Dear Curiosity Journal,
After much pre-season preparation, the maple tapping has begun, and our trusty guardian, Balio, trails us with the utmost curiosity. At the base of the tree, he places his paws upon our boots, stares up into the trees, entangles himself in lines, and trips us up. Rufus and I chuckle at his endearing antics, asking him if he’s a sapping professional now that he’s got a few seasons under his belt. We also seriously consider getting him a pack to carry supplies. If he’s going to be underfoot, he might as well make himself useful. When we brought him to the farm as a puppy, it was during the sap run, and his first days on the land were spent trekking back and forth to the sugar bush and napping beside the boiler. At first, we were worried it would be too much for him as it is quite a haul and he was only a couple of months old. However, he quickly proved that he could cover a lot of ground, and continues to run circles around us today (four legs definitely serve twice as well on these slopes). Balio beams with an effervescent type of dog happiness during the sugaring season, and the sweet life of animals in the woods together suits us well.
~Joy
