If you’re feeling stir crazy or you’ve a bit of cabin fever…

I have just the cure for you this weekend!!! If you read the previous maple syrup blog (see March 23rd – The Sweetness of Torch Lake), you know about my maple addiction. This coming Saturday March 29th, at 10:00 a.m, you have the opportunity to attend a maple syrup class at the Grass River Natural Area. The cost is a whole $5. You can tap a tree, play with the equipment, or taste the syrup. Checkout their website for more information: www.grassriver.org – click on GRNA calendar. And if that’s not enough to perk you up, how about Bluebirds?

Each year in Northern MI, we wait for those perpetual harbingers of happiness. They’re obviously not here yet…but  you can travel to Traverse City, Saturday, to The 2014 Spring Bluebird Festival. The event runs from 9:45 to 4:45 at NMC’s Great Lakes Campus’ Hagerty Center at 715 E. Front Street. Admission & is free. You can shop for mealworms, build a nest box, & get your bluebird questions answered once & for all. For more information visit the website: www.MichiganBluebirds.org or call Tom Comfort at 231-676-0565.

Last but not least… Why yes I do have a favorite pancake recipe…thanks for asking! I’d like to be able to tell you that I make pancakes from scratch from my grandmothers old recipe, but hanging my head in shame, I have to admit I get some help from Hungry Jack. If you like thin crispy pancakes stop reading right here & go do something else, otherwise…

Ingredients:

• Hungry Jack Complete Buttermilk Pancake Mix
• Oatmeal
• Milk
• Pecans
• Butter
• Copious amounts of maple syrup

Mix everything together – substituting milk for water. I add about 1/2 cup oatmeal & 1/2 cup chopped pecans. You will need some extra milk but just add that until the batter looks right. Fire up the griddle. Flip when they get bubbly.

Add butter. Drown in syrup.

Need I say more?

Me…I’m off to burn some calories!!!