Category Archives: What’s Happening

What’s Happening On May 3/2023

Good Morning!

It’s another cloudy morning here, waking up. We did have a lot of rain through the night, and we could see a wee bit more throughout the day. But after today things should start to clear up with some sunshine entering into the picture; along with some warmer weather moving into our area. Which will be nice. Highway 522 was busy yesterday, with more campers moving into our area every day. It is still pretty cool for camping I would think, but then again some of these new campers are almost as nice as a home, and they have all the conveniences. Pretty amazing how far we have come over the years. I can’ remember when there were no televisions.

On another note, yesterday I worked most of the day helping my lovely wife getting our gift shop ready for our opening in June. Today I will work away here on my computer for a bit and then see what else I can do later on.

With that, I am off for a bowl of cereal. Have a great day. No Black Flies yet. GW

Our Gift Shop

I’m happy to inform you that my lovely wife and I will be reopening our small gift shop on June 1! It’s been a long winter, and we are excited to welcome back all the fine folks who came before and … to make some new friends too!

I can’t wait to see you again and catch up on everything that’s been going on. We’ve got some mighty fine new items in stock that I think you all are gonna love; and we’ll be sure to have some of your old favorites too.

So if you’re in the neighborhood, be sure to stop in and say hello! We’ll be happy to see you. Thanks for your support, and we’ll see you real soon! GW

What’s Happening On May 2/2023

Good Morning!

It’s another cloudy morning here waking up, and we are still in the midst of some rain, Three more days of not so good weather folks, and then we are into some summer like weather. Now in saying that once it warms up, we have to deal with them pesky Black Flies, and once they have had their meal of the year another blood sucking parasite enters into the picture. Which are called the mosquitoes. They remain with us for most of the summer. Some years they are not so bad, but other years, well let’s just say some of us humans are a bit thinner, caused by blood loss that these pesky things have removed from us. Ha ha.

But hey, other than that, it is a great part of the world to live in.

Highway 522 has started to become busy these past few days, and I have noticed some more campers edging their way into our area. And they will steadily increase as the days warm up. It is nice, to see folks out and about.

With that, I am off for a bite to eat, maybe a piece of toast with some homemade jam, I am not all that hungry this morning; and after that we will see what the day has in store.

Have a great day, better days aren’t that far off, weather wise.

What’s Happening On May 1/2023

Front Porch, sitting on our small cottage deck, watching the world go by. Not today however with all the rain.

Click on image to enlarge!

Good Morning.

Not too much happening in and around our small town these days, other than we have had a lot of cool, rainy weather. My vegetable garden looks more like a swimming pool rather than a garden. I guess I will make a few trenches this morning, so the water can drain away. Highway 522 was quiet, but it will pick up now being Monday, and it will get even busier; now that the warmer weather is heading our way, which should arrive near the end of the week.

On another note, I worked steadily in my woodworking shop yesterday, cleaning, putting things back in their place and moving things around. Looks pretty nice out there now, and the best part is I know where everything is. It sure is amazing how one old feller can make such a mess.

Today I will see, I am not sure what I will be doing. It is still raining hard out there this morning. My lovely wife has been busy painting up new things for our store. We will have a great selection this year for folks to see,

With that, I am off for a bowl of cereal and will go from there.

Have a great day and stay safe, there is still a lot of people sick these days with colds, flu’s and other things. Kind of amazing, really, if you think about it. When everyone was wearing a mask, there was hardly any sickness to be found anywhere. No flu shots or cold medicines needed, everyone was pretty healthy. Kind of makes you think … doesn’t it? GW

Computers With Tiny Replicas of Human Brains

Are you ready for a mind-boggling idea? Scientists are working on creating mini-brains that can power our computers. Yes, you heard that right! These mini-brains, called organoids, could revolutionize the field of computing as we know it.

Now, I know what you’re thinking, “Wait, we’re going to put tiny brains in our computers?
But don’t worry, these organoids aren’t sentient beings (at least, not yet). They’re created in a lab using stem cells, and they’re essentially tiny replicas of human brains.

So why are we so excited about these little blobs of brain matter? Well, for one thing, they could help us create more efficient and powerful computers. Organoids are incredibly complex structures that can mimic some of the functions of a real brain, such as processing information and recognizing patterns. By using organoids to power our computers, we could potentially create machines that are better at tasks like image recognition, natural language processing, and even decision-making.

But that’s not all – organoid intelligence could also help us understand more about the human brain and how it works. By studying these miniature brains, scientists could gain insights into conditions like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and schizophrenia. And who knows, maybe one day we’ll be able to use organoids to grow replacement brain tissue for people with brain injuries or diseases.

Of course, there are still some ethical concerns to consider when it comes to organoid intelligence. We need to be careful not to create anything that could be considered conscious or sentient, and we also need to make sure that we’re not exploiting these tiny brains for our own gain. But overall, the potential benefits of this technology are pretty exciting.

So the next time you hear someone talking about putting mini-brains in our computers, don’t be alarmed. It might sound like science fiction, but it could be the key to unlocking a whole new world of computing. And who knows, maybe one day our computers will be smart enough to tell us their own jokes – although I’m not sure I want to know what kind of sense of humor a mini-brain would have!

How Printing Money Effects Canada

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented economic challenges to Canada, and the government’s response to the crisis has included a significant increase in the amount of money in circulation. However, while printing more money can help stimulate the economy in the short term, there are significant risks associated with this approach, and we need to be aware of the potential consequences.

The fact is that we cannot keep on printing money indefinitely without serious repercussions. Inflation is one of the primary risks associated with an increase in the money supply, and it can quickly erode the value of our currency. As prices rise, the cost of living increases, and Canadians’ purchasing power declines. This can lead to a vicious cycle of wage and price increases that can be challenging to reverse.

Moreover, printing more money can also lead to a rise in interest rates, as lenders demand a higher return to compensate for the increased risk of inflation. This, in turn, can increase the cost of borrowing for businesses and consumers, which can slow down economic growth and reduce investment.

But perhaps the most significant risk associated with printing money is the risk of national bankruptcy. If we continue to increase the money supply without corresponding economic growth, we could end up with a situation where our debts exceed our ability to repay them. This could lead to a severe economic crisis, with high inflation, rising interest rates, and a potential default on our debt obligations.

So what can we do to avoid these risks? One option is to reduce government spending and focus on balancing the budget. This can help prevent the need to print more money to finance deficits, and it can also help restore confidence in our economy among investors and lenders.

Another option is to focus on economic growth and job creation, which can help boost tax revenues and reduce the need for deficit financing. This requires investment in areas like infrastructure, innovation, and education, which can help create new jobs and stimulate economic activity.

In conclusion, while printing more money may seem like a quick fix to our economic challenges, it is not a sustainable solution. We need to be aware of the risks associated with this approach and take steps to address our economic challenges through more responsible and sustainable means. By doing so, we can ensure a stronger, more stable, and prosperous future for all Canadians.

What’s Happening On April 30/2023

Our sign out front of our home.

Click on image to enlarge!

Good Morning!

So how you all doing on the last day of April? Good I hope. Man, time sure flies by these days. The weather here this morning isn’t all that good, as at the moment we are in the midst of some heavy rain. The rain will continue on for most of the day, ending late tonight. And then things will cool back down for a few days. However, by the end of the week we will start to see temperatures start to climb and things will start to look a lot more like summer. My lovely wife and I are looking forward to it. Along with some front porch sittin’.

Yesterday I kind of took it easy, recouping from the day before. My wife, however, kept busy doing the washing along with watering all her plants. That is a chore in itself, as we have lots of them. She is a worker, that one. I am thinking we will have a plant sale this year, as even our gardens outside are starting to be overgrown. And we have lots of different kinds, all perennials.

Today being a rainy day, I think I will head on out to my woodworking shop and clean it up a bit. Over winter with me not putting things back after using them, well …. let’s just say it is a mess.

With that, I am off for some pancakes this morning and will then see what the day has in store, other than what I have planned.

Have a great day. GW

What’s Happening On April 29/2023

Click on image to enlarge!

Good Morning!

It’s a cloudy, rainy day here waking up. The rain will continue all day, and it will get heavier starting tonight and into tomorrow. Before it is finished, we may see between 40 and 70 mm. It may sound like a lot, but if you use the same old scale I do, it only adds up to 1–2 inches. It’s just another technique for turning something into a big deal when it isn’t. In all honesty, I think that’s why the metric system was created. Highway 522 has been quite busy for the past few days. More campers are moving into our area every day. Along with that, a lot of people are starting to put their boats in the water. Some Lakes, like Nipissing though, still have ice covering it. But it won’t last long now with the warm temperatures that are entering into the picture.

On another note, my wife and I worked all day on cleaning and moving things around our property yesterday. At the end, of the day, our bodies were tuckered out. We didn’t know we had so many parts, as they were all aching. After supper, we watched an hour of television and then went to bed. We still are a bit sore this morning. So knowing that and it being a wet day, we are going to stay inside and relax. Well, as much as we can, as today is wash day, which will keep my lovely wife busy.

With that, I am off for a bowl of cereal and will then see what the day has in store.

Have a great day!

What’s Happening On April 28/2023

Good Morning!

We did see a wee bit of sunshine waking up, and if we are lucky we could see a wee bit more off and on throughout the day. And it will warm up to what we call summer weather here in the north. However, it will be short-lived with cooler temperatures along with some more rain moving into the area starting tomorrow, which will last for around three days. So the temperatures are looking like a roller-coast, up and down and all over the place for a while yet. Highway 522 has been busy for the past day or so, and I have noticed a few campers moving into our area.

On another note, I worked outside most of the day yesterday, cleaning up my woodworking shop, along with a few other things that needed attention. Today, my wife and are planning on doing some more. We will see how that pans out. We never know what a day might bring, we start off in one direction and end up, doing something totally different from time to time. We also had two Cardinals visit our bird feeder yesterday morning. My wife’s has always said, that if a Cardinal visits your bird feeder, it is someone from heaven. Could be right, no one knows for sure what the hereafter is all about. At any rate, they were nice to see.

With that, I am off for a piece of toast with some homemade jam that my lovely wife is making for me.

In Closing, I Would Like To Wish You Well. GW

What’s Happening On April 27/2023

Good Morning!

It’s a nice morning waking up, and for a change we are seeing some sunshine. And the sun should remain with us for the remainder of the day and into tomorrow. The temperature will also warm up some, which will make it even that much nicer. We might be able to get some front porch sitting in later on today if we are lucky. Highway 522 has been quite busy these days with folks moving around. I suppose that is a good sign. We have also noticed a lot of our summer flowers are starting to show themselves a wee bit above the ground, and trees are also starting to show their buds. So it won’t be long before we are a mass of green along with other colours. And the grass has also been growing leaps and bounds. If it keeps up, we will have to mow in a couple of weeks.

On another note I did do a lot of work here in the house yesterday writing up stories for my columns and today will do the same, at least till it warms up some and after that I will wake my old lawn chair up out of hibernation, It’s had enough rest. Ha ha.

Other than that, not much else happening around our small town. Oh, the temperature waking up was sitting at 2.3 C | 36.14 F, and it will warm up a lot as the day moves forward. Have a great day. GW

What’s Happening On April 25/2023

Click on image’s to enlarge!

Good Morning!

It’s another cloudy morning waking up, and it looks like it will remain that way for most of the day, Warmer weather is heading our way, but it’s taking its time. Not much we can do about it, neither. I will however be happy when it does get warmer, along with some sunshine, as we do have a lot to do outside, getting things ready for summer. And I am getting tired of being cooped up in the house. Highway 522 was really busy through the night, and still is, which usually means there was an accident on Highway 69. I don’t see anything in the news so far this morning, but something is going on.

On another note, yesterday I picked up my tire for my trailer that I took in for repairs. The valve-stem broke off over winter. So a trailer isn’t much good without tires. Ha ha. I am thinking I might sell it this year, as I don’t use it that much. It’s a nice trailer with good size tires. Actually, I replaced them a year ago. The size of the trailer is around six feet long and four feet wide with 13-inch radial tires. The sides are made out of treated boards, which sure looks nice. Not a large trailer, but it’s well-made, and you don’t even know it is behind the car or truck when towing it.

With that, I am off for some pancakes with a touch of Mike Clappertons Maple Syrup. I have never tasted any better than his. You could say mouth watering good.

In Closing, I Would Like To Wish You Well. GW

What’s Happening On April 24/2023

Good Morning!

It’s another cool, rainy morning here, waking up with the temperature sitting at 2 C | 35.6 F. For warmer weather we will have to wait until the middle of the week. After that it should be all up hill with it getting warmer every day. Which it should as we are closing in on May. Highway 522 has picked up a wee bit with traffic this morning with folks heading off to work or the big cities to do some shoppin’ For my wife and I we have what we need and will be staying home. The problem with living so far away from the larger towns is it cost us 40.00 worth of gas before we even buy anything. Not complaining mind ya as there are ways around it, like when you do go into town you pick up what you need for a few weeks. After doing it for over 20 some years, it’s a norm for us.

Yesterday, being that it was cool and wet outside, my wife and I stayed indoors working on some projects we have on the go. Today we will do the same. It is nice to be able to do what you want, when you want, and where you want. But in saying that, we earned it.

On another note, we have been having a lot of new birds at our bird feeder these past few days. Which is nice to see. My lovely wife and I enjoy watching them.

With that I am off for a bowl of cereal for a change and then will see if I can come up with another story for my columns I write for.

In Closing I Would Like To Wish You Well. GW

What’s Happening On April 23/2023

Good Morning!

It’s another cloudy morning, waking up, with the temperature sitting at 2.9 C | 37.22 F. It will warm up a wee bit as the day moves forward but not that much. The warmer weather won’t enter into the picture until late next week. And even then it will still feel a bit cool. If lucky, we might see a bit of sunshine off and on today, but that is sketchy at best.

Highway 522 has slowed down some, which I suspect is caused by the not so good weather along with the price of gas. I can’t say I blame them.

On another note, I didn’t do all that much yesterday. I did go over a few new stories that I wrote awhile back, and today I will maybe write up a new one. I like to have a few ahead.

With that, you all have a great day and I will chat again tomorrow. That is If “Energy is Willn’ and the Creek Don’t Rise.”

In Closing I Would Like To Wish You well!

What’s Happening On April 22/2023

Good Morning!

It’s another cloudy morning, waking up. We did have a lot of rain through the night, and it will continue off and on for most of the day. It kind of looks like the next four or five days won’t be all that nice, at least weather wise.

On another note, my wife and I are still taking it somewhat easy, resting up after our work-out last week when the weather was nice. We still have a lot to do getting things ready for our spring planting of vegetables, but in reality we still have lots of time.

Today I will do some work here on a few stories I have in mind, getting them ready for my columns in newspapers I write for. I enjoy writing them, especially on days like this. Other than that, not much else happening in and around our small town.

With that I am off for some pancakes this morning that my lovely wife is preparing for me, and will then see what the day has in store.

In Closing I Would Like To Wish You Well. GW

What’s Happening On April 19/2023

Good Morning!

Other than being a cold morning, it is a good morning. The temperature waking up was sitting at -4.3 C | 24.26 F. And we did have flurries for most of the day, off and on yesterday. I would say we had a 1/4 of an inch that remained on the ground. But with the ground now being warmer, it will melt pretty fast. We are also seeing a lot of sunshine this morning, which is nice. Clouds however will enter into the picture as the day moves forward, but we won’t be having any more snow, and after today things will slowly start to warm back up.

On another note, my lovely wife’s tulips are sure growing these days, she is hoping that the freezing weather last night didn’t harm them. But I am thinking they can handle it. About half of our snow drops are finished blooming. They sure look nice, being the first flower of spring. We have a lot of them. My wife keeps breaking them up, moving them around, as she does with all her plants. She has hundreds of different kinds. When one finishes showing off, another takes it place, all summer long. The grass is also turning greener every day, and it won’t be long before I will have to wake up our lawn mowers. In one way it’s good and in another not so good. But it does look nice after the mowing is all done. Especially after the first cut. I think I enjoy it the most, with the smell of the fresh cut grass.

With that, I am off for a bite to eat and will then see what the day has in store.

In Closing I Would Like To Wish You Well! GW

What’s Happening On April 18/2023

Good Morning!

It’s a cloudy, cool morning here waking up, with the temperature sitting at 1.1 C | 33.98 F. If the temperature remains cool we could see a few flurries throughout the day. Nothing that will stay, though, as things will start to warm up a wee bit more starting tomorrow. Highway 522 has been kind of busy with a few folks coming in from the cities. It won’t be long before a lot more will be opening up their cottages for summer. And then the day trippers will start to move through, which will keep our few small business happy. We will be opening our store in June I think, and then we will see how the weather is, and go from there.

Yesterday I took it a bit easy, resting up as my old body is feeling it these days. It always does around this time of year, as it’s not used to a lot of physical work, like my wife and I have been doing for the past week or so. Sure sign of .what lays ahead. I did however work away on some projects on my computer yesterday, and will probably do the same today.
With that, I am off for a bowl of cereal and a piece of toast that my lovely wife is preparing for me, and we will see what develops after that.

In Closing I Would Like To Wish You Well! GW

What’s Happening On April 17/2023

Morning Chores are awaiting!

Good Morning!

It’s a cool morning here waking up, the temperature has cooled down a lot with it setting at 5.4 C | 41.72 F. It will warm up some as the day moves forward but not all that much; and it will remain cool now for the next week or so. Which in some ways is good, as it makes things nicer when doing some of the strenuous chores that are waiting to be done. But before my lovely wife and I get into doing them, we are going to take a couple of days off, giving our bodies a bit of a rest. Yesterday we finished up with most of the raking and moving of plants along with the trimming of trees that we wanted to do. It sure looks nice around our home now, and the grass turning greener every hour is making it look that much nicer.

The next project will probably be moving and piling next year’s firewood. We will have around 20 cords to put to bed for the summer. So that will be a chore in itself. It’s a lot of work, but it is nice to have, especially with the price of oil, fuel and propane these days. I’ve always made it a priority to provide my family with a warm bed to sleep in, food in the cupboard, and a roof over their heads. They never went to bed cold, hungry, or feeling insecure.

With that, I am off for a bowl of shredded-wheat, and I am thinking I will do a bit more work on my novel I have in the works. Since it is a touch cool outside along with some rain in the forecast.

Have a great day and stay safe, there is still a lot of sickness in our midst. GW

What’s Happening On April 16/2023

Good Morning!

It’s another nice morning here, waking up. The sun is shinning, and the temperature is starting to climb. However, this will be the last day of our summer like weather, as tomorrow things will cool down considerably, and late tomorrow night we could see some more of the white stuff. So as I said yesterday, if you have some outside work that needs attending, then this is the day to look after it. My wife and I have been steadily working away on our lawns and gardens, getting them cleaned up. Yesterday I did manage to roll our lawn, while my wife worked away raking leaves, along with other things. It took us most of the day. After we were finished, we were sure tired, and both our bodies ached in parts that we didn’t know existed. Today my wife and I should be able to finish things up as to where it looks nice, and our plants are able to show off in a few weeks. After winter, there is always a lot that needs to be done. Although the work may be physically painful, it prepares us for what is ahead. At least that is what we keep on telling ourselves. Ha ha.

With that, not much else going on around our town, other than a lot more people moving about, and we have noticed a few campers moving into our area. I am thinking they might have been better waiting another week. But everyone has their own way of doing things.

Have a great day. Great Day! Enjoy it while you can.

What’s Happening on April 14/2023

Good Morning!

And a fine morning it is. The sun is shinning, and it’s beginning to warm up nicely. We will be having three more days of summer weather before it starts to cool back down. So if you have things that need attending outside, today and the weekend is the time to be doing them. Pretty well all of our snow has left us, but there is a wee bit on the north side of things.

Yesterday, as the day before, my lovely wife and I have been steadily working outside trimming a few trees along with doing some raking. Today we will do the same. My wife loves her gardens. We did however take some time to relax in the sun and will do so once again today. We try and take advantage of any nice weather that is sent our way.

The grass is also starting to turn green, which is nice to see, and the Finches have returned for another year. We did buy a bag of Finch food while in town the other day. But I am not sure if it is any good, as the birds don’t seem to like it. Could be that it is too old. Par for the course these days, as everything you buy is far from being what it was like years ago. My wife and I do get a lot of enjoyment watching them throughout the year.

On another note, we have also noticed the buds starting on top of the Maple trees, so it won’t be long before we start to see the spring colours. They are as nice as the fall if you take the time to notice.

Other than that, not much going on in and around our small town. It’s not as it used to be, where everyone knew everyone. Now when you go to the store, nobody even says hello to you, other than from a few old timers. Progress is what they refer it to. Ha ha. But to be fair, there are a lot of newcomers to the area who don’t really know anyone, and coming from a city life, haven’t had much time to adjust to the rural way of life. Let’s hope they do, but I fear the majority won’t, given how much Canada has changed from its former self. Not entirely for the better, either, in my opinion.

With that, I am off for a bowl of cereal and will then see what the day has in store. Life is always a mystery.

Have a great day and stay safe. GW

What’s Happening On April 13/2023

How some of us northerners mark obstacles in and around our lakes and rivers. It gets your attention real quick, I grant them that.

Click On Image to Enlarge!

Good Morning!

And it is a good morning, with the sunshine shinning down upon us and the temperature being like summer. And it will get a lot warmer as the day moves forward; and on Saturday it will become downright hot, with the temperature getting up to 82F/26C. Not complaining mind ya! But as I said, early next week things will start to cool back down to where a person will need to wear a jacket once again. And the cool weather will probably remain with us till May. But in saying that we do live in the north, so it is to be expected.

On another note, being so nice and needing a few things, my lovely wife and I decided to go to Powassan, a town that has a large grocery store about an hour from our home. The trip in was very nice weather wise. Today I will see about finishing up some outside work that needs attending, and after that we both might do some front porch sitting, taking in the much-needed sunshine which keeps us humans healthy. There again, our Powers That Be have manipulated our human brains to believe the sunshine is bad for us. At least for a lot of people, but there are a select few that can’t be swayed.

With that, I am off for a bowl of cereal this morning and pieced of toast. Have a great day. GW