Good Morning! Where the only rush we know is the wind through the trees and the river flowing over the rocks’

It’s a cold morning here in cottage country with wind coming in from the north and the temperature sitting at -5.8 C | 21.56 F. And on top of that there are a lot of clouds blocking our sunshine. We could see some breaks in the clouds though, as the day progresses, and it will warm up a wee bit. Tomorrow, things will start to warm up even more, to where a fellow feels like doing some work outside. And my wife and I have a lot to do.

Yesterday I worked the day away, writing up a couple stories for my columns in newspapers I write for, and today I might carry on. I will see how that goes after I have my breakfast. I have to be in the right frame of mind it seems for the words to flow as they should.

Highway 522 is still very quiet with the cold, rainy weather, folks are staying home in the cities, not wanting to waste the money going to places they can’t enjoy or afford. And I can’t say I blame them with the price of the gas nowadays, since they added more carbon tax onto it. In all my days, I never saw such a thing till now. It used to be you could fill up the truck without wincing, but now it’s like handing over your hard-earned cash for a slap in the face. Heck, we’re just trying to make a living out here, putting food on the table for our families. But with all these extra taxes, it’s like we’re fighting an uphill battle just to break even. And what’s it all for? You know, they keep saying this carbon tax is all about saving the planet, but there are a lot smarter ways to do it than just taking more money from us regular folks. Those fancy suits making all these decisions, they ain’t the ones feeling the squeeze when they gas up their fancy cars. Not to forget how they keep giving themselves fat pay raises, and for what? It’s been a mystery for years.

Sorry, got a bit off track there. But seriously, it’s frustrating seeing our hard-earned cash disappearing faster than water down a drain, all in the name of some vague environmental cause. We’re just trying to make ends meet here, and it feels like we’re the ones getting the short end of the stick every time.

Wisdom Learned: “I remember one time when Bessie decided she’d had enough of the milking’ stool and took off running like a bat outta hell! Had me chasing her all around the pasture, swearing up a storm. But you know what? It taught me a valuable lesson: sometimes you have to let go and let the cow do the running. Life’s too short to be chasing after things you can’t control!”

With that bit of information, I am off for my morning bowl of porridge that my lovely wife is making for me, which seems to get me ready to take on whatever challenges come my way!

You all have a great day and I will leave you with this: “They say you can take the boy out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the boy… and honestly, why would you want to? There’s no place like home, especially when home is surrounded by fields and forests as far as the eye can see.”

Fishing Times For Wednesday
04/24/24

Major Times
12:25 AM-2:25 AM
12:47 PM-2:47 PM

Minor Times
5:49 AM-6:49 AM
8:59 PM-9:59 PM

Day Rating: I give it a 5-Star Rating out of 5 for catching a few. Great day for fishing, but you might need a warm coat. Good Luck!

Fishing Tip and Lore For The Day. “Back in my day, we’d sit by the fire and tie our own flies, using feathers, fur, and threads. There’s something about them homemade flies that drives the fish wild.” GW

Good Morning. Where the only deadlines my wife and I have to worry about are the ones set by the seasons, and the only schedules we keep are dictated by the rhythm of nature.

It’s another cloudy day here in cottage country, and by the looks of things the clouds will remain with us for most of the day. And with those clouds we could see some more showers off and on.

Yesterday was a busy day for my wife and I as we headed on into North Bay to pick up some supplies and things. We had a good trip there and back, taking in what nature had to offer. It seems that no matter how many times we have made the trip, there is always something new to see. That’s the nice thing about living where we do. Although years ago I did enjoy our farms, and I have to say I miss them in a round about way. In other words, I miss the farms themselves, but don’t miss the politics that went with the farms. More so today.

Today being a bit cool and such, I am thinking I will write up a couple more stories for my newspaper columns, which should keep me busy for most of the day. Tomorrow however, with the sunshine returning, maybe my lovely wife and I will be able to do some work on our new fishpond we dug a couple of weeks ago. We will see how that turns out. It all depends on what Mother Nature has in store. She is, or has been, a might testing the past few weeks. But I suspect she has her reasons.

Folks always ask me, ‘What’s the secret to a happy life, old timer?’ And I tell them, “Well, it’s like trying to catch a newborn calf that has been let out of the barn on its own, for the first time—you have to be quick on your feet and ready for anything! But seriously, I believe it’s about finding joy in the simple things, taking time to smell the roses, and sharing a good laugh with friends and family. Because at the end of the day, it ain’t the size of your barn/house that matters—it’s the size of your smile.”

With that, I am off for my morning bowl of porridge that my little woman is making for me, and will then see what the day has in store, other than I have planned.

You all have a great day and I will leave you with this: “Here in the country, the only thing that moves faster than the seasons is the gossip – but hey, what’s life without a little chatter now and then?”

Fishing Times For Tuesday
04/23/24

Major Times
–:—–:–
12:03 PM-2:03 PM

Minor Times
5:31 AM-6:31 AM
7:48 PM-8:48 PM

Day Rating: I give it a 4-star rating out of for catching a few. Good Luck!

Fishing Tip of The Day: Fish around natural cover such as fallen trees, submerged vegetation, and rocky outcrops. These areas provide shelter and ambush points for fish, making them prime feeding locations. GW

Good Morning! Time to embrace the peace and quiet of country living, where the only sirens we hear are from the distant call of the wild.

We are waking up to some sunshine here in cottage country. And it sure is nice to see, and feel for that matter.

Highway 522 is bare and dry, which will make traveling good today, and truth told it should remain that way now for the rest of the summer. Let’s hope so. How to tell when the tourists are here, well you can tell when someone’s not from around here when they actually use their turn signal.

On another note, I worked the day away yesterday in my woodworking shop on the new waterwheel I am making for our new fishpond. I have to say I made some pretty good headway, and today I should be able to finish it.

I have always said: “When the barn door’s open, the animals roam free. The same goes for opportunities. Keep your eyes open and seize ’em when they come.”

With that, I am off for a bagel this morning with some honey and cream cheese that my lovely wife is making for me, and will then head on out to my shop.

You all have a great day and I will leave you with this: “In the country, time moves a little slower, and the stories run a little deeper – where every wrinkle tells a tale and every creak in the floorboard echoes with the laughter of generations past.”

Fishing Times for Sunday
04/21/24

Major Times
–:—–:–
10:43 AM-12:43 PM

Minor Times
5:01 AM-6:01 AM
5:36 PM-6:36 PM

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

Fishing Tip of the Day: Experiment with different trolling speeds, depths, and lure colors to find the most effective combination. Vary your trolling patterns until you find a setup that consistently produces bites.

Good Morning! Another day in paradise, where the closest thing to rush hour is when the ATV’s line-up at the local diner for breakfast.

Walking to my shop earlier was a bit damp, as we are having some more rain. And it will rain off and on for most of the day. Tomorrow, however, we will be seeing some much-needed sunshine, which will sure be nice. Nothing like sunshine to brighten one’s day, in more ways than one.

Yesterday being so wet and cold outside, I worked the day away here at my computer, as I had a few stories for my newspaper columns that needed to be written. It seems some days the words flow easy, and yesterday was the day, so I took advantage of it. Today, I am thinking I will head on out to my old woodworking shop and get to work on making our new water wheel, for the new fishpond we dug a week ago. We couldn’t finish it, as our firewood for winter came, and we wanted to get it out of the weather so it could dry. So… that should keep my busy for the day.

Highway 522 is picking up a wee bit with each passing day. As frustrating as it may be, remember that summer traffic on Highway 522 is just a small price to pay for those nice winter days, when you had the road all to yourself, accompanied only by the gentle hum of your engine and the occasional deer watching you go by, along the roadside.

Wisdom I was taught and learned while on the farm: Where my lovely wife and I used to farm, we had a saying: ‘You can’t plow a field by turning it over in your mind.’ You have to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty if you want to see results. Why… I’ve seen folks spend more time talking about planting tomatoes than actually planting them! Sometimes you just gotta laugh and remind ’em: the only way to grow tomatoes is to stick it in the ground!

With that I am off for my morning bowl of porridge that my little woman is making for me, and will then head on out to my woodworking shop and make some sawdust, along with that new water-wheel.

You all have a great day, and I will leave you with this: “Living in the country is like having a permanent vacation – except instead of beaches and palm trees, we’ve got lots of trees winding-rivers and endless skies. And honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way!”

Fishing Times for Friday
04/19/24

Major Times
9:25 AM-11:25 AM
9:44 PM-11:44 PM

Minor Times
4:30 AM-5:30 AM
3:28 PM-4:28 PM

Day Rating: I give it a 1-star rating out of 5 for catching a few, that is if you like fishing in the rain.

Fishing Tip Of The Day: I have found that one can’t go wrong using natural bait. I use worms, insects, and small fish as bait. Learning to identify and use what nature provides… usually puts fish on the table come supper time. GW