Monday, March 18, 2013

March Break and Maple Syrup Season

Last week was "March Break" for my girls - the week-long spring vacation students look forward to shortly after returning to school from Christmas holidays.  My mother took the week off work to stay with us for a few days and to spend some quality time with the girls.  She has been doing this for the past five years.  The girls and I look forward to it every year.  If you followed my blog this time last year, you will already know that.

One of the highlights of the week was our trip to Shaw's Maple Syrup Bush.  March is maple syrup season! As soon as the sap starts flowing, a visit to the farm is always in order.  After all, it's tradition!



My mom and I outside the pancake house...


My girls...can you tell they're happy to be here?




At the far end of the restaurant is this beautiful wood-burning stove.  It kept us warm and cozy throughout our breakfast!



Three generations of girls having breakfast together! Nuno's missing; he's the one behind the camera.



Pancakes, sausage and fresh maple syrup.  YUM!



This is the machine where all the maple sap is boiled.  Can you see the steam coming out of the open lid?  Inside, the sap is boiling and when it's finally ready, the maple syrup is released into the stainless bin below.


After our breakfast, the girls made their own maple taffy on snow.
Annabel gets a little help from daddy...


Our last stop was the gift shop, where my mom generously purchased a big jug of fresh maple syrup for us to take home.



Here is a photo of my girls with grandma on her last day before returning home.   My mom's March break visits are always so special.  We had fun hanging out every day, eating breakfast, lunch and dinner together, going shopping, and thrift store hunting. I miss our daily coffee outings, talks, and the extra help in the kitchen.  She is very dear to me, so when it's time to say goodbye, it's always difficult.  But, even so, I look forward to doing it all over again next year!   

Pretty smile...




6 comments:

  1. Aww w...love these beautiful photos, sweetheart! As always, I can feel the love exuding from them. I always loved Laura Ingalls' stories of maple syrup harvesting in the Big Woods...wanted so much to make that taffy on the snow, so tell Annabel I am envious!! What a wonderful break you all had...and that hair REaLLY suits you, Rosinda! Gorgeous xoxo

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  2. Rosinda,
    What a great time and fun I have every year spent with the 4 of you :!!!
    I hope God give me a lot more years to continue doing that.
    I enjoyed and treasured every second spent with you, Nuno, Anita, Annabel and Buddy :)
    The sad thing is saying goodbye...I always try so hard not to cry, but it's impossible!!!
    I start missing you all the night before I leave.
    We're just so LUCKY to have each other's. Love you all with all my heart. XOXO

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  3. How fun, Rosinda, to have those sweet traditions! I can see the closeness and love that you all have for one another. We are hoping to go to a maple syrup demonstration here at a local wildlife park near our house this weekend. But they won't have that yummy breakfast that had! Making me hungry! Thanks for sharing your fun time with us!! xo...Karen P.

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  4. What a fun vacation! You all look so sweet and happy--it's really wonderful. Can't your mom come for a week in summer? Then you'd have more visits!

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  5. It is very good to have a wood burning stove as it keeps the atmosphere of a place very warm. I like wood burning stove and i do have one in my house. It make the interior look nice and stylish.

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