Syrup! (2009)

 Originally published as a Facebook Note March 8, 2009.

Carlis Faurot, a regular at the Maple Syrup Festival, in 2015
(Source: indiancreeknaturecenter.org)

We had a busy Sunday morning, despite a bleak, cold, rainy day in Iowa.

First we went to the Indian Creek Nature Center for their annual maple syrup festival. (It's the 22nd annual, according to someone I heard, which means we've attended most of them.) ICNC is located near the Cedar River, southeast of Cedar Rapids, in a rustic old-looking cabin. They've been around 30 years, and have been strong voices for conservation, ecology, and wild area preservation in this community, causes which in any community are often tantamount to blowing against the wind. The rain made the parking lot and grounds muddy, but the crowds were out and in good spirits. (I find myself hoping on festival days for a weather middle ground, nice enough that the Center gets a good turnout, yet not so nice that we wait in line for two hours like we did in 2001.) Tickets were sold and pancakes served under tents, then we went inside to eat them and listen to music by Carlis Faurot, Mike Maas, and friends. There were dozens of volunteers, cooking and serving pancakes, directing traffic, making syrup. They make their own syrup; the syrup they're making this year will be served at next year's festival. Some years they have enough to sell, but the last couple they've just had enough sap to make syrup for the festival.

We saw a bunch of people we knew, including Diana Patten, Layne Huey (Coe '07), and the Elliotts from church. By the time we were finished the weather had cleared enough that we could walk around the back area and visit the maple syruping barn. We've seen the same demonstration for I don't know how many years, but it's always good to hear it again, because I have a sieve-like memory.

We met Eli's friend Ben at the maple syrup festival, and took him with us to the Eastern Iowa Coin Show at the Elks Lodge. Eli is a fervid coin collector, and with his birthday coming up next weekend was visited last night by the "coin show fairy" bearing some spending money. We parked in the lot, but not in the space reserved for the "exalted ruler." I was not going to spend anything, but found the Alaska quarters that had eluded me, so now I have all 50 states. The dealer also had District of Columbia quarters, so now I'm apparently in for the territories too, but there are only six, and after that I am not collecting sets of anything again ever. Another dealer had replica campaign buttons, which were tempting, but I decided not to spend money, even in small amounts, on replicas. That fellow also had old valentines and World War II-era ration books. I also saw Tyler Walker (Coe '07) and Hickok Hall secretary Mary Dias, as well as the Elliotts from church (who certainly do get around!). Meanwhile, Eli spent his pile of money on a pile of coins and a replica stock certificate. I hope he'll provide details on nesmithfamilyblog.blogspot.com. [He didn't.]

So, a busy and fun morning, and I'm sorry I missed church, but I'll be back next week. In the words of the immortal Tom T. Hall, "Roses are red, violets are purple, sugar is sweet and so is maple surple."