Good Morning!

It once again looks as if our day here in Cottage country is going to be nice. However, it was a touch cool waking up with the temperature sitting at 8.1 C | 46.58 F. It will warm up a lot as the day moves forward, which will allow my lovely wife and I to do some more front porch sittin’ later on in the day. Yesterday we had our coffee outside on our swing under the Basswood tree, enjoying each other’s company along with taking in nature that was trying to get our attention. It’s pretty amazing what one can see, hear and smell if they take the time to do these things. The older I get, the more I value the time I have left and what is truly important in life. And for those that hasn’t gone that far yet in life. It isn’t about money or material objects.

On another note, my wife and I got the mowing out of the way yesterday, which sure made things look nice around our home. Today I am planning on taking apart this old boat trailer I have saving all the parts for some projects I have in mind later on. I have found over the years that it’s well worth saving these things, as one never knows when you might need a piece of steel or what ever. Just when you throw it out, well … that’s when you’re going to be needing it. And with the cost of things these days, a person can save a lot of money in doing so. But then again, you do have to have the knowledge to do a lot of things to make things work, which I have found that a lot doesn’t possess.

With that I am off for my Egg McMuffin with an egg, cheese, tomato, lettuce with a piece of farm fresh bacon just because I can, that my pretty little woman is preparing for me. You know, she makes it look so appetizing that it’s almost a shame to eat it. But you can bet I won’t let it go to waste!”

“Have a wonderful day! As I always say, if you want to stay healthy, go outside and enjoy the sunshine. It’s even better for you than a flu shot.” GW

Good Morning!

It looks like we are in for a real nice day here in Cottage Country. We were, in the midst of some clouds, but as I gaze out, I see lots of blue sky heading our way. Which is nice as my lovely wife and I have some mowing around the house here to do today. We like to keep it looking nice, as we enjoy taking it all in when all said and done. There are some downfalls living where we do, but there are more good things than bad, especially watching nature unfold around us at any given time. There isn’t a window in our home that when looking out is like looking at a picture.

That’s why we came to live here many years ago. It used to be very peaceful. But now, during the summer, it’s becoming less quiet. Some people call it progress, but for my wife and me, it feels like we’re losing a special, timeless place. But it’s still better than living, or being close to the large cities, that’s for sure.

Highway 522: Not much traffic these days, but we are still having a few folks drop by our one of a kind gift shop, where everything in our store is made by my wife and I. Things you have never seen before that can’t be had anywhere else. Many have tried to copy us over the years, but never succeeded. Makes me smile.

On another note, yesterday being so wet, we didn’t do much outside. My wife however did do up some Prune Jam which sure is tasty. It will be nice to get into this winter. She’s truly an incredible woman. Despite having a lot on her plate, she manages to find time to prepare for winter and take care of things, along with me and our boys, which is a job in itself.

With that, I am off for another Egg McMuffin and will then see what the day has in store … other than we have planned.

Have a great day and when the sun gets to shinnin’ get out there and soak some of it up, as your body needs it to stay healthy through the long winter, which isn’t that far off. The more sun … the less sickness. GW

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Good Morning!

It’s a cool, wet morning here, waking up. We did have a lot of heavy rain yesterday and through the night. However, in saying that things will be gin to clear, and tomorrow we should see some sunshine which will be nice. We need the rain with the trees and plants heading into winter, but we also need some sunshine, which strengthens them, along with us humans.

Highway 522: It has been relatively quiet the past few days with a lot of campers, tourists and cottagers heading back to the cities, leaving us here in cottage country for another year to fend for ourselves, which we always manage to do as most of us are self-reliant.

On another note, my lovely wife and I decided to take a trip to North Bay yesterday to pick up some groceries and things. I have to tell you, it was challenging getting in and out of the stores with the heavy rain. And of all days, I forgot my damn hat. Ha ha. But we made do and managed to get most everything we went for. Things are sure expensive these days. Once we picked up our items, we had lunch in our car while people watching and then poured ourselves a cup of coffee and headed on home, taking in what nature had to offer along our way. All in all, it was a good day, other than spending money and the rain.

Today ... I am not sure what we will be doing with it being so wet and all. I might bring up an old boat trailer I have had for a while. It needs a lot of work and if the axles are good I will fix them and then convert it into a trailer that I can haul things around on. If that don’t work out, I will take it apart and use the steel for other things. You can never have enough old rusty steel lying around to fix or make things out of. At any rate, here again we will see how that works out. I do however, still have to clean up our vegetable gardens, but we still have some tomatoes, cucumbers and things left. Folks are still wanting them that I put on our trailer out front of our home. My wife and I have been enjoying them daily as it won’t be long before you can’t get them anymore, or at least the ones that look, tastes and smells like a tomato. But we do have lots in our freezer and done up in jars, which will sure be nice this winter. Along with a lot of other things.

So … with that I am off for an Egg McMuffin, with cheese, crispy bacon, portabella mushrooms, tomato and lettuce, that my little woman is putting together for me. She is one great cook, that woman of mine. It’s better than any you can buy at a restaurant, that’s for sure. And along with that, it gives a feller the protein he needs to get through a day. It’s almost … healthy, too. Ha ha. Now where did I put that damn hat of mine?

Have a good day, make it a good day! GW

Good Morning!

It’s a cloudy morning, waking up in cottage country. We didn’t have any rain through the night, but it does look like we might get a bit later on in the day. The good part is it isn’t too cold out this morning, and we didn’t have to turn on any heat. Which saves us some money as oil isn’t cheap these days, or is propane for that matter. Funny really, as the Powers that be went all gun ho getting everyone to switch over to propane saying it’s cheaper when in reality it isn’t. Gas and propane don’t cost less to make than oil because they all come from the same crude oil, and the process to get them ready for your tractor, car, truck or stove isn’t all that different. It’s like making different pies with the same apples – the core work is pretty similar, so the costs don’t vary much. One thing is for certain, the powers that be are good at is pulling the wool over certain individuals eyes. Ha ha.

Highway 522: Is still quiet these days other than a few locals moving around. There are a few tourists still in our area, as we have had a few drop by our gift shop.

On another note, my lovely wife pretty well has us stocked up on things for winter now. It took her about a month of working over a stove, but we sure will enjoy them throughout the winter months, which will save us a lot of money, especially these days with what they are charging for things. It’s amazing how they can get away with charging these prices. And feel it’s justified. So what should one do? Well, other than growing your own produce or buying directly from a farmer and doing things up that you like, that’s about it. Complaining doesn’t help a bit. I have found that if there is a will there is a way of getting around things, it all boils down to the individual themselves. The thing is I personally believe that our powers to be today doesn’t want you to become self efficient, they want you needing them, in doing so they have you under their control. I am not sure why some folks can’t see that, but … to each their own, I always say. For my wife and I we overcame a hell of a lot of hardships and obstacle’s in our day, and you know … we became stronger in doing so and I like to think a lot wiser. Anyway, enough of that, I am off for a boiled egg and some cottage cheese along with a slice of tomato from our own garden. Which should keep me going for the morning.

Have a great day! GW

Good Morning, and how are you all doing this morning?

Good I hope.

Looking outside, it’s a nice morning with lots of sunshine. However, it is a touch cool, with the temperature sitting at 11.6 C | 52.88 F. But it should warm up a bit as the day moves forward. We did turn on our oil furnace this morning to warm things up a bit. This time of year, things get a touch damp.

Highway 522: It’s still quiet and will remain that way now for the rest of the year. Which is fine with us as after a busy summer we are ready for a rest. But that’s not saying we won’t be doing some front porch sittin’ on the nice warm sunny days.

On another note, I took it somewhat easy yesterday as my old body wasn’t moving too good, but things are improving slightly, which is a good sign. Today I will see about doing a bit outside if I feel up to it. We will see how that works out.

With that, I am off for some pancakes this morning with some of my lovely wife’s freshly made peach sauce on top, which should be tasty.

Have a great day. GW

Good Morning!

It’s a cloudy morning here, waking up in cottage country. However, looking at the sky, things are about to change as I can see a lot of blue sky making its way into our area. Which in turn should warm things up a touch … as getting out of bed we did have to turn on our oil furnace to warm things up a bit. The temperature at the time of this post was sitting at 10.9 C | 51.62 F. But things will warm up as the day moves forward. So we all best enjoy the warmth and sunshine while we can. I know my wife and I will. But in saying that, we still have a wee bit of things that needs attending before the freezing temperatures set in. Which is only a month away.

Highway 522 is very quiet these days, with most tourists and cottagers back in the cities. But in a month the hunters will head our way, hoping to put some meat in the freezer for winter. That will continue until December. After that, the only movement in our area will be the locals picking up their mail and things.

On another note, I didn’t do much yesterday, with my body not up to par as it should be. So I took it easy. Today I feel a bit better, but not good enough to get out there and do too much. I might put in our storm windows upstairs later on with my wife’s help. She has most of the preserves done up now for winter. She might do up a few more low acid tomatoes before they go bad, it’s a shame to waste them. And … I like them.

With that I am off for a boiled egg and some cottage cheese and then will see what the day has in store other than what I have planned.

Have a great day! GW

Good Morning!

It’s a cloudy, wet morning here, waking up in cottage country. Although the rain has stopped now. Which is fine with me as I am looking forward to some sunshine and some front porch sitting. I guess my body is telling me I need a rest, as once I finished the mowing yesterday, I could hardly walk again. I guess I have been pushing myself too much. So I will have to take it easy for a spell. Other than that, I did get the mowing out of the way for another week. My lovely wife did up more preserves along with making some peach jam, which turned out great. We will sure enjoy it this winter, actually I am thinking it would go good on a toasted bagel this morning. Just because I can.

Highway 522: It is very quiet these days, hardly anyone moving around. The hot now cool wet weather didn’t/isn’t helping things any. On our trip down South of us a couple of days ago, the highways were also quite without hardly no vehicles on the highways going south or north.

On another note, today I am not going to be doing much feeling like I am, I think I will just relax in my lazy boy chair and if I am up to it maybe write a story or two for my columns in the newspapers I write for.

Have a great day and if the sun comes out, try and soak a bit of Vitamin D3 up as our bodies need to store it up for winter. GW

Good Morning!

Well, it’s a cloud morning here, waking up in cottage country. We did have a few showers through the night, but nothing to write home about. The power also went off for a half hour or so early this morning, but then came back on.

Highway 522: It has slowed down a lot, traffic wise, which is a sign of what’s to come with folks leaving our area heading back home for winter. Can’t say I blame them, neither. Although with the hot weather we have had for the past three or four days, one sure wasn’t thinking of the cold. But that is behind us now as the cooler weather will slowly be edging into our area.

On another note my lovely wife and I went down to Coldwater Ontario to visit a friend of ours as she is getting up there in years. We had a good visit and then headed back home taking in what nature has to offer which is a lot if a person takes the time to notice what is going on around them.

Today I am thinking of mowing our grass if it doesn’t rain anymore, but we will have to see how that goes. I also have to pick some more tomatoes and put them on the trailer out front, as a lot of folks are wanting them, being so tasty and all. It will be along while soon before we get any more of the fresh ones.. But my wife and I are good in that department, as she has steadily been making relish and putting them in the freezer. Today she is going to do up some peach and strawberry jam along with putting some beans in the freezer. I am very luck to have a woman that likes and knows how to do these things along with being a heck of a good cook among other things. She is a woman of many talents.

With that, I am off for a bowl of cereal and will then see what the day has in store.

Have a great day. GW

Good Morning!

It’s another really nice morning here in Cottage Country. The sun is shinning and at the moment the temperature is just right. However, it will warm up a lot as the day moves forward and remain warm for tomorrow and the next day. After that, things will start to cool down. Looking outside, the trees are starting to show their color and the apples are starting to fall from their tree. Another sign change is in our midst.

Highway 522 was quiet yesterday, being a holiday and hardly any stores open. Today things will pick up. Although our store was open, and we did have a fair amount of folks dropping by to say hello and pick up a few things.

On another note. Yesterday, besides talking to people, I did get our vegetable garden cleaned up. I also dug up our corn stalks and put them away for October when my lovely wife uses them for decoration, which she is good at.

With that, I am off for a bowl of cereal, and then I think I will wash our car. It’s getting a bit dusty sitting in the carport. Looks and runs nicer when cleaned up, and we feel better driving it.
Have a great day. GW