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.

Lessons from the Past

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.

We’re living in tough times, markets are dropping, tariffs are rising, and the world feels like it’s on edge. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that these kinds of storms aren’t new. We’ve been through hard times before, and we’ll face them again. The real question is: how do we handle it?

When the markets drop, people panic. They see the numbers and start selling off their investments, trying to save what they can. But while many are rushing to get out, the ones with the resources are quietly buying. They know the cycle, they know that after the storm, things will level out, and they’ll come out ahead. The game is set up this way—those with foresight win, while the rest are left holding nothing.

It’s frustrating, no doubt. The system often feels like it’s stacked against the everyday person. But that’s the lesson here: patience and resilience. The panic doesn’t win. The steady, long-term thinkers are the ones who get through the rough patches. It’s no different from what we’ve seen in farming and business: the hard work you put in today will pay off in the future, even if it doesn’t always look like it. I know my wife and I have been there.

In times like these, we need to remember what we’ve learned from the past. It’s not about waiting for someone else to fix things—it’s about relying on our own strength. We’ve got the tools, the wisdom, and the experience to weather this storm.

We can’t control the chaos, but we can control how we react. It’s time to focus on what really matters: our ability to stand strong, stay steady, and keep moving forward. We don’t need to depend on anyone else to pull us through. Or should we.

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]

Old Pages, New Perspectives on April 7/2025

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Good Morning! “You know, truth may be simple, but finding it these days is like looking for a needle in a haystack that keeps moving.”

It’s a cloudy morning here, waking up in our small community.

🌨️ Port Loring Weather – April 7 & 8, 2025

Today – Monday, April 7
We’re in for a snowy one.
Expect 6 to 12 inches of snow through the day, some of it heavy at times.
Winds are pickin’ up and blowin’ it around, so visibility could be poor.
It’s a chilly one, too — only getting up to about 37°F (3°C) during the day,
and tonight it’s droppin’ like a stone to around 8°F (-13°C).

Tomorrow – Tuesday, April 8
Still not much better. Snow and flurries hanging around in the morning.
Might see another 2 to 4 inches fall before it settles down.
High won’t get much above 28°F (-2°C),
and the low’s right down near 10°F (-12°C) again come nightfall.

No outside work yet — ground’s locked up tighter than a maple syrup barrel in January. Best to stay warm, maybe sip a mug of something hot, and let that ol’ snow do what it’s going to do.

Highway 522 is bare at the time of this post, but if we get what they say we are going to get, you might want to get your running around done early. “Better to be home wishin’ you’d gone out, than out wishin’ you were home.” A saying, Laura, the lady that raised me for a while, in my early years, used to say, when a storm was brewing.

On another note, yesterday, my wife and I brought in a couple more wheelbarrow loads of firewood. With the cold settin’ in for the next few days and a storm threatening to roll through later today, I figured it was best to have a bit extra on hand — just in case.

That took up most of the morning, along with a few other odds and ends outside. The sun was out, and it felt good to get some fresh air while the weather was behaving.

In the afternoon, I sat down to write a story. Took me a bit longer than usual — the words just weren’t flowin’ the way I’d have liked. Some days are like that, no matter how long you’ve been at it. But I stuck with it, and in the end, it turned out pretty good. On a good day, I could’ve had it written up in half the time — but sometimes, a story’s gotta stew a little before it’s ready.

So, what are you up to today, GW?

Well, earlier this morning I took some coals from my wood furnace to the old shop stove and got it goin’. Figured I’d try to get this old body of mine moving a bit and get a few things done out there later on. I’ve got a bit of a mess to clean up from what I was working on a couple of days ago — bits of wood here and there, tools sittin’ where I left ‘em, and the floor could use some sweeping.

It should be warming up in the shop nicely by the time I’ve had my breakfast. My lovely wife already has it made — smells real good too, I’ll be sittin’ down to it here in a minute or two.

A warm shop, a hot breakfast, and a few small jobs to tackle — sounds like a pretty decent start to the day if you ask me.

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]

Tariffs, Truth, and the Price of a Car

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.

Lately, there’s been a lot of noise about car prices going up, and just like always, the blame is being tossed around like a hot potato. This time, they’re saying it’s because of a trade war, with tariffs flying back and forth between Canada and the U.S.

But let’s slow down and look at what’s really going on.

President Trump hasn’t slapped a 25% tariff on finished cars coming from Canada. That’s not what’s happening here. What he’s talking about, and has been pushing—is a tariff on imported auto parts, especially those coming from outside the U.S., like China or Mexico. So it’s not the whole car—it’s the pieces. Big difference.

Now, Canada didn’t just sit back. We fired back with our own counter-tariffs. If an American-made vehicle has parts that aren’t from Canada and it doesn’t meet the CUSMA rules, (Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement) that part of the vehicle gets hit with a 25% tariff on the way into Canada. That means things are getting tangled up fast.

So where does this leave the average working Canadian? Standing at the dealership, wondering why prices are climbing, when most of the cars were already overpriced before this nonsense started.

Truth is, there’s a glut of unsold vehicles. Lots are packed. Sales are soft. And they’re not soft because of tariffs, they’re soft because again… vehicles cost too damn much to begin with, and our economy is already hurting.

What we’re seeing now is just another excuse. Another way to quietly raise prices and blame someone else. And I’ll tell you, this isn’t about protecting industry, in my mind, it’s about protecting profit.

What we really need, plain and simple, is for the powers that be to stop taxing the paychecks of the working man and woman completely. Every time we turn around, there’s a new deduction, a new fee, a new excuse for why we can’t keep what we earn. It’s wrong. We are the ones keeping this country going, building, farming, fixing, teaching, raising families—-and we get punished for it, while the suits up top live off our backs without lifting a calloused finger.

Bottom line is this; Let a person keep “every” dollar they earn, and you’d see real change overnight. Folks would have more to spend, more to save, more to invest in their families and communities. Small businesses would thrive and local economies would pick up steam. That’s how you build a strong nation folks—not by squeezing the life out of the very people holding it together.

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]

Old Map On Display!

Only On The Walters Post!

Click on Image to enlarge!

Here is an old map I came across in my collection of things, which was hand drawn many years ago, figured it might be a history lesson for some. Not many around like this one.

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]

Another Day, Another Quiet Start Here in the Pines on March 6/2025

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Good Morning! You know, I figure the problem with a lot of folks here in Canada these days, isn’t just a lack of knowledge… it’s that what little they do know is buried under a mountain of nonsense. And truth be told, a good chunk of that mountain’s been stacked up by the very folks who are supposed to be leading us—our politicians.

Port Loring, Ontario – Sunday, April 6, 2025

Well, here we are. .April’s on the calendar, but winter’s still clinging’ to the edges. As of this morning, Port Loring’s sitting at a brisk 34°F (1°C) under partly sunny skies. Here’s how the week’s looking if you’re planning your chores, travel, or just deciding whether or not to fire up the wood-stove again.


Forecast

Today – Sunday, April 6
High: 39°F (4°C) | Low: 25°F (-4°C)
A chilly day with low clouds hanging around. The sun might poke through now and then, but it won’t be bringing much warmth. A good day for shop work, or???

Monday, April 7
High: 36°F (2°C) | Low: 10°F (-12°C)
Heavy snow’s on the horizon and we can expect 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm). Also some colder weather will follow in behind it, so keep the shovel handy.

Tuesday, April 8
High: 28°F (-2°C) | Low: 8°F (-13°C)
Cloudy and very cold. The kind of cold that makes you hesitate at the door.

Wednesday, April 9
High: 37°F (3°C) | Low: 19°F (-7°C)
Mostly sunny but still well below normal. That sunshine’s more for show than warmth. So best bundle up and enjoy the light, but don’t leave your coat at home.

Thursday, April 10
High: 45°F (7°C) | Low: 24°F (-4°C)
Partly sunny and beginning to ease up. Might start to feel like spring is thinking about showing up, even if it’s still shy.

Friday, April 11
High: 50°F (10°C) | Low: 33°F (1°C)
Mostly sunny and milder–finally something close to seasonal. This will be the day to stretch your legs, maybe even sweep off the porch for good.

Saturday, April 12
High: 50°F (10°C) | Low: 32°F (0°C)
Bright sunshine and warming-up right where it should be.


April in Port Loring – A Bit of History

On average, Port Loring sees daytime highs near 50°F (10°C) and lows around 29°F (-2°C) for April. Precipitation’s a regular guest, with around 12 days bringing rain or snow, totaling close to 3.5 inches (87 mm). In other words–expect mud, a stubborn bit of snow, and enough chill to keep the garden covered just a little longer.


A Few Words of Wisdom

Best be dressing in layers this week, GW-style...long handles underneath, rain coat up top, and maybe keep a second pair of gloves in the truck. That snow on Monday won’t last forever, but it’s coming, and the cold behind it means you’ll feel it in your knuckles.

But again–by the end of the week, we’re heading into better weather, more sun, more warmth, and maybe the first real breath of spring.

On another note, the weather kept me indoors yesterday so I spent the better part of it here at my computer. The words came easy, and I ended up writing a couple more stories for the folks I send work to at Postmedia. Always gives me a warm feeling inside when an egg of an idea starts to crack open—but it never feels truly hatched until it’s been shared with the world.

So what are you up to today GW?

Well, with the sun shining and me feeling not too bad-once it warms up a bit, I’m thinking I might head out and do a little work in my old woodworking shop. But for now, with the air still holding a bit of a chill, I’m staying put here at my computer. If I’m lucky, I might even manage to write up another story or two. We’ll just have to see how things pan out.

Truth be told, I never honestly know what I’m going to do from one day to the next. I make plans, but over the years, I’ve come to realize that plans are often made to be broken- and most times, that’s not such a bad thing.

And with that, I’m off to enjoy my morning breakfast—once again made by my lovely wife. After that, well, I’ll get to doing something-eventually. But whatever the day brings will just have to wait until we’ve had our regular morning chat over a hot cup of cocoa. Wouldn’t want to miss that for anything.

Truth is, a day without my sunshine—my lovely wife—just wouldn’t feel right. She brightens every morning in a way no sunrise ever could, and I wouldn’t trade that for all the plans in the world. Hmm you think that last remark might just get me a piece of cake to go with that cup of hot cocoa???

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]