Most Unusual Weather, says Grandfather Joseph

The girls, every day, coming to say hello.

I haven't posted for a while -- we've been busy, as many have, getting ready for the Christmas season!

The weather has been extraordinary -- and unusually mild.  In fact, to date, we've got no snow on the ground, no ice on the lake. The ground isn't frozen, and yes, today was a sweatshirt kind of day.

This has been wonderful in many ways. The hiking is excellent, you can see forever through the bush with the leaves off, there are no bugs, it's easy walking and comfortable to dress for.

free range hens are loving the mild weather!

This has been far less wonderful in other ways. The ski hill is closed. They opened for one day, on artificial snow, and then had to close again.  The cottages here are not busy. If you were thinking of a skiing getaway, then you are not coming here.  This means it is quiet around here, in the stores, restaurants, resorts.  

Buffleducks are still here -- delaying migration.

Not quite green enough to mow, thankfully!

In many ways, that is a real shame, and not just for the economy up here.  There is still tremendous value in just getting away, getting out of the city, into the country, going for a long walk in the woods, or driving into Algonquin Park to look for the moose.  Wildlife is taking full advantage of the mild weather to get in those last few calories before the cold does return.

Shining Sticks, as the First Nations' called the beaver cleaned
branches, scattered along our beach front.

Nothing is ever perfect, though -- that is not good news for bears, who need to just hibernate, and not wake up and expend calories.  Or chipmunks... or even squirrels -- ours are now so fat that they are getting slower (or Taffy is just getting faster!)  There are trees coming out in bud -- and for the apple and other fruit trees, that spells disaster for next year's crop. I had a crocus in bloom this week.

Taffy, looking for Winter.

Is this unheard of?  Well, not so fast.  In 1926 Joseph wrote in his diary, on JANUARY 16, that he went golfing at Britannia Lodge on Dwight Bay. "most unusual weather" he wrote, "all cattle still out on pasture."  So, yes, it can happen. Mind, that was a full century ago.

Never mind. We are enjoying a bit of a breather -- not having to plow snow, or groom trails, or shovel off the rink.  It will all come, but this will be a quieter season, with time for us to spend with our own family, so that's all good.  

We still think you should come north though.  It's beautiful -- forget the endless gray of the cityscape with nothing but mud and drear in every direction. You should come up here.