Sugar High

It is hard to keep up with my dashing co-author when it comes to both blog form and blog content. I remain somewhat skeptical of his arguments that photos of my recent hernia operation, descriptions of a brief and ill-advised attempt at learning to speak Pelican while on spring break, or copies of my genetics homework, would be worthy blog entries. But last weekend I made time in my overbooked Graduate Assistant Schedule to participate in one of New England's oldest and most sacred traditions; a Maple Sugar Celebration. For those of you who have never had the privilage of attending such an event, be forwarned; Maple Sugar Celebrations are not synonymous with a sugar-free diet. Also, I highly recommend wearing tall rubber boots, because the mud season is in full swing this time of year.

Upon arrival at the Hutchinson Sugar Shack in Canterbury, NH, I was quickly engulfed by 20 or so Carhartt-clad, baseball-capped, boot-shod men, a matching number of women in all styles of dress but similarly booted, and what seemed to be at least 50 bright-eyed, very muddy children under the age of 10. There may have been fewer children in attendance than my initial impression suggested, but they were all so hopped up on maple snow and maple ice cream and maple glazed donuts and maple flavored root beer that it was impossible to count how many were actually playing in the sun speckled woods.



Once inside the Sugar Shack, I found countless sources of sugar-toothy bliss (the maple covered donuts were unbelievable), along with a band of merry muscicians who called out "doe-si-does" and "swing-your-partners" over the din with a certain old-timey authority. After a few rounds of swinging my partner and being swung in turn, I found my way to the adult corner out in back of the shack, where samples of hard cider were strong, free and in abundance.



There are a few things that I am really going to miss about New Hampshire. Outside of the obvious family, friends, dog and White Mountains, I am adding Maple Sugar Celebrations. We Granite Staters really do know how to party.