All posts by George Walters

George Walters is a Canadian columnist and author with more than forty years of writing experience. For over twenty years he has written a weekly column for Postmedia Network — Canada's largest newspaper chain — never missing a single week, publishing fifty-two stories a year. Combined with his work in Reader's Digest Community Voices, World News, Country Living, The Country Register, and farm and rural lifestyle magazines across Canada, he has published well over two thousand stories drawn from everyday life. He writes about farm work, fishing, old trucks, and the kind of people you only find in small towns — but just as likely he'll hand a voice to a weathered telephone pole, or turn his eye on something happening in the world today and tell you exactly what he thinks about it. No subject is off limits. If there's a story in it, George will find it. He has been called a philosopher of everyday life, a description that came up more than once during his television appearances over the years — and it's not hard to see why. His writing has a way of making the ordinary feel worth sitting with. He is the author of eleven books, including yearly short story collections and the Clay Moretti Files mystery series. Clay is a fifty-year-old private investigator who drives a 1967 Ford Galaxie, smokes cigars, and operates by a code the modern world gave up on a long time ago. The cases are present day. The man handling them is not. All titles are available in paperback and eBook on Amazon. Together, George and his wife Ruth have also created Elmer Finds His Way, the first in what he hopes will be a long series of children's books. Ruth did all the illustrations, as she has for every one of George's books — and beyond that she designed and painted the covers as well. Her work is woven into every page of everything he has published. A few words from readers: "I pulled up a kitchen chair and read your story three times." "You have a way of making a person homesick for a place they haven't been to." "Thank you for writing things that make old people and kids feel the same way at the same time." All my titles are available in paperback and eBook on Amazon.ca here.

Where Every Word Still Counts on April 9/2025

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Good Morning! As my old friend Grey Wold Used to say: A crow’s call at dawn doesn’t need explaining, and neither do most things, if you’re paying attention.

Well—she’s a cold one here in cottage country this morning. When I crawled out of bed, the thermometer was sittin’ at -0.94°F | -18.3°C. So much for all that global warming stuff folks keep carryin’ on about.

Far as I’m concerned, the earth’s just doin’ what it’s always done. It’s been warming up and cooling down since the beginning of time. Sure, we might be making a bit of a mess with the way we live now, but the big picture? That’s Mother Nature’s work, she runs the show, not us. All them fanatics hollering about the end of the world every time it snows or rains a bit too much, well, they need to take a breath and look back at history.

Port Loring Weather Forecast

Today: A cold one, with a bit of sun, some cloud, and maybe a flurry or two.
High: 35°F | 2°C
Low Tonight: 15°F | -9°C

Tomorrow: A bit milder, with a bit more sunshine.
High: 43°F | 6°C
Low: 24°F | -5°C

You might want to toss another log on the fire and keep that coffee close. She’s still got some bite in her, but the warmer days are comin’.

Highway 522 is bare and dry this morning, which will make for some good travelin’—whether you’re heading into town for supplies or just making the weekly run to the dump. Yep, it’s Dump Day here in our little corner of the world—one of the more prestigious events on the calendar if you ask a few of the locals.

Some folks treat it like a social outing… wave to a neighbor, maybe compare who’s got the better load in the back of the truck. And if you’re real lucky, you might even spot someone sneakin’ something back from the dump. “One man’s trash,” as they say.

So, if you’ve been holding off getting rid of that busted toaster or that old chair with only one leg left, now’s your chance. Roads are good, sky’s clear, and the garbage gods are smiling.

On another note, yesterday me and my wife managed to get our driveway and decks cleared of snow. I have to tell ya, there was a lot of it. In some spots we had a good foot and a half. It took me and my wife the whole morning to get things cleaned up.

And I gotta tell ya, we were more than ready for our lunch and a couple cups of coffee when we were finished. After that, our two Lazy Boy chairs sure felt good. Slept good too.

So, what are you up to today, GW?

Well, today’s a bit on the cool side, so I’m thinkin’ I’ll sit down and write up another story or two and keep the home fires going. After yesterday, this old body of mine could sure use a bit of a rest.

With that, I’m off for my morning breakfast that my lovely wife has put together for me. After that, I’ll see what the day has in store. It might be cold, but that sun shining like she is sure makes it look nice outside.

Until next time—keep your minds open and your stories alive! GW

All my books are available on my Amazon Author Page.

If you purchase a book, a brief Amazon review really helps new readers discover my work—it means a lot.

Support my writing: Support My Writing

In Closing, I Would Like to Wish You Well!

George Walters | [email protected]

Let the Working Man Keep His Pay

Only On The Walters Post

These are my own thoughts from what I’ve seen and lived through. I’m sharing them to spark some thinking and honest conversation, not because I have all the answers.

It just don’t sit right with me, that every time a man works, puts in his hours, and then has to give part of it away before he even sees it. That’s not fair. The working man’s pay belongs to him, not the government.

The thing is, if folks could keep what they earn, they’d have enough to buy a decent home, fix up their truck, maybe even get the kids something useful like a new computer. They’d spend it in their communities. That’s how a country grows—not by taxing the hell out of the people who are actually doing the work.

Now, I’m not saying we shouldn’t help the ones who really need it. Seniors who’ve done their time, folks who’ve got serious health problems, yeah, we look after them. That’s just being decent. But the rest? If you’re able-bodied, you should be working. Simple as that.

We’ve built a system where it sometimes pays better to sit still than to put in an honest day’s work, well, that’s backwards. There’s work to be done, and a country like Canada should be built on effort, not entitlement.

And while we’re on the topic, we also need to have a hard look at how many people we’re bringing into the country right now. Immigration isn’t the problem, it’s how fast it’s happening. Canada’s always opened its doors to folks looking for a better life, and rightly so. But we’ve got to make sure we’ve got the homes, the doctors, and the schools to support them first. Right now, we don’t. And bringing in more people than we can house or care for, only makes things harder for everyone—newcomers and long-timers alike.

This isn’t about turning folks away, it’s about making sure the welcome mat isn’t just a cover for a trap door. Let’s get our infrastructure back on track, make sure our own people aren’t struggling, and then we can talk about how many more we can bring in responsibly.

At the end of the day, we need to stop rewarding idleness and start respecting effort. A fair day’s pay should stay in the worker’s hands, not be filtered through layers of government waste or stretched so thin that no one’s needs get met properly.

Some folks will call this harsh. But what’s harsher, telling someone they’ve got to earn their way, or telling a working man that even after doing everything right, it’s still not enough?

Again… let the man/woman keep their pay, they earned it. That’s fair, something we could use a bit more of around here.

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

All my books are available on my Amazon Author Page.

If you purchase a book, a brief Amazon review really helps new readers discover my work—it means a lot.

Support my writing: Support My Writing

In Closing, I Would Like to Wish You Well!

George Walters | [email protected]

Same Horse, Different Saddle

Only On The Walters Post!

You know, just a month back, you could hardly find a soul, with a kind word for the Liberals. Didn’t matter if you were sittin’ in a coffee shop, leaning on the counter at the feed store, or just jawin’ with friend and family. All that was on folks minds was that Trudeau was on his way out, and everyone was happy.

Fast-forward, here we are, not much time passed, and wouldn’t you know it, the same party, a different face, and folks now are humming a whole new tune. It’s like someone flipped a switch. Along comes Mark Carney with his smooth talk and big-city shine, and suddenly— it’s like the mess we just came through never happened.

The thing is, you can dress it up however you like, but it’s still the same old outfit underneath. Amazes me how some folks get dazzled by the wrapping, and forget to check what’s in the box.

And the real kicker? Most believe they’re makin’ up their own minds, when half the time, they’re just bein’ nudged along like cattle through a gate.

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

All my books are available on my Amazon Author Page.

If you purchase a book, a brief Amazon review really helps new readers discover my work—it means a lot.

Support my writing: Support My Writing

In Closing, I Would Like to Wish You Well!

George Walters | [email protected]

So who’s Really Visiting my Blog? Here’s the Straight Goods By GW

Only On The Walters Post!

I ran a check on Blog traffic using a tool called Go Access, that my son Karl set me up with, awhile back, nothing fancy—just a way to see who’s dropping by and what they’re looking at.

Here’s what’s happening for just one day, April 8, 2025:

  • Total Visits (Hits): 5,608
  • Unique Visitors (Real People): 2,979

That means almost 3,000 real folks came to read or browse. Not bots. Not search engines. “Real People!!

Bottom Line?

Nearly 3,000 in just one day. That’s no small potatoes.

So if you’ve ever shared my posts, commented, or just quietly read along—thank you. It means the stories I’ve been telling/writing, and the old ways I’ve been trying to preserve, are reaching people. And… that’s why I do this.


Until the next time, keep your minds open and your stories alive. GW

All my books are available on my Amazon Author Page.

If you purchase a book, a brief Amazon review really helps new readers discover my work—it means a lot.

Support my writing: Support My Writing

In Closing, I Would Like to Wish You Well!

George Walters | [email protected]

From the Desk Where Stories Never Die on April 8/2025

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Good Morning! You know, the problem today isn’t a lack of knowledge, it’s an oversupply of nonsense.

Well, folks, old man winter has reappeared—at least in our neck of the woods.
Looking outside, I’d say we had a good foot, and in some places, closer to two feet, of fresh snow overnight. Just when we were getting ready to welcome spring proper, winter decided to show us it’s not quite done yet.

Weather Forecast – Port Loring, Ontario, Canada

Today (Tuesday, April 8):
Flurries in the morning tapering off as the day goes on. Skies will stay mostly cloudy, with a few sunny breaks possible this afternoon. Expect a high around 28°F (–2°C). Winds will be light, but enough to make it feel a touch colder. Total snowfall today is expected to stay under an inch (1 cm)—but we’ve already got plenty on the ground from before dawn.

Tonight:
Skies clear out, bringing a sharp drop in temperature. Low near 6°F (–14°C), with frost settling in wherever the wind hasn’t swept it clean. A good night to toss an extra log on the fire.

Tomorrow (Wednesday, April 9):
Mostly sunny, with a high of 34°F (1°C). Not a big warm-up, but enough to soften the snow on your boots by afternoon. Winds will stay light. Clear and cold again overnight, with lows dipping to around 17°F (–9°C).

So, if you’re headed outside, bundle up good, and keep that shovel handy.
Around here, winter doesn’t ask for permission before making itself at home, or so it seems lately.

Highway 522… well, it’s out there somewhere—
but you sure wouldn’t know it looking out the window this morning. It’s completely buried under a thick blanket of snow. You’d be hard-pressed to tell where the road ends and the fields begin. Travel’s not lookin’ too promising, I’ll tell ya that much.

It’s the kind of day when the smart ones stay put, maybe put on a fresh pot of coffee.

On another note:
Yesterday, with the weather bein’ what it was, my wife and I stayed put here at home. I spent most of the day tappin’ away at the keys, writing up a couple more stories. The words were flowin’ real nice, like sap on a warm spring day.

Meanwhile, my wife was busy as ever—tidyin’ up, cleanin’, and doin’ all the little things that keep a home runnin’ smooth. Let me tell ya, that woman of mine never stops.

So, what are you up to today, GW?

Well, one thing’s for sure—there’s a mighty big pile of snow out there waitin’ for us. The decks and driveway are buried deep, and I suspect movin’ all that white stuff will keep us busy for most of the morning—maybe even into the afternoon. After that? Well, no-brainer there, as we’ll be more than ready to kick back and catch our breath.

But first things first, as right now I’m off to enjoy a plate of homemade waffles, courtesy of my lovely wife. She sure knows how to start the day off right. After that? We’ll see what the day brings.

Until the next time… keep your minds open and your stories alive. GW

All my books are available on my Amazon Author Page.

If you purchase a book, a brief Amazon review really helps new readers discover my work—it means a lot.

Support my writing: Support My Writing

In Closing, I Would Like to Wish You Well!

George Walters | [email protected]