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.
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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]
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Good Morning From: Where the Air’s Cold, the Coffee’s Hot, and the Roads Ain’t Always Paved!
I have to tell you folks, she’s a cold one this morning here in cottage country. Rolling out of bed, the thermometer was sitting at -28.9°C (-20°F), and by the time I made my way to the woodworking shop, it had dropped even further to -32°C (-25°F)—the coldest morning so far this winter.
Weather for Port Loring, ON
Today:
Mostly sunny with clouds limiting the sunshine.
High: -6°C (21°F)
Low: -10°C (13°F)
Thursday:
Periods of snow, accumulating 2-4 cm. Breezy in the afternoon.
High: 0°C (33°F)
Low: -10°C (14°F)
A real taste of winter out there—stay warm, and if you can, keep the coffee hot and the fire going.
Highway 522 is snow-covered, which makes things slicker than a fresh-caught trout. With it being this cold, the salt ain’t doing much besides sitting there, looking useless. In some ways, that’s a good thing—at least it ain’t chewing through the old cars like a beaver on a pine log. But with what they’re spreading on the roads these days, a truck’s lucky to see its tenth birthday before it’s more rust than metal.
Damn shame, too, ‘cause they sure ain’t cheap to replace. Used to be a working man could save up and get himself a decent set of wheels. Now? You just about gotta sell a cow, a chunk of your back forty, and maybe your best fishing spot just to afford one. And they call this a great country we live in. Well, the land’s still great… but the folks running it? Let’s just say they could use a little more common sense and a little less hot air.
And for the locals, well they are handling the cold in their usual ways—some better than others. You’ve got the ones bundled up like they’re walking across the Arctic, only to waddle ten feet to the woodpile and declare it “too damn cold for this nonsense.” Then there’s the stubborn bunch, strolling around in a flannel shirt like it’s a breezy fall day, claiming, “Meh, seen worse.” Seen worse, sure—but that don’t mean frostbite ain’t creeping up on ‘em.
Truck/car batteries are dropping like flies, and you can hear the groans of engines that ain’t quite sure they want to wake up. Shovels are getting a workout, and snowblowers are roaring to life—well, the ones that actually do start. The rest are just sitting there, refusing to work like a teenager asked to take out the trash. And don’t even mention the outhouses—this is the kind of cold that makes a man/woman reconsider all their life choices before sittin’ down on that seat.
Even the wildlife ain’t sure what to do. The ravens are huddled together like they’re plotting a takeover of the nearest chimney, and the squirrels? They’re probably second-guessing burying half their stash three feet under the ice. But truth told—it’s just another day for us hardy folks!
On another note, yesterday my wife and I rolled up our sleeves and tackled the driveway and decks, clearing that fresh snow that piled up overnight. Took us most of the morning, and by the time we were finished, I figured we’d earned a good long rest. But, as it turns out, I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Truth be told, we didn’t slow down much for the rest of the day. I was kept busy tending to the fires in both the shop stove and our old wood furnace, while my lovely wife was still at it—cleaning, cooking, and keeping everything running smooth as always. She never sits down for long that woman, no matter what is going on. There’s always something to do, and she’s got a way of getting it done without so much as breaking a sweat. It’s like she’s got a never-ending supply of get-up-and-go tucked away somewhere.
And when I think about it, I didn’t sit much either. Ended up heading out to the woodworking shop for a couple of hours, fiddling around with projects. So, I guess we weren’t really all that tired after all. Just needed a change of pace.
With that, I’m off for breakfast—waffles this morning, made by my lovely wife. Now, she’s got a real gift in the kitchen. Those waffles? They’re better than any fancy restaurant could serve, and I swear they taste even sweeter than they look—must be something in the air or maybe just the way she works her magic. After that, we’ll kick back with our hot cocoa and have our usual chat before the day starts.
Well actually—I guess the day’s already in motion—me writing away and her in the kitchen making sure everything’s just right. So yea!! Just another day in our little corner of the world, and so far, it’s a good one, at that.
You all have a great day now. Take it easy, keep that coffee hot, and if you’re lucky enough to be inside, stay warm!
“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]
As someone who’s spent a lifetime working the land, seeing the seasons come and go, and building up a life from the soil, I’ve come to realize something – all this talk about making and producing things here in Canada, it’s just that: talk. Sure, there’s plenty of hype about buying local, growing local, but the truth is, until we deal with the mess between provinces, things aren’t going to get any better.
For decades, we’ve had to work within a system that’s stuck between provincial borders. It’s a system that lets each province make their own rules, and more often than not, those rules stop goods from moving freely between us. We talk about supporting Canadian farmers, Canadian businesses – yet, when it comes down to it, our own laws get in the way of that.
Take a simple example: You can’t even send a shipment of produce or goods from one province to another without running into red tape. Each province has its own set of standards and regulations, and it doesn’t matter if you’re growing the same damn tomatoes in Ontario or B.C. – the government in each place will have its own idea of how things should be done. That’s the problem with the system we’ve built. You can’t have “Made in Canada” if we’re not able to trade freely across our own borders.
And let’s talk about what gets in the way of making things here. The infrastructure is there in some areas, but when you add in all the hoops to jump through, things get complicated fast. I’ve seen it myself – a farm product, perfectly good and ready to be shipped to another province, gets held up because of rules that don’t even make sense in the first place.
So, until we get this sorted out – until the provinces decide to stop playing their own games and start working together – we’ll keep seeing this disconnect between what we say we want and what we can actually do. It’s time we face the facts: supporting Canadian-made is going to be a lot harder if we can’t even figure out how to trade across our own damn country.
If we’re serious about strengthening our local economies and securing our future, it’s time to demand that our leaders fix this mess. Until then, it’ll be business as usual: more talk, less action.
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]
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Now, I’ve been around long enough to know that words can be tricky. Companies, politicians, and marketers like to play word games, and if you’re not paying attention, you might think you’re buying something Canadian when you’re really just getting a label with a maple leaf slapped on it. So, let’s clear up the nonsense and get to the truth about these so-called “Canadian” products.
If you see “Product of Canada” on a label, that means nearly everything in that product is from right here in Canada. According to the rules, at least 98% of the ingredients and materials must come from Canada, and the product must be processed here too. That’s as close as you can get to a truly Canadian product.
Example: If you buy a jar of honey labelled “Product of Canada,” that honey came from Canadian bees, tended by Canadian beekeepers, and put in a jar right here at home. That’s the good stuff.
Now, “Made in Canada” sounds good, but there’s a catch. Only 51% of the total cost of making that product has to be from Canada. That means a lot of the ingredients or materials could come from other countries, but as long as the final product is put together or processed here, they can slap “Made in Canada” on it.
Example: Let’s say you buy a loaf of bread labelled “Made in Canada.” The wheat might be from the U.S., the yeast from Europe, and the packaging from China—but as long as it’s baked and assembled here, it qualifies. So, it’s not quite as Canadian as you might think.
Now, here’s where things get real tricky. “Packaged in Canada” means just that—the product was put in a box, bag, or jar here. That’s it. It says nothing about where the ingredients came from. A company could import fruit from Mexico, put it in a plastic tub in Ontario, and call it “Packaged in Canada.” Not exactly what most people would expect when they see Canada on the label.
Example: Ever seen frozen vegetables with a big Canadian flag but no clear statement on where the veggies came from? If it says “Packaged in Canada,” those peas could be from China, India, or who knows where. They were just put in a bag here. And let’s be honest—personally, I don’t care much for anything grown in China or India. I’d rather know my food came from Canadian soil, where I trust the standards and the farming practices.
A lot of folks not all now a days, want to support Canadian farmers and businesses, especially with all these trade wars and economic ups and downs. But if you’re not paying attention, you might think you’re buying Canadian when you’re really not.
Here’s my advice: always read the labels closely. Look for “Product of Canada” if you want the real deal. “Made in Canada” can be fine, but keep in mind that some of the ingredients could be imported. And if it only says “Packaged in Canada,” take a moment to flip the package over and check where the ingredients actually come from. More often than not, those ingredients are sourced from elsewhere—sometimes even far from Canada. It’s a bit of a loophole, letting companies slap a Canadian label on products that don’t actually meet the standards of what we might expect from homegrown goods. So, don’t just trust the front of the package; the truth is often hidden on the back.
So yea—I’ve seen a lot of tricks in my day, and this one is right up there with the best of them. Don’t let clever marketing fool you. If you want to support Canadian businesses, make sure you know what you’re buying. Keep your money where it matters—right here at home.
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]
Elon Musk stirs up strong opinions. Some see him as a visionary pushing humanity forward, while others think he’s a billionaire with too much power. But one thing’s certain—he gets things done. And that’s where the tension lies between him and the powers that be.
Take Ontario’s now-canceled $100 million contract with Starlink. It was meant to bring high-speed internet to 15,000 rural homes and businesses—something that’s been needed for years. But was it a good deal? Not really. The cost was high, and long-term expenses could have made it even worse. The government could have found a cheaper way, but let’s be honest—governments aren’t exactly known for efficiency. Meanwhile, people in remote areas are left waiting, while politicians play their games.
Musk, for all his wealth, isn’t the enemy of the working man. If anything, he’s provided real solutions where governments have dragged their feet. Without Starlink, many folks in rural Canada including myself would still be stuck with slow, unreliable internet. That’s a fact. But at the same time, relying too much on one company for public infrastructure is risky. Eventually, prices go up, and regular people foot the bill.
Ford’s move to cancel the deal may have been political—his way of pushing back against U.S. tariffs—but in doing so, he’s made life harder for those who actually needed the service. Now, with the tariff threat on pause for just 30 days, this whole situation might change again. Will the contract be reconsidered? Will tariffs come back and make things worse? Nothing’s certain, and that’s the real problem—decisions that impact everyday folks keep getting tossed around like political bargaining chips.
The takeaway? Musk isn’t perfect, but he’s filling a gap governments have ignored for too long. Meanwhile, politicians are playing games with decisions that affect real people. One way or another, it’s the working class that ends up paying the price.
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]