Category Archives: George’s Writers Corner

Great Spot to hear about anything and everything concerning writing. Also information on my books, book signings, speaking engagements and events that might be happening in and around our town.

George's Writers Corner, Weather, What's Happening

Talkin’ Truth Over Toast on April 18/2025

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Good Morning Folks! My stories are seasoned with coffee, sap and sawdust—makes ‘em sturdier.

Weather Forecast for Port Loring, Ontario

Friday, April 18, 2025

Expect periods of rain throughout the day, accompanied by breezy conditions in the morning.​

  • High: 59°F (15°C)
  • Low: 48°F (9°C)​

Saturday, April 19, 2025

A thick cloud cover is anticipated, with temperatures dropping significantly.​

  • High: 51°F (11°C)
  • Low: 27°F (-3°C)​

Highway 522 has seen a bit more traffic over the past few days, and I suspect it’s folks gearing up for the Easter long weekend. One spot that’s been hopping more than the Easter Bunny in our area is the LCBO.—seems a lot of folks are making sure their “spiritual” needs are met ahead of time.

On another note: Yesterday, my wife and I got the firewood re-piled—the stack that had toppled over during the winter. It took us about three hours, give or take. After that, we enjoyed a hot cocoa, relaxed for a spell, then had some lunch. Once we got our second wind, we headed back outside. The weather was just too nice to waste, and we managed to get most of our flower gardens cleaned up.

We like to get them done before a good rain, and with showers expected today, the timing couldn’t have been better. A clean bed helps the rain soak in and gives the flowers a fresh start. Plus, it’s easier to avoid snapping off new sprouts. Like our tulips, that are starting to show themselves.

You know, after a lifetime of farming, living close to the land and of course other things, I’ve come to see it plain and simple, that everything’s got its season, its own rhythm. You can’t rush it, and you sure can’t fight it. But if you pay attention and work alongside it, well, nature’s got a way of paying you back for your efforts. That’s just how it works, and it has helped me more times than not, over the years.

So what are you up to today, GW?

Well, today I’m thinkin’ I might tackle a bit of cleanup in my woodworking shop. With everything we’ve been doing around the place lately, it’s turned into one heck of a mess—can hardly find my bench, let alone my tools. Then, if the old body’s willing, I might even see about putting up some shelves in one of our side buildings. That’s where we’re planning to store all the tools and odds and ends we’re getting ready to part with at our big spring garage sale coming up in a few weeks.

It’s shaping up to be a good one, too—something for everyone and every age. If you can’t find a treasure in this sale, you likely weren’t lookin’ hard enough.

So with that, it’s time for breakfast once again. This morning, it’s an egg on an English muffin—thanks to my lovely wife—and you can’t beat that to start the day. After that, we’ll settle in with our regular hot cocoa and a good chat, just like we do every morning.

Then, well, we’ll see where the day leads. You can make all the plans you want, but in the end, life’s got its own ideas about how things should unfold. The thing is, you never truly know what a day’s going to bring, but…, that’s what makes it interesting. Sometimes the best moments come when you least expect them, and well, sometimes not.

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]

George's Writers Corner, Health, My Opinion Only

What’s in That Chicken You’re Eating Here in Canada?

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Only On The Walters Post

These are my own thoughts from what I’ve seen and lived through. I’m sharing them to spark some thinking and honest conversation, not because I have all the answers.

I’ve been around farming most of my life, and I’ve learned to trust my gut when something doesn’t sit right. These days, I look at the way chickens are being raised for food, and I can’t help but feel something’s off.

Most chickens raised for meat today are grown to full size in just 35 to 45 days. That’s not natural. It used to take several months for a chicken to grow to a good weight. But now, they’ve been bred and fed in a way that makes them balloon up in record time. It’s not from hormones—Canada banned those in poultry back in the 1960s—but that doesn’t mean it’s all safe and sound.

These birds are raised indoors in massive barns, under artificial lights, with little room to move. Their feed is loaded with protein, additives, and supplements to speed up growth. The birds barely move, so all their energy goes into building meat, mostly in the breast. Some can hardly walk by the time they’re sent to slaughter. That’s how fast they grow.

They call it efficient. I call it concerning.

When an animal grows that fast, it changes the meat. Today’s chicken is softer, often full of water, and not as tasty as it used to be. The fat content is higher, and the muscle tissue breaks down easily. There’s something not quite right about that. And while they say the antibiotics are regulated, we all know what can happen when rules are bent or rushed in a big system.

I don’t believe food raised in a stressful, unnatural way can be good for us. Fast-grown meat might fill our plates, but what is it doing to our bodies over time? People today are dealing with more allergies, gut issues, and strange health problems than ever before. Could it be from eating food that’s been messed with too much?

You won’t hear this from the big companies. But the more I learn, the more I believe we’ve traded quality for speed and profits. And that never ends well.

If you want better meat, talk to your local farmers. Look for chickens that have been raised the old way—on pasture, with time to grow. It costs more, yes, but you’ll know what you’re eating. You’ll taste the difference too.

In the end, we are what we eat. And I don’t want to build my health out of birds that couldn’t even stand on their own legs.

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]

Gardening, George's Writers Corner, Health

Onions: Health Benefits and How to Store Them the Right Way

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Only On The Walters Post

Onions have always been a must-have in the home, and there’s a lot more to them than just adding flavor to your meals. Personally, I like Honey Sweet onions, which have a much milder taste compared to stronger varieties like Spanish onions. I find these sweet onions nicer to eat raw. A slice of homemade bread with grass-fed butter and a hunk of aged cheese—now we’re talking.

How to Store Onions Properly

Once you’ve picked the right onion, storing it properly is key to keeping it fresh. After cutting an onion, wrap the leftover pieces in wax paper and place them in an airtight glass container in the fridge. This will preserve freshness without using plastic, which can trap moisture and cause onions to spoil faster. Avoid plastic wrap and plastic containers, as they aren’t the best for keeping food fresh.

When storing whole onions, you want to keep them in a cool, dry place like a pantry. They need ventilation, so make sure they’re not in a sealed plastic bag or the fridge, as this can cause them to turn soft quicker. A basket or open container works well for keeping onions fresh.

An Old-School Health Remedy: Onions to Combat Sickness

Here’s something I’ve used for years and swear by: if sickness strikes in the house, cut an onion in half and place it around different rooms. The idea is that the onion will draw in bacteria and viruses from the air, helping to clear the germs out of your space. Change the onion every couple of days and keep doing it until everyone’s feeling better. This old-school remedy might sound a bit odd, but it’s something that’s worked for me, especially during flu season.

Why Eating Onions Daily Is Good for Your Health

In addition to their immune-boosting effects when used around the house, onions are rich in nutrients like vitamin C and antioxidants, both of which help support a healthy immune system. Eating them regularly—whether raw or cooked—can keep your body strong and ready to fight off common colds and the flu. Combine them with Vitamin D3, and you’ve got a powerful combination to stay healthy through flu season and beyond.

Onions are simple, but they’re a mighty tool in the kitchen and for health. Whether you’re using them for storage, remedying sickness, or adding them to your meals for a boost in nutrition, they’re worth incorporating into your daily routine.

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]

George's Writers Corner, Weather, What's Happening

Country Has a Way of Teaching You on April 17/2025

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Good Morning, Folks! I’ve found that positive thoughts are a lot like planting seeds—give ’em time, tend ’em right, and they’ll bloom when you least expect it.

She’s one fine-lookin’ morning here in Cottage Country. The sun’s finally got some heat to it, not just sittin’ up there for show. Feels good on the face. That kind of warmth makes a body think—energy’s not just in wires, it’s in the land, the trees, and us folks too.

Weather Forecast For Port Loring, Ontario, Canada:

Thursday, April 17
It’s a fine-lookin’ spring day out there. High around 51°F (10°C) and dropping to 35°F (2°C) tonight. A bit of cloud now and then, but the sun’s still showin’ up for work. No rain in sight, so it’s a good one for standin’ by a fence post, taking in what Nature has to offer.

Friday, April 18
Well, Friday’s bringin’ the rain with it. High around 57°F (14°C), low near 45°F (7°C). Looks like we’ll get about half an inch (13 mm) of rain through the day. Might be a good excuse to stay indoors, catch up on things other than outside work, and let the rain do the talking for a while.

Highway 522 is bare and dry this morning, making travelling mighty fine.

Yesterday, my lovely wife and I made the trip to the big city of North Bay to pick up some supplies. It turned out to be a great day—one of those that leaves you feelin’ good all over. We got what we needed, had lunch in the car, and spent some time watchin’ folks go by. Now, I’ll admit it—people-watching’ in the city can sometimes be a bit nosy, but who are we kiddin’? In small towns, it’s practically a pastime. We all do it, even if we won’t admit it out loud.

After that, we took the scenic route home—well, the only route we’ve got, since where we live, there’s just one way in and one way out. But it’s always a surprise, seeing something new every time we make the trip. Funny how the same road can offer up a new view each time.

So what are you up to today, GW?

Well… first thing this morning, my wife and I are going to re-pile some firewood that fell over yesterday. It was under our lean-to, but the frost heaved it up over winter and, with the ground settling, it made a mess of the first row. We’ll get that fixed up here this morning, while the ground’s still a bit hard—saves us from walking in the mud. After that, we’ll get back to fixing up one of our side sheds and start putting things in it for our big spring sale in a few weeks. We’ve got a few other things planned too, but we’ll see how we feel after all that. Might need a bit of a rest.

With that I am off once again for my breakfast that my little woman has made for me, and will then head on outdoors, after our hot cocoa of course.

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]

George's Writers Corner, My Opinion Only

Tariffs and Tough Talk – Let’s Get Real

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Only On The Walters Post.

These are my own thoughts from what I’ve seen and lived through. I’m sharing them to spark some thinking and honest conversation, not because I have all the answers.

Now, some folks are hollering that Canada slapping tariffs on U.S. goods is going to hurt them. Well, that’s just not how the world works. Let’s face facts—Canada’s population isn’t even as big as California’s. So if we think putting a few extra charges on American imports is going to shake things up down there, we’ve got another thing coming.

Then there’s all this noise about pulling U.S. booze off our shelves like it’s going to make them think twice. That’s laughable. As if the U.S. is going to blink because Canada stopped stocking a few bottles of whiskey. All that’ll do is help out their own producers. They’ll just sell more of their own, and likely at a better margin.

Oil and gas? Same story. What we send them is a drop in the bucket compared to what they already have going on. We may think we’re holding a strong hand, but in the big picture, it’s not enough to make a dent.

Now, sure, there’s talk going around that the U.S. could see some bumps—things like higher prices and slower growth. Their own experts are saying that their tariffs on China are bigger than expected, and that’s making waves in their markets and raising the cost of borrowing. But here’s the thing—that’s their problem, not ours.

What we need to do in Canada is stop rattling the cage and start focusing on looking after our own. That’s what the U.S. is doing. They’re tightening up, watching their industries, and thinking about their future. Meanwhile, we’ve got folks stirring the pot and waving tariffs around like we’ve got all the leverage. Truth is, we don’t—not really.

And let’s be honest—politics is the same old song. One side runs the other down, then they switch places, and nothing really changes. At the end of the day, it’s just noise, and most of them are probably having drinks together after the cameras are off. Always been that way, always will.

So while people get all fired up over booze and border taxes, the real issues are slipping by. We’d be better off-putting our energy into fixing things at home and building something solid for the long run.

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]