Maple Icicles
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
Canada
March 7, 2018 9:28am CST
I saw this Icicle this morning,
I saw the squirrels licking the maple trees yesterday and they will knock down this Icicle and lick it until its gone.
Of course Maple syrup is boiled down to almost nothing to give it its sugary taste but in the wild, its just maple water with no sugar. But if the limb is damaged the syrup water will drip until the season is over.
The trees are young and I have seen the squirrels licking the trees for years. It must taste good to them, and that's the biggest Icicle I've seen on the maple trees.
It must have happened last night after the squirrels were asleep.
I wonder how long it will hang in the tree....
I love maple syrup, do you?
16 people like this
17 responses
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
7 Mar 18
We buy a bottle every spring and we go and watch them making it too. Delicious.
3 people like this
@Marilynda1225 (79687)
• United States
7 Mar 18
Not only do I like maple syrup on pancakes and waffles but I also like it on vanilla ice cream
3 people like this
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
9 Mar 18
I've never tried it on ice cream, I will give it a try...
1 person likes this
@velvet53 (22528)
• Palisade, Colorado
13 Mar 18
@PainsOnSlate That is funny but there has to be something that makes the squirrels like it.
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137145)
• United States
22 Mar 18
@velvet53 @PainsOnSlate You might like reading this National Geographic article about winter foods of animals...
When their winter food stores run low, red squirrels use their sweet tooths to harvest maple syrup.
2 people like this
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
12 Mar 18
Funny isn't it, because the sap is sugar free and tasteless but the squirrels do like it.
2 people like this
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
11 Mar 18
Maybe, but I think its pretty cold to suck on Icicles. We used to do it when we were kids, probably not a good idea with all the crap in the sky/air... We have a lot of maple trees on our property, they are young so not very big. We are surrounded by huge old acorn trees, but the maples still try to grow up.
2 people like this
@rebelann (111158)
• El Paso, Texas
11 Mar 18
Cold for us maybe but kritters are different and can tolerate different things @PainsOnSlate
2 people like this
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
12 Mar 18
Me too, I look forward to visiting a sugar shack - don't know if we will get to one this spring, I have a date for a new knee..
2 people like this
@Juliaacv (48397)
• Canada
12 Mar 18
@PainsOnSlate When are you having your knee surgery?
2 people like this
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
12 Mar 18
@Juliaacv The 21st, so looking forward to it. I have my last meeting with the doctors tomorrow for more xrays and information. I have been in pain for a long time but it got bad enough I have a hard time walking for any distance. Time to do something about it.
2 people like this
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
11 Mar 18
Sugar shacks are all around us, most of the sap is collected in plastic tubes that end at the sugar shack. We visit one every spring and always come home with a quart of syrup. its a tradition...
2 people like this
@shaggin (71664)
• United States
7 Mar 18
@PainsonSlate That's neat that it forms maple water ice cycles. I had never thought of that happening before but it makes sense. I've drank maple water before it's pretty good.
2 people like this
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
9 Mar 18
I've tasted it but not enough sweet for me, the squirrels are funny licking the trees and eating the Icicles . That big Icicle was gone quickly, this morning I took this photo... it will be gone as soon as the squirrels find it.
2 people like this
@Shellyann36 (11385)
• United States
4 May 18
This is so very interesting. I had no idea that the trees would drip the sap like that. We don't buy the real stuff often. It is very expensive in our area.
1 person likes this
@Shellyann36 (11385)
• United States
8 May 18
@PainsOnSlate It is certainly interesting. Thank you for sharing with us.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
5 May 18
This year was such a horrible winter - too long for all of us, so I noticed the maple ice, I hadn't noticed other years but it was the maple trees growing icicles. We usually buy one jar every spring and it lasts the whole year.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
8 Mar 18
I love maple syrup, I use it to sweeten many things besides pancakes. lol
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
8 Mar 18
Me too... Today the big ice cycle was gone and there were two little ones, I think the Squirrels love to chew them...
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
12 Mar 18
I can see the sap dripping off the limbs and yes, it looks like the squirrels love the sap. When its cold enough they freeze, right now its not cold enough.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (137145)
• United States
22 Mar 18
That's funny, pains! Maybe the squirrels have more sensitive taste buds than humans do?
No, I don't care for maple syrup or for maple flavoring, either one.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
15 Apr 18
I guess we all have different tastes. I grew up with maple trees, watched syrup being made outside every winter spring, and always had pancakes with maple syrup on them....
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
12 Mar 18
I have tasted it and it has a bit of taste, nothing I would like often but for the fuzzy friends, it must taste great.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
7 Mar 18
I actually wanted to tap for the maple water this year to make syrup but overnight the trees are coming to life before I can get a tap into the trees.
Next year I will have it scheduled in, no matter what tap the trees!
I bet those are some happy animals!
2 people like this
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
7 Mar 18
Years ago I tapped my trees because my youngest wanted to make syrup. We did it and it was fun and awful at the same time. it took me a long time to get the syrup off the kitchen ceiling....
I wrote about it:
I wrote about it:
When my youngest was around 8 years old we moved into a home with two big maple trees in the back yard. A good friend when he noticed them suggested we tap them...
1 person likes this
@petatonicsca (7070)
• Japan
7 Mar 18
I really did not like maple syrup when I was young, and for that reason I thought I didn't like pancakes. How wrong I was! I love pancakes, just I put jam or yogurt on them now! (I still am not super fond of the maple taste.)
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
12 Mar 18
We always had maple and thankfully I enjoyed it. I like jam on mine still, I've never tried yogurt on a pancake but it sounds good too.
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
7 Mar 18
It's good on pancakes. Of course the maple leaf is a symbol of your country.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
11 Mar 18
Yes we see the symbol a lot and there are billions of Maple trees here too. I love it on pancakes too and french toast.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
7 Mar 18
Can't wait to buy some maple syrup - we buy a bottle every spring. Pancakes...yummy.
1 person likes this
