Traditions change. It used to be there were two seasons for cottagers. š¦Water on and water offāļø. Water on marked the opening of the season, usually early May. While water off often happened at š¦Thanksgiving or shortly after. I remember childhood Thanksgivings focused as much on closing up for winter as having Turkey. Mornings with [...]
The last leaf clings to the bough and the forest floor is covered in gold. Time to go leaf kicking! On the water, managed levels are down in preparation for the coming freeze. Boats are still out on the water though. What some people still have to learn, is passage ways are not the same. [...]
This past week has been true to the season with new listings and reductions. A bit like being a kid in a candy store, thereās a lot to see! Not only a lot to see in real estate, the Pre-Cambrian Shield as aglow. Colour is popping everywhere. A particular tree weāve been watching started to [...]
Two interesting components of a typical fall market in cottage country are these: 1. Properties come to market that have not been for sale for a long time and 2. Properties which havenāt sold during the season take significant reductions. Both of these have happened this week. In the first instance, a property on Lawrence [...]
September is a fine time for walking in the woods. Days are warm, swarming insects few, and the sights and sounds of the forest point towards seasonal change. The forest canopy has thinned, animals are busy gathering and tucking away their winter store and the occasional branch is flamed in bright red, standing proud against [...]
Photo courtesy of Peter Hermann Wooden boats. There was a time when all pleasurecraft were made of wood: runabouts, sedans (fixed tops), cabin cruisers. Name it and it was in wood. For a small market, Muskoka had a lot of boat builders. Part of the reason was locationā¦ it was hard to get to Muskoka. [...]
There was a time when culture here reflected how well you could fish, play cards or paddle a canoe. From time to time for extreme culture, a boat trip to Bala and Dunnās Pavilion (today The Kee) or an evening in the Opera House in Gravenhurst put icing on the cake. Of course there were [...]
Come on in! The waterās fineš¦, they said. Up until a week ago the waters in these parts were definitely on the refreshing side. Some might say cold. With heat of the last few days thereās been a definite closing of the tolerance gap. Super heated bodies need to cool down and, for the more [...]
Segwun by Gordon Harrison MarketWATCH Muskoka: 7 July 2022 At the height of the steam era, Gravenhurst Wharf was a hive of activity. Passengers disembarked from the trainš onto the wharf and from there directly onto one of several steamships. For those going north to Royal Muskoka, Windermere, Pinelands or Elgin House (to name only [...]
The summer smiles, the summer knowsā¦ so goes the song. In these parts we might say, Muskoka smiles, Muskoka knows. The mystique of loon calls, exposed granite shores and whispering pines are special enough. But when the burble of a woody sliding by breaks the soundscape, Muskoka smiles. For more than 120 years inboard motors [...]
