Guess what I will be enjoying off and on today!

Click on image to enlarge!

Mornin’, folks! If you wait for perfect weather, you’ll never plant a thing, as with anything in life. So… get out there and make your own sunshine.

It looks as if another beauty of a day is shaping up for us here in cottage country. The sun is burning off the mist, revealing the lakes and trees. Birds are already singing their morning songs, and life is waking up all around us. Things can’t get much better than that. Well, other than maybe discovering that the mosquitoes have taken a vacation!

Speaking of bugs, things are pretty good these days, except for those pesky nits that seem to think running gas engines, are their favorite hangout spots. They’re like the uninvited guests at a barbecue, always buzzing around and never bringing anything useful!

Highway 522 has picked up a wee bit, but still not as much traffic as other years.

On another note, yesterday my wife and I tackled a bunch of scrub brush, clearing things up a bit. It made a huge difference in the appearance of our property in certain areas. I have to say, it looks pretty darn nice!

Today, I’m thinking I’ll take it a bit easy…maybe tidy up my shop, write a story or two, and… make the most of this nice weather while it’s still around. It won’t be long before the cold shows up and tries to take over. For now, though, I’ll savor every last warm minute before winter decides to knock on the door!

With that, I’m off to enjoy some bacon and eggs over easy, cooked by my lovely wife this morning. After breakfast, we’ll relax on the front porch, soak up the day, and sip on some hot cocoa. Maybe it’ll lift my spirits…or at least give me a reason to smile a bit more!

You all have a great day and remember: “Life’s a lot like farming: you get what you put into it, so don’t plant onions and expect tomatoes.”

Fishing Times for Saturday
07/20/24

Major Times
–:—–:–
11:48 AM-1:48 PM

Minor Times
3:43 AM-4:43 AM
8:40 PM-9:40 PM

Day Rating: Well, it’s a perfect day for fishing! I’d give it a full 5-Star rating out of 5 for catching a few. Good Luck! And if you happen to reel in more than you need, I wouldn’t mind a little taste. Tight lines!

Advice from an Old Angler: If you’re struggling with those spooky fish, try casting your line close to floating leaves or any bits of debris. The natural cover helps disguise your bait and makes fish less wary.

Here is a picture of a Yellow Rose in our front garden. I thought it was pretty nice!.

Click on image to enlarge!

Good morning! Here’s something to ponder: “Even a scarecrow knows that sometimes… you just gotta stand there and look useful.”

It’s a really nice looking day here in cottage country, the kind of day that makes you wonder if the fish are biting, or if they’re just admiring the sunshine like the rest of us.

Highway 522 is still quiet for this time of year. Despite this, the locals and those who own, or rent cottages in our area are keeping busy, with them roaming up and down the highway. But in saying that, our gift shop has sure been busy with folks dropping by picking up one-of-a-kind items. Which is a welcome sight in these quieter times.

Bug Report: Things are pretty good these days.

On another note, my wife and I managed to get the mowing done yesterday morning. In the afternoon, we tackled some smaller trees that were crowding certain areas. I’m not usually a fan of taking down trees, but this time it was necessary. Now, the larger trees have room to thrive and hopefully, we’ll see a more balanced landscape soon.

Since we worked so hard yesterday, I’m thinking today will be a day to relax and enjoy our beautiful piece of property. After all, what’s the point of making it look so nice if we don’t take the time to appreciate it?

With that I am off for a bowl of porridge this morning that my lovely wife has put together and then we both will retire to the front porch with a cup of coffee for a change.

I hope you all have a great day! Just don’t let yesterday take too big a bite out of today… make sure to squeeze in a moment of relaxation or a bit of fun. Life’s too short not to enjoy the little things!

Fishing Times for Friday
07/19/24

Major Times
–:—–:–
10:47 AM-12:47 PM

Minor Times
2:38 AM-3:38 AM
7:52 PM-8:52 PM

Day Rating: I give it a 4-Star Rating out of 5 for catching a few. It’s a great day for fishing. Good Luck!

Advice from an Old Angler: Fish can be real jittery. Best to sneak up on ’em quiet-like, and make sure you’re not throwing any shadows. Move slow and keep low to the ground, especially if you’re fishing from the shore.

Good Morning! You know, as long as I have been walking on this old earth of ours, I have found that: “The best way to predict your future is to create it, one day at a time.”

It’s a beautiful day in cottage country. The sun is shining, the humidity is gone, and the songbirds are at the feeder. The vegetable garden looks great after the rain, and the tomatoes are ripening. The frogs in our new fishpond are active, and the goldfish are enjoying their company. You could say that living here where we do, you learn to appreciate the little things. Truth told, it’s the simple moments that make life truly rich.

Highway 522 has been quite so far this year. I suspect for some, it’s a good thing in some ways and not so good in others. But for my lovely wife and me, it doesn’t matter either way. We moved here many years ago for the quietness. I have always said that, “Peace and quiet are priceless, until you need to find something to do.”

Bug Report: The mosquitoes are annoying now and then in the shade, and we’ve got these tiny pests I call nits irritating folks, especially around running cars and trucks. Mosquitoes and nits may be small, but they sure know how to make themselves known. The best remedy? “Well… out here, you learn to swat with one hand, and hold your coffee with the other.”

On another note, I worked the day away outside around our home yesterday. Got lots done. Today, for my wife and me, it’s mowing day, which will take care of the morning. In the afternoon, I’m thinking some front porch sittin’ will be in order.

I have always said: “That hard work makes the rest all the sweeter.” After a morning of mowing, there’s nothing like relaxing on the porch, watching the world go by. Maybe share a story or two with my wife. It’s moments like these that remind me why we chose this life, living where time moves a bit slower and the joys are simple but true.

With that I am off once again for my breakfast and will then head on outdoors.

Have a great day, everyone! Here’s something to ponder on: “Life is simpler when you plow around the stump, but it sure is fun to try and move it sometimes. Thinking about that, I have to say, my wife and I have moved quite a few in our day.”

Fishing Times for Thursday
07/18/24

Major Times
9:46 AM-11:46 AM
10:15 PM-12:15 AM

Minor Times
1:45 AM-2:45 AM
6:52 PM-7:52 PM

Day Rating: Not a bad day for fishing, I give it a 3-Star Rating out of 5 for catching a few. Good Luck!

Sun Data
Rise: 5:45 AM
Set: 9:02 PM

Day Length
15 hrs. 17 mins.

Moon Data
Rise: 7:22 PM
Set: 2:15 AM
Moon Phase

91% Waxing Gibbous

Advice from an Old Angler: When you’re jigging, remember to use the lift and drop technique. Lift your rod tip slow and steady, then let it drop easy-like. This makes your jig flutter down like a scared bait fish, and that’s how you hook them big ones.

I took this picture yesterday. At first, we just had one frog in our new fishpond, but it looks as if he invited some friends. And the goldfish seem to enjoy their company.

Click on image to enlarge!

Good Morning! You know, over the years, I found that: “Success comes before work… only in the dictionary.”

It’s a really nice day here in cottage country. The temperature is a comfortable 19.2°C (66.56°F), the sun is shining, and there’s a light breeze coming in from the southwest. Best of all, it’s not too humid. What could be better than that? Not much in my eyes.

Highway 522 is still quiet, though it’s picked up a wee bit from what it has been. It’s nice to see a few more folks out and about, enjoying the beautiful weather.

Bug Report: All is well…even the mosquitoes have eased off a bit. Which is fine with me. Maybe they finally got the memo about social distancing!

On another note, I did some weeding in our vegetable garden yesterday, along with a few other chores. Then, since my old body needed a rest, I took it easy and wrote up another story here at my computer. It was another good day for writing. Funny how that works—some days the words flow nicely, and other days, I’m better off pulling weeds!

Today I have some more outside work that needs doing and after that being so nice outside I think my wife and I will do some front porch sittin’. Just Because We Can!

With that, once again, I’m off for the breakfast my lovely wife is preparing. Then, I’ll head outdoors. Well, after my cup of… hmm, maybe I’ll go for tea this morning instead of my usual hot cocoa. It’s nice living in the country where I can make these tough decisions. Variety is the spice of life, right?

You all have a great day, and I will leave you with this to ponder on: “A good woman is like a four-leaf clover … hard to find and lucky to have, especially in a field of weeds.”

Fishing Times For Wednesday
07/17/24

Major Times
8:50 AM-10:50 AM
9:18 PM-11:18 PM

Minor Times
1:08 AM-2:08 AM
5:43 PM-6:43 PM

Day Rating: I give it a 3-Star Rating today for catching a few. Good Luck!

Sun Data
Rise: 5:44 AM
Set: 9:02 PM

Day Length
15 hrs. 18 mins.

Moon Data
Rise: 6:13 PM
Set: 1:38 AM
Over: 10:18 PM
Under: 9:50 AM

Moon Phase

84% Waxing Gibbous

Advice from an Old Angler; Occasionally, I like to give those jointed lures a go, with their bend and all. They wiggle around like a fish in distress, sure to catch the attention of those big ol’ bass or pickerel. And that might just mean a good catch for supper. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

Click on image to enlarge!

Good Morning, folks! You know, over the years, I have found that: “Life’s like a field—what you get out of it depends on what you put into it.”

It’s a bit cloudy waking up in cottage country. We did have some light showers earlier this morning, but it should clear up later, and we might even see a bit of sunshine. That would be nice, because, truth be told, we’ve had enough rain for a while. Honestly, with all this wet weather, I think my tomatoes are starting to think they’re water lilies!

Highway 522 is quiet these days, with fewer tourists and day trippers visiting our neck of the woods. Normally, this time of year brings a lot of hustle and bustle, but things are quieter now with everything going on in the country, like taxes, strikes you name it, and truth told…. I can’t say I blame folks for staying closer to home.

Bug Report: Other than a few mosquitoes, things are pretty good these days.

Yesterday, I took a break from the computer and worked outside. Spent the morning weeding most of our veggie garden and staining the new walls around the carport. Took it easy in the afternoon, needed a rest, but managed to write up another story. Turned out to be a good day, got a lot done.

Today, with it being a bit wet outside, I’ll probably work away inside here. Truth be told, I never really know what I’m going to do—I might start off heading in one direction, and end up doing a complete 180. It’s like trying to navigate without a map!

With that I am off for my morning breakfast that my lovely wife is preparing for me.

You all have a great day, and I will leave you with this to think about: “The best roads are the ones less traveled, even if they’re a bit bumpy.”

Fishing Times for Tuesday
07/16/24

Major Times
7:59 AM-9:59 AM
8:24 PM-10:24 PM

Minor Times
12:40 AM-1:40 AM
4:31 PM-5:31 PM

Day Rating: I give it a 2-Star Rating out of 5 for catching a few today. Good Luck!

Sun Data
Rise: 5:43 AM
Set: 9:03 PM

Day Length
15 hrs. 20 mins.

Moon Data
Rise: 5:01 PM
Set: 1:10 AM
Moon Phase

75% Waxing Gibbous

Advice from an Old Angler When them fish get skittish or the water’s clear as day, it’s best to give them some space. Use a long cast to keep your distance. A rod that’s longer, and a line that’s light, can help you reach the fish without spookin’ ’em.