A feeling of dread clouded my mood as the 2024 maple season approached. The winter had been so mild – the second such winter in a row. After last year’s “fake” winter, we had had our lowest production yet. The trees didn’t strike me as particularly healthy looking, either. Maybe it was just my imagination, brought on by my general gloom (no doubt amplified by world events), but there seemed to be a larger number than usual of trees with dead or dying branches, blooming fungi.
A delight to get a glimpse into an occupation, perhaps even a lifestyle, my forebears knew. It seems deeply familiar yet simultaneously elusive for this urbanite. Call it an ancestral longing for connection with the non-human world that compels me to follow your land-based tales. Keep up the great work and send my kind regards to your life partner!
Beautifully written piece and I’m glad your season was a good one. It seemed so iffy
A delight to get a glimpse into an occupation, perhaps even a lifestyle, my forebears knew. It seems deeply familiar yet simultaneously elusive for this urbanite. Call it an ancestral longing for connection with the non-human world that compels me to follow your land-based tales. Keep up the great work and send my kind regards to your life partner!