Sunday Buds

Maple Open House

While people
twirled sugar-on-snow onto their wooden sticks
bit into dill pickles
slipped closer to the bonfire
sipped sap coffee while chatting with someone they knew from somewhere else,

While children
slid down the snowbank again and again
scrambled back up on all fours
rubbed the smoke out of their eyes
clung to their mothers (just the few), feeling too shy to try the sugar-on-snow,

While everyone walked, skipped, or drove away
from the celebration
from the Sunday outing
from the rite of spring,

The buds on the maple trees
stayed home.

Thus begins a week-by-week study of the buds from one branch of one sugar maple tree living below the garden, within sight of the sugarhouse. It is still a child; its branches are low enough to touch and observe closely. In this drawing the buds are still tight.

Ana is new to the crew this past week. Everywhere she turns she sees inspiration for a sketch or a painting.