Click on Image to Enlarge

Good Morning, and as my old Dad used to say: “Hard work won’t hurt you, but bad habits might.”

It looks as if we are in for another nice day here in the north. The sun is showing herself and nature is waking up after her long winter’s nap, which is fine with me, as I’ve had enough of winter. The snow’s gone from the fields, the robins are pulling worms like no tomorrow, and the grass is greening up faster than I can sharpen the mower blades.

And the thing is, around here, one has to take advantage of this nice weather while you can. That means there’ll be plenty of folks outside today—splitting wood, raking up what winter left behind, or just sitting a spell with a cup in hand, letting the warmth soak into their bones. I know I’ll be doing a little of all three.

As for the weather, today we’re looking at mainly cloudy skies with just a slight chance of a passing shower. The high should hit around 73°F, or 23°C if you’re using the metric side of the tape. Tonight will stay on the mild side, with some clouds hanging around and a low near 59°F, or 15°C. Tomorrow’s shaping up pretty similar—cloudy again with a chance of a few sprinkles and another high around 73°F, or 23°C. Not much to complain about if you don’t mind a bit of gray.

So get out there, breathe deep, and enjoy what the day has to offer. It sure beats shoveling.

Highway 522 is picking up, traffic-wise, a bit more every day. But it’s that time of year, with folks wanting to get away from the cities, and others heading north to open up their cottages for the nice days ahead. You’ll see trucks with canoes strapped on top, trailers bouncing behind, and the odd car packed to the roof like they’re movin’ up for good. Can’t rightly say I blame them, neither. If I had to trade the sound of loons and wind in the pines for honking horns and concrete, I’d be heading north, too.

Bug Report:

Well, them black flies are starting to swarm now, so if you’re one of the lucky ones they can’t resist, best dig out that bug jacket, as you’re gonna need it. They’re zipping around like all get out, and unfortunately, that somewhere is usually your neck or behind your ears.

As for me, well, they buzz around a bit but don’t seem all that interested. I guess I’m not sweet enough, or just not on the menu. Now and then, though, one gets bold and takes a test bite to see if I’ve ripened up since yesterday. Usually it just shakes its head and moves on, disappointed.

At any rate, it’s part of living in the north, and you have to take the good weather with a few freeloaders.

On another note, yesterday I worked the day away outside. Decided to put a coat of penetrating oil on our decks—or should I say, two of our decks. It was a nice dry day, so I figured it’d be a good time to get ‘er done. Now, if the sun sticks around for most of the day, it’ll dry up nicely and be all set for the summer.

As for my lovely wife, she’s been busy getting our gift shop ready for the summer, which will be opening this Friday, along with getting things prepped for our huge garage sale, also starting this Friday, May 16th, 2025. So, yeah, we’re both staying busy. But when you love what you do, it never feels like work.

But in saying all that, our bodies sure feel it by the end of the day.

So, what are you up to today, GW?

Well, today, with a few showers closing in on us for tomorrow morning, my wife and I are planning on cutting our grass for the first time this year. I have to say, it’s been growing like crazy, and it’s starting to look a bit shabby around the house. So, figured we better get to it if we want everything looking good for our big spring sale. At least that’s the plan—let’s hope everything works out.

With that, I’m off once again for my morning breakfast, courtesy of my lovely wife. After that, I’ll enjoy a cup of hot cocoa—maybe out on the swing out back, since our front porch isn’t quite dry yet from me putting on that penetrating oil.

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

Click on Image to Enlarge

Good Morning… Do what you can with what you’ve got.

So starting things off… It looks as if we are in for another really nice day here in Cottage Country.

The sun’s up, the sky’s clear, and we’re heading for a high of about 72°F, or 22°C. Just warm enough to enjoy without breaking a sweat. Tonight will cool off a bit, down around 50°F, or 10°C, and tomorrow’s shaping up much the same—maybe even a touch warmer. No complaints on this end.

Highway 522 has picked up somewhat, but not as much as it was last year. With the weather being the way it has been, that’s understandable. Things will pick up, though, as the days move forward.

Bug Report:
Well, the black flies are out now. Still not as bad as they’re going to be, but just enough to annoy folks somewhat—especially the deeper you are in the bush. It won’t be long before the critters start roaming alongside the roads and crossing here and there, trying to get away from them, so care should be taken if you’re out and about.

On another note, yesterday I had plans to get some more outside work done around the house here, but I’d forgotten my wife had a dentist appointment in North Bay. So, we headed off to town. While there, we picked up a few things we were in need of, had lunch in our car while people-watching, and then grabbed a coffee before heading back home, taking in all the spring colours along the way.

In my mind, the spring colours are every bit as nice as the fall ones, with all the trees, plants, and flowers starting to show off. Sure is a sight to see them all waking up after their long winter’s nap. All in all, a great day.

So with that, I’m off for the breakfast my lovely wife has made for me, and then I’ll see about tackling the things I planned on doing yesterday. As I keep on sayin’, life is one ongoing mystery, as one never knows what a day will bring.

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

Click On Image to Enlarge!

Good Morning… It’s all right to not have it all figured out.

Well, it looks as if we’re in for another nice day here in cottage country. The sun’s just peeking up over the trees, the stripe-headed birds are out there picking off black flies, and the trees, still a little shy from winter, are finally starting to show off their leaves for summer. It’s that time again when the whole bush seems to come alive overnight.

Today’s Weather Forecast for Port Loring, Ontario, Canada:
We’re in for mostly sunny skies today, with a high reaching around 76°F (25°C). There’ll be a nice breeze from the southwest at about 5 to 10 miles per hour, just enough to keep the bugs guessing. Tonight, the skies will stay clear and temperatures will dip down to a low of about 53°F (12°C).

Looking ahead to Tuesday:
It’ll be a warm one, with the mercury climbing to around 83°F (29°C) under mostly cloudy skies. Winds will be light and variable, and by tomorrow night, it’ll cool off just a bit with a low near 60°F (16°C).

Might be a good couple of days to get some outside work done, or just sit back and enjoy what Mother Nature has to offer. Either way, it looks like we’ve got a good stretch ahead.

Highway 522 is getting busier every day. Even our locals are starting to move around, which means spring has officially arrived — folks are dusting off their trucks, checking if the coffee shop’s still standing, and acting like they haven’t seen each other in years, even though they bumped into each other last Thursday.

Bug Report: Well, the black flies are out, but they ain’t in full attack mode just yet. They’re buzzin’ around, testin’ the waters like they’re not quite sure if it’s worth the effort. Might be the cool mornings slowing ‘em down, but one thing’s for sure — once they get that first taste of blood, all bets are off. They go from curious to downright mean, and after that, you might as well be wearing a “Free Buffet” sign on your forehead. For some, that is.

On another note, yesterday I spent the whole day outside, cleaning up around the yard, fixing up our fishpond, and straightening out one of the sheds. I even managed to squeeze in a bit of painting here and there. All in all, it was a busy day — but a good one.

So what are you up to today, GW?

Well, with it being so nice outside today, I figure I’ll spend some time in the woodworking shop. And if I get a chance, I’ll fire up the old rotivator — bought that thing back in the ‘70s, and it works the soil a lot finer than a tiller. Not many folks make ’em like that anymore, if any. The vegetable gardens… are about due for their first turn over, but I think I’ll save the actual work for Wednesday, let the ground dry out a bit more.
And if the day keeps going the way I’m hoping, my wife and I will end up out under the basswood tree on that swing I built awhile back. It’s been calling for company, and I think it’s about time we gave it what it’s askin’ for.

So with that, I’m off for my morning breakfast that my lovely wife is making for me — well, after she finishes watering her plants, of course. They’ve been giving her the ol’ “thirsty look” for the past couple of days, so I’m sure she’s got her hands full with that. I’ll just sit tight and try not to let the smell of coffee make me too impatient, while she plays plant whisperer.

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

Click on Image to Enlarge!

Good Morning Folks… Not every day needs to be big to be good.

It’s looking like one fine day here in Cottage Country. The sun is showing off, and the temperature is on the rise.

Today, Sunday: Sunshine from start to finish, with a high around 61°F, or 16°C. There’s a little breeze picking up out of the southwest this afternoon, just enough to keep the bugs from getting too comfortable. A good day to hang laundry, turn soil, or sit with your coffee and let the world drift by. Tonight will cool off to around 43°F, or 6°C, under partly cloudy skies.

Monday: The sun returns and holds steady. Expect a high of 72°F, or 22°C. The wind will ease off, and it’ll feel like spring has finally settled in for good. The evening will stay calm and clear, dipping down to about 50°F, or 10°C.

Tuesday: The heat keeps building, climbing up to 79°F, or 26°C. It’ll be a mix of sun and cloud, still fine weather for just about anything you’ve got planned. There’s a small chance of a shower come nightfall, with the temperature holding at a mild 55°F, or 13°C.

Looks like we’ve got ourselves a stretch of real decent weather for a change. One has to take advantage of it while you can.

Highway 522 is starting to pick up traffic-wise, with plenty of new vehicles moving up and down the road these days.

Bug Report: I’ve been seeing a few Black Flies over the past couple of days. So far, they’re not biting, but that’ll change once the temperature starts to rise. If you’re one of those folks they like to nibble on, it might be a good idea to bring out your bug jacket.

On another note: Yesterday, I worked the day away outside, fixing this and that. I had one heck of a time with the pump I use for my fishpond. In the end, I replaced it with another one I had kicking around. Took a bit of doing, but the old water wheel is back to work again for the summer—well, at least I hope it is. You never know with equipment, they always seem to have a mind of their own.

My wife, on the other hand, has been real busy reorganizing our gift shop and getting things ready for our upcoming sale here at home on May 16, 2025. The sale isn’t just for one day—we’ll keep it going until everything’s sold, even if it takes a month. Daytime hours are from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. So yeah, she’s been, and still is, one real busy lady, let me tell ya.

So what are you up to today, GW?

Well, today I’ve got a lot on my plate—cleaning up the shop and getting everything ready for the upcoming sale. It’s hard to believe how much stuff we’ve accumulated. We never dreamed we had this much to get rid of! Not sure where it all came from… guess we’ve both been a little too good at holding on to things.

So with that, I’m off for my morning breakfast, and then I’ll see what the day has in store—aside from what I’ve already got planned. It’s always a mystery.

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