We had a great garage sale a couple of weeks back—but don’t worry, this one’s not just leftovers!
Since then, we’ve cleared out even more from the house and the woodworking shop, and let me tell you, we’ve uncovered a whole new batch of treasures. There’s a fresh mix of old tools, handmade pieces, kitchen odds and ends, vintage finds, and plenty more.
If you’re out for a drive or just looking for something to do, swing on by. You never know what you might find, and chances are, you’ll leave with something you didn’t know you needed. We’ll be all set up May 30, 31, and June 1, from 10 AM to 4 PM each day. We’d sure enjoy the visit.
One special piece that’s up for grabs is a small pine table with two drop leaves and turned legs. I made it myself a few years ago, and my wife painted a lovely design on the top. It’s time for it to find a new home, so if it catches your eye, we’re letting it go for $125. And if there are any crafters out there, well they won’t want to miss this sale.
Until the next time: Keep Your Minds Open & Your Stories Alive. GW
Our Fish Pond is Starting to Look Nice now, Got the Water Wheel Working For Another Season
Good Morning… You know, I have found over the years, that there’s no shortcut to doing it right the first time.
So it’s looking as if we’re in for another nice day here in Cottage Country. The sun is showing off, and at the moment, there isn’t a cloud in the sky. There’s just something about these early morning hours that brings on a feeling of contentment up here in the north. I suppose it comes down to the quiet, the stillness, and being surrounded by nothing but nature.
Weather For Port Loring, Ontario Canada:
Today – Wednesday, May 28
It’s shaping up to be a beauty. Expect sunshine through the morning, with a few clouds drifting in later. The high will reach around 80°F (27°C). Winds will be light, and the air will feel fresh. By evening, there’s a chance of showers moving in though, so you might want to keep an eye on the sky if you’re planning to be out.
Tonight
Clouds will thicken as the night goes on, bringing a good chance of showers. The low will dip to about 53°F (12°C). It’ll be a calm night, perfect for listening to the rain on the roof.
Tomorrow – Thursday, May 29
A cooler day ahead. Expect mostly cloudy skies with occasional showers, especially in the morning. The high will be around 62°F (17°C), and the low will settle near 49°F (10°C). A good day to catch up on indoor tasks or enjoy a quiet moment or two by the window.
Highway 522 is still quiet in our area. Not too many folks moving around. But it is early in the season, and the weather hasn’t been all that nice. With that, and the price of things these days, folks are staying close to home. But in saying that, as soon as the nice weather hits, I’m sure our country style of living will start to play on the city folks’ minds, and the call of the country will be upon them. And when that happens… well, old Highway 522 will start to get busy.
Bug Report: Well, them black flies are out in full force, along with the mosquitoes—those blood-sucking parasites. But the good news is, I did spot a dragonfly or two yesterday, and their main meal just so happens to be black flies and mosquitoes. Which means we humans and critters will get some relief in the coming days.
On another note, Yesterday I worked the day away getting more things in the woodworking shop ready for our next garage sale this weekend. My wife’s been busy, too, clearing out more from the house. Between the two of us, we’ve rounded up a good mix of treasures—old tools, handmade pieces, kitchen odds and ends, some vintage finds, and who knows what else.
If you’re out for a drive or just looking for something to do, swing on by. You never know what you might find—and chances are, you’ll leave with something you didn’t know you needed. We’ll be set up and ready to go this weekend, and we’d sure enjoy the visit.
So, with that bit of information out in the open, I’m off to enjoy the breakfast my lovely wife’s put together for me, and then I’ll be heading outdoors. Still early, but there’s no sense wasting a beautiful day like this.
Until the next time: Keep Your Minds Open & Your Stories Alive. GW
These are my own thoughts from what I’ve seen and lived through. I’m sharing them to spark some thinking and honest conversation, not because I have all the answers.
Tariffs, Excuses, and the Grocery Till
Lately, I’ve been paying attention to what’s happening with grocery prices here in Canada, and something’s not sitting right. Every time the bill goes up, there’s a new excuse. Now, they’re blaming tariffs, the new ones coming from across the border. And sure enough, some of the stuff we bring in from down there is getting hit with extra charges, which means higher costs by the time it lands on our shelves.
But here’s where I start raising my eyebrows.
They say it’s a 25 percent tariff on certain things we import, like food, grains, and even packaging supplies. And yes, that adds up, but when I look at the size of the price hikes, it feels like someone is adding a little extra on top. Maybe more than a little.
Over the years, I’ve lived through my share of economic ups and downs, and I know when something smells off. Tariffs might explain a piece of the puzzle, but they sure don’t explain why everything from apples to oatmeal has jumped in price. And it doesn’t explain why the folks in charge of setting those prices seem to be doing just fine, maybe even better than fine, while the rest of us are squinting at the checkout, wondering what we can put back.
Now, I’m not saying these trade decisions don’t affect things. They do. But I’m also not buying the idea that this is all out of their hands. It feels more like they found themselves a convenient excuse and decided to run with it.
Any way, at the end of the day, us regular Canadians are the ones footing the bill again. And all we get in return is another round of reasons why things “had to” go up.
Until the next time: Keep Your Minds Open & Your Stories Alive. GW
“The flowering crab apple by our cottage sure is nice!”
Well, judging by the sky, it looks like we’re in for another really nice day. That’s just the way I like it, so with that in mind, it’s best I get to enjoying it, which I will do shortly.
Any way, here’s the weather forecast for Port Loring, Ontario:
Today – Tuesday, May 27, 2025 Mostly sunny skies, with a high around 76°F (24°C). A gentle breeze from the southwest at about 5 to 10 mph will keep things comfortable. Tonight, expect clear skies, with temperatures dipping to about 53°F (12°C).
Tomorrow – Wednesday, May 28, 2025 Cloudy with sunny breaks in the morning, becoming mainly cloudy in the afternoon, with a high of 73°F (23°C). Showers are expected in the evening and overnight, with a low of 53°F (12°C).
So, it looks like today is the best bet for soaking up the sun before the clouds and showers roll in tomorrow. Enjoy the beautiful weather while it lasts!
Highway 522 is slowly picking up traffic-wise these days. We’ve had a good number of new folks stopping in at our gift shop, picking up a few things, along with checking out our garage sale and woodworking items. Truth be told, we’ve had quite a few, drop by over the past week or so. But that said, we still have lots to sell, as just yesterday my wife and I put out a whole mess of new stuff we don’t need anymore.
On another note, like I mentioned above, yesterday was a day of sorting through more things for our garage sale and adding them to the pile out under the carport. It’s a good spot for it, since if it rains, we can still stay open and folks can browse without getting wet.
So what are you up to today, GW?
Well, today I want to till up the soil between the new veggies we planted the other day, as it got packed down a bit from all the planting. After that, I’ll work away in the old woodworking shop, as there’s still lots to do in there getting the tools I want to sell cleaned up and ready for folks to see. And if the weather holds—and I suspect it will— my wife and I are planning on enjoying our afternoon coffee out on the swing set I built a year or so ago. It’s a nice spot, where we set it out under the basswood tree. From there, we can pretty well see all of our property, which really is a sight to see this time of year. The trees are in full leaf, the grass is nice and green, a lot of our flowers are showing off, and the lilac bushes are just about in full bloom. And boy, do they ever smell good. Hard to find ones that still carry a scent like that these days.
Bug Report: Well, the black flies are out in full force, annoying us humans right alongside all the critters in the wild. And if that wasn’t enough, those blood-sucking parasites—the mosquitoes—are starting to join the party. Not much we can do about them either, other than ride it out. Soon enough, the dragonflies will show up, and when they do, they’ll take care of most of the bugs for us.
With that, I’m off to enjoy the breakfast my lovely wife has made for me, and then I’ll see what the day has in store. One never knows what a day might bring.
Until the next time: Keep Your Minds Open & Your Stories Alive. GW
Good Morning… You know, I’ve made enough mistakes to know which ones not to make again, at least for most days.
For a change, we’re all waking up to a sunny sky here in Cottage Country. Not a cloud in sight, which is a welcome relief after all the rain and cool temperatures we’ve had this spring.
Here’s the weather forecast for Port Loring, Ontario:
Today – Monday, May 26, 2025 Mostly sunny skies, with a high around 73°F (23°C). A light breeze from the north at 5 to 10 mph will help keep things comfortable.
Tonight – Monday, May 26, 2025 Clear skies, with temperatures dipping to about 46°F (8°C). Winds will stay light and variable.
Tomorrow – Tuesday, May 27, 2025 Sunshine continues, with a high near 75°F (24°C). Winds will remain light. Overnight, look for partly cloudy skies and lows around 49°F (10°C).
Let’s hope that sunshine sticks around a while.
Highway 522 was quiet yesterday, with it being Sunday and all. Most locals around here treat Sunday like it’s made for sleeping in, and coffee comes second to a good long snooze. Now, the tourists? That’s a whole different ball game. They’re up at the crack of dawn, maps in hand, charging off to see every rock, tree, and chipmunk north of the French River. Meanwhile, the locals are still in their housecoats, wondering who let all these early birds loose in our backyard.
Bug Report: Well, the black flies are out in full force now that the cool weather has let up. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, the mosquitoes have decided to join the party, and they didn’t come for the conversation. They don’t bother me all that much, but for some folks, they sure do. Between the two of them, stepping outside feels more like offering yourself up as the daily special.
On another note, yesterday, my wife and I finally got our vegetable garden planted. We got up early, tilled it a couple of times, had a coffee, and then got to work. It took us all morning. I have to admit, there’s nothing like getting out there and working in the soil. Once everything was planted and settled, it felt pretty satisfying to see those rows all lined up, ready to grow.
We put in three different kinds of tomatoes, one being yellow low acid, along with three different kinds of lettuce and some spinach we started earlier. We also planted beets, Brussels sprouts, Broccoli, Orange Peppers, Zucchini, Acorn Squash, and to finish it all off, a row of Sweet Corn (Peaches & Cream). There should be no reason this summer not to have fresh things to eat right from our own garden.
All it takes now is putting my old hoe to work once a week and giving them a drink occasionally. Not much effort considering what you get in return.
So what are you up to today, GW?
Well, today I figure I’ll get back to sorting and setting more things out for our summer garage sale. We’ve sold a lot so far, but there’s still plenty to go, especially the stuff in my woodworking shop. You know, I even found things I didn’t know I had tucked away in there.
So with that, I’m off for my morning breakfast that my lovely wife has made for me, and then I’ll head outdoors. It sure is nice to be working outside instead of being cooped up in the house. Winters are long here in the north, and when that warm weather finally hits, there’s no holding us back, not even the black flies or mosquitoes. They might be a bit irritating, but for the most part, we just swat them away like uninvited guests and carry on like nothing’s wrong.
Until the next time: Keep Your Minds Open & Your Stories Alive. GW
