Two Drops, Two Buckets, watercolour, 2003

Just when you get feeling hopeless that winter will never end, syrup season arrives! Like so many people in our neck of the woods and wherever the climate permits across Canada, we rush out into the bush and tap a few trees. Inspired by peaceful contemplation of the scene over long hours tending the fire, I have done many paintings of the sugar bush over the years. Our buckets are blue metal in colour but, really, anything goes! The spials (spigots inserted into the tree) are a dark grey metal.  The tool on the text page is an old-fashioned brace and bit which still works beautifully for small operations. We usually do about 40 taps that result in 15-20 litres of maple syrup depending on the year. Yum!