2013 East Coast Spring Tour – New England

I arrived in New England to cold winter.  Nevertheless, this Florida girl is loving the change of weather.  I’m enjoying the beauty of a stark white, sleeping, nature world.   I feel the excitement in the air of the promise of Spring.   Yes, even with this cold, you can tell people are excited to see Spring is right around the corner.

 

The charm of New England; the woods, pines, snow, and white farm houses.

 

In the meantime, I think I experienced their last snowfall.  I’m sure my friends here will be glad to see this all gone for a while.   The picture above to the right is an above-ground pool in the back yard.   Now, I’m watching it turn into a super large Slurpee.

I am staying with a dear friend, Katie.   We’ve been family friends for many years.   Our daughters were in preschool together and Katie and I taught at the same preschool.  I was her daughter, Kass’s, preschool teacher.  Now, her daughter just had her second baby, Seth.  I was so excited to meet him.  Isn’t he just too sweet?

 

I finally made it up here in time to experience Maple Weekend.  Every year at this time, all the maple farms in Maine celebrate Maple weekend.  Some of the farmers go all out.  Harris Farm has an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast, served with fresh warm maple syrup harvested and bottled at their farm.  It was so cold this morning though. Thank goodness the coffee and pancakes were hot!

And we can’t forget the melt-in-your-mouth maple doughnuts.   Harris Farm was making these on the spot and they were hot and very delicious.  Lily and I enjoyed these very much.

Inside the Sugarhouse is where they were boiling the maple syrup.  It was interesting to me since I come from Cane Country where we have sugar festivals and boil sugar cane down into cane syrup.   Maple syrup is a much milder smell.   I was excited to buy my own quart of maple syrup to take back home.

Here you can see the maple syrup buckets on the trees collecting syrup.   I am so thrilled I was able to experience this.

We did have a warm day, and warm days are in the forecast starting today.  I love Katie’s weather station.  I think I really need one for home.  Though I doubt I’ll see mine all bundled with a coat and scarf with a snowman next to him.  LOL

I’m so excited at home to find a ladybug in my garden.  Up north, they are apparently pests that come inside for the winter.   They are all over anxiously awaiting spring with the rest of the New England community.  I’m anxiously awaiting Spring too and I’m really looking forward to getting to experience Spring unfold and watch the beauty of nature awaken and buds bloom before I return home.   I think the lack of seasons is the one thing I am most disappointed with living in Florida.  However, I can admit that I am missing home and looking forward to being back.

I still have a few weeks left to go.  I’m teaching in Exeter, New Hampshire this weekend hosted by Eclectic Paperie.  I understand there are still a few seats left for the Pan-TAG-ulous PanPastel primer class and the Wax On Wax Art encaustic wax on canvas class with Purple Cows.   I’d love to meet you in person if you are nearby.

I still have a retreat to attend and some more friends to visit, but will be home by the end of the month!  Thank goodness for FaceTime so I can chat with dear hubby and my beautiful daughter.  Thank you both for being so supportive and self-sufficient.  Miss you both and love you.