George's Writers Corner, My Opinion Only, What’s Really Going On

When the Work’s Already Been Done

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You ever notice how some folks like to show up when the hard part’s over? The barn’s built, the tools are put away, and suddenly there they are, leaning on the fence post saying how proud they are of the work. That’s kind of how I see this whole business with Carney flying off to Egypt for the Gaza peace talks.

Now don’t get me wrong, it’s fine he’s going. Canada ought to be part of things that might calm the world down a bit. But let’s be honest about where it started. It was Trump who pushed this deal through, for better or worse. Say what you want about the man … and plenty do … but he’s the one who got Israel and Hamas to the table. It’s his fingerprints on this thing, not Carney’s.

Carney, though, well, he’s stepping into the picture now that the dust’s settled a bit. Cameras are rolling, hands are shaking, and everyone’s talking peace. It’s good optics, as they say. Makes Canada look like we’re helping steer the ship. Trouble is, the ship was already built and halfway across the water by the time he showed up.

That’s the way of politics, I suppose. Folks like to stand in the light after someone else wired it up. And I’m not saying Carney means harm. Maybe he really does want peace, and I’ll give him that. But when I see him headed off to Egypt talking about unity and recognition, I can’t help thinking … he’s showing up at the barn raising after the last nail’s already in.

Anyway, maybe in the end it doesn’t matter who takes the bow, as long as the job gets done. But I still think folks ought to remember who lit the fire in the first place.

Until the next time: Keep Your Minds Open & 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.

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In Closing, I Would Like to Wish You Well!

George Walters | [email protected]

George's Writers Corner, Old Days, Old Ways, Weather, What's Happening

A Few Words for a Thanksgiving Morning

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Good morning. You know, over the years I’ve seen how most problems come back to earth after a cup of coffee and a little work.

Starting things off, it looks like we are in for another great day here in Cottage Country, the kind that reminds you what Thanksgiving’s really about.

Highway 522 is quiet this morning, and the reason is simple enough. Most folks are either at home or visiting friends for the holiday. For my wife and me, that’s exactly what we’re doing. She has a turkey ready to go in the oven and a dessert I don’t know about yet. And later this afternoon, we’ll sit down and enjoy it, just the two of us this year. It’s a day that slows you down long enough to notice what you’d miss if it were gone.

On another note, yesterday I worked the day away in my old woodworking shop. I’m going to be making some more wooden flutes, my own design as always, and every one will be different in appearance. One of a kind, you could say. This year I plan on making around 25, which will bring my total up to around 75. I didn’t think I’d make any this winter, but seeing that we sold so many through the summer months in our gift shop, I thought I’d better.

They’re a lot of work. So many steps from start to finish that it’s hard to remember them all. That’s another reason I like to keep making them. Things stay fresh in your mind when you don’t let them sit too long.

A few days ago I picked up some of the exotic wood I’ll be needing, put it with what I already have, and things should work out. I managed to cut some of the pieces yesterday after getting everything together, and today I’ll finish that part up. Then it’s on to the tedious work where I inlay all different colors together. That’s a job in itself. Takes a lot of patience and a good trained eye, let me tell you.

At any rate, we’ll see how things go along. That’s what I was up to yesterday and what I’ll be doing today. Should keep me busy, wouldn’t you think?

So with that, I will finish things off today with this: I spent my younger years boarded out on a dairy farm, and those folks taught me more about Thanksgiving than any holiday dinner ever could. It wasn’t about the turkey or the trimmings. Well in part it was as i sure do like turkey, but mostly it was about stopping long enough to notice what you’ve got: a warm house, work that keeps your hands busy, and people you care about sitting across from you.

So yea, that’s what today is: my wife and I at the table, her getting her art studio ready for a winter of painting, me with flutes taking shape in the shop. And to top things off… a quiet evening, nothing fancy, but everything that matters.

Happy Thanksgiving Folks!

Until the next time: Keep Your Minds Open & 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

Earth’s Own Way of Fixing Things

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Only On The Walters Post

You know, we humans like to think we’re running the show. We fuss, we panic, we talk about saving the planet like it’s some helpless kid we’ve got to watch over. But the truth is, Earth’s been through worse than what we’re doing now, far worse, and she’s still here. It’s kind of humbling when you think about it.

Interestingly enough, scientists have been digging into how the planet regulates itself, and they found something they’re calling a “supercharged thermostat.” Sounds fancy, right? But it’s not a gadget, it’s not a computer program. It’s just the way Earth sorts herself out over long stretches of time. Pump enough carbon into the air, warm things up a bit, and eventually she starts cleaning up, on her own stubborn schedule, not ours.

Here’s how it goes. Rain hits the rocks when it warms up. I suppose that’s something most folks don’t think about unless you’ve been staring at wet stones on the side of a trail somewhere. That rain grabs carbon from the air, washes it down to the oceans. Out there, tiny plants called phytoplankton feast on it. When they die, they sink to the bottom, taking that carbon with them. Layer after layer, century after century, the planet tucks it away, quietly cleaning up after us.

What’s wild is how it feeds on itself. The warmer things get, the more these little plants grow. And the more they grow, the more carbon ends up on the seafloor. It’s not like flipping a switch mind ya, as it takes tens of thousands of years. But over that stretch, Earth hits her own reset button. She doesn’t care what we think. She just balances things out.

Now, don’t get the wrong idea as we’re still going to have heatwaves, storms, droughts, all the chaos we’ve stirred up. This doesn’t let us off the hook. But in the long haul, she’ll find her footing again. She doesn’t do it for us. She does it because that’s what life does… it adjusts, it keeps going, it endures.

I suppose me telling you all that doesn’t mean much, but I kind of figure it’s worth mentioning. So next time you feel like we’ve broken the planet beyond repair, remember: we’ve only shaken the branches. The roots are still holding fast. And somehow, that’s enough to sit with for a while.

Until the next time: Keep Your Minds Open & 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

Watching the Market Circus

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Only On The Walters Post

You watch it unfold and think, “This isn’t right… and I’m stuck in the middle.” One Friday, Trump tweets, tariffs on Chinese goods shoot to 100%, and just like that, Bitcoin dives from over $110,000 to $104,782. Ether? $3,637. Some Alt-coins? They practically faint, losing up to 95% of their value in a blink. People panic, selling like their wallets are on fire.

Meanwhile, the big players, yea the ones who actually know the game , well they are quietly buying it all up. Cheap coins everywhere, chaos on the screens, fortunes quietly appearing while the rest of us stare at charts like confused extras in a magic show.

It’s almost funny, really. One statement, one tweet, and the market acts like a herd of cats on roller skates. The clowns are running scared, the ringmasters are counting cash, and everyone acts shocked. Shocked! Like no one could see this coming.

Here’s the real talk: Don’t let headlines or sudden drops scare you into selling. If you’ve got a little to spare, maybe even invest. Go grab a coffee, ignore the news for a few days, and let the panic settle. Most likely, you’ll come out ahead. Sometimes, the smartest move is to just stay steady, watch the show, and laugh a little at the absurdity of it all.

Until the next time: Keep Your Minds Open & 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, What's Happening

A Few Thoughts Before the Coffee Cools

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Good morning. You know i have always said, “If you can’t fix it, learn from it.” Turns out that works for people too.

Looks like a mild, unsettled sort of day here in Port Loring. At the moment it’s sitting around 48°F (9°C), with clouds hanging low. it’s possible we could see a few light showers early on. By late morning, the sky should start to break, with a bit of sun sneaking through and the temperature climbing toward 60°F (15°C).

Come afternoon, expect a mix of cloud and clear, topping out around 62°F (17°C) before cooling back down into the low 50s°F (10–12°C) after supper.

So, a cool, damp start, and a softer finish. A day that doesn’t quite make up its mind, but still good enough to get a few things done.

Highway 522 has slowed down a lot, but it is the long weekend, Thanksgiving, and most folks are spending their time with family and friends. In our area, you can tell by the empty driveways and the smoke curling up from chimneys that people have settled in.

This year, my wife and I are spending it alone. We told our boys to enjoy theirs at home, which is what we’re going to do. It’s a two-hour drive for one son and a six-hour drive for the other… one way, so staying put just made sense. No driving back and forth. No coordinating who brings what, or wondering if the turkey will be cooked in time. Just us, a quiet house, and maybe take some time to enjoy that new book I have wanted to read now for the past month or so. Or better yet write up a few stories of my own that I have had in mind.

At any rate, after a major, busy summer—two months of running a huge garage sale, putting our home up for sale (though it’s off the market for now; maybe we’ll try again come spring), and keeping our one-of-a-kind gift shop open for folks dropping by—plus all the usual fixing and fussing around the house, and probably a dozen more chores I’ve forgotten (seeing as we’re getting up there in years), all we want to do is put our feet up, enjoy a bit of turkey, and relax. Truth told, we are simply wore out—the kind of tired that sits in your bones and doesn’t shake loose with one good night’s sleep. So. this year, we’re keeping things simple and easy going.

On another note, yesterday I spent some time out in my woodworking shop, getting things ready to make a few more wooden flutes. Just a couple days earlier, my wife and I took a drive south to visit some friends of ours who sells woodworking equipment and exotic wood. We picked up a brand-new Dewalt 22-inch scroll saw, and loaded the car with all sorts of lumber that will make for some really nice flutes once I get to work that is.

You Know… my wife and I always enjoy those trips. The folks there are friendly and never too busy to help us hunt down just what we need. But it should be noted that a good conversation and quality tools have a way of making a fellers pocket-book a touch lighter. Anyway, afterward, we grabbed a bite to eat, checked into a motel, put our feet up, and just enjoyed a quiet night away. The next morning, we had the breakfast that came with the room and took our time driving home, taking in things we don’t get to see that often.. All in all, it was a good trip.

I have come to the conclusion that we really should do that more often. As getting away, even for a short while makes coming back home to the country feel even sweeter, with all the space and calm you just can’t find anywhere else.

So what are you up to today GW?

Well, today I’m going to help my wife set up her art studio. She’s getting things organized so she can get into her painting this winter. That should keep me busy for part of the morning. After that, I’ll head out to my woodworking shop and pick out some wood for the flutes I want to make. Maybe clean up my shop a bit more, and by then, I’m guessing it’ll be about time to sit back with a cup of coffee and a sandwich. We’ll see how it all shakes out.

So with that, I’m off to enjoy my morning breakfast that my lovely wife has made for me. After that, I’ll have a cup of coffee to go along with our usual chat, and then it’s time to get to work. Or at least, that’s the plan—but we both know how plans go around here.

Until the next time: Keep Your Minds Open & 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]