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, My Opinion Only

Canada, the U.S., and the Realities of Geography

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Only On The Walters Post

Everyone keeps talking about Canada needing to diversify trade and defense relationships. Anyway… having options is fine, but let’s be honest, a lot of these other countries have a mess of their own. Take Britain, for example. They’ve had expensive housing, economic chaos, immigration woes and banks that wobble even under the best management. And no one has been able to fully fix it. Europe, too. Beautiful scenery, lousy track record when it comes to practical reliability. Kind of like Canada.

Here’s the reality. The U.S. is right next door to us and has the longest undefended border in the world. Any serious trouble…trade, defense, or just figuring out which way the wind’s blowing, well… they’re the ones who actually matter. Not some country thousands of miles away that can’t even FedEx a container here in time if needed.

Now that doesn’t mean we roll over and let the USA run the show. We still need to invest in our industries, strengthen our economy, and make sure we can stand on our own two feet. Which is something we haven’t been doing for a lot of years. Geography isn’t a suggestion; it’s fact. And the neighbor who can actually respond when things go sideways? Well… maybe keep them close?

Politics in Canada… well, it’s a circus. Liberals, Conservatives, NDP, Greens… pick your poison. Right now they’re all fiddling while the country tries to stay upright. We can’t just sit around waiting for them to fix anything, but the truth is, most Canadians don’t have the power to make big changes. What we can do is stay alert, make smart choices in our own lives, and look out for ourselves and our communities, because… the fact is at the moment, nobody else is going to do it for us.

So ya, diversify where it makes sense, but don’t get fancy. Europe or Britain or any other country isn’t going to rescue us. Do more ourselves, rely on the neighbor next door for what matters, and don’t hand over the keys to anyone else. That’s the way it should be.

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

Thoughts From a Man Who Grew Up When Respect Was Earned, Not Announced

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Good morning. You know over the years I have found that the only schedule that really matters out here where we live… is the one the weather keeps.

Backwoods Weather Report – Port Loring, Ontario Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Well… this morning the old Barometer’s down at 28.58 inches… low enough to make you pay attention. That usually means something’s moving in, even if it looks calm out there. Temperature’s sitting at 18 F / -7.6 C… and with humidity at 87 percent, the air feels heavy, like it’s holding onto every bit of moisture it can. Wind’s barely anything right now, coming out of the northeast, but that won’t last.

Today’s going to be cold and steady. Snow’s going to start drifting in, slow at first… just a coating, maybe an inch or two by tonight. Nothing wild, just that quiet, settling kind of snow that sneaks in before you realize it’s even here. Later, the wind will pick up a touch from the north, maybe around 9 mph / 14 km/h, enough to make the flakes dance a little and the trees look like they’re swaying when really it’s just snow drifting.

Tonight, the snow will hang around… flurries easing off toward 11 PM. Still cold, Real-feel around 14 F / -10 C, so it’s a good night to keep the fire going. Highway 522 and side-roads will get slick where the snow meets the cold… nothing you can’t handle if you take it slow.

Tomorrow, Thursday, it’s going to stay very cold… highs barely reaching 14 F / -10 C, lows down near 2 F / -17 C. It will also be partly sunny, but the sun isn’t doing much warming this time of year. Wind will be out of the northwest around 9 mph / 14 km/h… sharp enough to make you pull your coat tighter. Snow will mostly be past us, leaving that quiet, winter-blanket look across the woods.

Nature signs: You can feel it in the air when weather’s coming. This morning, the woods felt heavy and still. After a while, the snow starts drifting in, and everything gets quiet. The trees stop moving, and even the birds hide away. By tomorrow, if the snow sticks, the world will look soft and covered, like it’s just waiting for the day to wake it up again.

With that, I’m off to enjoy the breakfast my little woman’s made for me, then I’ll head out to the old woodworking shop. Got a few projects in mind—just not sure which one I’ll get to first. Have a great day.

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

Words From a Fellow Who Learned Life Before Everything Got Complicated

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Good Morning. You know if asked I would say that our old coffee peculator tells my wife and I when it’s time to stop thinking… and start living.

Backwoods Weather Report – Port Loring, Ontario Monday, December 8, 2025

Well it was one of those mornings where the cold feels like it has teeth… temperature sitting at about –12.28 F (-24.6 C). The kind of cold that makes the boards on the porch creak a little different when you step out. Humidity is up around 84 percent, so that chill settles right into your coat. Barometer is down at 29.52 inches, which usually hints at weather trying to change its mind. Hard to say which way yet. Wind is hardly moving at all, coming out of the northeast but dead still.

Highway 522 is not too bad, though there are some icy snow sections throughout, so take it easy if you’re headed out.

For today it will stay bitter cold, no surprise there. Clouds will drift in and out, might feel heavier later on with that low pressure. Nothing in the way of wind to push it around though.

Tonight the cold will tighten up even more. The still air will let it settle right down into the low spots. Roads will shine up in places.

Tomorrow looks much the same… cold hanging on, maybe a bit more cloud cover.

Nature’s signs were simple enough. The trees were holding that thick white coat of frost and snow, not falling off even when the sun tried to touch them, which tells you the air is staying cold and heavy. You don’t hear or see many birds at the bird feeder on mornings like this. The sky had that pale washed-out look that comes when the clouds are out there somewhere but not in any hurry to show themselves.

On another note, yesterday I spent some time working in the woodworking shop, but for the most part, I stayed in the house taking care of various repairs. It seems there’s always something that needs fixing when you own a home. I’m not complaining, mind you as having a home isn’t something everyone gets to have these days. Ours is a bit on the older side, but I have to say, it’s built a lot better than many of the new ones you see today.

I also managed to write another story for my weekly newspaper column. I like to stay ahead by keeping a few stories written in advance. I did notice, though, that they’ve stopped printing the Nugget Extra; I guess it just wasn’t paying off like it used to. It’s a sign of the times, as most people now read the news online. That being said, for those who enjoy my weekly stories, you can still get an online subscription at a very reasonable price, which means you’ll continue to have access to my column each week. You can subscribe here: https://eeditionnugget.pressreader.com/north-bay-nugget.

If you do sign up, I’d really appreciate it if you left a note for the editor letting them know you enjoy my column. Every bit of feedback helps and goes a long way in supporting my work. Just a thought!

So, with that, I’m off to enjoy the breakfast my lovely wife has prepared for me. Afterward, I’ll be heading out to the shop to put the final touches on those flutes I’ve been working on. Once I’m done, I’ll bring them inside, and then my wife will work her magic on them. That’s what we call teamwork around here.

Have a great day and stay warm—it’s a cold one out there! I’m hoping my wood-stove in the shop is doing its job and keeping things cozy.

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

Port Loring, Ontario: Cold, Snow, and Perspective

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Only On The Walters Post

You know, lately people are talking about this “extreme cold” from the Arctic. You hear it on the news with meteorologists going on about polar vortexes, cold snaps, charts, and predictions. And sure, it’s cold. But honestly? This isn’t new.

When we moved to Port Loring about twenty years ago, winters could really surprise you. Snow piled up in places chest-deep, roads would vanish under it, and there were weeks where just stepping outside hurt. Then… winters eased off for a spell. Now, though, it feels like we’re back on that old rhythm. Which tells me that Nature goes in cycles. That’s just how it is.

Now I’m all for taking care of the environment, the land, water, and animals. That’s common sense. But this cold from the north? It’s been happening for centuries. The news… well, the news gets everyone worked up.

And those charts and graphs the scientists post online? Sometimes I think maybe they just haven’t taken the time to look back far enough, or maybe they haven’t been around long. But old-timers like myself who’ve lived through some harsh winters, well, simply put, it isn’t anything new. It’s just another winter.

So yeah, it’ll get cold. The snow will pile up. You’ll grumble while scraping ice off the truck at sunrise. But it’ll pass. The sun will come back, the birds will start singing, and life goes on. And remember, the polar vortex isn’t new. The extreme cold isn’t new. We just need to remember nature has its own rhythm, and it’ll keep going long after we’re gone.

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

A Few Words From the Slow Road Through a Fast World

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Good morning. You know, years ago I told my young ones, “If you can’t carry it, drag it. If you can’t drag it, rethink it.” That’s just how we did things back then. Sometimes you had to get creative… maybe tie a rope to it, roll it, or call a neighbor for help. And if none of that worked, well, maybe it didn’t need moving at all. That’s the kind of common sense we lived by.

Backwoods Weather Report – Port Loring, Ontario Saturday, December 6, 2025

Well, stepping out the door this morning you can feel that damp cold settle in your coat a little. The thermometer’s sitting at 27.1 F (-2.7 C), and it’s the kind of chill that doesn’t bite hard, just hangs around your fingers. Humidity’s up around 85 percent, so the air’s got that heavy feel to it. The barometer’s down at 28.72 inches, which usually means the weather’s getting ready to shift. Wind’s barely stirring out of the SSW at about 3 mph, just enough to rustle the tops of the cedars a bit.

For today, looks like a gray one. With that low pressure, I’d expect some light flurries drifting off and on, nothing wild, just steady enough to freshen up what’s already there. Temperatures won’t climb much… maybe touch 30 F (-1 C) if the sun tries its luck.

Tonight, things settle colder, likely down around 15 F (-9 C). Sky stays heavy and cloudy. Wouldn’t be surprised to see another round of light snow toward midnight. The wind won’t amount to much.

Tomorrow, the barometer should start creeping back up a bit. Still mostly cloudy, probably scattered flurries early, easing off as the day moves along. Not warm, but a little steadier on the senses than today.

And for nature’s signs… the woods feel quiet this morning, the kind of hush you get when the air is thick with moisture. Clouds are hanging low and stubborn, and the branches on our spruce trees are holding a lot of soft snow that hasn’t firmed up yet. Even the birds seem slow getting started this morning, more listening than moving. Feels like everything’s waiting for that pressure to turn the corner.

On another note, yesterday I planned on spending some time in the old woodworking shop. Instead, I ended up hooking up my wife’s new computer in her art studio, that our son got for her, along with a large new monitor. Now she’s got a real nice setup, just what a true artist needs these days.

The thing is…Artists are always taking pictures for reference, something to paint later, and they need a good place to keep them. These days, it seems like everyone just uses Google or some kind of cloud storage. I have to say, it amazes me how many folks rely on Google, Facebook, Twitter, or TikTok for just about everything, sharing anything and everything without so much as a second thought. Nothing feels private anymore. Sometimes I think people have forgotten how to do things for themselves, or even how to keep things to themselves.

Now, I know I share things here on my blog, but it’s just that—my blog. It doesn’t belong to anyone else, and I only post what I feel comfortable sharing. The important stuff, the things that really matter, those stay private. Just because I let folks in on a few stories here and there doesn’t mean my whole life is out there for the world to see. Some things are meant to be kept close, and that’s how my wife and I have made it this far.

An example: Did Sears tell Eaton’s all their secrets or visa versa? Seems they did, as both of them are gone now!

So what are you up to today, GW?

Well, today, after all the snow we got yesterday, my wife and I are planning on cleaning things up. I’ve got my old snowblower sitting by the shop door, ready to go, and I’ll get to it after we have our breakfast—which my little woman is fixing for me right now. With that,you all a great day.

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]