Spiles were gently tapped into the hole and buckets and covers added.
Lake Lucerne
Drops of sap soon covered the bottom of the buckets.
Lake Lucerne
The taps put in place on Friday were not flowing very well. The cold night had formed sap-cicles.
Lake Lucerne
The remains of a big basswood were burned in back of the bar on Saturday night. It was really in front of the bar, I could not stop the flow of the "B" words in the last sentence.
Lake Lucerne
On Sunday morning, it was time for the lake to get a new hole to check the ice thickness.
Lake Lucerne
It's a little over 22 inches thick. That's 3 inches thicker than last year at this time.
Lake Lucerne
The snow on the lake is strong enough to walk on and can be cut into Styrofoam like cubes.
Lake Lucerne
A dozen or so cubes were cut and a small wall was built. The process took about 5 minutes and will not be made into a movie anytime soon. I'm not sure that a script will even be written let alone submitted
Lake Lucerne
We'll be back Easter weekend to check the ice, help gather and boil sap, push layered shots, and eat ham.


-Nemo