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Good Morning… You know, I have come to the conclusion, after all these years, that I trust dirt under my nails more than most advice.

Starting the day here in Port Loring, Ontario, we’ve got a blanket of thick clouds overhead. The good news is, it’s not too hot, and the rain has taken a break.

Here’s how the weather is shaping up.

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Today (Thursday, June 5):
A mix of sun and cloud, with fog patches clearing later this morning. High of 77°F (25°C). UV index is 8, which is considered very high, so don’t forget to put on a long sleeve shirt.

Tonight:
Clear skies expected, with temperatures dipping to a low of about 52°F (11°C). Great for sleeping.

Tomorrow (Friday, June 6):
Mainly sunny to start, with increasing cloudiness early in the afternoon. There’s a 30% chance of showers overnight. High near 72°F (22°C), and a low around 54°F (12°C). Almost perfect.

Saturday, June 7:
A mix of sun and cloud is expected, with a high of approximately 72°F (22°C). The evening will bring cloudy periods, and the low will be about 50°F (10°C).

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Looks like we’re in for some pleasant early summer weather.

Highway 522 is still pretty quiet, which is about normal for this time of year. That’ll change soon enough, though, once the kids get out of school for the summer. Give it a few weeks, and we’ll be dodging campers, boat trailers, and folks trying to read a map while making a left-hand turn with their signal on since Powassan. Just the way it is out here in the country.

Bug Report:
Well, the black flies haven’t been too bad for the past few days, mostly thanks to the cooler, damp weather. But I’ve got a feeling that’ll change today, with things warming up nicely, as it’s just the kind of weather they thrive in. And of course, the mosquitoes won’t be far behind, them blood sucking parasites.

That’s the deal with living up here in the north though, it’s a beautiful place, no doubt, but it comes with a few built-in tests of patience. And one thing’s for certain: anyone who steps outside this time of year gets their exercise, whether they want it or not, with swattin’ bugs like they’re threshin’ grain by hand.

On another note, yesterday my wife and I took the morning to clean our car. After winter, it was one heck of a mess inside and out. Now it looks brand-new. After we finished, I managed to get a coat of wax on the old girl too … not my wife, I mean the car. Got it all done just before the rain started. Nice rain, too, just what our vegetable plants, which we put in the ground a week ago, needed. Saved me from watering them by hand. Seems old Mother Nature knows exactly what to do and when to do it. Most of the time anyway, though occasionally she’s asleep at the switch. But she’s getting older too.

So what are you up today GW?

Well, seeing as our grass is growing leaps and bounds, my wife and I will tackle that next. That’ll take care of the morning. In the afternoon, after that workout, I suspect some front porch sittin’ or on our swing out back under the basswood tree with a cup of coffee will be in order. Why is that? Well, around here, you learn quick that no matter how much work you do, the day’s not done until you’ve had a good rest to appreciate it.

So with all that information out of the way, I am off for my morning breakfast that my little woman has made for me. Once I’ve had my fill, it’ll be time to rouse those old mowers.

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

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Good morning, from where the only deadline is the sun going down. The way it should be.

Well, waking up, it’s at least looking like another nice day here in Cottage Country.

Here’s your weather for Port Loring:

Today (Wednesday, June 4):
Expect periods of rain throughout the day, with a high around 74°F (23°C). Winds will be from the west-southwest at 10 to 15 mph. Keep an umbrella handy if you’re heading out.

Tonight:
Cloudy skies with a 60% chance of showers. Low near 57°F (14°C). Winds will shift to the northwest at 10 to 15 mph.

Tomorrow (Thursday, June 5):
A mix of sun and clouds, with a 30% chance of showers. High around 80°F (26°C). Winds from the southwest at 10 to 15 mph.

Highway 522 wasn’t all that busy yesterday, but that’s understandable with the way our economy is going—or maybe I should say heading. But in saying that, once things start to warm up some and the blackflies leave us alone for more than five minutes, that northern pull, that urge to get up here, will settle upon folks like a second cup of coffee on a Monday morning. They’ll be packing up the SUV, kids, dog, cooler, and fishing rods, half-ready and half-lost, just to sit in traffic for six hours and call it “getting away from it all.” And you know what? We’ll be glad to see ’em.

Bug Report:
Well, I have to say, even with things warming up yesterday, the blackflies and mosquitoes weren’t all that bad. I’m kind of thinking that the cold, damp weather we had the past few days knocked a good number of them back a bit, not to mention the birds that have been picking them off pretty steady lately.

Last fall, I decided to build six birdhouses and put them up around the yard early this spring. We had to take the vacancy sign down pretty quick, because they filled up fast. One right by our driveway was claimed by a pair of bluebirds, the first time in 20 years they’ve made a home here. By our fishpond, where we placed a couple more, a pair of Swallows moved in and started raising a family. And then out back behind the house, we’ve got two more birdhouses that a couple of Wrens have taken over. Judging by how often they’re flying in with bugs, there must be a hungry bunch of little beaks waiting inside.

My wife and I sure do enjoy watching them throughout the day. It’s amazing how simple things can bring so much enjoyment—not to mention how many insects they eat, which sure makes life a lot easier, especially during blackfly season.

On another note,
Yesterday I worked the day away outside, fixing up a few things that needed attention, and chatting with folks who dropped by our gift shop and ongoing garage sale—which we plan on keeping open for another couple of months.

I have to say, we’ve had a steady stream of people stopping in, picking up all sorts of things we no longer need. That being said, we still have plenty left to sell, and my wife’s been adding new items daily—things we’ve had stored upstairs for years. So, whether you’ve dropped by before or you’re just hearing about us for the first time, it might pay to swing in now and then. You never know, there just might be something you’ve been looking for.

We’re located at 11588 Highway 522, Port Loring, Ontario, and we’re always happy to see a friendly face—new or familiar.

All in all, things have been rolling along pretty good these days.

So What are You Up to Today, GW?

Well, today—weather permitting—I’m planning on doing a bit of weeding in the gardens around the house. And if there’s time left in the day, I’ll head out to the woodworking shop and give it a bit of a clean-up. It’s been needing some tidying for a while now.

And if the weather holds off even longer, my wife and I are hoping to spend some quiet time out on the swing under the old Basswood tree out back. It sure is nice out there, I guess you could say we’ve got a bird’s-eye view of everything going on around the place.

And living where we do, there’s always something happening in nature—whether it’s the birds feeding their young or a few critters raising a ruckus, or just the breeze moving through the trees. Well… you don’t have to look far to find something worth paying attention to.

With that, I’m off for the breakfast my lovely wife has made for me. After that, I think we’ll both head out to the front porch by our White Lilac tree—which, by the way, is in full bloom and smelling mighty fine—and enjoy a cup of hot cocoa. Can’t beat that for starting the day off right.

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

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Good Morning… Some days start with a chore list, others with a memory.

It’s a cool morning here in Port Loring, Ontario, Canada. However, the sun is breaking through the clouds, and it’s looking as if we’re in for a pretty nice day.

Anyway, here’s the weather forecast: For Port Loring Ontario Canada.

Today (Monday, June 2): Warmer with hazy sun; smoke from distant wildfires will enhance the sunset. High: 72°F (22°C), Low: 52°F (11°C).

Tonight: Partly cloudy with a low of 52°F (11°C).

Tomorrow (Tuesday, June 3): Hazy sun; breezy in the afternoon. High: 83°F (29°C), Low: 65°F (19°C).

Wednesday, June 4: Not as warm, with periods of rain. High: 73°F (23°C), Low: 55°F (13°C).

Highway 522 was quiet yesterday morning, but by the afternoon, it picked up with lots of new faces roaming around our area.

Bug Report:
With the cold, wet weather, the black flies have slowed down some. But when the sun shows herself, they will be back with a vengeance, along with the mosquitoes. I actually dislike the mosquitoes even more than the black flies. At any rate, with things warming up today, you can bet some folks are in for a stretch of itchy, swatting days ahead.

On another note, we had another really good day yesterday with our garage sale, with lots of folks dropping by. I thought, being Sunday, it might slow down some—but nope, for most of the day, we had a steady stream of folks picking up things. That said, we still have quite a bit left to sell, so we’ll keep the sale going right up until the middle of July, or until it’s all gone. We figure we might as well get all we can out of what we have, as we worked downright hard for it over the years.

Amazing, though, how much stuff a person can collect without even realizing they have it.

So what are you up to today, GW?

Well, today being so nice out, I’m thinking we’ll do some work in our vegetable gardens. I want to work up around the tomatoes, and we’ll be adding some grass cuttings, which we use for fertilizer. You can’t beat it once it’s had a chance to sit for a while.

The good news is, I was sure glad we covered our vegetables last night before heading to bed as we ended up with a frost, and it would’ve done some damage to a lot of the plants. Just had a feeling we might get one, and sure enough, we did. Pays to listen to those little feelings that come around from time to time.

At any rate, everything looked happy this morning when I uncovered them.

So, with that, I’m off to enjoy the breakfast my lovely wife has made for me, then I’ll be heading outdoors. Hate to waste a day as nice as this.

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