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Good Morning Folks…
You know, years ago, mornings smelled like fresh-cut wood and hot coffee. The sound of an axe or a saw was never far off, and a good cup of coffee warmed your hands while you planned the day ahead. It was simple, honest living, and somehow, it just felt right.

And today for those in the city, mornings are filled with horns honking, engines roaring, and people hurrying down crowded sidewalks. The air smells more like pavement and smoke than fresh wood or clean earth. It’s a different world, one where the old quiet ways are easy to forget.

Well, lookin’ out over Port Loring today, it’s mostly cloudy, but the air’s got a good, easy feel to it. Should warm up nice, hittin’ around 70°F (21°C) by mid-afternoon. A good day for getting a few things done outside or just sitting on the porch with a hot cup in hand, listening to the birds wake up the bush. Which my wife and I sure enjoy doing throughout the day.

Highway 522 is bare and dry this morning, so traveling should be real good. Mind you, traffic has picked up a little. I have been seeing quite a few new vehicles rolling through, loaded down with camping gear and supplies. Looks to me like folks are getting the itch to leave the cities behind for a while — and to be honest, I can’t say I blame them one bit. And with the price of gas being much lower, I am thinking a lot more folks will be hitting the highways and back roads this summer.

On another note, yesterday, my wife and I worked the whole day outside, getting things ready for the big sale we’re planning in a couple of weeks. We got a lot done, and there is nothing like making the most of a good day’s work.

So what are you up to today, GW?

Well, today my wife is planning to finish up her outside work, and I’m hoping to tackle a few things myself. First on my list is refilling our fishpond, which I drained a few days ago, I like to clean it up a bit for the warmer days ahead; it just makes everything look that much better. After that, I’m going to bring out the water pump and hook it up, which powers the water wheel at one end of the pond. It’s always a nice sight to watch it turn through the summer.

And then, if I’m still feeling up to it, I might install a new post for some birdhouses. I made them a couple of months ago, and they’ll be a great addition to the ones we already have. But as I’ve always said, that’s the plan — the results, well, we’ll see what the day brings.

So, with that, I’m off to enjoy the breakfast my lovely wife made for me. After that, we’ll sit down for our morning chat with a hot cup of cocoa, and then, as I said before, we’ll see what the day has in store.

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

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Good Morning Folks… I used to tell my boys years ago that: The Best Plans Were Written in Dust on the Tractor Hood.

It is one beautiful day here in cottage country. The sun is shining, the grass is slowly turning from brown to green, and the trees are starting to show their buds, which is a sure sign that the leaves are not far behind.

As for the weather here in Port Loring, Ontario, Canada:

Today:
Plenty of sunshine, with a high of 63°F (17°C). Winds will be light and variable.

Tonight:
Clear skies, with a low around 37°F (3°C).

Tomorrow:
Another sunny day is on the way with a high of 68°F (20°C). Winds will remain light, making it a perfect day to be outdoors.

Highway 522 is bare and dry this morning, which will make travelling to the larger cities a go today. As for my wife and me, we’re all stocked up, as we made the trip to town yesterday. We figured that since it was a rainy old day, and we couldn’t do much outside around our home, we might as well pick up a few things we were needing.

While we were there, we stopped in for a visit with our son, and afterward, he took us out for dinner at a nice restaurant called Lot 88. It wasn’t too bad of a place to eat, a touch expensive, but then again, what place these days isn’t? Even an A&W burger meal for two people will set you back twenty-some dollars or more. The thing is, it’s only a hamburger. Sheesh. I’m not sure where they get off charging so much, but the truth is, businesses have a lot of overhead these days. Wages, hydro, rent, insurance, and even the cost of the ingredients have all gone through the roof.

That is what’s driving prices up everywhere you look. It’s not always that they want to charge so much—it’s that they have to if they want to keep the lights on and pay their staff. Years ago, things were simpler. Folks grew a lot of their own food, fixed what they had instead of buying new, and took more time to enjoy life. Today, it’s all about making money, rushing here, rushing there, always looking for the next thing. In doing so, we’ve traded some of the simple ways for what many call “progress,” but to me, it doesn’t always seem like a step forward.

At any rate, we had a nice chat with our son, enjoyed a good meal, picked up our groceries and a few other things, and grabbed a coffee for the road home. The rain never did let up, but I’ve found that no matter what kind of weather a day brings, it’s all in how you look at it. Yesterday, we made it into a good day, and that is what counts.

So, what are you up to today, GW?

Well, today, with the sun back with us, and it supposed to warm up a lot, I’m thinking I’ll get to unpacking all the things we’ve put together for our big garage sale coming up in a couple of weeks. We’ve got so much stuff that I figure it’ll take us most of the day to get everything out where folks can see it.

You know what they say—got to make hay while the sun’s shining.

So yeah, that’s what GW and his lovely wife will be up to today, along with enjoying a cup of coffee or two while sitting outside and soaking up some of that sunshine.

With that, I’m off to enjoy the breakfast my lovely wife has put together for me. After that, we’ll be settling in with a hot cup of cocoa, and planning out the day ahead—something we always look forward to and sure do enjoy every morning.

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

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Good Morning Folks… Another Morning, another story.

​Well, she’s a wet morning here in the North, and it rained off and on through the night, and by the looks of things, the rain will continue for most of the day.

Here’s the weather forecast for Port Loring, Ontario:

Today – Saturday, April 26:
Rainy and overcast, with temperatures around 46°F (8°C). We could see about 0.6 inches (15 mm) of rain. Winds will be coming from the north-northwest at around 15 mph (24 km/h).

Tonight:
Light rain tapering off, becoming mostly cloudy. Temperatures will drop to around 34°F (1°C). Winds will stay steady from the north-northwest at about 15 mph (24 km/h).

Tomorrow – Sunday, April 27:
A pleasant change with sunny skies and a high of 63°F (17°C). Winds will shift slightly, coming from the west-northwest at about 6 mph (9 km/h).

Tomorrow Night:
Clear skies, with temperatures falling to around 36°F (2°C). Winds will shift again, coming from the south-southwest at about 8 mph (13 km/h).

There is also a rainfall warning in place today due to the combination of steady rain and melting snow, which could cause some localized flooding in low-lying areas.

Highway 522 is moving slow this morning, but I suspect things will pick up as the day rolls along. With all this rain, it’s not a bad day to leave the car outside — free car wash included, no appointment necessary!

On another note, with the weather not being all that great yesterday morning, I decided to get busy here at my computer. By the time the weather started to shape up, I was already too deep into what I was doing to stop. So, I just carried on working away at my desk. Some days are like that — once you get rolling, it’s hard to put the brakes on.

So, what are you up to today, GW?

Well, seeing as it’s a pretty miserable day out there, I figure it’s a good one to stay inside and tinker away at a few projects I’ve got going here at my computer. Mind you, it is Dump Day here in the North, so I might just load up the SUV and make a run over there. Around here, a trip to the dump is about as close as we get to a town meeting. You drop off a few bags of trash, catch up on all the local gossip, and if you’re lucky, maybe find a chair or a rake that’s still got a few good years left in it. Truth be told, some days you come home with more than you left with!

So, with that all said, I’m off to grab some breakfast my little woman’s whipped up for me. After that, I’ll see what the day throws at me, planned or not. Bein’ so wet out there, I might just sit back for a spell and have a second cup of hot cocoa before I get too carried away. Days like this, a fella’s got two choices … fight it or take it easy. I’m leanin’ toward the easy side.

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

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Good Morning: My old Dad always said; “George, watch the Sky, Not the Calendar.” Lot of truth in them few words.

So here we are—April 25, 2025. That’s a date that really stands out, isn’t it? Back in the day, people would have called this a marker—a day when the past gives a little nod to the future. It feels like a great day to plant something new, fix what’s broken, or make a promise. You know, twenty-five is halfway to fifty, and that’s a gentle reminder: you’re never too far gone to start over, but you’ve been around long enough to know a thing or two. It’s a good moment to reflect and think about fresh starts!

What’s The Weather For Port Loring, Ontario, GW?

Friday, April 25, 2025

• Daytime:
  Cloudy with scattered showers in the morning, turning to light rain in the afternoon.
  High: 59°F (15°C)
  Winds: Northeast at 11 mph (18 km/h)
  Precipitation: 0.08 to 0.16 inches (2–4 mm)
• Evening/Night:
  Steadier rain overnight—good sleeping weather if your roof ain’t leaking.
  Low: 38°F (3°C)
  Winds: Northeast at 13 mph (21 km/h)
  Precipitation: 0.39 to 0.59 inches (10–15 mm)

And, as my old Dad would say. “George, a cool rain on a spring day? That’s the soil’s way of stretching before the real work begins.”

Highway 522 is picking up traffic-wise. Yesterday, while I was working outside, I couldn’t help but notice the steady hum of tires on pavement, more cars than usual, most of them local. You can always tell; Out-of-towners slow down to take in the scenery; locals slow down to see who’s in your yard and what you’re fixing or doing. …and if they don’t wave back, they’re probably too deep in thought, like wondering why their favorite fishing spot got ‘crowded’ all of a sudden.

On another note, yesterday turned out to be quite a busy day! My wife and I spent the whole day outside—I was fixing up one of our old buildings and cleaning around my shop, while she worked away in the flower gardens. I’ve got to say, they’re looking really nice now! After we finished, we took a moment to step back and appreciate what we’d done. We did our part, and now it’s up to Mother Nature. She’ll take over and bring on the spring flowers and all the leaves, that are patiently waiting for the rain and warmer weather to arrive. It sure is nice to watch everything start to grow again!

So what are you up to today, GW?

Well, if the weather holds up, I’m thinking I’ll tackle a bit more work around the old woodworking shop. But if it doesn’t cooperate, that’s alright—I’ve got plenty to keep me busy here around the house. It’s a never-ending list for my wife and me, especially now that we’re gearing up for our big garage sale in about three weeks. Let me tell you, it’s going to be one huge sale! It’s amazing what two old folks can accumulate over the years. At any rate, there’ll be something for everyone, no matter their age. We’re excited to see what treasures we can pass along!

With that, I’m off once again for breakfast that my lovely wife has prepared for me. After that, we’ll settle in for our morning chat over a warm cup of hot cocoa. It’s the perfect way to start the day together!

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

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Good Morning: From Where the Only Deadline Is the Sun Going Down.

Well, she’s a cloudy wet morning here waking up in cottage country, and the temperature at the time of this post was sitting at 43.7°F (6.5°C). But in saying all this, we’re catching a touch of sunshine peeking through now and then, just enough to lift the spirits a bit.

🌤️ Today – Thursday, April 24

Well, today we’re looking at a high of about 65°F (18°C). While showers are still likely on and off, there’s a fair chance we’ll see some breaks in the clouds with a bit of sun sneaking through. Not the best day for hanging laundry or working in the garden, but if that sun holds, you might sneak in a bit of work outside.

🌙 Tonight

Temperatures dropping to about 44°F (7°C). Still cloudy, and maybe the odd shower. Good night for a hot drink and a warm blanket.

🌦️ Tomorrow – Friday, April 25

Cooler tomorrow, with a high around 54°F (12°C). More clouds and scattered showers. Could even hear a bit of thunder if it builds up enough. Dropping to 38°F (3°C) by night. Still not great for outside work unless you’re dressed for it.

At any rate, that’s the way she’s looking folk’s, a damp and grey day, but that’s spring in the north, she takes her time.

Highway 522 is quiet this morning, but it’s still early. The thing one has to realize that around these parts, folks don’t get to moving all that fast. Oh, they’re up, puttering around the kitchen, and peeking out the window, but most are still in that morning fog, holding onto a warm mug and staring off like they’re waiting for a sign from above on what to tackle first.

Truth is, out here we don’t rush into the day, we ease into it, kind of like an old tractor on a cold morning… takes a bit to get going. Most of us start with a few sips of coffee, a good stretch, maybe a word or two with the cat. And if the weather’s not looking all that inviting, well, that just makes it easier to stay put and think about the work… Instead of actually getting to it.

On another note, with the weather being so nice yesterday, I managed to get a good day’s work in on a few outdoor projects that had been waiting their turn. I got that wall put up in one of our outbuildings, and even tackled some yard work—cleaned out the fire pit from last year’s burning, and took care of a few other odds and ends. All in all, a good day, and I felt better for it by the time I came in.

So, what are you up to today, GW?

Well, with it being so wet outside this morning, I’ll probably stick to some work here at my computer. But if the sun decides to show her face and things warm up a bit, I’ll head outdoors. We’ve got plenty to do out there, and I’m sure the fresh air will do me more good than sitting in front of this computer.

With that, I’m off for my morning breakfast that my lovely wife has made for me. After that, I’ll see what the day has in store. And as I mentioned at the beginning of this post, we’re still seeing a bit of sunshine! Here’s hoping it sticks around.

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