Last week I packed up my oil paints and drove up Route 17 to Oquossoc. Along the way is the most charming little fishing spot, Beaver Pond. After driving to the Height of Land, which is a panoramic view of the Richardson Lakes, I turned around and headed south towards Byron to situate myself on the east shore of this little pond as dusk settled in. I met a friendly teen who was fishing with her father there. They were among many who caught their limit of trout after a hard day at work. I just love this spot and probably will return to paint other times of day and seasons.

Maple Sunrise. This is my little sap house where many happy, and often anxious, hours were spent boiling down sap to make sweet maple syrup. There were many state laws to follow, many traditions in methods and many ideas on how to best accomplish the task. The sap house was in operation from about 1980-1986. The building still sits cosily awaiting the bustling of steam rising out of the center vents in the darkness of the crisp, cool night, the heat from the arch keeping a distance, the night lights glowing while the full bulk tank of sap gravitates to the heat. Wondering its fate as the maple orchard is crowded out by softwoods.