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Good morning, from where the only deadline is the sun going down. The way it should be.

Well, waking up, it’s at least looking like another nice day here in Cottage Country.

Here’s your weather for Port Loring:

Today (Wednesday, June 4):
Expect periods of rain throughout the day, with a high around 74°F (23°C). Winds will be from the west-southwest at 10 to 15 mph. Keep an umbrella handy if you’re heading out.

Tonight:
Cloudy skies with a 60% chance of showers. Low near 57°F (14°C). Winds will shift to the northwest at 10 to 15 mph.

Tomorrow (Thursday, June 5):
A mix of sun and clouds, with a 30% chance of showers. High around 80°F (26°C). Winds from the southwest at 10 to 15 mph.

Highway 522 wasn’t all that busy yesterday, but that’s understandable with the way our economy is going—or maybe I should say heading. But in saying that, once things start to warm up some and the blackflies leave us alone for more than five minutes, that northern pull, that urge to get up here, will settle upon folks like a second cup of coffee on a Monday morning. They’ll be packing up the SUV, kids, dog, cooler, and fishing rods, half-ready and half-lost, just to sit in traffic for six hours and call it “getting away from it all.” And you know what? We’ll be glad to see ’em.

Bug Report:
Well, I have to say, even with things warming up yesterday, the blackflies and mosquitoes weren’t all that bad. I’m kind of thinking that the cold, damp weather we had the past few days knocked a good number of them back a bit, not to mention the birds that have been picking them off pretty steady lately.

Last fall, I decided to build six birdhouses and put them up around the yard early this spring. We had to take the vacancy sign down pretty quick, because they filled up fast. One right by our driveway was claimed by a pair of bluebirds, the first time in 20 years they’ve made a home here. By our fishpond, where we placed a couple more, a pair of Swallows moved in and started raising a family. And then out back behind the house, we’ve got two more birdhouses that a couple of Wrens have taken over. Judging by how often they’re flying in with bugs, there must be a hungry bunch of little beaks waiting inside.

My wife and I sure do enjoy watching them throughout the day. It’s amazing how simple things can bring so much enjoyment—not to mention how many insects they eat, which sure makes life a lot easier, especially during blackfly season.

On another note,
Yesterday I worked the day away outside, fixing up a few things that needed attention, and chatting with folks who dropped by our gift shop and ongoing garage sale—which we plan on keeping open for another couple of months.

I have to say, we’ve had a steady stream of people stopping in, picking up all sorts of things we no longer need. That being said, we still have plenty left to sell, and my wife’s been adding new items daily—things we’ve had stored upstairs for years. So, whether you’ve dropped by before or you’re just hearing about us for the first time, it might pay to swing in now and then. You never know, there just might be something you’ve been looking for.

We’re located at 11588 Highway 522, Port Loring, Ontario, and we’re always happy to see a friendly face—new or familiar.

All in all, things have been rolling along pretty good these days.

So What are You Up to Today, GW?

Well, today—weather permitting—I’m planning on doing a bit of weeding in the gardens around the house. And if there’s time left in the day, I’ll head out to the woodworking shop and give it a bit of a clean-up. It’s been needing some tidying for a while now.

And if the weather holds off even longer, my wife and I are hoping to spend some quiet time out on the swing under the old Basswood tree out back. It sure is nice out there, I guess you could say we’ve got a bird’s-eye view of everything going on around the place.

And living where we do, there’s always something happening in nature—whether it’s the birds feeding their young or a few critters raising a ruckus, or just the breeze moving through the trees. Well… you don’t have to look far to find something worth paying attention to.

With that, I’m off for the breakfast my lovely wife has made for me. After that, I think we’ll both head out to the front porch by our White Lilac tree—which, by the way, is in full bloom and smelling mighty fine—and enjoy a cup of hot cocoa. Can’t beat that for starting the day off right.

Until the next time: Keep Your Minds Open & Your Stories Alive. GW