Good morning! Where last night’s snowfall turned the town into a picture-perfect scene straight out of a holiday card! Actually better.

So we all woke up to some snow here in cottage country. I would say so far we had 6 or so inches. Which means I will have to wake up our snowblower a bit later on today or … wait until tomorrow. It’s still snowing, so I will wait till it has it out of its system. The good news is, the snow is real light, which will make shoveling a lot easier.

Highway 522 is snow covered throughout, and so far this morning I have only seen one truck roll by our home. But If you are planning on going somewhere today, remember: Fresh snow is as slippery as a politician in election season! Keep a grip and stay safe!

Dad would sometimes tell me tales of winters past, about when the snow was piled so high that it covered the fences and turned the world into a sparkling wonderland. “Why, you couldn’t tell where the yard ended, and the sky began!” he’d say, his eyes twinkling with the memories of what it was like when he was growing up. I would smile, knowing … that, in the north, winter isn’t just a season, it’s a way of life. As it is here in Cottage country today.

On another note, I worked once again here at my computer, writing up a couple more stories for my newspaper columns. I like to get a few ahead so I won’t have to be sitting in the house when the warm weather arrives. I do enjoy writing, though, and look forward to bringing words to life. But I must say that this winter so far, I have been doing more things outside than I was doing. Which is a good thing, as it keeps the mind spry and body moving, and I sure need it. And with the snow we had overnight, my wife and I will be getting some more exercise a bit later on in the day, or tomorrow.

With that, I am off for a bowl of porridge and a piece of toast that my lovely wife has put together for me, and then will see what the day has in store.

I hope you all have a great day, and remember: “You can’t milk a cow by whispering sweet nothing’s. Sometimes you have to roll up your sleeves, grab a bucket, and get your hands dirty – just watch out for the kickback.”

You might have had to milked cows by hand to understand that statement. GW

Good morning! Where the sun rises late, and the town-folk rise even later.

It’s a bit cloudy and cool here in Cottage Country, however the sun is trying hard to sneak through, which sure will be nice. I like these mornings as the air is fresh, and the ground is hard. Walking out to my woodworking shop to lite the stove every morning seems to clear out the cobwebs.

Nothing much to report on Highway 522 this morning, so I will share A Chat Between Two Old Codgers On Their Farm:

Jed: “Earl, reckon you heard about them city fellas trying to save the world with their fancy carbon tax?”
Earl: “You bet I did, Jed! They think slapping a tax on our air is going to fix everything?”
Jed: “Seems that way! Next thing you know, they’ll be charging us for the dust we kick up while working the fields!”
Earl: “Ha! They’ll tax anything that moves, won’t they? I half expect ’em to tax the crows for cawing too loud!”
Jed: “Well, I tell ya, Earl, it’s us working folk who end up feeling the pinch. Can’t afford to breathe easy no more!”
Earl: “You got that right, Jed! Soon they’ll be charging us for the sunshine we use to dry our laundry!”
Jed: “Ain’t that the truth! But you know what they say, Earl, laughing keeps us warm when the taxman’s blowing cold.”
Earl: “You betcha, Jed! Let’s just hope they don’t start taxing us for our laughs too!”
Jed: “Well, if they do, Earl, we’ll just laugh louder! Can’t tax a man’s sense of humor, now can they?”
Earl: “That’s right, Jed! Here’s to us, the last of the laughing farmers in a world gone tax-crazy!”
Jed: “Cheers to that, Earl! Now let’s go see if we can’t outwit them taxes while we milk the cows!”

On another note, yesterday I once again worked here at my desk doing up some editing on another YouTube video, which I have to say turned out pretty good.

With that I am off for another bowl of porridge that my lovely wife has prepared for me, and will then get to writing up a couple of stories for my newspaper columns. Always something to keep this old mind of mine a thinking.

In closing, remember:” Life’s like a jug of moonshine – it’s best when shared with good company, but … a sip alone ain’t half bad either!” GW

Good morning, where the early birds get the gossip, and the latecomers get the cold coffee!

We are in the midst of a lot of clouds here in cottage country this morning, and it has cooled down some, with it sitting at -2 C | 28.4 F.

By the looks of things, the colder weather will remain with us for the next week or so. Which we shouldn’t complain about, as our winter, so far this year, hasn’t amounted to anything like it has been for the past few years.

Taking a look at our town, not much is happening other than the wind whistling through the pines, and for Highway 522 well … it’s as clear as a moonlit night.

On another note, yesterday once again I traded my woodworking shop for my computer and today will do the same, as I have a few projects on the go that needs finishing up.

Reg and Laura, the folks that raised me, rocked back and forth on their creaky porch chairs, Reg puffing on his pipe as he shared his latest discovery. “You know, Laura” he said with a twinkle in his eye, “I swear them trees out yonder got a language of their own. Heard ’em whisperin’ secrets when I was out huntin’ last week!” She chuckled, taking a sip of her coffee. “Well, all I can say, Reg, is the next time you hear ’em, tell ’em to keep it down! Nothing worse than a bunch of idle chatter keeping folks awake in the early morning hours.”

I have a lot of good memories from way back when while living with them.

With that I am off for my morning breakfast that my lovely wife has ready for me, and will then see what the day has in store. And remember: “Life’s like a jar of pickles – sometimes sour, sometimes sweet, but always packed with flavour, just make sure you can handle the crunch!” GW

Good morning, where the day starts with a stretch, a yawn, and the comforting routine of small-town living. Let’s hope it stays that way.

We are waking up to some clouds here in Cottage country. However, it is still quite mild, which is sure something for this time of year. I kind of think, that nature is telling us that she is in need of a change. As an old feller who’s seen his share of life’s ups and downs, one thing stands out clear: no matter what we do, the world keeps turning just the same. We might fancy ourselves masters of the universe, but truth be told, our thinking has often missed the mark over the years. I know for some, it’s a hard pill to swallow, but there it is.

I also believe that a lot of minds, have often gone astray, misunderstanding the way things truly unfold. You know … we’re just specks in the grand scheme of things, strutting about like we own the place. But the truth is, we’re just along for the ride.

Personally, I think it’s about time we sat ourselves down and took a good, hard look at the wisdom we’ve been missing out on for far too long. It’s been there all along, waiting patiently for us to wise up and take notice. The truth of the matter is, or at least my thoughts are, that we need to quit dilly-dallying and start paying attention. And hey! Who knows what we might find … when we finally open our eyes and minds?

Well, that’s the way I see it this morning. Take what you like and leave the rest, like pickin’ your favourite apples from the orchard.

On another note, once again my computer overtook my woodworking shop yesterday, which held me here at bay in the house. I did however get a lot done and if things goes to plan I should finish up things today which in turn means I can get back to my woodworking shop, as I do have a few things in mind that I want to do.

Highway 522 is still quiet, but weather wise for travelling things are good. Who needs to go to Florida or where it is warm when we have weather like this?

With that, I am off for a bowl of porridge that my lovely wife is making, and then, it’s off to see what adventures await me today. Have a great day and remember: “Even a broken clock is right twice a day!” GW

Click on Image to Enlarge!

Good morning, where the front porch is the best seat in the house for watching the world go by, and catching up with the local gossip.

And we might be able to do just that later on in the day, with it being so nice outside temperature wise.

It is a touch cloudy this morning, but as I said it is mild. The good news is we aren’t burning as much wood/oil/propane/electricity these days to keep us warm, which is a good thing, as with the price of things, people are having a hard time as it is.

Highway 522 is very quiet, as is everything else in town these days.

I’ve always said: “You know it’s winter in our town when even the cool wind whispers. Not today, I’m on break!”

On another note, my lovely wife and I took a trip to North Bay yesterday, picking up a few things along with dropping off a few things. After we had things looked after, we decided for a change to go to East Side Mario’s for lunch, which we did and had a 10 Slice Pizza and a cool one. Which I shared with you above with a picture. I have to say, other than the price, it was delicious. We don’t have it very often, but when we do, it’s a real treat.

After that, we stopped off for a Tim Hortons Decaf coffee and headed on home, taking in what nature had to offer, which is always nice, as no mater how many times we have made the trip to town, it seems there is always something new to see.

Today I am thinking … being that it is not too cold, that I will wash our car, as it sure gets dirty driving to North Bay and back home. Which will keep me busy for most of the morning.

With that, I am off for a cup of hot cocoa with my little woman, and remember. In the barn of life, every cow finds its stall. So take your time, enjoy the hay, and milk the good moments! GW