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Good Morning Folks. Well, we are starting things off here this morning with some sunshine, which is always a welcome sight. The kind of morning where the birds seem a bit happier, especially the Robbins, and even our vegetable gardens looks a touch more relaxed.

As for the weather, here’s how things are shaping up for Port Loring, Ontario:

Today: Mainly sunny with just a few passing clouds, high will reach near 75F (24C), with a light breeze from the northwest to keep things comfortable.
Tonight: Clear skies early, then a few clouds drifting in overnight. Low around 54F (12C) — might even be a good night for sleeping with the windows open.
Tomorrow: A mix of sun and cloud, warmer than today, with a high reaching 81F (27C). Slight chance of an afternoon sprinkle, but nothing to fret about.

Looks like we’re in for a stretch of decent weather for a change, good enough to get some outside chores done or just sit back and take it all in. I kinda think my wife and I will do both leaning to the front porch sittin’.

Highway 522 is still pretty quiet, tourist-wise. That said, things should start picking up in another week or so when the kids get out of school for the summer. It usually does — but we’ll see how that works out.

Bug Report:

Well, yesterday morning before the rain moved in, I spent some time working in our vegetable garden, and I have to say I didn’t see a single mosquito, black-fly, or deer-fly. Not one. It’s getting to be that time of year when you can stand, sit, or walk just about anywhere without being pestered too much.

On another note, like I mentioned yesterday, I did manage to work up our vegetable garden — cleared out some of those young weeds that were trying to sneak in without being noticed. I also spread some manure made from grass clippings that’s been rotting down for a few weeks, worked it in nice around our tomato and pepper plants. When I was done, you could almost see those plants smiling.

I have to tell you, folks, when that garden’s all worked up, and the plants are just starting to take hold, it sure is a sight to see. I can never get enough of it.

Matter of fact, now that the sun’s come out, my wife and I are planning to sit under our old basswood tree on the swing I built a while back, just to take it all in.

The thing is, summers are short in our neck of the woods, so when times like this come along, you’ve got to take advantage of them. Least ways, that’s how we see it.

So what are you up to today, GW?

Well, today, with the sun back out and the temperature just right, not too hot and not too cool, I’m thinking I’ll putter around the property a bit along with looking after any customers that happen to drop by our garage sale here at 11588 Highway 522. We’re keeping it going until the end of July, along with our small gift shop. Well, the gift shop will remain open for the whole summer. Just the garage sale will end at the end of July.

And I should mention, everything in the gift shop — all the one-of-a-kind items my wife and I designed and made ourselves — is now half price. So if you’re out and about and feel like browsing, you just might find something special to take home with ya. That is if you drop by.

With that, I’m off to enjoy another breakfast whipped up by my little woman. She sure knows how to start the day right. Once that’s done, I’ll head outside to put up the open signs, then settle into my favorite chair on the front porch with a hot cup of cocoa, and take in our beautiful piece of property — one of the best around, if you ask me. Might not be lakefront, but it’s got everything that matters.

Truth is, not every great place needs a shoreline. Some places just feel right — quiet, peaceful, with room to breathe. Ours is one of them.

You’re always welcome to see for yourselves!

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

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Good Morning… the air is quiet, and it feels like a good day to get out to the workshop, or maybe even dig around in the garden a bit.

Well, it’s looking like the rain has finally left us, and the sun is starting to break through the clouds. A welcome sight, I’d say.

Forecast for Port Loring, Ontario

Today (Friday, June 20)

• Daytime: A mix of sun and cloud, with things warming up nicely to around 72 °F (22 °C).
• Nighttime Temperatures: Dropping down to a cooler 51 °F (11 °C), which should make for a good sleeping night.

Saturday (June 21)

• Daytime: Cloudy skies, with a few showers and maybe a thunderstorm early on. Breezy through the afternoon, with highs reaching 78 °F (26 °C).
• Nighttime Temperatures: Holding warmer at around 65 °F (19 °C), still a bit humid and damp in spots.

Sunday (June 22)

Nighttime Temperatures: Staying warm and sticky near 66 °F (19 °C)—a sign summer’s really settling in.

Daytime: A muggy one on the way. Cloudy early, then maybe a break of sun before a few pop-up storms roll through in the afternoon. Highs climbing to 87 °F (31 °C).

So, by the looks of things, the warmer daytime temperatures are here to stay for a while.

Highway 522 was still pretty quiet yesterday, though the weather wasn’t all that great, which likely kept folks at home. Out here in the country, that suits us just fine as it means more peace and quiet, which is what most folks living here enjoy. Least my wife and I do.

Bug Report:
Well, there weren’t any bugs to speak of yesterday. With the rain, everything with wings seemed to take the day off. But this morning? The mosquitoes are back at it, raising a bit of hell. They will likely settle down once the sun gets a little higher in the sky.

Of course, that is usually when the deer flies punch in for their shift.

Actually, I have been pretty lucky over the years, as for the most part, none of them actually bite me. They just buzz around my face like they are trying to tell me something. Not sure why that is, but my wife says it is because I am not as sweet as most folks. Could be true.

On another note, with it being a rainy day yesterday, I spent most of my time right here at the computer. Got a couple of stories written up in the morning, and by afternoon I started working on setting things up so I can share my stories on my blog, YouTube, and a few other spots.

What I’ll be doing is taking one story each week from my collection and turning it into a podcast. I used to do that a while back, but after a time I drifted away from it, tried making videos instead, and then drifted from that too. So now I’m heading back to podcasting, which means I’ll be reading my stories out loud once again.

Keep an eye out for them on my YouTube channel and right here on the blog.

So, what are you up to today, GW?

Well, today I’m planning to work on my bird feeder. I had to take it down the other day since it needed a bit of repair. I’ve been experimenting with different ways to keep the larger birds out while still letting the smaller ones in to feed. It’s been a bit of a challenge, but I think I’ve finally figured it out.

So I’ll get it fixed up and back on the post outside our living room window. That way, my wife and I can sit and watch the show throughout the day. We sure enjoy seeing all the different kinds of birds that come to visit.

So yep, that’s what I’ve got on the go today.

With that I’m off for my morning breakfast once again that my lovely wife has put together for me, and then I’ll see what the day has in store other than what I have planned. Every day is a mystery waiting to be made into something.

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

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Good Morning, Folks. Out here in the country, the coffee tastes stronger, the sky looks w i d e r, and even the silence has something to say.

Well, looking out the old window here by my desk, it looks like we’re in for a rainy day.

Today – Thursday, June 19: Rain’s falling steady this morning, and might keep at it for most of the day. We’ll see a high around 64 °F (18 °C) and dropping to about 49 °F (10 °C) tonight. There’s a rainfall warning on—calling for 40 to 60 mm of rain, which works out to roughly 1.5 to 2.5 inches. We could also hear the odd rumble of thunder in the mix too.

Tonight: Cooler and still damp. The heavier rain should ease into lighter showers by evening, with temps settling near 49 °F (10 °C). Nice for sleeping.

Tomorrow – Friday, June 20: Cloudy for the most part but milder, with the high creeping up to around 73 °F (23 °C) and an overnight low of about 56 °F (13 °C). Might not be bone-dry, but not near as wet as today.

I would say that today would be a good day to stay in, tend to the small stuff, and let the land have its drink. As it sure needs it, especially our vegetable garden.

Bug Report: Other than a few mosquitoes and the odd deer fly irritating folks, things are pretty decent out there these days. Not much to complain about. That said, I have noticed those tiny gnats are starting to show up at night. If you haven’t got the newer style screens on your windows, they’ll slip right through the old ones the minute they see a light on. Not exactly what you want buzzing around your bedroom, especially on a hot night.

Highway 522 was quiet again yesterday. A few locals were out, and some trucks working the area, but not many tourists yet. I expect that will change once July arrives, when the kids get out of school and city folks feel the pull of the country.

The thing is, real country is getting harder to find these days. I mean the kind where no chemicals are sprayed on fields or bushes, the kind that doesn’t kill everything it touches and then spread into the lakes, streams, and rivers. And the worst part is, that, sooner or later, that mess makes its way into our well water too.

Those so-called specialists act like they know it all, but really, they only repeat what they’re taught in fancy schools that have moved away from final exams. Without those traditional tests, it’s hard to tell if students are truly learning anything or just coasting through. Makes me shake my head and wonder where we’re headed here in Canada.

On another note, yesterday being such a nice day I spent most of it outside, working on a few projects and taking care of customers who stopped by our gift shop and garage sale. I have to say, sales went great, with plenty of folks coming by and picking up a good number of our things.

Later, since the grass was dry and rain was expected for the next couple of days, my wife and I figured we’d better get the mowing done. Glad we did, and I have to say, it looks real nice out there now, all cleaned up and tidy.

So what are you up to today, GW?

Well, today being a rainy old day, I figure I’ll be working here at my desk where all the magic happens, at least when I get into writing stories. I’ve got a couple of ideas brewing for my columns that actually pay me to write, so that’s probably what I’ll be doing. But hey, you never know, as every day seems to come with its own agenda.

So with that, I’m off to dig into the breakfast my lovely wife whipped up, pancakes with some good grass fed butter over the top. Then I’ll sink back into my lazy boy chair of mine with a steaming cup of cocoa, just because I can.

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