Saugeen Bluffs Old-Tyme Maple Syrup Festival - March 26-27, 2011
Twelve members of our group were able to participate this year - one of our biggest turn-outs ever in support of this community event. We have been here every year since 2005, and weather is always a mixed bag. This year, the weather was cold (-20's at night) and quite crisp, which meant the ground, though still a little snow-covered, was (thankfully) dry and firm. The advantage of the crisp, dry air was that our drums didn't require drying over the fire! But the cold nights meant some of our members would move to the building the second night to sleep. Meanwhile, Gaha (Peter) slept under a lean-to, very much exposed to the elements (see picture below). Cold nights gifted the mornings with a beautiful hoar frost blanketing the trees, set against clear blue skies - spectacular! (see picture below)
It was great to have "Grey Owl" (as performed by David Morris) able to return with us again this year, to tell First Nations stories from the stage, which complemented our drumming sessions. And it was nice not to have to compete with other performers during that time, as we have in years past! As we usually do, we sang and drummed on the stage a couple of times both Saturday and Sunday, to folks who sat to listen, and to others lined up to buy their pancakes from the Paisley Kinsmen. Back in the camp, there was always a steady flow of locals with whom you can show the furs and trade items, and tell stories of the early fur trade. Gaha also worked on making a new hand drum that weekend.
As part of the historical encampment, a treat is to get to meet up again with some of our re-enactment friends: Ed Maxwell and the Bruce County Trappers and Crappers, Jeff (Cyrus) Wakefield, Gayle Allen and her husband Richard of 4 and 20 Blackbirds Bakery (with their mouth-watering maple-glazed donuts!), Dana Bernier (Frontier Popcorn, oh yeah!), and Dr. Phineus Quimby (Bob Allan). A few of us also headed to Annie's Chocolates, where they have delightful chocolate-covered jujubes (if they had had them, they would have eaten them)! However, we missed our dear friend Gino Ferri of "Survival in the Bush, Inc" again this year, although he was on the billing to attend.
And of course, Lynn and Dale came home with a gallon of maple syrup, made locally by Voisin’s Maple Syrup Products. It's all about the syrup!
David (Grey Owl) and Vaughan (Le Bleu) bundled in fur
