Do you know what that is sticking out of the tree?  Hint...it's a sugar maple tree.  Answer, it is my feeble attempt at producing maple syrup.  I am not from Vermont so maybe that was some of the bad karma in my failed attempt, however this Wisconsin girl thought after a recent nature center trip I could actually create my own maple syrup. It all sounded so natural and easy as we walked through the forest and visited various stations that were set up and engaged in the maple syrup process.  At the last station they were boiling the sap over a fire just like pioneer times.  We even had a treat of pancakes with  freshly made maple syrup at the end, delicious.  In the nature center's gift shop they were selling a metal tap and a bag that could be hung up on the metal tap.  I purchased the maple syrup gear eagerly.  At home I have two large sugar maple trees in my yard which for years I felt would be perfect sugar maple sap donors.  At last I had my equiptment and I went home to begin the process.  The sap began to drip into the bag and I felt success was imminent.  I left the bag up overnight and envisioned finding a full bag of sap in the morning.  I got up early to get ready for school and looked out the window at the sugar maple tree.  No bag... I couldn't believe my eyes.  I went outside to look around and it was no where to be seen.  I figured some animal must of pulled it down.  Was it a racoon, fox, coyote or a bear??  There are no bears around here and I don't think the other animals would go after maple sap so the mystery was on.  Driving to school I spotted the bright blue sap collecting bag a block and half away from my house in a ditch.  I guess it was the wind that sent it on the journey but I vowed to try again.  Off and on attempts were repeatedly made at collecting sap and finally I managed to accumulate approximately a quart of male sap.  I joyfully poured the sap into a  pan and began the boiling down process on my stovetop.  It seemed to take for ever to boil down so I was not watching it as faithfully as I should have been.  My next peek into the pan revealed nothing but charred blackened syrup remains that were totally unfit for human consumption.  So the picture above reveals all that is left of my maple syrup venture and I am closed for the season, maybe next year.

On a brighter note I am making progress with my 8th grade math group.  We have had some excellent discussions regarding math and what they feel they need.  Math has ben interupted by standardized testing for the past two days but it is giving me a chance to work on my plan for this math group.  Hopefully tomorrow I will be able to post some pictures of our changes and progress.