Life On Regal-Hill by Gail Hillriegel

This Sunday is Easter. It is one of my favorite holidays. I guess that is because it includes personal redemption that I can always use as well as getting together with family and friends besides preparing a special meal. However, it just isn’t so hectic compared to Christmas since there isn’t the decorating, gift-giving, sending of cards and such associated with Easter.

Now that it is spring here at Regal-Hill I had hoped the weather would stay warm, but so far this week it has been too cold during the day for the sap to run very much. Even though most of those here working at sapping needed a break, they were disappointed the sap wasn’t running more. The next few days should be warmer, so the sap should be running better again.

It has been very spring-like here at Regal-Hill this week. It was supposed to rain tomorrow, but as it turned out we got snow. It snowed until everything was all white, then it stopped and in no time at all most of it had melted. It was what we call a sap snow. Sap snow is very wet and, thankfully, it comes and goes quickly. However, I am sure it will get colder and be back to more winter-like weather with colder temperatures and snowstorms.

With St. Patrick’s Day almost here, there are only a few more days and spring will be here as well. Spring is supposed to begin on March 20 according to the calendar. Let’s hope it will really be a glorious spring day. When I say glorious I mean at least 50 degrees, sunny and still, with no ice or snow around as far as the eye can see, except maybe on the distant mountains. Of course there will be mud, but I promise I won’t complain if the mud tracks inside.

One thing we have been doing here at Regal-Hill is planning our gardening for this year and ordering seeds. I may over plan and dream too much but it sure is fun to do when the wind is blowing, the temperature is 20 degrees or less and the wind chill is minus one, even if the sun is shining.