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Good Morning! You know I kinda figure being a writer, if an old pen can still write a new story. That means every day is a chance for something good and different to happen.

So here we are, the last day of September. Man, time sure flies by. One minute we’re swatting black flies and dealing with those bloodsucking mosquitoes, and all of a sudden we’re getting our gardens ready for winter and raking leaves. Kind of makes a fella think about how important time really is, doesn’t it?

Well, looks like Port Loring’s got itself a fair stretch of weather coming. Today you can count on plenty of sunshine, with the air warming up to about 65 °F (19 °C). Good day to finish up them garden chores without breaking too much of a sweat.

By tonight it’ll cool right down, slipping to around 36 °F (2 °C). That’s the kind of chill where you’ll see your breath if you step out to check the sky. Might be a good idea to set your thermostat on your old furnace or pull the quilt up a little higher.

Tomorrow the sun’s hanging around again, climbing to near 62 °F (17 °C). Come evening, she’ll drop to about 42 °F (5 °C). All in all, a fine couple of days, just enough nip in the air to remind you summer’s almost packed up and left town.

Highway 522 has been busier than usual the past few days, bringing a steady stream of folks into our gift shop, most of them leaving with one or two of our one-of-a-kind pieces tucked under their arm. It’s always good to see new faces mixed in with the regulars. However, now, we’re coming up on that time of year when we’d normally lock the door and close up shop for the winter. But… the weather’s holding nice, and if it keeps up like this for another week or two, we might just leave the lights on a little longer.

On another note, we’ve had our home on the market for four months now, and while plenty of folks have shown interest, most seem a bit hesitant to pull the trigger with the way the economy’s been going. Can’t say I blame them. What we didn’t expect was the number of people who came by or called just to tell us they hoped we’d stay. That warmed us up more than we thought it would. So we’re pulling it off the market today. Winter’s no time to be packing boxes anyway, and truth be told, we’re in no rush. Come spring, we’ll see where we stand. Life has a way of working itself out.

On another note: I finally got my new desk finished yesterday and set up where it belongs. There’s a picture of it at the top of this post. It’s got the look of a proper writer’s desk now, which suits this old writer just fine. My wife has plans to paint something on the front when she finds the time, and once she does, I’ll snap another photo. Until then, it’s serving its purpose, and I’m not complaining.

So what are you up to today GW?

Well, today, being that the weather is so nice, I’m planning on mulching up a good pile of our maple leaves and spreading them about a foot deep over the vegetable garden. I’ll let them settle in for a week or so, then run the rototiller through and work them into the soil. By spring, that’ll break down into some of the richest dirt you could ask for. There’s something satisfying about putting the fall to work for next year’s planting. Leaves don’t cost a thing, and they do more good than half the stuff you can buy in a bag. So yeah, that’s what I’ve got on my plate for today.

With that, I’m off to the breakfast my lovely wife’s made for me. Afterward, I’ll pour myself a cup of decaf tea and sit a spell with her before heading out to the garden. I’ve always been a tea‑first kind of man. Life’s already got plenty of speed built into it without me rushing through the quiet parts. A slow cup and a few minutes to let the day settle in makes everything that follows go a little easier.

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

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Good morning, every blank page is a chance to start over. Don’t waste it worrying about yesterday’s scribbles.

Here’s the weather outlook for Port Loring, Ontario, today, tonight, and into tomorrow:

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🌧️ Today & Tonight (Sept 25)

• Now / Daytime: Mostly cloudy, about 16 °C (60 °F).
• High: Around 21 °C (69 °F)
• Evening / Overnight Low: Down to 12 °C (53 °F)
• Conditions: Periods of rain expected through the day and into tonight.

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⛅ Tomorrow (Sept 26)

• Sky: Mostly cloudy
• High: Around 18 °C (65 °F)
• Low: Near 9 °C (48 °F)
• Precipitation: There’s a chance of a passing shower.

Highway 522 has been pretty quiet these past few days, although there are a few hunters entering our area. As for myself, I don’t go hunting anymore. At my age, things have changed in that department. If some meat is needed, I head to the meat store we buy from and pick up some grass-fed beef. It seems the older I get, the less things like going hunting mean to me. It’s funny how life changes, or should I say, how the mind changes.

On another note, yesterday I managed to get my new desktop cut out, sanded, and stained twice with an Early American stain. I have to say, it turned out mighty fine. It makes things nice when everything comes together. On top of that, I picked some more tomatoes and put them out on our wagon for sale. They are getting close to being finished for another year, and I am going to be sad to see them go. But, in saying that, we do have a lot in the freezer, which should last us for the winter and into next spring.

So, what are you up to today, GW?

Well, today I am planning on putting two or three coats of urethane on the new desktop and letting it dry in the old woodworking shop. Once I get that finished tomorrow, I can install it onto the frame of my old desk. I can’t wait to see what it looks like.

With that, I am off to have the breakfast my wife has prepared for me. It should give me the energy I need for a full day of projects, stories, or whatever else comes my way. But as I always say, you just never know.

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