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Good morning. The coffee’s hot, the birds are singing, and my thoughts are lining up like fence posts. Let’s get to it.

Starting things off, it’s looking as if we’re in for another really nice day here in Port Loring, Ontario, Canada. Right now it’s sitting at a comfortable 63°F (17°C), and the sun’s already warming things up. You won’t need more than a light shirt if you’re heading outside early, and it’s shaping up to be one of those days that makes you glad you live where you do.

This afternoon, we’re on track to reach around 79°F (26°C) with full-on sunshine and just enough of a breeze to keep things feeling pleasant. A fine day to check a few things off the list outdoors, or maybe just settle into the shade and let the world spin without you for a bit.

Tonight, we’ll dip down into the low 60s°F (around 16°C) under partly cloudy skies. Still mild, and just right for leaving the windows cracked open a touch.

Tomorrow, we’ll start the morning near 63°F (17°C) again, and by afternoon we’re looking at sunshine and a high of around 73°F (23°C). Can’t ask for much better than that this time of year.

Highway 522 has been a bit busier the past few days. Folks from down south rolled in over the weekend, opened up their cottages, and now they’re starting to poke around, seeing what’s new and what’s stayed the same. It’s that time of year when Cottage Country comes to life again, and if you’re out and about, there’s no shortage of places worth dropping in on.

One of them is our gift shop right here in Port Loring at 11588 Highway 522. My wife’s been busy setting up our summer display, and if I do say so, it’s looking real nice. She’s laid out the handcrafted flutes just so, each one with its own feel and sound, made right here at home with care and a bit of heart worked into the grain and sound.

While you’re here, don’t miss the artwork. My lovely wife is a self-taught artist who’s been painting for over thirty-five years or so, and her work has found homes all over the world. She also creates handmade cards, each one a small piece of art in itself. Every story I’ve ever written and gathered into our books has one of her illustrations alongside it. She brings those words to life in a way I never could have on my own, making the stories feel even more real. It’s a quiet tribute to the heart behind the stories and the hands that helped shape them.

Speaking of stories, you’ll find all of my books here too, each filled with over fifty short stories drawn from real life. Some tell of the old ways and the folks who came before us, others touch on what’s happening now, and a few explore what might be just around the bend. You know, I’ve been writing columns every single week for over thirty years now and have never missed one. I’m still writing for Post Media today and for the papers that came before it as well. It’s been a good, long run, and I figure folks ought to know these stories come from places and times that’s seen a thing or two.

So if you’re looking to spend a quiet afternoon doing something different, stop in and say hello. You never know what you might find—or what might find you.

With that, I’m off to enjoy the breakfast my lovely wife made for me. Gotta get it while it’s hot—nothing worse than a cold breakfast. Well, unless it’s cereal, and who really eats that stuff anyway? Ha.

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