Good Morning! You know, over the years, I have found that life in the country teaches you to be self-reliant… to trust in your own two hands and the wisdom of those who came before you. It’s a lesson in resilience and resourcefulness, born from the necessity of making do with what you’ve got.

It’s another nice day here in cottage country, the sun is shinning from up above, the birds are enjoying their breakfast and the grass is still growing leaps and bounds… and along with all that the trees are starting to show off their new leaves. Pretty hard to beat that waking up in the morning.

Yesterday my wife worked steadily in her flower gardens with a bit of help from me off and on. For most parts she worked on her new herb garden which she situated right outside our front door. The reason for that is now when she is cooking meals and is in need of some fresh herbs, she can just walk out and take what she needs.

For myself, I worked away fixing up my rototiller and installed a new belt and after that I gave it a work-out tilling up our vegetable garden once again. I will do it one more time before planting.

Today however is mowing day for my wife and I and I have to say it sure has grown. I am thinking we will have a good pile of grass cuttings for our vegetables when all said and done. Which is good, as later on our plants will be needing some nourishment. After we finish, well… I am thinking some front porch sittin’ will be in order, taking in all our hard work, which in turn gives us a good feeling inside that we didn’t waste a day.

Bug Report: Lots of Black Flies annoying folks these days, and as I said yesterday the mosquitoes are just starting. Years ago, my old dad used to say: If you’re lucky enough to catch a breeze, embrace it like a long-lost friend. Bugs ain’t too keen on flying against the wind, so position yourself strategically and let nature do the work for ya. That’s what my wife and I will be doing this morning, that is if there is a wind, right now it’s pretty quiet out there.

Highway Report: Highway 522 is picking up more every day with new folks roaming around looking for things to do. Which is normal for this time of year.

With that I am off once again for my breakfast that my lovely wife is making for me, and after that we will head on outside and wake up our lawn mowers.

You all have a great day, and I will leave you with this bit of wisdom I learned over the years: “Life’s like plowing a field. You hit rocks, you hit rough patches, but you keep on going ’cause you know there’s good ground ahead.”

Fishing Times For Thursday
05/16/24

Major Times
7:22 AM-9:22 AM
7:42 PM-9:42 PM

Minor Times
2:36 AM-3:36 AM
1:16 PM-2:16 PM

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

Fishing Tip of The Day! Don’t let the “one that got away” ruin your day. Every angler’s got a tale of the big one they lost. It’s all part of the game, GW

Good Morning! You know…. out here where my wife and I live in the country, you learn the value of solitude, of finding peace and quiet in a world that’s always buzzing with noise. It gives one a chance to listen to your own thoughts, to reconnect with yourself, and… to find what is needed in the stillness.

Highway 522 is picking up traffic wise every day. And it will continue for the remainder of the summer. Why do they come, some might ask? Well… truth told, most come for the sights and stay for the stories. ‘Just the way it is.‘

Bug Report: Lots of blackflies roaming around these days, which means it’s a good time to get some inside projects done up. The mosquitoes are just starting, and well… they will remain with us for most of the summer. Although if it gets real hot and dry it will keep them at bay.

Yesterday I brought out my old rototiller to work up our vegetable garden. It’s good to do that a week or so before planting, as it allows the soil to breath. But just before I tilled it up I spread some manure which consisted of old crass cuttings we gathered a couple of weeks ago. It will give the tomatoes and things some great taste, along with what they need to stay healthy. I just went over it one time, and I had some issues with the one bearing that drives the tiller itself, so… it took me the rest of the day to fix that. While it was all apart in my shop I went down to Mikes, and he ordered me a new belt, which will be in later on today. I figured that would be the next thing to go wrong, so I might as well change it while I am at it.

Today I have some other outside work to be done, along with cleaning up the mess I made in my shop yesterday, so I will get to that in a bit.

Wisdom I have learned over the years: “Life in the country teaches you patience. You can’t rush the crops, and you can’t rush the seasons. Everything happens in its own time, and, well… there’s a certain beauty in that.”

With that, I am off for some pancakes that my lovely wife is preparing for me, along with some Maple Syrup that Mike Clapperton gave me while ordering a new tiller belt yesterday. It was a gift, as Ruth, my lovely wife, painted the new picture that is on all his bottles and jugs that hold his Maple Syrup. Should be a tasty treat to start the day off.

You all have a great day, and I will leave you with this: “You know, living where we do, there’s something mighty therapeutic about working outdoors in the spring. Maybe it’s the fresh air, or maybe it’s just the satisfaction of knowing… you’re one step closer to earning that cold drink on the porch.”

Fishing Times For Wednesday
05/15/24

Major Times
6:39 AM-8:39 AM
7:01 PM-9:01 PM

Minor Times
2:17 AM-3:17 AM
12:09 PM-1:09 PM

Day Rating: I give it a 1-star rating for catching a few today. Not the greatest day but hey! But… you never know. Good Luck!

Fishing Tip of The Day: Let your bait drift naturally with the current. This technique mimics the movement of natural prey and can be irresistible to hungry fish. GW

Good Morning! Another dawn, another chance to do right by the land… and ourselves.

It‘s another nice looking day here in Cottage country. The sun is shinning, the birds are feeding at our bird feeder… and the grass is growing leaps and bounds. Actually, in all the years I have lived here in the north, it has never been so green. However, it could be all the wood ashes I put down earlier in the year that is making it so nice. Truth told, wood ashes is better than any fertilizer that is out there today, as it is loaded with all that the grass needs to stay healthy.

On another note, my lovely wife and I made a trip to Niagara to see our oldest boy last weekend, and while there I helped him install a new door on the back entrance of his home. After that we enjoyed a drink or two together, and later on in the day they took us out to dinner for Mother’s Day at a nice restaurant there in the big city. I have to say, it was a delicious meal and a great night out. We also did some shopping and picked up our plants, for the vegetable garden, and the next day headed on home. All in all, we had a great time. The trip there and back was also nice, with lots of sunshine both ways.

Yesterday, my wife and I did some cleaning, her in the house and me in the woodworking shop. Took us most of the day. And today I am going to get my old Rototiller out and till up our vegetable garden. I did have it running earlier in the year as we needed it to work up the soil around our new fishpond. So it should start right up, but being that it is so old, one never knows. After that, I am going to do some more work on the water wheel I made, as it needs a bit of tweaking to get it running smoothly. I had to order some parts from Amazon, which should be here sometime this week. Great place to do business, especially living here in the country, off the beaten track. Saves a lot of money.

Bug Report: Lots of Blackflies out there these days, that enjoy feasting on us humans. They will remain here until Father’s Day. Although once the Dragon Flies makes their appearance things will get better as they love them, eating them by the thousands. Not too many mosquitoes yet, but they will make their grand entrance once the weather warms up some more.

Highway 522 has picked up a lot these days traffic wise, and it will get even busier once the black flies move on for another year. You know… as busy as it does sometimes get, there is one thing that we all need to remember and that is living in the country means learning to appreciate the little things, like the satisfaction of growing your own tomatoes.

With that I am off for my morning breakfast that my lovely wife has made for me and will then head on outdoors and see what mischief I can get into.

You all have a great day, and I will leave you with this: “There’s wisdom that comes from working the land, a knowing that can’t be found in books or classrooms. It’s in the calloused hands, the tired eyes, and the steady heart of a feller like myself, who’s seen it all.”

Fishing Times For Tuesday
05/14/24

Major Times
5:54 AM-7:54 AM
6:17 PM-8:17 PM

Minor Times
1:53 AM-2:53 AM
11:01 AM-12:01 PM

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

Fishing Tip of The Day: Pay attention to the currents. Fish like to hang out where the water’s moving’g waiting for their next meal to come driftin’ by. Cast your line downstream and let it flow naturally. GW

Good Morning! “You know… Living in the country ain’t always easy, but it’s worth it. It’s a life filled with meaning, purpose, and a deep connection to the land. And in the end, isn’t that what really matters?”

Looks like we’re in for another sunny spell out here in cottage country, just right for getting some work done outdoors. We also had a nice visit yesterday, from Donna, a good friend of ours. We all sat down for a nice chat over a cup of tea, then went about our usual business. Makes our day when folks drop by.

Highway 522 is still busy with new folks roaming around our area taking in the sights. You could say newcomers: They’re like tumbleweeds, just with more cameras.

Bug Report; Yep, it’s that time of year again. The black flies are out in full force, and they will continue to bother folks right up until Father’s Day.

On another note, yesterday my lovely wife and I got a lot done outside in spite of the black flies, which made us happy. Today will be much the same, working up gardens, along with moving some plants that have over grown to other gardens. It’s a never ending cycle. But we enjoy it.

Living in the country: “Here in the north, simplicity isn’t just a choice, it’s a survival strategy. When you’re living off the land in the middle of nowhere, you learn to appreciate the little things… the crackle of a warm fire, the taste of freshly caught fish, the sight of a moose/deer wandering through your backyard. And you learn to laugh at the absurdity of it all, because let’s face it, life in the wilderness is one big adventure.”

With that, I am off for my morning breakfast that my lovely wife had prepared for me… an egg on an English muffin. After that, I will see what the day has in store… other than what I have planned.

You all have a great day, and I will leave you with this: Life here in the country isn’t just about what you can take from the land, but what you can give back. It’s about stewardship, about leaving this earth better than we found it, and my wife and I are continually doing that with each passing day.

Fishing Times For Tuesday
05/07/24

Major Times
–:—–:–
11:49 AM-1:49 PM

Minor Times
4:56 AM-5:56 AM
7:59 PM-8:59 PM

Day Rating: I give it a 4-Star Rating out of 5 for catching a few today. Good Luck!

Fishing Tip of the Day: If you’re not catching anything, don’t be afraid to switch things. Change your bait, your technique, your spot. Keep ’em guessing, and you’ll eventually put fish on the table at the end of the day.