Sweet Sights

 Spring is a very romantic time of year. 

As the days get longer, the snow melts and the birds return to find a mate.

On my road trip the other day I saw this pair of geese enjoying a stream of melting snow in a field.  Did you know that Canada geese mate for life ?

As I drive I marvel at old buildings, especially farm buildings from the past.

Corn cribs are rare in these parts, so I usually stop and take a photo.

My grandparents had a garage identical to this, built around 1930, so of course I had to have a photo.

Then I turned my head to pull back out onto the road and saw this directly across the street and swooned........

I was speachless as I snapped 200 photos.  So I will let them do the talking:

They do not make places like this anymore.

This barn did NOT collapse this winter!  Most barns did.

Real craftsmen built this barn and farm house.  It will last a few more centuries!

Then I saw this sign........

There are 27 more photos at this link:

http://www.forsalebyowner.com/listing/B945B/media

You must see the photo of the INSIDE of the barn!!!

Someone buy this place and invite me to dinner!!

Making maple syrup is a centuries old tradition here in Vermont.

Thousands of people of all ages and walks of life are tapping a few trees in their backyard or woodlot and boiling down the maple sap to make fresh maply syrup.

To get the Vermont label Vermont maple syrup must have a minimum of 67% sugar.

All other states require only 66%.

My farmer friend tapped 6 trees this year and dragged an old gas stove outside and hooked a propane tank to it and was boiling his sap all day today.  His barnyard smelled so sweet!   It takes 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of Vermont Maple Syrup.       It is long, hard and precise work.
The rewards are worth it.  Especially on ice cream or pancakes.

Everywhere in Vermont the great cattle herds are basking on the hillsides in the sun.

These are my neighbors good looking Herefords.

He has many cow/calf combos for sale this year.  He is enjoying a population explosion of lots of new calves this spring.  He actually found a bull that all his cows liked....and it shows.

Everywhere in my travels there were spring calves enjoying the sunshine.

I really liked this Ayrshire calf.

Every road I was on was muddy and every tree held a sap bucket.

Rural Vermont roads were lined with buckets.

As usual, all roads lead back to the herd.     Lined up and waiting for their snacks.

Home Sweet Home.