On our property we have two fruit trees. Deer are indiscriminate. They eat whatever has fallen or they can reach. The red berries that gleam like cherries in the sun, are crabs. The others an old Ontario variety long forgotten. They’re on a tree planted when the original home was built here in the 1870’s [...]
MarketWATCH Muskoka: 3 August 2023 Hump Day. This Civic Holiday weekend is to high summer season as Wednesday is to the week. The fulcrum point. Our days are noticeably shorter, nights are a bit cooler but the lake is oh, so warm. It's good sleeping weather too. We're moving into the dog days of [...]
🍁Canada Day!🍁 The first long weekend of the summer. Even though the last few days have inundated the region with heavy rain, concern still exists for wild fires raging north and east of us. A number of fireworks displays have been canceled and bans are in effect in many Townships. What’s Canada Day🍁 without fireworks🧨? [...]
It’s happened. The longest day. In these parts evening lasts until about 10pm before nightfall. Dusk lingers and amazingly, birds continue their conversation until dark. No sleeping in though, at 0430 they are back at it. Hard to tell whether it’s joy they’re sharing in the morning, or comments about lack of sleep. Regardless, for [...]
Trillium are blooming. In places the forest floor is a carpet of deep red and brilliant white. This week will be the highlight of Ontario’s flower in these parts. It’s likely, too, as it usually is, that black flies will have their heyday as well. For about 10 days the beauty of the forest is [...]
MarketWATCH Muskoka: March edition March is a patchwork, geographically speaking. Depending on location in the province, one could be waiting for snowdrops and daffodils🌷 in a garden devoid of snow or looking out at mounds of it, some of it very fresh, wondering if spring will ever come?❄️ Cottage Country is very much the latter. [...]
Traditions change. It used to be there were two seasons for cottagers. 💦Water on and water off❄️. Water on marked the opening of the season, usually early May. While water off often happened at 🦃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, there’s 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 we’ve been watching started to [...]
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 train🚂 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 [...]
