As i write this entry, a mature bald eagle is surveying the woods from a large oak tree, no more than 50 feet away. He looks confident and self-assured, whereas I'm feeling confused and uncertain!

All 700 taps are in and our vacuum pump delivers 25 inches of negative pressure, yet barely any sap flows.  In fact, I think Peter and I sweated more than our trees produced this weekend. The weather was optimal with below freezing at night and sunny, though unusually warm days. With temperatures of 66 degrees on Saturday (a new high) and 63 on Sunday, the sap should have flowed. The prediction for the next week includes three days in the 70's and the rest of the week in the 60's.  No sub-freezing weather is predicted until late March.

We hope the season isn't over before it starts!! We're becoming quite concerned that the last 5 months of drought conditions is having a profound effect on the maple trees. We are in uncharted territory, so it's difficult to predict "what's next".  Stay tuned!