You know the long, cold winter is over when you find yourself boiling home-tapped sap, tying on your Irish jig-dancing shoes and uncovering the trampoline
By Julie Cole
Guest Blogger
It has been a long, harsh winter in these parts. Although, there are a few signs that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. Here’s how I know that spring is near or almost here:
1) Spring Fling
We welcome spring with our annual Irish Dancing performances. My kids don’t do competitive dancing and have no dreams of making it to the World Championships in Dublin. They don’t wear wigs or tan their legs.
I put their hair in rags to get curls and off they go to tour countless Seniors Homes to help the elderly in our community celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
The best part? After they dance, the children chat with the residents. Even the shy children are encouraged to give it a try. They learn so much from speaking with the elderly, who are so delighted to have a close look at the beautiful costumes and happy young faces.
2) Spring Sap
The tapping of the trees. We are lucky enough to have a ravine full of trees in our backyard. Daddy-o and the children go off and tap the trees, collect the sap, boil it down, leaving us with the most delicious maple syrup.
I now have a houseful of syrup snobs who now turn their noses up at the store-bought stuff.
3) Spring has sprung – literally.
This year we are adding something special to our yard. Over the years, we have gone through, destroyed and bounced to death SEVERAL trampolines. I have been on a hunt for one that is big enough, strong enough and bouncy enough to deal with my six children, and the countless friends and neighbourhood kids who put it to the test. My search ended with the Jumbo Square Springfree Trampoline.
The more research I did, the more I realized that if I had bought this one originally, I would have saved myself from buying, setting up and destroying the four other trampolines we’ve ripped through.
Has spring arrived where you are? What cheery spring happenings are going on in your family?
Julie Cole is the co-founder of Mabel's Labels and the proud mother of six kids
Photos: Handout, Julie Cole
