My sons and I went out to tap maple trees. The crew consisted of my son Matthew, his S.O. Jackie, and sons Joseph and Aaron Ezigaa. We drilled 194 holes after offering tobacco. Two bald eagles circled us while we were tapping trees. We know they will carry the message to the Creator that some Shinnobs are still using the gift of maple sap.
I supervised from my lawn chair placed on the logging road. I pointed where I wanted them to drill, tap, and place a milk jug. At the end of the day my lips were just tired.
We collected our sap and brought it home to the fire pit and sugar camp in the yard. We hung one kettle and began to boil. We filtered the sap as we poured it into the kettle. The snow began falling in huge flakes as the kettle began to steam. We boiled and kept adding sap to the kettle.
Dr. Vainio, his wife Ivy, and son Jacob came to see how we make maple syrup. We explained that this was our first boil. The next time they visit we will put them to work. We Tom Sawyer people in Sawyer.
My wife Patricia and her sister Cynthia pulled in from the Lower Sioux Community. They were just in time to do the finish boiling and canning of the syrup.
