So my wife and I decided to take a trip down to Biloxi MS to visit my son who is stationed there in the Air Force. We had a great time. On our way home we made a little detour to Alabama to visit Wayne and Lisa. These are two amazing people with an amazing home.
Every detail in this house has Wayne’s unique creative signature style. My wife along with myself was in awe with everything he thought of. Really, it’s like a museum. A story is assigned to everything they did to and in the house. The hard work they both put into this property shows.
Biloxi’s temperatures dropped from 70F down to 50 when we got there. When we went to Wayne and Lisa’s, their temperatures dropped to the coldest day they’ve had all season. I’m not sure if we pulled some of our cold weather down with us to the Southern states. Hopefully it warmed up for all down there now that we made it home.
I’m sorry we only had a couple of hours to visit but very glad we made the time and honored they allowed us to stop in.
Kristijan, what species of maple is growing? Any chance at syrup?
David I believe you can tap any maple trees with good results the only difference is how much you have to reduce it. But it is my understanding that even river maple (silver maple) will reduce faster then birch which people use where there are no maples.
The maple trees you have in Slovenia appear to be similar to our Sugar Maples.
Is there a reason people don’t tap maple trees for the sugar in Slovenia? Maple trees need about 90 days of dormancy in the winter and then freezing nights and warmer days in the spring. Is this consistent with your climates there?
Bill, your visit to Wayne and Lisa opened back the chapter in my memory l hold close to my hearth. Spent a couple of days there but a couple of weeks wuld be to short. But then again, Lisa wuld probably spoil me to death 
fine folks live at the end of that mile of tar paved driveway…
Maple syrup. I am not sure what species the trees are actualy. I will post some pictures in folowing days.
Maple syrup was never made here. Birch was tapped but not for syrup, more for its medicinal sap. It is still prescribed for some medicine in some slav countrys by official medicine.
I belive the reaso for lack of tree syrups being made in Europe is because we always had bees. There simple was no need to fidle with boiling down huge amounts of sap when you have honey. The natives in America did not so they found their ways to quench the sweet tooth. Thats my thinking anyways.
Well probably yes. I do know sap flows from most trees in spring.
To be honest l didnt know all maples have usefull sugar content. With a forest of maple trees l think l have a buisness oppertunity here… will try this year.
You will definitely find maple syrup is a vast improvement over honey when it comes to a nice stack of pancakes in the morning.
But it is a very energy intensive process you have to have a source of waste wood to make it or you can’t afford to do it the old fashioned way. I haven’t followed the reverse osmosis method closely enough to say any more then it requires less energy input and is used commercially. I made maple syrup as a kid it was fun as I recall.
…cloudberry jam and whipped cream 
Sounds really good too. Reminds me I have some elderberry syrup waiting for me to make more pancakes…
Sorry Dan, this l can not agree with. Aquired taste is one thing but l have tasted some maple syrup and while the taste is great it doesent come near to the complexity of flavors of natural honey. I do however agree that good maple syrup is tastyer thain store bought watered down sugar added honey in a plastic bear botles that flows like water but that isnt even honey to me. Real honey looks kinda like this
I promise this is not grease
Oh I like honey just not on pancakes. Or icecream. Pancakes need something thinner that can soak in.
The honey on your finger reminds me of the honey and peanut butter sandwiches my grandfather made.
That l agree with. But then agen we eat pancakes differently. Big diameter, thin, rolled in a cigar shape with filling inside. I like honey in those but its not my first choice either.
Havent try it with peanut but we used to make like a mayonese with half honey half soft butter mixed together, on bread. It is amazing how different the taste and feel is compared to just spread butter and honey on their own.
as winter comes to an end or is in full glory elsewhere, the true nature of global change of the weather is becoming “visible”
Thailand is plagued the last few years with decreasing rainfall and now, they predicted the worst drought in more then 4 decades coming up next…
and yes, many are affected… rainfall is less then 30% average…
When I try to cook those thin pancakes it doesn’t work out so well…
We use those for enchiladas. But I haven’t made them forever it takes more effort then I want to put into cooking.
Well I can’t give that a like… I did know there where droughts along the Mekong but I didn’t know just how bad it is.
I would be most concerned about the salt water getting into the drinking water system. It seems to me that once you get salt water mixed with the ground water the area doesn’t support human civilization.
Why is that? Do they tear?
Cooking is fast and easy if you have the tools. Light shalow pan with a strong handle for fliping and a wery strong stove are the secret…
Salt water coming up, mixing with groundwater makes that plants don’t grow anymore.
Oh I can tear them flip them into one big mess and burn them sometimes all in the same pancake.
Dan, it’s all about practicing 
Sorry Koen. I am jumping around. Busy working. A little short that was. Too bad. It is always the poor that get beaten.