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Good morning. You know, over the years I have found that words are a bit like an old wood stove. If you fill them up carelessly, they smolder half-burned. Keep at them, stir them, and tend them properly, and suddenly they light up the room. But neglect them, and you’re left with a room full of smoke.

Well by the looks of things were are in for a nice day here in good ol Port Loring Ontario Canada.

Currently 62° · Mostly sunny

Today	71°56°	Partly sunny and pleasant
Thursday	69°53°	Periods of rain
Friday	65°51°	Considerable clouds with a passing shower

Highway 522 wasn’t all that busy yesterday. There were a few campers passing through, but with this nice weather, I figure we’ll see more day-trippers out and about. Especially the bikers, since it won’t be long before they have to tuck their bikes away for the winter. Winter is slowly edging closer. Truth be told, I can feel it, it’s like that first nip in the air when the loon calls from the far side of the lake, as if to say, “Get ready, the long sleep’s coming.”

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On another note, yesterday was one of those days that sneaks up on you and makes you wonder what you were thinking. I finally got my new desktop pretty much all made and sanded, so I decided to clear my old desk—monitors, wires, the whole mess—so I could lay the new top down and mark it out. Simple enough, right? Well, you’d think so.

I only had two—no, three—wires to worry about: one from my Starlink and two running to a few other things. I figured I’d remember where they went. Ha! Wires ended up everywhere. I spent over three hours trying to untangle the mess after marking the new top, and still couldn’t get anything working.

By the end of the day, I figured my son Karl, being home from work, could help. I called him and tried to explain what I’d done. He laughed, asked a few questions, and somehow—somehow—he had it all figured out in fifteen minutes. All of a sudden, my computer was up and running again.

I have to tell you, I’ve never been so happy to sink back into my old La-Z-Boy. I didn’t do a thing the rest of the evening. Truth be told, if it weren’t for Karl, this computer might never have run again.

So what are you up to today GW?

Well, today I am going to cut this new desktop to shape and size—that is, after I mark some wires. My son says to label each end of where they should go for future projects, which I am going to do. Sometimes it’s the simple things in life that can save a whole—and I mean a whole—mess of stress.

And then, if the weather holds, I am planning on heading to our front porch and doing some front porch sitting, as these nice days aren’t going to be around forever. There is no better time of year to sit outside than now, with the leaves all turning color and taking in how nature is slowing down for another year.

So yeah, that’s the plan. Whether it all works out that way—well, we will have to see.

So with that, I am off to enjoy the breakfast my lovely wife has made for me—pan-fried bread covered with fresh berries and all sorts of delicious things. I have to say, that woman of mine has a knack for creating meals that would put even a five-star restaurant to shame.

Until the next time: Keep Your Minds Open & Your Stories Alive.
—GW, From the Desk Where I’ve Seen It All

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Good morning. You know, I’ve found as a writer that every story is really just a question dressed up as an answer. We tell them thinking we’re giving something certain, but what we’re really doing is wondering out loud.

Well, it’s a rainy old day here in cottage country. And truth be told, we needed it. It’s been so dry that no amount of watering could keep up; the ground just drank it in and asked for more. And with winter not far off, this rain feels less like an inconvenience and more like a gift, giving the trees, the plants, and even the animals what they’ll need to carry through the cold months ahead.

Highway 522 was slow yesterday, but it was Sunday and most folks were resting at home. Today will also be quiet, with the rain keeping people indoors. However, there are some hunters entering the picture, and that will continue right up until the end of December, which is normal for us here in Port Loring. Truth be told, a lot of folks in our area depend on the meat they get from hunting, just as much as others rely on the grocery store.

Any way here is here’s your 2025 hunting season guide for Port Loring, Ontario (WMU 47), as of September 22, 2025, I am pretty sure this is accurate but it always pays to double check things out.

Small Game & Fur-bearing Mammals

• Ruffed Grouse & Spruce Grouse
  • Season: Open from September 15.
  • Bag Limit: 5 per day, 15 in possession.
  • Licence: Small Game Licence required.
• Snowshoe Hare, Squirrels, Foxes, Raccoons, etc.
  • Season: Open from September 15.
  • Bag Limit: Varies by species; typically 5 per day.
  • Licence: Small Game Licence required.

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🐻 Black Bear (Fall Season)

• Season: Open in many WMUs, including WMU 47.
• Bag Limit: 1 bear per hunter per year.
• Licence: Black Bear Licence required.

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🦃 Wild Turkey (Fall Season)

• Tags: Went on sale September 1.
• Season: Typically opens in October.
• Bag Limit: 1 bearded turkey per tag.
• Licence: Wild Turkey Licence required.

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🦌 White-tailed Deer

• Archery Season: Typically opens October 1 in WMU 47.
• Firearm Season: Usually begins early November.
• Bag Limit: 1 antlered deer per year; additional antler-less deer may be available through a draw.
• Licence: Deer Licence required; additional tags may be obtained through the draw.

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🦌 Moose

• Archery Season: Opens October 4 in WMU 47.
• Firearm Season: Typically begins October 20.
• Bag Limit: 1 moose per hunter per year.
• Licence: Moose Licence required; available through a draw.

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🐺 Wolf & Coyote

• Season: Open from September 15 to December 31.
• Bag Limit: 2 wolves per hunter per year.
• Licence: Small Game Licence required.

On another note, yesterday I did manage to get the tomatoes put out on our trailer out front for folks to pick up, and I have to say, plenty did just that. In fact, a lot of trucks pulling campers stopped and bought quite a few. I imagine they’ll be enjoying some toasted tomato sandwiches, and once they’ve tasted them, if they’re in our area again, I bet they’ll be back—they really are delicious. I think we’ll have tomatoes for about another week, and then that will be it for this year.

So with that bit of info, I am off to have the breakfast my lovely wife has made for me. After that, I’ll head out to my old woodworking shop and see if I can get this new desktop sanded down. I started it yesterday but didn’t get it finished.

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

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Good morning. You know… I’ve found that words kinda age the way wood does… you’ve got to let them dry before they’ll hold their shape. Fresh-cut lumber looks strong enough, but it’s still green inside, still shifting, and still liable to twist on you if you build with it too soon. Words are the same. When they’re fresh from the tongue or pen, they’re swollen with feeling, not yet settled. Give them a little air and time, though, and they’ll cure into something straighter, steadier, and fit to build on.

Tip of the day from a seasoned writer of over 40 years… to a new writer:
Before you shape your story, let your words dry out. Step away, then come back with fresh eyes. You’ll be surprised how much stronger and straighter your writing will be.

Well, we have had some frost for the past morning or so lately, and I am quite happy I covered my vegetables and tomatoes. However, this morning wasn’t as bad as yesterday, but it was still enough to do some serious harm. At any rate, we will still have some tomatoes to put out for sale on our wagon in front of our home. I’ll get to that as soon as I have my breakfast. Self-service: just take what you want and drop your money in the container. And I have to tell you, those tomatoes are like nothing you’ve ever tasted before. You really can’t compare them to greenhouse tomatoes, or to the kind some farmers are growing these days. They just don’t have any taste at all. Truth be told, if I blindfolded someone and gave them one of those store-bought ones, they most likely wouldn’t even know it was a tomato. We’ve become a country that believes as long as it looks good, it is good. It’s a damn shame too.

On another note, yesterday my wife and I took our car to North Bay to get it undercoated, which will kinda protect it for another winter. I have to tell you, they sure don’t make car frames like they used to. Truth is, nothing is made like it was in yesteryear. I’m thinking we’ve become a throwaway country… buy it, use it for a year or so if you’re lucky, then toss it and buy a new one, probably made in China. Back in the day, we made things right here in Canada, or the USA, or maybe even Germany. Not today. Today, like I said, we’re a throwaway nation, buying and selling cheap, mass-produced junk. And the real kicker? It’s nobody’s fault but our own, because people just keep on buying it.

So what are you up to today GW?

Well, a couple of days ago I managed to get my new desktop cut out and glued up, and now I’m planning on cutting it to size and then sanding it down. I’m not sure if I’ll get it all done today, but if I don’t, there’s always another day. Or at least I hope there is. After that, I’ll stain it an Early American color and then fasten it to my old desktop. I can’t wait to see what it looks like when all is said and done.

It’s funny, this all started because my old desk, built the way so many things are today, just didn’t hold up. Mass-produced, rushed through, never given the time or care to last. Now I’m taking the good pieces, the ones worth saving, which aren’t many, and rebuilding it the way it should have been from the start. This time it’ll be a one-of-a-kind desk with some real country flare, the kind any writer would appreciate.

So with that, I’m off once again for the breakfast my lovely wife has made for me, and then I’ll see what the day has in store.

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

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Good morning, stories and fence posts share the same truth—if you don’t set them deep, they won’t stand. A post that’s only stuck in the topsoil will tip with the first hard wind, or worse, sag slowly until the whole fence looks tired. Stories work the same way. If they’re told shallow, without any root in truth or lived experience, they fall over just as quick. You can prop them up for a while with polish or exaggeration, but they won’t last.

So how you all doing this morning? Good I hope. Looking outside this morning once again we are in the midst of some clouds but in saying that I do see some blue sky up there which tells me we will be having some sunshine a bit later on this morning.

Today (Friday): Mostly sunny skies. High around 61 °F (16 °C). Crisp, dry, good for getting things done outside.

Tonight: Clear and much cooler. Lows dipping to about 36 °F (2 °C). You’ll want a jacket or extra blankets if you’re out late.

Tomorrow (Saturday): A beautiful day coming. Plenty of sunshine, warmer too — highs near 67 °F (19 °C), lows around 43 °F (6 °C).

Luckily, we didn’t have a frost last night, but tonight might tell a different story. So, it might pay to cover things up in the vegetable gardens before heading off to bed, which I will do, as we still have some tomatoes and other things, and we wouldn’t want to lose them. They sure are tasty this year.

Highway 522 has seen a bit more traffic these days, with a lot of campers and trucks with ATVs, along with quite a few vehicles towing boats loaded up with supplies. Whether they are heading home or just arriving, one can only guess, but I would think that many of them are now taking advantage of our nice weather and doing some fishing, as it has been good for the past few weeks or so.

On another note: Yesterday, despite not feeling all that well, I managed to get quite a bit done in our vegetable garden, clearing out weeds and plants that have just about had it for the year. By the time I finished, I was all in and ready to take it easy for the rest of the day. I wanted to glue up my new desktop but wasn’t up to it. Still, I accomplished a lot that needed to be done.

“So, what are you up to today, GW?”

Well, I’m planning to glue up that new desktop, but I’ll see how I feel after breakfast. If I’m still not up to par, I’ll just do some front porch sitting with my lovely wife.

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

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Good morning. You know, over the years I’ve found that even an old notebook has something to say, That is… if you listen close enough. Pages worn thin, ink faded, corners bent, there’s still a voice tucked inside. Sometimes it whispers what you once forgot, sometimes it reminds you of a promise you never kept. And then other times, it just sits quiet, letting you realize that words you wrote can surprise you years later.

Well, looking outside here this morning, we are in the midst of some clouds, but, in saying that, the temperatures are holding steady at a comfortable level.

Today (Thu, 18 Sep):
Mainly cloudy. Fog patches dissipating this morning. Wind becoming north at 20 km/h this afternoon. High of 19°C (66°F). UV index 5, or moderate.

Tonight:
A few clouds. Winds from the north at 20 km/h, becoming light this evening. Low of 3°C (37°F), with a risk of frost.

So with the temperature dropping tonight, I reckon I’ll throw an old tarp over the veggies out in the garden, just to be safe. We’ve still got tomatoes, lettuce, and kale coming along real nicely, and I’d hate to lose them to a bit of frost.

Highway 522 is real quiet traffic-wise these days, with most of our tourists closing up their cottages for the winter. But, that being said, we’ve seen an uptick in motorcyclists out enjoying the nice weather, taking in the sights while they still can. And there sure is a lot to see around here, especially this time of year, with the leaves all starting to show their colours.

On another note, my wife and I took a little trip south for a couple of days to visit a farmer friend of ours. While we were there, we picked up a fifty-pound bag of his Huckleberry Gold potatoes and some squash. These potatoes have a beautiful purple skin and a nice yellowish inside, and they keep well through the winter. There’s nothing quite like fresh, farm-grown potatoes—especially when they’re organic.

He’s been growing potatoes for as long as I can remember. Actually, we used to sell our peaches when we were farming right beside him at the Oshawa Market, many years ago. It was real nice to see him again. After our visit, we slowly made our way home, taking in the sights—it’s kinda nice to see what others are up to. All in all, we had a good time, but I have to tell ya, it sure was nice to arrive back home.

So, what are you up to today, GW?

Well, today I’m planning to clear out some of the old plants that are pretty well done for the year in our vegetable gardens. After that, I’ll get back to gluing up a new top for my writing desk here. I managed to get all the pieces planed down a few days ago, so they’re ready to be put together. So yeah, that’s what I’ve got planned—along with a bit of front porch sittin’, too, if the weather holds.

So with that, I’m off once again for my breakfast that my lovely wife has made for me—some porridge is on the menu this morning. After that, we’ll see what the day has in store, other than what I’ve already planned. You never know what a day will bring.

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