Spring is here with the calls of red-winged blackbirds, muddy roads and buckets hung on maple trees, which are tapped to collect their sweet sap. Although this winter was very mild, generally New Englanders wait a long time for spring to arrive. A blogging friend from California once commented, “I like the Northeast very much, but I’m astonished that people can maintain such patience and appreciation in living where winter has been so long and harsh.” I had to laugh because I myself often wonder about the state of my sanity living in this climate! Yes, we are a bit crazy to deal with the cold and shoveling lots of snow, but we are rewarded come summer when most of the U.S. is sweltering, we live comfortably with temperatures in the upper 70s and 80s F (20-30 C). We have only a few hot days in the 90s F (35 C), but most days are tolerable…