This year's maple syrup run is done!  Last Sunday Momma and Mark went after church to join Daddy at our cabin in the bush.  It was the only nice day that we could actually go out and enjoy the warm weather.  It has been especially cold this year and the sap ran late.  Daddy spent a few very cold days in the bush by himself boiling the sap and only heading home to the garage where he would finish the boiling on the propane burner.  Long days were spent in the bush in the bitter cold wind but thank goodness for the woodstove in the cabin as it was a comfort against the cold.  We have about three gallons this year which will be plenty for this family.  Mark had a great wagon ride to the back of the fifty acres but Mommy was a bit tired from the pulling of it through the soft hayfield.  Mark enjoyed the little tee pee fort that the girls next door built a few years ago...amazing that it is still standing!  He was also very careful around the open fire which Daddy had used the old metal hay feeders to surround the forbidden area for him to enter.  He was very good about saying away from anything too hot.  The bush is essentially still "asleep" from the winter but on our way back I did hear the singing of the frogs.  We did not see any early flowers yet but after the rain today they will pop up very quick.  This year we did not have any friends join us so it was a very quiet, happy family day.  Mark did what most boys would do...play with sticks, wrestle with Daddy, smooch with his Mommy and sit on the bike.