Spring? What spring?

If "sprinter" was the new handle for last year, you ain't seen nothing yet!!

Although spring officially started more than 48 hours ago, you sure wouldn't know it by looking out the window. Since that "event" we have had two days of steady snowfall - just in case we didn't have enough already.

Before I start to feel too sorry for the Salmon Lake folks, check out what a friend on Georgian Bay bought this year - after being stranded for 18 days. That is one serious piece of snow removal equipment. The 60" snowblower ensures he will NEVER be stuck again!! (And he figures he can hire himself out at $100/hour. More than one way to pay off your investment!!!)

Compared to being unable to get out for 18 days (which would be very scary), I guess a frozen septic pipe and a shifted water line are not so bad.  And running away from it all for a while should have helped more than it did. According to rumour, we have another 3 weeks of this ahead of us.

So, "sprinter" may now be the new "spring". The sun is out today and warm enough to have things dripping outside, but the cold cold temps at night are not helping with the thaw efforts.

Fingers crossed that when it does warm up, it will do so gradually. Already the road is a complete mess with flooding in the lower parts, mud in the dirt parts and icy patches in the shade. It's like Mother Nature designed a special all-terrain course for us to drive through every day.

I will keep everyone posted on the thaw - or lack thereof. Maybe on the bright side, we can avoid black fly season altogether!!

It Never Stops Snowing!!!

Day after day, we wake up to another accumulation. And we're not talking small potatoes - between 4 and 8 inches every day. This is not a sport for old folks!!!!

The snow banks are so large now that those being plowed have no place left to put the snow. The big equipment is regularly in town putting snow into trucks to go who knows where!! And those with snow blowers just end up looking like the abominable snowman on a daily basis, thanks to the blow back from the machine.

Yesterday on our way home from town (it was clear here when we left), the white outs were so bad that I actually got out and walked in front of the car so Rick could stay on the road.

Everyone we talk to cannot remember this much snow so early in the winter. It's gonna be a long, long one. I am sure the snow machine operators and businesses are happy, but we are not amused!!

Or, if you want to snow shoe or cross country ski, there sure is the snow for it.

Here are just a few pictures to show you what real snow looks like.

This morning's view up the stairs from the front door.

The deck and BBQ, were cleared day before yesterday.

The railing this morning.

The big pine down by the water is bowing under the snow.

Having been in Toronto during that awful ice storm makes me happy this is not ice!! So I guess that adage, "Cheer up - it could be worse1" is correct. And, when you are just looking at pictures of it, it really is quite beautiful.

Holy Snow!

If you have been watching the news, you already know that we have been pummelled with snow in the past two weeks. It's unbelievable!! Everyday, we wake up to another 6-8 inches of fresh stuff. Yikes.

The temperatures in the early part of the week were hovering between -18 and - 21, but have turned positively balmy today at - 3. But the snow continues to fall. Driving back from town, the flakes were ever larger on the way in the road, so I took some pictures out the window.

Here is what you are in for if you are venturing this way over the holidays. Check out the size of the snowflakes.

The trees really do look beautiful, and if you never had to shovel the snow, you could admire it all day long.

Here is our front door. My hanging baskets have completely disappeared and our snow bank is already February or March size. Everyone is running out of places to put the stuff.

But I will wish you all happy holidays with this pretty picture. It does look suspiciously like a gingerbread house, doesn't it?

The Ice Man Cometh

Wow, hard to believe I haven't posted in nearly two months. But I guess that's because things have been relatively boring up here lately. You know how November is. Once the leaves are down, it's just a matter of time before the white stuff follows.

We have had to shovel once so far. Not a lot, but being married to someone who likes a clear driveway can be a bit frustrating. And now Lurch (our overly-macho snowblower) is in for a tune up. Seems someone was nesting in the bag.

Anyway, this morning when I got up, here is what I saw and photographed. It was the coldest night yet, so not surprising the first skim of ice is on the bay. It may not last, since the sun is shining, but it's the beginning.

The lake that Trailside is on (I can never remember the name) has had ice and snow for over a week now, but ours has been clear and still is in the channel. We always seem to be the last to freeze.

And I took a few snaps through different windows to remind you what snow looks like up here.

So hopefully your boats are all out and the lines are drained. Maybe this year, we'll have a lake we can actually skate, ski, walk on.

I will keep you posted. 

Awesome October So Far

The past two weeks have been absolutely sensational here. The leaves are even more spectacular than I remember them being last year. I think it's because there are distinct red, orange and yellow hues, so driving in the road is like being in that Group of Seven painting that arrives every fall.

Here are a few pictures that I took on the drive in the other day.

And it truly is the blue sky on a sunny day that makes them all look their best.

There is more good news to report!!! The new portage on the Otter Lake side is finished.

Work just began a couple of days ago, but today it is finished, so here are some pics to share. The sequence is how the pathway looks walking down from the road. It is great!!

I took a couple more looking back up from the bottom to show that they even left cedars where they were on either side, so not too much was disturbed.

Signs of Fall

As well as crazy temperatures that have the smell of fireplaces in the air here, there are other signs that we are well into fall.

The fall foliage is well under way with new patches of colour coming daily. This picture was taken a couple of weeks ago, when the swamp maples were leading the charge.The sumach are starting to put on their red coats as well.

But a tell-tale sign of the ups and downs of the temps is the water. Yesterday morning, before the sun burned it off, this was the mist that covered the lake.

It looks almost like a snow blizzard. And it dances across the lake in pretty much the same fashion.

After the 30+ degree day last week, we are now into single digit nights, which is why this phenomenon occurs. Pretty, but an omen of colder things to come.

I will share more pics of the colours as they appear.

More of Willie's Wonderful Work

Last week, just before our AGM, Willie (who installed our portage art sculpture) took us on a boat ride to see more of his work on Otter Lake.

He has a few pieces out front of his own place, marking a shoal in the water, which has been indicated with the usual water bottle markers until recently. He decided if he really wanted people to slow down, he should give them a good reason. And I think he has. (More about this at the end of the post, but first, some great pictures.)

From his lakefront, it looks like there's a swimming party out a bit.

Here's a couple with their noodles.

Deep in conversation - sunglasses, ball caps, the whole nine yards.

A pair of feet sticking up from an old ski belt.

A snorkler with mask, snorkel, fins and NO suit. (click on here to see larger)

And the rare Ontario Crocodile or Alligator - can never get them straight.

Another view of his friendly smile from the front.

Everything is hand carved from foam to float easily on the surface. They are all anchored to the same shoal and run the width of it. Very little possibility of hitting it if you have slowed down for the bobbing art show.

The croc and the scuba diver are articulated so that they move with the water. Well, so do the others, but they are basically bobbing in the wake. These ones have been constructed so that different parts move independently.  The croc has rubber flip flops between each of his spine segments so that they will move like a real croc - the tail actually swishes and goes back to position.

The scuba diver has a metal piece connecting his head to his torso and another connecting his heels to his torso. So, his head moves first when the waves hit and his feet move last. So much fun!!!

In another part of the lake, a larger sculpture that is a bit like a light house crossed with the Statue of Liberty. It has been placed on a private island for the summer and will be taken home again after Labour Day. The American who owns the cottage loves public sculpture and has a lighthouse sculpture at the other end of the island.

On a down side, and something that I certainly didn't know - if you choose to mark a rock or shoal, and it is known that the marker is yours, a lawyer on Otter says that you can be held personally responsible if someone hits that rock or shoal. Can you believe it!!!! This is what Willie has been told. He and his father before him have marked that shoal for 20 years, and the lawyer said that if someone hit it, knowing the marker was his, he could lose his cottage. Apparently, it's consider an "unofficial" marker and therefore personal liability can follow. So, after Labour Day, the swimming party - and the water bottle - will be taken down forever. I guess that leaves fast boaters who aren't paying attention to the mercy of the shoal.

When I asked who is SUPPOSED to mark these dangerous rocks and shoals, there was no answer.
I guess that is a BIG question for another day. And one we should learn the answer to for our own lake.

In the meantime, I think Willie's work IS indeed wonderful. It brings a smile to nearly everyone, save a few people who don't get it.

Cheers Willie.

PS. If you are a fan, and you want to see more, just knock on Willie's door (314 Salmon Lake Road). He'll be happy to give you a tour of the yard, and if you are lucky, maybe even the lake.