Mmm, Syrup

Warning: no knitting content ahead!

Hubby had a three-day weekend, so I took a vacation day and we trooped up to his parents' for a visit. We hadn't been there since the beginning of summer, so it was time.

I forgot my camera, which is a shame because the fall leaves were lovely.

(My mom questions why we don't visit her, but has failed to make the connection that since she comes to us at the drop of a hat we don't feel the need. Besides, the traffic to and from my mom's place sucks big time.)

Anyway. We tumbled into the house Saturday and announced our desire to go up to Lake Placid for a stroll. Or at least to a point almost at Lake Placid to get some maple syrup.

This looked highly unlikely since we were leaving Monday and there were sports to be watched on Sunday.

Making Our Escape
However, when Hubby and his dad settled down to watch the Giants (football) and Yankees (baseball), who were playing at the same time, my mother-in-law was like, "Let's get out of here!"

We started innocently enough with a trip down the mountain to the grocery store for provisions for dinner. Then we remembered the maple syrup.

She asked if I knew how to get there. This was a big question since I usually don't leave the house when we're visiting, and if I do leave Hubby is driving. (Hmm, it's not as oppressive at that sounds. I'm not actually held prisoner. They live on the side of a mountain, it's not like there is anywhere to go.)

Anyway. I was like, "Uh, it's above Keene, and beyond the lake. I think."

Which sounds extremely vague, but I'd actually named two major landmarks. Which isn't hard, considering it's a very rural area filled mostly with trees. Still, it was a little dangerous since I have trouble remembering the order of the stores and restaurants on my town's main drag and we've lived there since 2005. For instance, what if the lake was before Keene? (it isn't.)

MIL was pretty sure she knew where I meant, but we called Hubby to double check (there are, after all, two lakes in the area.) Remember, he's watching sports. This was actually the second time we called, as we had called from inside the store to have him check for rosemary (they were out).

He said it was above Keene, beyond the lake, and at the base of Mount X (which isn't the name of the mountain. I don't remember the actual name). Of course, the addition of the mountain name really nailed it down for my MIL.

No, I'm serious. This place is so rural they use mountains as directional landmarks. The benefit being that, unlike red pickup trucks and brown dogs, mountains don't tend to move.

I pointed the car toward Lake Placid and drove by instinct. Well, it's really one road with maybe two turns (because of T-stops), but you don't know how talented I am at getting lost.

Locally Grown
I couldn't remember the name at the time, but our goal was the South Meadow Farm Sugarworks. (Huh, looks like they do mail order.) We found it without a problem. Which was comforting since my MIL exclaimed she had never noticed the wee sign and they've lived in the area for almost 30 years!

Of course, right next to the wee "maple syrup" sign was a big "Lodge" sign, which threw me off for a moment. I think the big sign was redone recently, or I'd forgotten about it.

It's one of those places were there is a little sign on the road. You turn into a wall of trees to find a little one lane road. That goes in a couple blocks, then curves left, then right and you arrive in a little parking lot in front of a little building. You totally can't see anything from the road, aside from the sign.

As proof that you are in the middle of no-where, the shop is on the honor system. The syrup is on the left, jams and preserves are on the right, and a little desk to leave your payment is in the middle.

MIL asked how we found it. I said I didn't remember. We'd gone to Lake Placid, we'd seen the sign, we needed maple syrup, so we pulled it. I guess we were adventuring that day.

I wasn't messing around this day. I bought a gallon jug of Grade A medium amber syrup. (I called Hubby for a third time to check medium or light amber!)

This will last us several months. It was $45, but in the long run it is better than the little jars of dark amber I get at the local grocery store, which are expensive, don't last long, and an inferior grade.

I also got a jar of strawberry rhubarb jam. We got it once before and it was yummy. My MIL bought a more conservative size jar of syrup and a jar of blueberry jam. We cracked that open when we got home. It was yummy. It made me question if I should have got blueberry instead. But the die was cast.

Almost as exciting as finding the place was making it home without incident. And both Hubby's teams won. It was a good day all around.

I did get some knitting down while we were visiting. Maybe I'll tell you about it tomorrow, maybe I won't.