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Good morning, you know, when you’ve lived back in the woods as long as my wife and I have, certain things settle into your bones.
You learn what matters, what doesn’t, and what’s mostly just noise carried on the wind.

And one of the funnier lessons is this:
Folks love giving advice they never quite follow themselves.

I’ve told plenty of people to shovel their own porch first, even while mine had a drift tall enough to lean a shovel on.
However… years have a way of sanding down your pride, and after a while you learn to laugh at yourself before anyone else does.

Backwoods Weather Report – Port Loring, Ontario Monday, November 24, 2025

Well, we’re actually seeing a bit of sunshine this morning… not sure how long it’s going to last, but it’s there for now, easing in between the clouds. Stepping outside though, that damp chill still works its way right through a jacket. The thermometer on our own station showed 26 F / -3 C, and it felt every bit of it. Humidity was sitting up around 84 percent, which explains that heavy air. The barometer was down at 29.3 inches, usually a sign something unsettled might be thinking about moving in. And the wind… well, there wasn’t any. Needle pointed west, but the speed sat at zero, like everything’s holding still.

For today, I figure we stay on the cool side. With that low barometer and the moisture hanging around, a few flurries later wouldn’t surprise me… just little reminders that winter’s edging closer. Tonight will likely dip again, so bringing in an extra arm full of firewood isn’t a bad idea.

Tomorrow might steady itself a touch, though I don’t see any real warmup coming. Probably another grey November day where the sun never quite gets its turn.

Nature’s signs were plain to see… quiet, heavy air, trees standing stiff with that cold dampness. The sky sat low, pressing down close, even with that brief sunshine poking through. Not many birds saying much at my bird feeder this morning. Truth told, the whole bush feels like it’s waiting on whatever change might wander in next.

Highway 522 is bare and dry this morning in our area. Which will make traveling good for those in need of supplies in the big cities.

On another note, yesterday I wrapped up shaping the wooden flutes, all twenty of them sitting there like they’re already whispering tunes. Now I’ve got the totems to carve for the tops. I thought I’d get to that part yesterday, but time slipped away the way it does. So that’s today’s job, and it’ll probably carry me straight through to evening.

With that, I’m off for the breakfast my lovely wife’s put together. Afterward, we’ll have our usual cup of Barry’s tea, with a touch of cream and a smidgen of raw sugar. Then we’ll sit there, solving the world’s problems one sip at a time. You know, I kinda figure, if folks ever listened to our ideas, the world might run a whole lot smoother—or maybe fall apart twice as fast. Hard to say.

Have a great day, hell make it a good day!

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

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Morning. My Old Dad once told me, “A man who won’t lend a hand usually can’t lift much anyway.” I understood that later on in life..

Backwoods Weather Report – Port Loring, Ontario Sunday, November 23, 2025

Well folks, here’s what we’re looking at after that wet, heavy snow we woke up to…

Today:
We’re sitting a touch above freezing, so that snow’s going to keep sagging and dripping through the day. Not much new coming down… maybe a stray flurry if the air gets restless, but nothing to chase you inside. Roads will stay slippery in the worked-over spots, so take it easy if you’re heading into town.

Tonight:
It’ll cool just enough to crust over the snow and make the back roads slick. Might see patchy fog settling in the low spots. Not a deep freeze, just that quiet, slow cold that sneaks in after dark.

Tomorrow:
More of this unsettled stretch. That low barometer says the weather’s not done thinking. Could flip between light drizzle and light snow, depending on the hour. Nothing big, just a day where you keep your coat handy and don’t bet too much on the sky staying the same.

Funny thing about Highway 522—there’s always somebody checking on it, even when you think no one’s up yet. I suppose if you live out here long enough, you start to know the sound of the plow as well as you know your own alarm clock. I heard it too this morning, kind of half-awake, listening to that big old blade scrape along the asphalt. There’s something reassuring about it, like someone’s already out ahead of you, making sure the world’s a little more passable by the time you get moving.

Anyways, the snow we had last night wasn’t much to write home about. Just enough to powder the fields and settle in the ditches, but nothing to keep you from getting to town. Dad used to say, “If you can still see the fence posts, you’re fine.” He meant for driving, but I think he meant for life, too, in that roundabout way of his. At any rate… if you can see where the fence is, you know where you’re going.

I remember one winter, must’ve been the ‘70s or so… the snow came in sideways and settled in for a week. We had to dig out the old Ford with a couple of coal shovels, which, let me tell you, is not what coal shovels are made for. But you do what you’ve got to do. Even now, when the plow’s been by and the roads are clear, I still think about those mornings many years ago.

Anyways, roads are clear. Coffee’s on. Day’s starting. That’s about all there is to say regarding Highway 522.

On another note: I worked out in the old woodworking shop most of yesterday. You know how it goes… you get into something and the whole day just sort of disappears. Got most of those flutes shaped up so they actually look like flutes now, which is better than the pile boards I started with. Still got one left to do, which I’ll get to this morning, and then after lunch I’ll move on to the totems for the tops.

That part always takes longer than you think. Kinda think it’ll keep me busy the rest of today and probably spill over into tomorrow. At any rate it will give that new Dewalt scroll saw a real workout. Bought it a month ago, and so far it’s just been sitting there, looking like it wants a reason to prove itself. Guess today’s the day it finally earns its keep.

With that I am off for my breakfast that my lovely wife has made for me and will then enjoy our morning cup of tea and then head on out to the shop. Have a great day.

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

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Good morning. They liked to say, “Cold coffee’s fine, long as the work’s done.” Funny how that line aged better than my back.

Backwoods Weather Report – Port Loring, Ontario Saturday, November 22, 2025

My station’s showing it cold and frosty this morning… 24.8 F (-4 C), humidity 84 percent, barometer 29.12 inches, and no real wind to speak of.

Today:
Sunny but it’s not warming much. Might creep a touch toward freezing for a bit in the afternoon, but that’s about it.

Tonight:
Clear and dropping hard. Teens in Fahrenheit… well below zero in Celsius.

Tomorrow:
Clouds moving in through the morning. Could see a few light flurries later on. Still cold, sitting somewhere around 26 to 30 F (-3 to -1 C).

This morning I fired up my old shop stove and the wood furnace in the house. Felt cold enough that burning wood made more sense than switching on the oil. The price of oil and propane these days is ridiculous, especially when we’ve got good wood right in our own yard.

If it’s well-dried hardwood in a solid stove or furnace, it isn’t hurting anything. Folks have kept warm this way for generations. Most of the rules about wood smoke are aimed at wet wood, open fires, or old stoves that belch out smoke all day long.

The way I do it—dry wood, proper burn—it’s clean heat and it makes sense. And one hell of a lot cheaper than oil or propane, which is what a lot of folks are using these days. Electric? Well, forget it… a feller would have to mortgage his home to pay for a year’s worth. But if you’ve got the money to spare, it is a good, clean heat, I’ll grant you that.

On another note: I’ve been spending my time split between the woodworking shop and the house these days. Yesterday I was working on them flutes I’ve got going… made some good headway, got a couple pieces closer to where they need to be. But partway through the day I came back inside to help my lovely wife with some things on her computer. She’s getting her studio set up properly, new monitor and all, and you know how that goes… there’s always something that needs figuring out.

She’s also got a painting in the works right now, actually. Nature scene. She’s been working on it in between everything else she’s got going on, and I’ll tell you… it’s something to watch her work. After all these years, she’s finally painting what she wants to paint, not what other folks are asking for. And the difference shows.

My wife’s been a professional artist for… well, for many years now. Thousands of paintings and that’s not bragging just fact. She’s worked in pretty well every medium known to man, tried every style, painted what the market wanted, what galleries told her would sell. But now, finally, she’s doing her own thing. And I have to tell you… she’s one hell of an artist. I haven’t seen better, and I’ve been around long enough to see a fair bit. Not knocking anyone else, mind you, but some of these paintings you see out there today, the ones going for big money... they look like a kid painted them. And that’s what gets me. The prices folks are charging.

I don’t understand it, truth be told. Makes me think maybe I should give up making flutes/woodworking and start painting myself. I could probably run off three or four a day if I went for that style.

But that’s not the point, I suppose. The point is… come spring, if things go according to plan, she’ll have a good assortment of work ready. Her paintings, my flutes and other one-of-a-kind pieces we make, and we’re setting up a new store space where folks can come see everything. You’ll just have to drop by and have a look for yourself.

It’s taken a long time to get here, to this place where she’s painting what matters to her. But watching her work now, seeing what comes out when an artist finally trusts their own vision… well, it’s worth the wait.

So with that, I’m off to enjoy the breakfast my lovely artist made for me. After that I’ll have a nice cup of tea, maybe with a bit of sugar or perhaps some honey, and then I’ll head out to the woodworking shop. Have a great day.

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

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Good Morning. My old Dad used to say, “Even a dull axe cuts if you swing it enough.” I didn’t realize he meant that about people, too.

Backwoods Weather Report – Port Loring, Ontario
Thursday, November 20, 2025

Walking to the woodworking shop this morning, the cold hits you right away… 26.4°F (-3.1°C)—the kind of chill that settles on your coat and just stays there. With humidity sitting at 87 percent, the air feels heavier than the numbers say. And with the barometer down at 29.33 usually hints the weather has something on its mind.

There’s also no wind to speak of… the air is dead still. And as most of us old-timers have noticed, on mornings like this, is that sound carries for miles. A truck door slamming half a mile away sounds close enough to touch.

At any rate I don’t see much warming today. It might brighten for a short spell, but with that barometer sliding, I wouldn’t be surprised to see light snow by late afternoon or after dark. Tomorrow should be much the same: cool, maybe a breath of wind if this system decides to move along.

If you’re thinking deer, the better chances look to be mid-morning and again that last hour before dark. Cold, still air makes them move slow and careful, so patience earns its keep.

A few notes from nature: the spruce tips were stiff and frosted when I looked out. The sky had that pale, flat look, no texture in it at all, which usually means moisture’s not far off. And there weren’t many birds moving at our bird feeder this morning, the whole area feels like it’s waiting.

On another note, yesterday didn’t go quite as planned. I had things to take care of around the house, so I didn’t get to spend as much time working on those flutes as I’d hoped. Even when I did manage to carve out a few hours, a few unexpected hiccups cropped up, some days just go that way. Still, all in all, it wasn’t a bad day. Sometimes you just have to roll with it and take what progress you can get.

So what are you up to today, GW?

Well, today I’m planning to tackle our electric stove and see if I can swap out the part I ordered from Amazon a few days back. As I mentioned before, one of the burners decided to quit on us, so we’ll see if this new part does the trick. If it works, I’ll have a happy wife… which, as we all know, is a real win.

Right now, the stove’s kind of like a three-legged dog… it still gets around, just not quite the way it’s supposed to!

So, with that bit of information, I’m off for my bowl of porridge, courtesy of my lovely wife. After breakfast, I’ll see about fixing that stove of ours. Once that’s tackled, a cup of tea will be in order, and then I’ll head out to the woodworking shop. At least, that’s the plan.

Have a great day!

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