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Good morning. You know… my old shop door every-morning still creaks the same way it did years ago. Funny how some sounds don’t age a bit.

Backwoods Weather Report – Port Loring, Ontario Thursday, December 11, 2025

Walking to the woodworking shop this morning, the thermometer read 5.7°F / -14.6°C, with the air thick at 86% humidity. Barometer sat at 28.84 in-Hg, steady, telling us nothing wild is moving in fast. Wind’s calm, dead northwest at zero, but it’s enough to make you notice the cold.

Today’s sky will be partly sunny but very cold. Highs will barely scrape 14°F / -10°C, lows around 2°F / -16°C, so dress for it if you have to step out. UV is low, max 2.0, nothing to worry about, just glare off the snow and ice to keep in mind. Winds picking up to around 8 mph NW later.

For those thinking of traveling north to North Bay for groceries or supplies, Highway 522 is mostly bare, but there are some icy and snowy sections, so take it slow and watch for the slick spots.

Looking ahead to Friday, a bit of a reprieve. Highs will reach 24°F / -4°C, lows 12°F / -11°C, mostly cloudy with a couple of snow showers. Wind shifts W at 6 mph. Snow… not to much but what we do get will be, the kind of snow that makes the morning walk crunchy underfoot.

Nature’s signs today: The trees are brittle with frost, and even the chickadees are hunkered low in the brush, keeping their feathers tight. Lakes and creeks are quiet under the cold, ice forming slowly along the edges, no cracking yet, just the still weight of winter settling in.

So with that I am off for my breakfast that my lovely wife has made for me, and will then see what the day has to offer. One never knows.

Have a great day!

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

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Good morning. You know over the years I have found that the only schedule that really matters out here where we live… is the one the weather keeps.

Backwoods Weather Report – Port Loring, Ontario Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Well… this morning the old Barometer’s down at 28.58 inches… low enough to make you pay attention. That usually means something’s moving in, even if it looks calm out there. Temperature’s sitting at 18 F / -7.6 C… and with humidity at 87 percent, the air feels heavy, like it’s holding onto every bit of moisture it can. Wind’s barely anything right now, coming out of the northeast, but that won’t last.

Today’s going to be cold and steady. Snow’s going to start drifting in, slow at first… just a coating, maybe an inch or two by tonight. Nothing wild, just that quiet, settling kind of snow that sneaks in before you realize it’s even here. Later, the wind will pick up a touch from the north, maybe around 9 mph / 14 km/h, enough to make the flakes dance a little and the trees look like they’re swaying when really it’s just snow drifting.

Tonight, the snow will hang around… flurries easing off toward 11 PM. Still cold, Real-feel around 14 F / -10 C, so it’s a good night to keep the fire going. Highway 522 and side-roads will get slick where the snow meets the cold… nothing you can’t handle if you take it slow.

Tomorrow, Thursday, it’s going to stay very cold… highs barely reaching 14 F / -10 C, lows down near 2 F / -17 C. It will also be partly sunny, but the sun isn’t doing much warming this time of year. Wind will be out of the northwest around 9 mph / 14 km/h… sharp enough to make you pull your coat tighter. Snow will mostly be past us, leaving that quiet, winter-blanket look across the woods.

Nature signs: You can feel it in the air when weather’s coming. This morning, the woods felt heavy and still. After a while, the snow starts drifting in, and everything gets quiet. The trees stop moving, and even the birds hide away. By tomorrow, if the snow sticks, the world will look soft and covered, like it’s just waiting for the day to wake it up again.

With that, I’m off to enjoy the breakfast my little woman’s made for me, then I’ll head out to the old woodworking shop. Got a few projects in mind—just not sure which one I’ll get to first. Have a great day.

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

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Good morning. You know, years ago I told my young ones, “If you can’t carry it, drag it. If you can’t drag it, rethink it.” That’s just how we did things back then. Sometimes you had to get creative… maybe tie a rope to it, roll it, or call a neighbor for help. And if none of that worked, well, maybe it didn’t need moving at all. That’s the kind of common sense we lived by.

Backwoods Weather Report – Port Loring, Ontario Saturday, December 6, 2025

Well, stepping out the door this morning you can feel that damp cold settle in your coat a little. The thermometer’s sitting at 27.1 F (-2.7 C), and it’s the kind of chill that doesn’t bite hard, just hangs around your fingers. Humidity’s up around 85 percent, so the air’s got that heavy feel to it. The barometer’s down at 28.72 inches, which usually means the weather’s getting ready to shift. Wind’s barely stirring out of the SSW at about 3 mph, just enough to rustle the tops of the cedars a bit.

For today, looks like a gray one. With that low pressure, I’d expect some light flurries drifting off and on, nothing wild, just steady enough to freshen up what’s already there. Temperatures won’t climb much… maybe touch 30 F (-1 C) if the sun tries its luck.

Tonight, things settle colder, likely down around 15 F (-9 C). Sky stays heavy and cloudy. Wouldn’t be surprised to see another round of light snow toward midnight. The wind won’t amount to much.

Tomorrow, the barometer should start creeping back up a bit. Still mostly cloudy, probably scattered flurries early, easing off as the day moves along. Not warm, but a little steadier on the senses than today.

And for nature’s signs… the woods feel quiet this morning, the kind of hush you get when the air is thick with moisture. Clouds are hanging low and stubborn, and the branches on our spruce trees are holding a lot of soft snow that hasn’t firmed up yet. Even the birds seem slow getting started this morning, more listening than moving. Feels like everything’s waiting for that pressure to turn the corner.

On another note, yesterday I planned on spending some time in the old woodworking shop. Instead, I ended up hooking up my wife’s new computer in her art studio, that our son got for her, along with a large new monitor. Now she’s got a real nice setup, just what a true artist needs these days.

The thing is…Artists are always taking pictures for reference, something to paint later, and they need a good place to keep them. These days, it seems like everyone just uses Google or some kind of cloud storage. I have to say, it amazes me how many folks rely on Google, Facebook, Twitter, or TikTok for just about everything, sharing anything and everything without so much as a second thought. Nothing feels private anymore. Sometimes I think people have forgotten how to do things for themselves, or even how to keep things to themselves.

Now, I know I share things here on my blog, but it’s just that—my blog. It doesn’t belong to anyone else, and I only post what I feel comfortable sharing. The important stuff, the things that really matter, those stay private. Just because I let folks in on a few stories here and there doesn’t mean my whole life is out there for the world to see. Some things are meant to be kept close, and that’s how my wife and I have made it this far.

An example: Did Sears tell Eaton’s all their secrets or visa versa? Seems they did, as both of them are gone now!

So what are you up to today, GW?

Well, today, after all the snow we got yesterday, my wife and I are planning on cleaning things up. I’ve got my old snowblower sitting by the shop door, ready to go, and I’ll get to it after we have our breakfast—which my little woman is fixing for me right now. With that,you all a great day.

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

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Good Morning. The wood-stove caught on the first try this morning. That alone feels like permission to move a little slower.

Well… walking to the woodworking shop this morning, you could really feel that wind cutting across the yard even before I shut the door behind me. The station showed 15°F (–9°C) with 87% humidity, and that 22-mph wind from the south-southwest made it feel even colder than the numbers suggest. The barometer’s sitting at 29.1 inches, a little on the low side—just enough to make you glance up at the sky and wonder what’s coming.

Snow is moving in steadily, and it looks like we’ll see 4 to 8 inches piling up over the next day or so, drifting along the back of our property and bending the cedar tops under its weight. Clouds are stacked low and thick, rolling in from the south, moving fast enough to keep the air shifting—the kind of gray that just clings to your eyes.

The day’s going to stay cold and gray, with the wind still working over the treetops. Flurries will sneak in now and then, and by tonight, the snow will cover every path and roadway. Tomorrow won’t be much different—temperatures will stay cold, clouds thickening, but at least the wind should ease off a bit.

Birds are seeking shelter this morning as there is just one or two brave enough to visit our bird feeder, while the rest are nestled deep in the cedars.

Days like this, you don’t fight it. You just pull the door shut, fire up the stove in the shop and the house, and let the world outside do what it needs to do.

On another note: Yesterday, I was planning to work in the woodworking shop, but since it was such a nice day, my wife and I decided to head off to North Bay for some supplies. Other than the cold and the fact that prices were high, it was a nice day overall. We had a good trip in and a good trip home. The roads weren’t too bad—only a few snow-covered sections here and there, which is normal for this time of year in our area.

Highway 522 is mostly bare this morning, but there are plenty of snow-covered and icy sections throughout. With more snow on the way, anyone heading out should take extra care. If it were up to me, I’d much rather be putting my feet up by the fire and taking it easy today instead of driving. On days like this, it’s best to stay safe, stay warm, and let the weather do what it will do.

So, what are you up to today, GW?

Well, like I mentioned, it’s definitely a good day to stay indoors. But for me, that doesn’t mean staying in the house—it means heading out to the woodworking shop. I got the stove going earlier this morning, since yesterday I didn’t bother lighting it and, believe me, it was mighty cold out there. With the fire burning now, it should be nice and warm by the time I finish up the breakfast my lovely wife made for me. She always seems to know how to start the day off right.

I’m planning to tidy up the shop a bit; it got a little messy after making those flutes I was working on. Funny how a simple project can turn the place upside down. After that, I’ll have to give some thought to what comes next—I’ve got a long list of things I want to make, or should I say, things I could make. Just not quite sure which project to tackle first yet.

Anyway, that’s the plan for today. Hope you all have a great day—stay warm and take it easy.

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

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Good morning, you know… up here in the north, the land does most of the teaching, that is… if a man stays quiet long enough.

Backwoods Weather Report – Port Loring, Ontario Thursday, December 4, 2025

Well it’s a down right cold one this morning, the kind that makes the boards on the porch creak a little when you step out. Our weather station’s sitting at about 3 F with the C side showing around minus 16. Humidity is up there at 83 percent, which gives the cold a bit more bite than the number alone suggests. Barometer is hanging low at 29.22, not exactly a steady sign. Wind’s out of the north-northwest but not doing much… more like thinking about moving than actually moving.

For today, looks like we stay clear and cold with that heavy-feeling sky hanging around. Might get a bit of cloud drifting in later but nothing serious. Tomorrow has a better chance of some light snow, maybe just enough to freshen the road edges and keep the plows on their toes. Hard to say this far out, though the pressure reading hints at some kind of shift on the way.

Nature’s signs this morning are quiet. The woods feel still, almost pressed down by the cold. The spruce tips look tight and dark, and the birch branches have that glassy sheen they get when it’s been a long cold night. Even without wind the air has that dry-crackle feeling that tells you winter’s settled in for another year.

Highway 522 is mostly bare this morning in our area, though I’m sure there are icy stretches here and there… the kind that hide in the low spots and the places the sun hasn’t touched yet. Still, looks like good traveling for most folks today.

Even so, it never hurts to ease back a little. Roads can look fine right up until they’re not. And with this cold, the deer are on the move, doing their best to stay warm. They slip out onto the shoulder without much warning. I’ve come around a bend more than once to find one standing there like it owned the place.

On another note… yesterday I finally finished tuning the last of the flutes I’ve been working on these past few weeks, and every one of them is singing just right. Makes an old feller, flute maker and woodworker, feel mighty fine, knowing the hands and the ears haven’t slipped on me yet.

Now it’s on to brushing on a coat of natural oil, letting it soak in the way good wood likes to, then a couple coats of finish to lock it all down. After that they’ll be ready for my wife, who has a way of making them even prettier without ever taking away their soul.

So with that, I’m off for the breakfast my lovely wife has made for me, and then I’ll head out to the shop to see about starting another project. Haven’t quite made up my mind yet what I want to make or do… but that’s part of the fun, letting it settle in while you’re out there among the tools.

Anyway, have a great day.

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