{Sugar Snow}

The last two days we've been cooped up inside

Watching the world outside turn to ice, then slush, and finally a mushy snow.

It's what the locals call a "Sugar snow".

The temps are cold enough to precipitate, but warm enough for the sap to start running.

I haven't been out much, but it sounds like everyone is putting in their taps

Causing those maple trees to bleed,

And cooking down the sap to make that mouthwatering maple syrup.

Mmm...I am now hankering for a blueberry pancake, flowing with that golden liquid.  And lots of butta.

 So while the world outside our front door was white and too sloppy to be out in

We were eating the ultimate kid food for lunch.

Spaghetti'd hot dogs with cheese.

Weird.  And in a kids' mind, the ultimate food ever.

All you gotta do, is have the patience to push spaghetti noodles through

Pieces of hot dog, without losing your insanity, as broken shards fly in all directions.

It helps to say "heya" and give a great stab of frustrated intensity.

Another lesson in patient perseverance for the mother, and noodle slurping for said kids.

Perfect.

And in case you wanted to know, here's how you cook it all down:

(As the water boils, the noodle slowly sinks into the pot.)

(Not so much unlike the mom in this house after a day of kids run amok.)