One of the issues that runs along with a property of any size, especially a property bounded by a state road and divided by a town road, is that of trespass.  It is exacerbated by the fact that the pond tends to attract people and the town road has no other houses on it.  While I would like the public to be able to enjoy the view from the road (indeed my horse and the pond both have local fan clubs), I take exception to odd behaviour late at night.

However, while I am passing friends with Mr. Smith and Mr. Wesson, I have no intention of confronting unknown numbers of unknown individuals in the woods when there is no imminent threat to my person or property, a matter of good sense and legal behaviour.  Consequently, last night at about midnight I called the cops, seeing as there was a flashlight being waved around down by the pond in the oddest of fashions.

The state trooper dutifully came along after a time and requested that the individual proceed upon their way, which they did.  He then came and asked me if I knew the person, who claimed (bear in mind it was now well after midnight) that ‘he was checking the lines’.  This latter statement was said with some puzzlement.  I retorted that a: I had never heard of the individual in my life, and b: who in their right mind checked maple syrup lines at midnight, full moon or no? 

Assuming that was the end of it, and rather annoyed by the fact that somebody would attempt to steal the sap lines (not surprised…they aren’t cheap),  I went to bed.  This morning, however, my neighbor to whom the lines belong called all apologetic.  It seems he had gone down to the local coffee shop this morning and was immediately accosted by everybody there, all of whom wanted to know what his partner’s son had done and what had been going on up on the hill last night?  Poor man, I hadn’t called him yet.  Police scanners are, of course, something of a hobby around here. 

It turns out that the person in question had actually been checking the lines.  The owner had asked him to, and he said he would after work….neglecting to mention that his shift didn’t end till 11:30pm.   We agreed that no sane individual checked lines at midnight and I have added another name to my mental list of accepted people.

So a slight round of embarrassment all round, a good bit of gossip for the town, and a reminder that the house has eyes on that bit of road, no bad thing.