Category Archives: What’s Happening

Thoughts From the Far Edge of the Noise

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Good morning. You know: I’ve always had a knack for plain truth: “If you can’t be good, at least be useful.” It’s never failed me yet.

Backwoods Weather Report – Port Loring, Ontario
Thursday, November 6, 2025

It’s a bright, cold morning here in Port Loring with the sun shining strong around 8:30 AM. The barometer sits at 990.2 mbar (29.24 inHg), holding steady for now. Temperature’s at 28°F (-2°C), and humidity is 85%, so the air still carries that November bite. Winds are calm from the NNW, leaving the bush quiet and still — good morning for a walk or a watch from the stand.

Today: Expect sunshine through most of the morning and early afternoon, with clouds starting to build later in the day as a weak front approaches. The temperature should stay near freezing, around 30°F (-1°C), and dip to 24°F (-4°C) tonight.

Tonight into Friday: Clouds will thicken overnight, and there’s a fair chance of light rain or wet snow by tomorrow afternoon, depending on how mild the air turns. Winds will shift slightly southwest, picking up a little warmth but also more moisture.

Tomorrow (Friday): Expect a cloudy, damp day, highs near 36°F (2°C). Could see on-and-off drizzle or a bit of sleet, especially toward evening.

Nature’s Signs: The sunshine after a still, frosty night often gets the chickadees and nuthatches busy early, and you might see deer moving along the shaded edges before the sun climbs higher. The quiet morning with no wind means the woods are listening, so move slow and soft.

Deer Hunting Outlook:
This morning’s calm and clear makes for excellent huntingbest times are sunrise to mid-morning (7:00–10:00 AM). Deer will likely move again late afternoon (4:00–6:00 PM) as that next weather change edges closer. When the sun gives way to clouds, movement tends to pick up again, so keep an eye on the sky and stay ready near the trails leading to open feed areas.

Yesterday I spent a good part of the day in my woodworking shop. Dug up some of the old shelves we used to have in our gift shop before we turned the place into a cottage during COVID. Brushed them off and now I’m revamping them so they’ll be ready for use when we reopen as a gift shop come spring.

I’ve also got a few other things to make for my wife — pieces she needs for the store — and I’ll be working on those through the winter months. I have to tell you, now that we’ve settled on what we’re doing with our lives, things sure seem a lot easier.

Come spring, if you’ve never stopped by to see our one-of-a-kind items, try to find the time. You won’t be disappointed. Between our designs and my wife’s know-how when it comes to running and setting up a gift shop, well, you’ll just have to see it to believe it. And even if you’ve been in before, we’d sure like to see you again. This time around, we’ve got a few surprises that I think will keep you coming back.

So, with all that in mind, I’m off once again for the breakfast my lovely wife has made for me. After that, we’ll enjoy our regular morning chat, topped off with a cup of hot cocoa and a couple of marshmallows. Then I’ll head out to the woodworking shop—I already lit the wood stove earlier.

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

All my books are available on my Amazon Author Page.

If you purchase a book, a brief Amazon review really helps new readers discover my work—it means a lot.

Support my writing: Support My Writing

In Closing, I Would Like to Wish You Well!

George Walters | [email protected]

Notes Collected Between Work and Rest

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Good morning. My old Dad always said, “The day’s only as hard as your attitude.” Easy to forget, but it’s true.

Backwoods Weather Report for Port Loring, Ontario, based on my weather station data from 7:25 a.m., November 5, 2025 (EST):


Today (Wednesday)

Air Pressure’s sitting low which often signals unsettled weather. With humidity at 86% and the air cool at 39°F (3.9°C), there’s a good chance of dampness and overcast skies, with some patchy drizzle or mist. The calm wind from the NNW suggests the system hasn’t fully moved through yet, so expect it to stay gray and chilly through the day.

Forecast: Cloudy with light rain or drizzle possible, temperature near 41°F (5°C). Winds staying light, shifting slightly west later on.


Tonight

As the pressure begins to slowly rise overnight, skies may start to break in spots, though lingering low clouds and fog patches could form. The calm air will let the temperature dip close to freezing, so frost is possible on open ground by morning.

Forecast: Mostly cloudy early, then partial clearing late. Low around 32°F to 30°F (0°C to -1°C). Watch for slick spots if you’re out early.


Tomorrow (Thursday)

If that barometer continues climbing, you’ll see a drier, brighter day. Some sunshine should return by midday with a light northwesterly breeze keeping it crisp.

Forecast: Partly sunny, cool, and calmer. High near 43°F (6°C), with lower humidity through the afternoon.


Nature’s Signs

When the wind goes still and the air turns heavy like this, birds often stay quiet and low, saving their energy. The chickadees won’t be far from the feeders, a sure hint the air’s thick with moisture. If the crows call short and sharp this afternoon, it’s a fair bet tomorrow will clear.

Best Deer Hunting Times

With the weather cool and calm, and that barometer starting to creep upward, today’s best deer movement will likely be during the early morning from first light until about 9:00 a.m., and again from 4:00 p.m. until dusk. Those are the hours when deer feel safest to move, feeding before the chill sets in for the night.

Old-Time Hunters Wisdom

My old Dad used to say, “If your breath hangs in the air and your boots crunch on frost, stay put as the deer are already moving.” He also believed a rising barometer after rain meant the woods would wake up hungry, every creature eager to feed before the next turn of weather.

So keep your steps light, mind the wind, and let the forest tell you when to move. The best hunters don’t chase the deer, nope… they wait until the woods say it’s time.

On another note, yesterday I didn’t get around to working on those flutes I’ve got on the go. Instead, I spent the day helping my wife set up our new gift shop. There’s a lot to do getting it ready as turning it from a cottage back into a gift shop isn’t exactly a simple job. But with my wife’s designer’s eye and my own expertise, we make a pretty good team. As long as our bodies hold up, given time we’ll get it all done.

The thing is, at this stage in life, we don’t exactly rush into things… though, maybe I shouldn’t say that, because once we get started, nothing seems to stop us.

Later in the afternoon, I decided to mow the grass, probably for the last time before the snow and real cold weather roll in. While I was at it, I blew a pile of leaves from the lawn into the bush that surrounds our place. Nothing goes to waste as the leaves will break down and feed the trees.

So yeah, that’s how our day went yesterday. By the time supper rolled around, I was worn down to the knots in my shoelaces, and even they were starting to loosen up a bit.

So what are you up to today GW?

Well, today I’m setting the flutes aside for a bit. I got to thinking I need some shelves to hold them all when they’re finished up, something to display maybe fifty or so come spring when we open the new gift shop.

I can see them now, lined up with all the new paintings my wife’s been planning, along with the one-of-a-kind pieces we’ve been making. We’re trying to get things ready making it into something folks will actually want to stop and see once the warm weather rolls back around.

It’s one of those things where you’ve got to build the space before you fill it. No sense having all those flutes and paintings and nowhere proper to put them. So that’s the project for today, getting ahead of it before spring comes knocking.

With that, I’m off to enjoy the breakfast my lovely wife has made for me. After that, we’ll sit down to a hot cup of cocoa with a couple of marshmallows… before I head outdoors for the day.

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

All my books are available on my Amazon Author Page.

If you purchase a book, a brief Amazon review really helps new readers discover my work—it means a lot.

Support my writing: Support My Writing

In Closing, I Would Like to Wish You Well!

George Walters | [email protected]

Notes From the Quiet Side of Life.

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Good Morning. I have always said. , “Never trust a man who doesn’t laugh at himself. He’s hiding something.”

Backwoods Weather Report – Port Loring, Ontario
Tuesday, November 4, 2025

Morning’s looking bright in the backwoods today. My station shows a temperature of 2.3°C (36°F) with humidity still high at 87%, barometer at 9.14 inHg), and calm WSW winds. The sun’s shining through a cloudless sky, which already makes the woods feel warmer and the chill less biting.

Despite the low pressure, the clear skies mean today should be crisp, bright, and quiet. Temperatures may rise slowly into the mid-single digits Celsius, and the air will feel fresh rather than heavy. Any lingering mist from the early hours should burn off quickly under the sun. That said, with the barometer slowly dropping, something other than sunshine is likely in the works—either later today, tonight, or tomorrow.

Tonight:
Temperatures will drop back toward 0°C (32°F) under mostly clear skies, so expect patchy frost in exposed areas. Calm winds will keep the night still, and the stars will be out if the sky holds.

For today in Port Loring, the best general times for deer movement are:

  • Morning: 6:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
  • Evening: 3:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

On another note, I spent some time yesterday working on the flutes I have in progress, and I’m thinking I might do the same today, though we’ll see. My wife has a few projects in mind for our store, which we’re bringing back next spring, so my plans could change. Honestly, I never really know what the day will bring, with her creative mind always coming up with something new. You could say it keeps me grounded.

So with that I am off for my breakfast that my lovely wife has made for me and will then head on outdoors… sure is a nice looking day.

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

All my books are available on my Amazon Author Page.

If you purchase a book, a brief Amazon review really helps new readers discover my work—it means a lot.

Support my writing: Support My Writing

In Closing, I Would Like to Wish You Well!

George Walters | [email protected]

A Few Words on a Rainy Morning

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Good morning. My dad used to say, “Start your day before it starts you.” Took me years to really get what he meant.

He wasn’t just talking about getting up early, all though that was part of it. What he meant was, if you don’t decide what your day’s going to look like, someone else will. The phone rings, the tractor breaks, the neighbor shows up needing help, and before you know it, it’s dark out and you never got to the thing you actually needed to do.

He’d be up before dawn. Not rushing, just kind of… purposeful, you know? He already knew what needed doing with is mind already set. Sure, the day would always throw things at him—and it always did—but he’d started it on his terms.

When I was younger, I didn’t get it. Figured he just meant starting early. But now I see it. If you wake up and just react to whatever comes at you, you’re not running your day, truth told… your day’s running you.

Anyway, that’s what he meant.

Backwoods Weather Report – Port Loring, Ontario
Monday, November 3, 2025

Well, it just goes to show you … the weather has a mind of its own. Yesterday we talked about a rising pressure and a drier, a more settled Monday ahead. Instead, we woke up to gray skies and steady rain. That’s fall in the backwoods for you. Systems can hang back or move quicker than expected, and this one decided to stick around a little longer than the forecast hinted.

As of 8:33 a.m., my station here in Port Loring shows a barometer at (28.92 inches) and 83% humidity, which tells us we’re still under the pull of that low-pressure system. The temperature’s holding near 6.5°C (43.7°F), and there’s a light west-southwest breeze around 11 km/h (7 mph) carrying that damp air through the trees.

If that pressure starts to climb later today, we might see the rain let up and maybe even a short peek of sun before nightfall. But for now, best keep the jacket close and the woodpile covered. Cooler, clearer weather still looks possible by midweek — once this system finally drifts off to the east.

Tonight:
Clouds will likely hang around through the evening with a few lingering showers. Winds will stay light from the southwest, shifting more westerly overnight. Temperatures should dip down close to 2°C (35°F), cool enough for a bit of patchy frost toward morning if the skies manage to clear for a spell.

Tomorrow (Tuesday):
Pressure should begin to rise slowly, which will help dry things out. Expect a mix of sun and cloud, maybe more sun later in the day if we’re lucky. Daytime highs near 7°C (45°F), feeling cool but fair. Winds light and steady out of the west. A decent November day shaping up once the damp clears away.

Nature’s Signs:
You can smell the wet pine this morning, that sharp scent that comes when the needles are soaked through. The deer will be on the move now that their season’s open, and this kind of damp weather keeps their scent close to the ground. That helps hunters too, since their own scent won’t carry as far in the heavy air. It’s the sort of morning where patience pays off — no need for much calling or moving about, just find a good spot out of the wind and let the bush settle around you.

So yesterday, once again, I headed out to the old woodworking shop. But, like a lot of days lately, I didn’t end up working on those flutes I’m making.

What happened was, my wife and I got to talking… well, we’ve been thinking about it for a while now, and we finally decided that come spring, we’re going to reopen our old store. It used to be a store, but when COVID hit and nobody knew what was going to happen, we turned it into a place for family and friends to gather. Now that all that’s behind us, we figured it’s time to bring the store back to life.

You’d think it’d be just a day’s work turning it back, but there’s still a lot to do to get it the way we want. But, we’ve got a few months, to get things in order.

So folks... come spring, if you want to see some real craftsmanship, you ought to stop by. I’ll have my flutes there, and I’m working on a whole lineup of new pieces as well. But honestly, what you really don’t want to miss are my wife’s creations. Her paintings, her hand-painted designs... she just has a way of bringing color and life to everything she touches. Always has.

There’s this attention to detail, this sense of beauty in her work that’s… well, it’s hard to put into words, you know? But you’ll see what I mean the second you step through the door.

Everything in that store will be made by our own hands. You really do have to see it to believe it.

At any rate…. by the end of the day yesterday, I was just about worn out. And when I finally crawled into bed, I’ll tell you, that old bed of mine felt damn good.

So what are you up to today GW?

Well, today I am going to try real hard to get back to making them flutes. I lit the shop stove earlier to take out the dampness, which should have warmed things up by the time I finish my breakfast that my lovely wife has made for me. So being that it is sitting here ready, I had better go and enjoy it.

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

All my books are available on my Amazon Author Page.

If you purchase a book, a brief Amazon review really helps new readers discover my work—it means a lot.

Support my writing: Support My Writing

In Closing, I Would Like to Wish You Well!

George Walters | [email protected]

A Few Lines Written While the World Was Still Waking Up

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Good morning. I read once that time flies. Out here, it mostly limps along, but it gets where it’s going.

You know, up here in the north country, we don’t rush much. Time’s got a different pace when you’re measuring it by seasons instead of clocks. Winter stretches out long and cold, spring mud lasts longer than you’d like, summer’s gone before you know it, and fall… well, fall’s just about perfect if you can catch it between the frost and the snow.

Now people down in the city, they’re always talking about time management, saving time, making time. Hell, out here we just let it do what it’s gonna do. The cows don’t care what the clock says, and the garden grows on its own schedule no matter how much you fuss at it.

Backwoods Weather Report – Port Loring, Ontario
Sunday, November 2, 2025

It’s a cool and calm morning here in Port Loring. The temperature is sitting just above freezing at 34°F (1°C) with high humidity around 83%, which tells us there’s still plenty of moisture hanging around from the past few unsettled days. The barometer is slowly rising, which is a good sign which means the low system that brought yesterday’s dampness is likely moving off.

Winds are calm out of the south, though as the day goes on, a light southerly breeze may pick up, keeping it a touch milder than yesterday. The skies have already opened to some sunshine this morning, and we can expect a mix of sun and cloud through midday, with more bright breaks this afternoon. Temperatures should climb to around 6–7°C (43–45°F) later today.

Tonight:
Skies will stay partly cloudy, and the calm air will let temperatures drop back near freezing again, around -1°C (30°F). If we get enough clearing before midnight, some patchy ground frost or light fog could form in low-lying areas.

Tomorrow (Monday):
The rising pressure trend continues, meaning drier, more settled weather is on tap. Expect a mix of sun and cloud, with highs near 8°C (46°F) and a light southwest breeze. It’ll feel like a decent fall day before the next system edges in midweek.

Nature’s Signs:
With the calm air and damp ground this morning, you might notice crows calling early a sure sign of fairer weather returning. The chickadees will likely be out and busy near the feeders by mid-morning which is another sign the skies are clearing.

On another note, yesterday I managed to do a wee bit of work in the old woodworking shop. Wasn’t what I’d planned on doing, but hell, a little’s better than nothing. Sometimes you just work on what calls to you instead of what’s on the list.

Today I’m getting an early start, reason being the time went back last night. Gave me an extra hour to get things done here at the computer. I’d plumb forgot about it until I looked at the clock this morning and thought, well now, that’s a gift I wasn’t expecting. Don’t get many of those anymore, an extra hour just handed to you like that.

So with that I am off for my breakfast that my lovely wife has made for me and will then get to work. Well… after our hot cup of cocoa that is.

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

All my books are available on my Amazon Author Page.

If you purchase a book, a brief Amazon review really helps new readers discover my work—it means a lot.

Support my writing: Support My Writing

In Closing, I Would Like to Wish You Well!

George Walters | [email protected]