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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

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Good Morning. I remember my Dad saying. , “A man’s worth is shown in what he fixes when no one’s watching.” Took me years to see the truth in that.

Backwoods Weather Report – Port Loring, Ontario Wednesday, December 3, 2025

So… heading to my shop earlier I could feel, that damp, nipping cold. This morning our own weather station’s reading 31.28 F (-0.4 C), and humidity’s high at 85 percent. The barometer’s sitting low at 28.91 inch Hg, so the air feels heavy, unsettled.

Now, the wind… it’s tricky this morning. My station’s a little blocked by trees, but you can feel it in patches, swirling in from the southwest. Enough to make the cold bite and push the wet snow around. Speaking of snow, expect an inch or two or three today. Just that slow, sticky winter stuff that clings to branches first, then decides if it wants to pile up on the ground. Watch the shaded roads and trails as they could get somewhat slippery.

Tonight, the snow will taper off and the temperature will drop a little more. And looking ahead, there’s a bigger system lining up that could bring a heavier layer in the next couple days… nothing to panic about, but keep an eye out if you’ve got wood to haul or trails to check.

Nature’s signs this morning are quiet but telling. The spruce tips are heavy with wet snow, ravens are flying low, and the branches swaying just enough to show where the wind is sneaking through. When the woods act like this in the damp cold, it usually means the day’s about to settle into what winter likes to do.

Highway 522 is not clear—there are a lot of icy, snowy sections throughout, which won’t make traveling all that good. If it were me and I wanted to head to the city for supplies, I would wait till tomorrow, when we should be seeing some sunshine.

On another note: yesterday I worked the day away in my woodworking shop on the flutes I’m making. Got them all tuned except for two, which I’ll get to after breakfast.

So with that, I’m going to enjoy the breakfast my lovely wife has made for me, and then settle in for our regular morning chat and a cup of tea before heading to the shop.

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