A Picture a Week: Oct 18-24 (3)

It felt like I spent the majority of my time at work this week, either working or in work related meetings. There was one morning I finished working at and had to be in a meeting at the hospital 1.5 hours later. It wasn't worth driving home to turn around and drive right back. 

After clocking out, I decided to go and sit in one of the hospital cafes. I bought myself some coffee, and got out some personal stuff to work on while I was waiting...but if I'm honest, I didn't do much of it. I found it way more interesting to watch the people and traffic outside. 

At one point there were several people sitting at the table behind me talking. I wanted to jump into there conversation so bad, but I had a feeling that I would not be welcome. They were talking about traveling to different countries, experiences they had, and learning second languages. 

Hearing their conversation made me realize that I feel alone here. I haven't meet people to hang out with outside of work, to share past stories and future dreams with. I suddenly found myself wishing that I had my friends from PA around me. 

They left, I went to my meeting and then went home to get some sleep. 

A Picture a Week: Oct 11-17 (2)

I know that I’m a couple weeks behind, but I needed some time to gather my thoughts before I shared this. On Monday morning, October 12th, my grandma left this earth to join her Savior in heaven. It’s been a time of sorrow and a time of rejoicing. 

I have many memories of spending the night and my grandparents house, playing in the pine trees out back, playing games, and eating gingerbread man pancakes for breakfast. My favorite was when they would take us to the local A&W where I was treated to a root-beer float. 

As I got older, I could see that my grandma cared about her neighbors and others in the community as she cared for her family. She had the gift of hospitality and humility, always a welcome smile and kind word. Going to visit meant sitting at the kitchen table having a drink and something to snack on while talking about life, or playing a game while doing all of the above.

Needless to say, my grandma was a very special women who’s strong faith and love has shaped my life. I Love you Grandma!!! 

At the end of the graveside service roses were handed to family members from the casket arraignment, to those who wanted them. This is the rose I got. 

Grandma's favorite color was red.

A Picture a Week: 1 (Oct 4-10)

I have been living in my new city for almost 3 months and it difficult to be settling into a routine and figuring out what to do when I'm not working. My thought was 'a picture a week.' I could go explore a new area of town, try out a new restaurant and share my explorations of my new city.

Hopefully I will be able to keep this up, it doesn't sound difficult now, but who knows it might be more work than I'm thinking. 

Here goes, Week 1:

Fredrick Meijer Gardens

The other day I went exploring at the Japanese Garden in the Fredrick Meijer Gardens (they have several different types of gardens). I must say the fist day I went I didn't take my camera and went back the next day to take pictures and enjoy the peacefulness of garden and the beautiful day.

The garden is centered on a lake

Water Lily

One of several waterfalls

The bridge crosses to a little island

After walking around for awhile, I stopped and watched the clouds drift by...

While I was walking around the lake, I was stopped by someone who asked if I had gotten some good pictures and what kind of camera did I have. We both had Nikons (and his good one is way better than mine), as we were talking he told me visits the Fredrick Meijer Garden once every week or two, usually when he comes to visit his granddaughter. 

It's Time to Make Maple Syrup!!!

It's spring here...or I should say it's finally starting to warm up and the snow is melting. It's also time to tap the maple trees and make some very delicious maple syrup. There is a lot of work that goes into making this yummy goodness, and so I thought I would share some pictures and explain the process for anyone interested in seeing what it takes. 

We have 450 taps, so the woods like this

To tap the tree you drill a hole and then pound in the spile...when the sap runs up the tree during the day and down again at night it drips from the spile into the bucket

When we need to empty the buckets we take the truck with the tank in the back around and empty all the buckets...sometimes it takes several trips.

It's easiest to carry 5 gallon buckets into the woods

Then you take the metal bucket off the tree, empty it into the plastic one, return the metal bucket onto the spile and proceed to the next tap (or metal bucket)

When your buckets are full or getting to heavy to carry you carry them back to the truck and empty them into the tank....after you buckets are empty, you go back and fill them again, back-and-forth....until all 450 are empty!!!

Emptying the full bucket into the tank on the truck

Our cooker...it's much longer than it looks...it's 4 feet wide and 12 feet long (or 1.2 meters by 3.6 meters)

Underneath the front pan is where we build the fire...it needs to burn hot and fast and so somebody has to stoke it every 2-3 minutes. It can get really warm!

You can kind of see how thick the cast iron is in the above picture,  and the fire is hot enough that it's making the iron red...when you open the doors to stoke that fire to keep it that hot you get a blast of heat!! Not to brag, but that's my fire.

This is one the side of the pan and someone gets to watch this...once the needle is at 7 (where it is now) it should be syrup in the pan that needs to be drawn off

It's syrup, we draw it off and let it run through a filter and to remove and dirt and sediment that may be there

After its been filtered it gets poured into the top pan and reheated, after it's hot it goes into the pan on the lower left where it's filtered again and then bottled.

The syrup in the top pan being reheated

The finished syrup getting it's last filtering before bottling

Bottling the syrup

This year the sugar content hasn't been fabulous. What that means is that right now on average it takes 59 gallons (223 liters) of sap to make 1 gallon (3.8 liters) of syrup (we have to boil out 58 gallons of water). Needless to say it takes many hours and lots of hard work, but being able to eat the pure maple syrup that you worked so hard for all year round is somehow rewarding. :) 

Good Bye Thailand

It's hard to leave new friends and perfect weather to return home to the snowy cold of northern America. I didn't realize how much I fell in love with Thailand, the people, food, and way of life. 

One of my favorite snacks

Thailand is beautiful!

Having fun

Going out for lunch...

We ate grilled chicken, and it was so good.

My brother came to visit...

Zip Line = Fun

I have no idea what the future is going to bring, or where I am going to end up...but, wherever I end up I'm sure it will be a new adventure.