George's Writers Corner, The Old Craftsman's Woodworking Shop, Weather, What's Happening

A Few Lines to Keep the Day Humble

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Good morning. You know, the older I get, the more I find that laughter and coffee fix most things… just not the same things. Coffee gets the body moving when the joints are stiff and the mind is foggy. Laughter, though, that’s what loosens the grip of worry, the kind that settles in your chest when you’ve been thinking too hard about things you can’t change. I’ve noticed they work best when you don’t force either one. A good laugh has to sneak up on you, same way the first sip of morning coffee tastes better when you’re not rushing it down.

Backwoods Weather Report – Port Loring, Ontario
Tuesday, October 21, 2025

Morning Update (8:30 a.m.)
The barometer is falling, a sure sign that weather’s moving in before long. Still, we’ve got a wee bit of sunshine slipping through this morning, lighting up the wet grass and warming things just enough to make you think maybe it’ll hold. The air’s 41°F (5°C) with 86% humidity, and the wind’s just a lazy breeze out of the east-northeast at 3 km/h. Feels calm for now, but that quiet has a weight to it — like the woods are waiting.

Today:
Enjoy that morning sun while it lasts, because clouds will thicken as the day goes on, with light rain or drizzle likely by mid to late afternoon. The temperature will climb to around 46°F (8°C), though the dampness will make it feel cooler.

Tonight:
The sky should stay overcast, and you can expect patchy fog or mist in the hollows. Lows around 37°F (3°C). A good night for the fire and maybe a cup of something warm, the kind that doesn’t come from the kettle.

Tomorrow (Wednesday):
Still mostly cloudy early, with a few lingering showers, then slow clearing late in the day as the system slides out. Temperatures near 48°F (9°C), and the barometer will start to rise, pointing toward a stretch of fairer weather ahead.

Nature’s Signs:
This morning’s sunshine brought a few chickadees and doves out to our bird-feeder, but not much else. The woods are quiet, the air’s heavy, and that faint smell of damp leaves says the rain isn’t far off.

On another note, yesterday I worked the whole day in my woodworking shop on that batch of new Native American flutes I’m making. Things have been rolling along pretty good, which makes it nice. Nothing worse than spending hours on something time-consuming only to have it all go sideways on you.

So what are you up to today, GW?

Well, today I’ll be continuing on with those flutes. That said, I did bring a new chopping block into my shop earlier this morning. My old one finally gave up the ghost. But it didn’t go to waste. It’s still keeping me warm, just in another way now.

So with that, I’m off for my breakfast that my lovely wife is making for me. Then I’ll have a cup of tea while enjoying our regular morning chat. Can’t miss that. After that, I’ll see what the old world has planned for me.

Until the next time, keep your minds open and your stories alive. GW

All my books are available on my Amazon Author Page.

If you purchase a book, a brief Amazon review really helps new readers discover my work—it means a lot.

Support my writing: Support My Writing

In Closing, I Would Like to Wish You Well!

George Walters | [email protected]

Weather

Backwoods Weather Report – Port Loring, Ontario

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Date: October 20, 2025

Good Morning: Well, it’s a chilly start this morning at 45 F (7 Celsius), and the air’s sticky with humidity around 80 percent. The barometer’s low and steady this morning, so nothing sudden, but you can feel the day holding its breath. Winds are calm from the west-northwest, barely moving, which is nice for a slow start, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the clouds thicken later.

Tonight, it’ll dip into the low 40s F (just above freezing), and the damp air’s going to linger. The sky’s mostly cloudy, and the wind stays quiet… a night to hear the woods settle, the kind that makes you pause and listen.

Tomorrow, highs only around 50 F (10 Celsius). The sun might peek through here and there, but it won’t bring much warmth. Winds light from the west, and with the lingering moisture in the air, the day will feel raw, like it’s holding a bit of the night with it. Perfect weather for staying close to the stove, or the kettle.

Nature’s Signs:
Look around the sky—clouds moving fast from the west-northwest tell you a front’s shifting in, nothing drastic but a change is coming. The smell of wet earth is strong, and moss on the north sides of trees is plump, both signs that moisture’s sticking around. The old timers would watch this sort of thing, reading the woods instead of a forecast, letting the clouds and wind and air pressure tell them what’s coming before it hits.

All my books are available on my Amazon Author Page.

If you purchase a book, a brief Amazon review really helps new readers discover my work—it means a lot.

Support my writing: Support My Writing

In Closing, I Would Like to Wish You Well!

George Walters | [email protected]

George's Writers Corner, Weather, What's Happening, What’s Really Going On

A Thought or Two Before the Day Finds Its Way

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Morning. I learned as a kid, that if you want to see who your real friends are, invite them to help stack firewood. I’m still waiting for a few to show up.

Backwoods Weather Report – Port Loring, Ontario

Well folks, it’s a mild start to the day here in our corner of the bush. The temperature’s sitting around 58 °F, which isn’t bad for this time of year. The air’s on the damp side, and it feels like the kind of morning where you can’t quite tell if it’s warm or cool. The sort of day where a light jacket feels right, though you’ll likely shed it before lunch.

The barometer’s also sitting low and steady this morning, which usually means the weather’s undecided. Could turn wet later, maybe just a soft rain or a mist that hangs in the trees. And we can’t forget the wind as it’s still sleeping, not much moving except the odd leaf falling across the driveway.

All in all, it’s one of those easy mornings where the world seems to be taking a breath before it changes its mind.

Nature’s Signs:
The squirrels were already at it before sunup, racing along the fence lines with cones in their mouths. That kind of hustle usually points to a damp spell coming. Along with them the chickadees are chirping up a storm at our bird feeder, so it’s not moving in just yet. When they go quiet, we will know the shift in the weather is about to start.

On another note: Yesterday, I put in another full day working on my new batch of Native American flutes. I have to say, judging by how things are shaping up, I’m going to have some pieces that’ll turn any true music lover’s head. Honestly, I’m not sure where the designs are coming from this time around. Feels like inspiration is just flowing steady as I work. I’ve been at this for a while now, and each flute seems to be taking on a character of its own. It’s exciting to see where this creative streak leads.

So what are you up to today, GW?

Well, today once again I’ll get back to my flutes. You have to keep at things when the iron’s hot, when the ideas are still coming fast and your hands remember yesterday’s rhythm. Walk away too long and you lose something. Not the skill exactly, but that thread of momentum that carries you from one piece to the next.

Truth is, when a creative streak shows up, you don’t ask questions. You just clear the bench and get to work.

With that, I’m off for my breakfast that my lovely wife has made for me, then onto our cup of tea. We buy it from England, very tasty, and we enjoy it while we have our morning chat. Then I’ll head on out to the shop. Nice thing is the way the weather’s being warm and all, might be able to leave the shop doors open.

Until the next time, keep your minds open and your stories alive. GW

All my books are available on my Amazon Author Page.

If you purchase a book, a brief Amazon review really helps new readers discover my work—it means a lot.

Support my writing: Support My Writing

In Closing, I Would Like to Wish You Well!

George Walters | [email protected]

George's Writers Corner, Weather

Backwoods Weather Report – Port Loring, Ontario

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Tonight: Saturday October 18, 2025
It’ll be a calm, quiet night, barely any wind, just a soft breeze from the south. Temperatures will drop into the low 40s F (around 5 or 6°C), feeling a bit chilly and damp with humidity near 81%. Clouds will likely stick around, so don’t count on a clear, starry sky.

Tomorrow:
A mild, easygoing day ahead. Highs near 60 F (16°C) with soft winds still from the south. The sun might peek through now and then, but mostly it’ll be a mellow, mostly cloudy sky.

Nature’s Signs:
Birds are keeping low, deer are wandering closer to the forest edge, and squirrels are busy with their last-minute gathering. Step outside and you’ll hear the crunch of damp leaves underfoot which is a sign that the season is moving along.

Until the next time, keep your minds open and your stories alive. GW

All my books are available on my Amazon Author Page.

If you purchase a book, a brief Amazon review really helps new readers discover my work—it means a lot.

Support my writing: Support My Writing

In Closing, I Would Like to Wish You Well!

George Walters | [email protected]

George's Writers Corner, My Opinion Only

The EV Hype vs. Reality

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Only On The Walters Post

You know, I’ve been saying for years on my blog that electric vehicles just aren’t the best fit for northern Ontario. And lately, it seems like the news is starting to catch up to what a lot of us have been thinking all along.

First off, cold weather and EV batteries don’t get along. Studies show that when the temperature drops between 20°F and 5°F (-7°C to -15°C), electric vehicles can lose up to 40% of their driving range. That’s a big problem when you’re out here where the roads are long and the towns are far apart.

And then there’s the matter of charging. Northern Ontario still doesn’t have enough charging stations. Sure, they’re putting a few in here and there, but when you’re hundreds of kilometers from the next town, “a few” doesn’t mean much.

Battery life is another issue folks don’t always think about. On average, EV batteries lose around 2–3% of their capacity every year, and the cold only makes it worse. After a while, you’re not getting anywhere near the range you had when the car was new.

And what happens when those batteries wear out? Recycling programs exist, but the system isn’t ready. Without proper handling, those old batteries could end up in landfills, and that’s not helping the environment any more than exhaust pipes do.

Now, I’m not saying electric cars don’t have a place. Down in southern Ontario, where it’s warmer and charging stations are easier to find, maybe they make sense. But up here, it’s a whole different story. The cold, the distances, the lack of infrastructure, it all adds up to a tough sell.

So maybe instead of trying to rebuild everything from scratch, we should fix what we already have. Canada’s sitting on an abundance of oil and gas, and we already have the systems in place to use it. If we worked harder at making that cleaner and more efficient, we’d be a lot further ahead.

I just call it the way I see it. Out here, we look at what works, not what sounds good in some fancy office down south.

Until the next time, keep your minds open and your stories alive. GW

All my books are available on my Amazon Author Page.

If you purchase a book, a brief Amazon review really helps new readers discover my work—it means a lot.

Support my writing: Support My Writing

In Closing, I Would Like to Wish You Well!

George Walters | [email protected]