A Day at the Sugar Bush

A story about the Daggs, Davies, Stewarts, and Ostrander/Makarenkos from the Ottawa area, who traveled together to China in January 1998

 When people go through incredible experiences together, bonds are  formed  that will last for all  time.

We miss those group members who live far away, and  we   delight   in   any   correspondence. 

And we try to see those who live closer to us whenever an excuse presents itself. Excuses include our daughters' birthdays, family day, Chinese New Year's, or ..SPRING! In Lanark County (west of Ottawa), spring means maple syrup. So our latest get-together, on March 27, was a trip to Fulton's Pancake House and Sugar Bush, organized by Vi Davies.

We remembered to wear our rubber boots (benefit of past experience) to pick our way among the muddy puddles to the sugar shack.  When the Daggs arrived, the Davies  were  already  there,  little Sarah enjoying herself in the playground.  Lucas and MeiLing ran to join them with Daddy, while Mommy joined the  quickly  growing  lineup to get  into  the  restaurant  for  pancakes. The Stewarts arrived minutes later, and the Makarenko/ Ostranders arrived just as we  were  wondering  if we'd  have to  go  in  for breakfast without them – turned out they'd already eaten (also a benefit of past experience...).

It was such a warm, sunny day that we were able to eat outside at picnic tables!  You know, those huge pancakes drowned in maple syrup and those great breakfast sausages. The kind of breakfast that makes kids  wild  with  energy,   and  makes  parents want  to crawl back into  bed  for  the  remainder  of  the  day  –  a good breakfast to have about once a year…

Not much time with toddlers to "get into" the making of maple syrup –  just  a  walk  through  the  sugar shack and ...  we  split into two groups:  the Stewarts and Davies opting for the horse-and-sleigh ride; the Daggs and Ostranders (who each have an older child) opting for the walk in the woods.  The walk was nice – progress was slow, but the weather was SO good, who cared? Compared with the crowds of people around the main compound, the walk was peaceful and enjoyable.

Eventually we were reunited and piled ourselves onto a wet snow-bank for the requisite group photo, Sara being the only person whose bottom remained dry – she had the camera!

We think our next excuse for a gathering will be that the flowers are blooming … a barbecue in Moe’s garden, perhaps?

 Text by Maureen ; Photos by Sara