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.

The Truth About U.S.-Canada Travel & Other Things: Don’t Believe the Hype

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.

Lately, headlines have been blaring that airline bookings between the two countries have collapsed by 70%. If that were true, airports would be ghost towns, airlines would be in full panic mode, and flights would be half-empty. But that’s simply not the case. The truth, as usual, has been stretched to fit individuals that enjoys doing these things.

The claim suggests that bookings have plummeted due to tariffs, political boycotts, or other grievances. However, a closer look at real data presents a different picture. Yes, travel between the two countries is down, but nowhere near 70%. It’s a fraction of that number, with clear economic reasons behind it.

A weaker currency makes travel more expensive. and economic uncertainty has people tightening their budgets, and airlines have made small adjustments to their schedules, cutting a minor percentage of flights. These are normal market fluctuations, not signs of a major political statement.

The idea that most people are boycotting travel just isn’t true. While a vocal minority may try to push it, the reality is different. Many still own property, travel regularly, and maintain strong ties with the USA. People aren’t abandoning trips—they’re simply making more cautious financial decisions.

So why are we seeing exaggerated claims? Sensational headlines get clicks, and some are quick to push a dramatic story. But the truth is far less extreme: travel has dipped slightly due to economic factors, not widespread political sentiment.

So the next time a headline claims that travel between these two countries is in free-fall, take a step back. Look at the real data, not just the eye-catching claims meant to stir controversy.

Strong ties remain with the US, and no amount of media hype is going to change that.

Until the next time, keep your minds open and 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]

Morning After the Storm: Snowdrifts and Coffee Tales On March 29/2025

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Well folks, looks like winter’s still got a say in things. Woke up to 23°F (-5°C) this morning, and the day ain’t looking’ much warmer. We’ll see a high around 36°F (2°C), but don’t let that fool ya, them clouds are sticking’ around, and there’s a chance of flurries now and then.

Tonight, temps will drop to about 27°F (-3°C), and come tomorrow, things get real interesting. What we’re looking’ at is a mix of ice and rain, and if it gets bad enough, we could see some power outages along with some mighty slick roads. High though will be around 41°F (5°C), but that won’t mean much, if everything’s coated in ice.

Might be a good day to stay close to the wood-stove and let spring know we’re still waiting.

Highway 522’s got its fair share of snow and a few slick spots this morning, and with what’s rolling in, it ain’t likely to get any better. If it were me, I’d be staying put as there’s always another day to get things done, and no sense getting yourself in trouble, just to run errands that can wait. Best to stoke the fire, pour another cup of coffee, Which is exactly what my wife and I will be doing here shortly.

On another note yesterday, I spent the day working on something special for Ruth’s art studio. She’s been painting since she was young, teaching herself and selling thousands of her paintings over the years. One thing she’s always wanted is a proper place to store her canvases, but they don’t make what she needs.

So… she drew up her own design, and I got all the pieces cut out. Now, I just need to assemble it, but first, we’ll have to clear some snow to get to the shop so I can finish it up. It’s coming along, and I’m looking forward to getting it done for her.

With that I am off for my morning breakfast and will then get to moving some snow, that is if my old body will let it all happen. One has to take things a bit a time these days.

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]

Country Life & Old-Time Thoughts on March 28/2025

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The box in the picture isn’t like I am going to make, will post a picture of what my wife designed an I made once finished.

The roll around box in the picture isn't exactly what I am really going to make. I will add a picture of it on my blog when all said and done.

Good Morning! As my old Dad used to say: “George, life’s like fixing a tractor… lots of grit, grease, and trying not to lose your temper.”

Well, folks, winter ain’t done with us yet. And if you were hoping’ for sunshine and warm breezes, best keep that shovel handy. Here’s what’s ‘rolling’ in for Port Loring weather wise.

Today (Friday, March 28, 2025)

Cloudy with snow moving in this afternoon—0.4 to 1.2 inches (1 to 3 cm). Could be a bit more. High 31°F (-1°C).

Tonight

More snow, some ice pellets, and a chance of freezing rain. Roads will be slick. Low 25°F (-4°C).

Tomorrow (Saturday, March 29, 2025)

Morning flurries, then just cold and gray. High 34°F (1°C).

Winter Weather Warning Is in Affect

We could see 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 cm) of snow and ice pellets, with a risk of freezing rain. Travel could be tricky. If you don’t need to be out, best stay put. Another storm might roll in Sunday, depends which way it tracks.

Might be a good day to keep the fire stoked and enjoy a hot drink. If you do have to head out, drive careful.

Highway 522 is bare and dry at the moment, but that may change if the expected bad weather moves into our area later.

On another note, since yesterday was a pretty nice day, my wife gave me a hand, and we wheeled in some more firewood, as we were getting a bit low. I’m pretty sure we have enough now to last until the warm weather moves in—or at least, I hope so.

After that, I filled up our bird feeders, as we sure do enjoy watching them throughout the day. Then, I settled in and wrote up a couple more stories for my newspaper columns. All in all, it was a busy day, but a good one.

So what are you up to today GW?

Well, I got my old shop stove perking away earlier this morning, so after breakfast, I’m going to make my wife a rolling storage box—well, not exactly a box, but something she can use to store all her canvases for painting. She designed it, just like she has with all the other things we’ve made over the years—which, believe me, has been in the thousands. And I’m not kidding there—we’ve got the pictures to prove it. Should be an interesting project and a nice belated birthday present for her, seeing as her birthday was just yesterday. My style of gift-giving, of course. That should keep me busy for most of the day, but if I find some extra time, I’m thinking about making a few more birdhouses to put up around our place. We’ve got a few already, but I figure another four would be nice. We’ll see how it all works out. I will post some pictures when I get them all made.

Other than that, not much else is going on around our small community—at least, not at the moment. It’s a quiet time of year, and I expect it’ll stay that way until the warmer weather moves in. Then… well, that’s when things will get folks moving around a bit more. My wife and I are both looking forward to some front porch sittin’, enjoying the fresh air and the change of pace.

So with all that in mind, I’m off for my morning breakfast that my little woman has made for me, and then I’ll get to making more memories—because that’s what life is all about. Well isn’t it?

Until next time: Keep your minds open and 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]

The Gas Price Game: Who Do They Think They’re Fooling?

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.

Here we go again. Prices at the pump are climbing, just in time for the promised relief coming April 1. It’s a pattern that’s all too familiar, raise the prices now, drop them when the policy kicks in, and suddenly it looks like we’re saving money. But in reality? We’re just back to where we started.

They count on people not paying attention. By the time prices come down, most will feel a sense of relief, thinking the system worked. But when you look at the bigger picture, it’s clear—this isn’t savings. It’s just manipulation. A price hike before a scheduled drop isn’t a price cut. It’s a distraction.

I shake my head at how often this happens. The cost of living keeps going up, and yet, they still find ways to make it seem like they’re doing us a favor. But when all is said and done, we’re still paying way way too much.

At some point, people need to stop falling for the same tricks. Because as long as they think we’re fooled, they’ll keep playing the game.

Until the next time Keep Your Mind 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]

The Country Writer’s Notebook on March 27/2025

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Good Morning! My old Dad used to say: “George… if you can’t laugh at yourself, you’re missing half the fun of living.”

It’s a cool morning here in cottage country, but at least the sun is shining, which makes a big difference when starting the day, especially when you’ve been around as long as we have. Add a little light, a little warmth, and maybe a hot coffee, things start looking up.

Weather forecast for Port Loring, Ontario Canada

Today:
A chilly one out there, starting off around 21°F (-6°C) with some wet flurries floating around. By the afternoon, it’ll warm up a little to 39°F (4°C), but don’t put the coat away just yet as rain and snow might still make an appearance. By evening things will cool down to about 32°F (0°C), with those flurries still hanging around.

Tonight:
Skies will start to clear up a bit, but that means the temperature’s going to take a nosedive. You can expect it to drop down to 16°F (-9°C), so if you’ve got a wood-stove, tonight’s a good night to keep it stoked.

Tomorrow:
Well… tomorrow, a mix of sun and clouds will start the day, with temperatures hovering around 32°F (0°C) in the morning. By the afternoon, it won’t be much warmer, with it sitting at 32°F (0°C), and… there’s a slight chance of flurries. As the sun sets, it’ll dip back down to 16°F (-9°C), so best keep that winter coat within reach a little longer.

Highway 522 is clear of snow and ice this morning, which will make for good traveling for those heading to the big city for supplies. That’s exactly what my lovely wife and I did yesterday.

First stop was the garage to get an oil change and have them check our brakes. Pays to keep an eye on those things in this country—what with all the salt and whatever else they’re dumping on the highways these days. Let’s just say it sure has a way of messing things up. The good news? Our brakes are looking pretty good.

While we were there, we had them swap out our snow tires for summer ones. Oh, I know—some folks will say winter isn’t over yet, and they’re probably right. But my wife and I figured, might as well get it done. If we get a bit more snow, well, we’ll just stay put until it’s gone. At this stage in life, we’re not in a rush to go anywhere or do much of anything. That said, a person ought to make the most of a day, as there is no sense sitting around when there’s work to be done. Though, between you and me, I’ve found that if you sit real still with a coffee in hand, folks just assume you’re deep in thought. Seems to work.

It should also be noted that the folks who worked on our car are real nice—treat us with respect, and best of all, they’re honest. As my old dad used to say, “An honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay.” Hard to find people like that anymore.

They’re not located in our town, but they’re not too far away, and truth be told, it’s right on our way to the city, which is a nice added bonus. And I’ll tell you, they don’t charge near as much as some places I’ve been to, especially those dealerships. Man, do they know how to empty a pocketbook.

One last thing, if you need work done, they don’t take months to squeeze you in.

After that, we made our way into town to grab what we needed, and then I took my lovely wife out to celebrate our 52nd wedding anniversary. Fifty-two years together—that’s a long time, and when I look around, I’d say it’s a bit of a milestone. In today’s world, a lot of marriages don’t even last a year. But with my wife, it’s been nothing but working together, sharing everything, and always being there for each other, no matter what comes our way. We’ve stuck together through thick and thin, and I reckon that’s the secret to making it last. We’re still going strong, and I wouldn’t trade a minute of it.

With that, I’m off for my breakfast and our hot cocoa, and then we’ll get into our regular morning chat. Since it’s our anniversary, maybe we’ll talk about when we were young and first getting together, reflect on our life together. Hmm, maybe not all of it. We’ve done so much, traveled so many roads, it would take more than one day of chatting to cover everything! In fact, we’d probably need a whole week, and even then, we’d only scratch the surface.

Until next time: Keep your minds open and 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]