Whispering Trees

Mar 11, 2015

Jeff, your observations regarding groundhogs (Groundhog Day Should be Banned, Editorial, Mar 12/14) were much appreciated. I agree –the belief around groundhogs being the harbingers of spring is a myth. Indeed, my grandfather taught me the true way to predict when spring is on its way when I was three and a half years old. I was staying with him and my grandmother. One night in early March he woke me up, dressed me, and took me outside. It was very quiet. He asked me, “What do you hear?” Listening for the hoot of an owl, I said, “Nothing”. “Listen carefully”, he said.” The wind is blowing.” “Yes.” We went back to bed. About two weeks later, he repeated the adventure. Again we went out to the quiet night. “What do you hear?” “ The wind.” “Is it the same?” “No.” “ The last time the wind whistled through the trees. This time the wind is whispering. They are saying – The sap is coming up and it is time to tap the maples.” And the next morning that is what we did. Spring soon followed.

Now I am able to share this story with our great grandchildren. And when the trees start to whisper, their parents bring them and each taps his/her own tree. They even get to take a bit of their own syrup home.

Glenn Eastabrook