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Good Morning. You know, my granddad always said a handshake meant something. It wasn’t just skin on skin. It was your word. Your measure. What you’d actually do when you said you’d do it. These days, folks tap out a text and figure that’s good enough. A little picture of a thumb where a promise used to stand. Now I’m not saying we all need to line up and shake hands like the old days, but somewhere along the way, I think we swapped showing up for quick and easy. And I think we gave up more than we knew.

Backwoods Weather Report — Port Loring, Ontario
Friday, October 24, 2025

Well, this morning started off cool, sitting around 38°F (3°C). The barometer’s low and holding steady, which means the air’s still a bit unsettled. Humidity’s high, and there’s hardly a breath of wind from the west-northwest—just enough to stir the leaves once in a while.

Today:
Looks like a gray kind of day ahead. Clouds thickening as it goes, maybe a touch of drizzle or light rain later on. Temperature will stay in the low 40s°F (around 6°C), not much warmth to be had.

Tonight:
Clouds stay with us, could see more mist or drizzle toward midnight. It’ll cool down again close to 33°F (1°C), maybe a bit of frost in the open low spots by morning.

Tomorrow (Saturday):
By midday, the sky should start to clear as that low moves east. The air will feel a bit drier, and we might see some sunshine in the afternoon. Highs around 46°F (8°C), light winds from the west.

Nature’s Signs:
The chickadees were calling and waiting for me to fill up the bird feeder early today, which usually means change is coming but nothing wild. The squirrels are still hauling acorns like there’s no tomorrow which is another sign winter’s not far off and maybe coming in early this year.

On another note, Highway 522 is a lot quieter these days with the tourists staying home. Cottages are closed up, most of them anyway, and pretty well all the boats are out of the water. Seems sad in one way. Empty docks, shuttered windows, no kids yelling off the end of a pier. But in another way, the lake gets to rest. The loons come back closer to shore. The water goes still enough you can see clear to the bottom. Maybe that’s the trade. We get our noise and our summers, and the land well… it gets its silence back when we leave.

On another note, yesterday I worked most of the day away in my old woodworking shop on them new Native American flutes I’m making. Really didn’t feel up to it, but I managed. I chalked it up to our trip to North Bay the day before. My wife and I stopped at Stacks, and an hour or so after we ate, we weren’t feeling all that well. Not sure what happened there. At any rate, we’re both feeling much better this morning and jumping at the bit to get our day started. Nothing like a queasy stomach to remind you how good it feels when everything’s working right again.

So what are you up to today, GW?

Well, earlier I did get the old shop stove going, so by the time we finish our breakfast it should be nice and comfortable out there. Nothing better than a warm shop to work in, especially on these damp cool days. And I’ll get back to working on them flutes. They’re coming along nicely, but that said, I’ll be at them for the next month or so. There’s no rushing good work. The wood tells you when it’s ready, not the other way around. So yeah, that’s what I’m up to today.

With that, I’m off for my breakfast that my little woman has made for me, and then I’ll see what the day has in store beyond what I’m already fixing to do. You can plan your day all you want, but it’s got a mind of its own.

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

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Good morning. You know, the older I get, the more I find that laughter and coffee fix most things… just not the same things. Coffee gets the body moving when the joints are stiff and the mind is foggy. Laughter, though, that’s what loosens the grip of worry, the kind that settles in your chest when you’ve been thinking too hard about things you can’t change. I’ve noticed they work best when you don’t force either one. A good laugh has to sneak up on you, same way the first sip of morning coffee tastes better when you’re not rushing it down.

Backwoods Weather Report – Port Loring, Ontario
Tuesday, October 21, 2025

Morning Update (8:30 a.m.)
The barometer is falling, a sure sign that weather’s moving in before long. Still, we’ve got a wee bit of sunshine slipping through this morning, lighting up the wet grass and warming things just enough to make you think maybe it’ll hold. The air’s 41°F (5°C) with 86% humidity, and the wind’s just a lazy breeze out of the east-northeast at 3 km/h. Feels calm for now, but that quiet has a weight to it — like the woods are waiting.

Today:
Enjoy that morning sun while it lasts, because clouds will thicken as the day goes on, with light rain or drizzle likely by mid to late afternoon. The temperature will climb to around 46°F (8°C), though the dampness will make it feel cooler.

Tonight:
The sky should stay overcast, and you can expect patchy fog or mist in the hollows. Lows around 37°F (3°C). A good night for the fire and maybe a cup of something warm, the kind that doesn’t come from the kettle.

Tomorrow (Wednesday):
Still mostly cloudy early, with a few lingering showers, then slow clearing late in the day as the system slides out. Temperatures near 48°F (9°C), and the barometer will start to rise, pointing toward a stretch of fairer weather ahead.

Nature’s Signs:
This morning’s sunshine brought a few chickadees and doves out to our bird-feeder, but not much else. The woods are quiet, the air’s heavy, and that faint smell of damp leaves says the rain isn’t far off.

On another note, yesterday I worked the whole day in my woodworking shop on that batch of new Native American flutes I’m making. Things have been rolling along pretty good, which makes it nice. Nothing worse than spending hours on something time-consuming only to have it all go sideways on you.

So what are you up to today, GW?

Well, today I’ll be continuing on with those flutes. That said, I did bring a new chopping block into my shop earlier this morning. My old one finally gave up the ghost. But it didn’t go to waste. It’s still keeping me warm, just in another way now.

So with that, I’m off for my breakfast that my lovely wife is making for me. Then I’ll have a cup of tea while enjoying our regular morning chat. Can’t miss that. After that, I’ll see what the old world has planned for me.

Until the next time, keep your minds open and your stories alive. GW

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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.

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

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Good Morning! As my old Dad being a farmer used to say: “George the day’s an empty field….what you plant is up to you.”

We’re having a bit of sunshine here this morning, but even with the sun shining, it’s still cool. The ice in our rain barrel is a sure sign that spring hasn’t quite made its way here yet.

Weather Forecast For Today!

Today (Tuesday, March 18):
We’re looking at a day where the clouds start to thicken up. Temperatures will climb to around 49°F (9°C), which ain’t too bad for this time of year.

Tonight:
The skies stay cloudy, and it’s gonna cool off some, with temperatures dropping to a chilly 34°F (1°C). Might be a good night to keep the wood-stove fired up.

Tomorrow (Wednesday, March 19):
You can expect some milder weather rolling in, but with that comes on-and-off rain and drizzle throughout the day. The mercury will rise to about 59°F (15°C), so it’s not all bad—just make sure you got your rain gear handy.

Looks like a mixed bag, but at least it’s warming up a touch!

Highway 522 is bare and dry this morning, with traffic starting to pick up a wee bit. It won’t be long before the folks with cottages start thinking about opening them up for the summer. And with that, the tourists will be rolling into the area, which is sure to put a smile on the faces of all the local business owners.

On another note, I spent most of yesterday working away in my old woodworking shop. Got a lot more sorted out and even started installing that new tire and tube on my cart—the one I use for moving the bigger, heavier things. Trouble is, the new tube I bought a couple of years ago turned out to be defective, so I had to order another one. Seems like things sure aren’t made like they used to be. Anyway, I set it aside and will finish the job once the new tube arrives. That old cart sure seems stubborn about being fixed for some reason.

So, what are you up to today, GW? Well, I still have a few boxes to go through, and once that’s done, I’ll be tackling the mess I’ve made over the past few weeks while sorting things for the sale this spring. Which, should keep me busy for most of the day. I’ll be glad to get it out of the way because, with spring just around the corner, I’m looking forward to spending time outside, tidying up our gardens and soaking in the fresh air and sunshine.

So, with that, I’m off once again for my morning breakfast that my lovely wife has made for me. After that, I’ll head out to the woodworking shop—well, after we have our regular hot cocoa and chat. Can’t forget that!

Until next time—keep your minds open and your stories alive! GW