T-Bears Maple Syrup Party

The sugar shack….where friends and nieghbours meet.

If you ask any of our children to give an example of a favourite childhood memory, all three of them will tell you about Brown’s annual Sugarbush party. It’s always been near or at the top of their list.

The stream which left our kids soaked but happy. I was often barefoot in my boots, having given one of my children my dry socks.

Celebrating springs arrival with snow, rain, and sleet, and sometimes lots of mud brought with it the freedom to run through the forests and the streams.

They will share how they trampled through the snow with golf clubs in hopes of winning the coveted T-Bear trophy for snow golf.

The warmth of an open fire. These open flames dried many pairs of mittens, socks and snowpants.

Added to the experience were the hotdogs and marshmallows roasted over an open fire.

Our host, being an avid hunter, allowed our children and us to experience the culinary delights of bear, venison, and moose sausage.

Maple sap, today it is frozen solid.

Sampling maple sap and maple syrup, sometimes with a spoon, sometimes with a dip in the bucket.

The outhouse….

Not everyone wanted to use it, but it was there!

Homegrown and delicious.

There is store bought maple syrup,  and then, there is the real thing.

Can’t wait to bring the grandkids.

It’s Maple Sugar Time!

Soaked in Maple Syrupy goodness.

It’s maple syrup time again. Due to covid19, we will be celebrating a little differently this year. So I like to share some photos from a couple of years ago that have made me homesick for the better days to come. Soon. I hope.

Horse and buggy were the vehicles of the day, taking us from a neighbouring parking lot to the Sweetwater Harvest Festival at the Wye Marsh.
Bears protecting the little frog pond.
Watching pancake mix being poured onto hot grills.
Eating those pancakes, soaked in newly boiled maple syrup.
Tapping trees the old fashioned way.
Multiple taps on a tree.
Boiling maple syrup for taffy.
Then onto the snow.
Rolled onto a stick, then into my mouth.
Cooking Bannock over an open fire.
Bee keepers, we will be.
A new spring home for our birds!

We are really looking forward to experiencing this again, next year!