I ♥ Faces--Bundled Up Tapping Maple Trees At North Park Nature Center

The challenge for this week's contest at I ♥ Faces is "Bundled Up".   It's hard to believe how bundled up and cold we all were, just last month.   This shot was taken on February 17th, when we learned how to tap maple trees and catch the newly running sap.   Every child got a chance to turn the drill and hammer the spot where the spile would be inserted and a bucket hung.  


We had the help and instruction of a grandfatherly, old soul, one of NPNC's dedicated corp of volunteers.   Ours was a former scout leader who taught us all about maple tree tapping and then led us in a rousing rendition of a song about eating worms.   "Nobody likes me.   Everyone hates me.   Guess I'll go eat worms.   Great big slimy ones.   Little bitty tiny ones.   See how they wiggle and squirm."

It's a timely shot, because this weekend is NPNC's annual and much anticipated 2 day Maple Syrup Festival!
  
Date: March 20-21, 2010 from 10am-3pm

Cost: Free

What's Goin' On: Come on out for sap and syrup tasting, music, storytelling, farmer's market, nature walks and syrup/ sap tasting at North Park Village Nature Center.   Pancakes and breakfast goodies are available for purchase and you can bet the fresh syrup will be liberally flowing.

5801 N Pulaski Rd
Chicago, IL
312-744-5472