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Good Morning… You know, thinking on things, I found that I was raised to listen more to the land than the news.
It’s a real nice-looking day here in cottage country. The sun is shining, and there’s hardly a breath of wind stirring through the pines. It’s the kind of day that makes you want to grab your coffee and head out to the front porch, just to take in everything nature has to offer.
Here’s your written weather forecast for Port Loring, Ontario
Today – Sunday, June 8
It’s shaping up to be a warm, hazy kind of day.
High: 78°F (26°C)
Skies will be mostly sunny with just a trace of haze, and not much wind to speak of.
Tonight
Mild and still.
Low: 59°F (15°C)
Might be a chance of a light sprinkle here or there, but nothing that’ll chase you indoors if you’re out enjoying the evening, and the air’ll stay calm.
Tomorrow – Monday, June 9
Cooler and a touch more unsettled.
High: 72°F (22°C)
Low: 55°F (13°C)
Expect a mix of sun and cloud, and a few scattered showers rolling through now and again. Not a washout by any means, just enough to keep the dust down and freshen up the woods along with giving our veggies a drink.
Highway 522 is quiet this morning, not much more than the odd pickup passing by now and then. But it is Sunday, after all, and most folks around here don’t do much more than sleep in, sip their coffee slow, and let the day find its own pace.
Bug Report:
Well, we still have a few of those pesky black flies roaming around, irritating folks as they go. And now the mosquitoes are starting to show up in full force. It’s nothing out of the ordinary for our area this time of year, but that said, one has to take the good with the not-so-good.
On Another Note:
My wife and I decided to take a little trip down to the western side of southern Ontario for a couple of days, just to see what the rest of the folks in this province are up to these days. We had a good time, all things considered—though I will say, the cost of things sure gave us a bit of sticker shock.
On our last day, we figured we’d grab a room for the night, but after checking into a Quality Inn—well, let’s just say we changed our minds. Believe it or not, they wanted $357.00 a night, plus tax and whatever extras they tack on. And to be honest, the room wasn’t all that nice. It didn’t smell quite right, the carpets could’ve used a good cleaning, and there was so much Febreze in the air, I don’t think my nose will be back to normal for a week.
So yep, after taking one look, we passed and headed on home. Sometimes your own bed, no matter how humble, beats any hotel room—especially one that tries to dress itself up with air freshener and high prices.
Another Thing We Noticed:
As much as I like the country, being an old farmer myself, I couldn’t help but notice how much chemical they’re pouring onto the fields down that way. Just driving along the back roads, the smell was strong enough to knock your hat off. I don’t think there’s a live bug left for twenty miles in any direction.
What really stuck with me was all the farmhouses, right smack in the middle of those fields being sprayed. One spot, near Collingwood, I saw a feller, I think it was a feller, hard to tell being dressed head to toe in white, respirator on, glasses, the whole get-up, walking around his house spraying like there was no tomorrow. But get this—the windows in the house were wide open.
Now, in my mind, that says something, doesn’t it? Wearing all that gear to protect yourself, but letting it drift straight into your home. Seems like folks are half-aware and half-asleep at the same time.
At any rate, farming these days sure isn’t what it used to be. The machines they’ve got now are monsters. One of those rigs would cost enough to feed four families for a year. And truth be told, I’d bet most of what they’re growing like corn, soy, whatever it is… isn’t even for us here in Canada. Most of it’s bound for export.
Kinda sad when you think about it. All that work, all that land, and yet we’re not feeding our own first. The whole system feels off-track.
I’ll tell you, as much as I hate saying it, I was glad to head back north. There’s something comforting about home. The air’s cleaner, the soil’s familiar, and things still make a bit more sense up here.
Oh, and one last thing—those farm homes aren’t the only ones sitting in the middle of all that spraying. What about the towns nearby, when the wind shifts and carries that stuff right into their backyards? Makes you wonder if anyone’s really thinking about the bigger picture.
With that, I’m off to enjoy the breakfast my lovely wife has made for me. After that, we’re planning some front porch sitting, savoring a hot cup of cocoa.
Until the next time: Keep Your Minds Open & Your Stories Alive. GW
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In Closing, I Would Like to Wish You Well!
George Walters | [email protected]
