It has been a wonderful Sunday afternoon tradition for me and my wife Bonnie to drive through the countryside in Waterloo-Wellington County in Southwestern Ontario. In late winter and early spring, there is no more distinguishing and unmistakable scent than fresh manure just spread over the fields. As we turned the bend over the crest of a hill, our olfactory sense was rudely awakened long before our other senses told us where we were and what we were seeing! I wanted to capture the richness of the experience and the beauty of the landscape. After a long winter, seeing the seemingly barren fields without snow was refreshing and brought a feeling of elation, punctuated by the fresh aroma of black gold. The dramatic sky convinced me that this scene was worth capturing and had great potential for the upcoming exhibition “Relationship and Emotion” when I will be a Featured Artist at Uptown Gallery Waterloo. Take a deep breath and take in that wonderful country freshness!