Summit? What Summit?

All night, the frog song was interrupted by the clatter of helicopters, somewhere in the dark.

All day, the drone of aircraft provided background sound. The Heads of State for the G8 arrived at Deerhurst -- MP Tony Clement dutifully twittered each arrival, along with 'teasers', such as the 40 geese that paraded across the landing pad for the helicopter bringing POTUS; and the tid-bits that the UK's new PM Cameron went for a dip in Pen Lake, and Russian President Medvedev went out to dinner at a Huntsville restaurant Thursday. No word on which one... we have our suspicions.

There were police cruisers everywhere, but it was eerily calm. The local news radio reported that at the 'designated free speech area', every protestor had their own port-a-potty. In a field capable of standing room for 5000 people, 6 had showed up. There were small, friendly-enough protests on the main street, but the atmosphere from all reports was fairly festive.

On our side of the fenced area, it was even quieter. If you wanted action, you had to turn on the TV and watch the news out of Toronto, which is where the crowds seem to be. Good luck with that, Toronto...

We'd hoped to see the American helicopters pass overhead, but we're too far from their landing zone at Deerhurst for an overfly. Unless Pres. Obama is reading this Blog, and cares to direct them for a fly-by en route to the G20. We won't hold our breath.

We can still hear the planes, out there in the dark. Apparently, even something as huge as a G8 can't completely disrupt the beauty and tranquility of Muskoka.

Friends Marc and Margaret, who manage the Fairy Bay Guest House -- inside the Security Fence and right across the bay from Grandview -- drove out to pick up free-range eggs. Armed with their trusty G8 Green Passes, they sailed through the check-points.

I had to go to North Portage -- except for cruisers parked at every intersection, it was business as usual.

Tomorrow the leaders will take that final dip in the lake, and head to Toronto. It will be a different summit there, from all evidence to date. Perhaps it will make them long to be back here in the beauty that is Muskoka.

After all, Obama told Clement that it is lovely here, and next time he comes, he'll bring Michelle... To which all we can say is, Don't wait too long...

Something in the Air

Right next door, the largest security operation ever undertaken in this country is in full swing.

You would be hard pressed to tell. On this side of the Security fence, away from Huntsville, today was remarkably serene. It's like a duck -- on the surface, all is smooth and serene, while underwater it's paddling away like crazy, trying to kick the snapping turtle off its toe...

All this, and a moon that is waxing full.... Toss in a fistful of World Leader's to provide a focal point, add a dose of protest, and the silly season rises ascendant.

District Chair Gord Adams got kicked out of the Fake Lake in Toronto for dipping his toes in the water. Knowing Gord, who is quite the sport as well as quite the sportsman, we should perhaps be grateful that he didn't try skinny dipping...

If you hop in the car, you won't go far before you find evidence of Security. Plenty of it! In Huntsville, the streets seem to have more security personnel than "real bodies".

There were two small protests in town today -- one, from Oxfam, involved 'Big Heads" -- models of the world leader's heads -- wearing nude pregnancy suits tastefully adorned with red maple leaves. The cause is laudable, but the images left on the retina may well inspire nightmares. Another protest involved Maude Barlow, leading a small flotilla of canoes down Fairy Lake, heading for the Summit site. As protests go, it was stunningly civilized. Out in the middle of the lake, the police and the protestors exchanged protest messages and safety tips. "You should be wearing lifejackets," the police advised them.

Helicopters zoomed overhead all day. And they are numerous now, out there in the dark. We gather that they are busy shuttling the Leaders to Deerhurst late this evening. Too bad... they won't get much of a view of the place from the dark sky.

Meanwhile, we had plenty of air traffic right here at Bondi. The woodpeckers have their babies out of the nest and enrolled in flight school. The kids need some practice. Their shrieks of alarm as they attempt to close in on the feeders is quite entertaining. Mom and Pop look bedraggled and exhausted, but the youngsters are in their very best, fluffy, shiny new first-day-of-school feathers.

Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird are constantly coming and going to their nest. They could give the G8 Leaders pointers on the difficulty of feeding hungry mouths.

So could Mrs. Barn Swallow. Her babies have just hatched, and she is run off her wings bringing back food. It's a task made harder by Climate Change, which more and more puts stress on these beautiful birds, whose migrations now don't always mesh with the life cycles of the insects on which they depend.

They could no doubt give some messages to the World Leaders about Climate Change, and the importance of the Environment to all of us, as well.

Storms Pass. Earthquakes too.

Jackie sent me this picture. This is Muskoka, after the storm.

We got enough rain tonight to leave everything washed clean. The fields and trees are suddenly alive with the songs of frogs. Fireflies are out. The deer came creeping out of the bush (where they are no doubt chatting up the hidden soldiers).

And, as it does, the sun came back. So it is with all this commotion. It will blow over. There was a small earthquake today -- well, it was certainly small up here, although it was about a 5 on the Richter scale in Toronto. We were shaken, but not stirred. It might be prophetic for the G8 that Nature has spoken up in Toronto...

We seem to be back on solid ground again, with a rainbow to take home and dream about. And perhaps that, too, is prophetic of this Summit. Let us hope so.

Different Ways to Howl in Protest

One of our guests reported today that a friend of hers, with the OPP, related to her a wonderful G8 tale. On their reconnaisance and familiarization tour yesterday, inside the fenced Red Zone surrounding Deerhurst, our man-on-the-scene stepped off the path, and walked a short distance up a hill into the bush. His aim was to get a photograph, and the height of land offered a better vantage point. As he relates, "A tree tapped me on the shoulder, and suggested that I should leave." He was standing next to a camouflaged soldier, in what is called a Ghilly suit, and had not realized it. That's how good the camouflage is. He showed his OPP security badge, and the 'tree' suggested that he should still leave. "So I left the tree in the forest," he confessed, "and I left."

In Huntsville today, the Monk Who Walks for Peace arrived on his walk from Hokkaido, Japan to Huntsville for the G8. That's a message that needs to be heard, again and again.

As for the wolf cub at the top of this post? The photo was taken by David Harris, of Huntsville Online. According to Dave, there is a wolf den located not far from the edge of the field that has been selected for the protestors, as their "Open Speech" site. Now, we're not convinced that protestors are going to go to an empty field with a handful of journalists... It somehow seems a little romanticized and naive. We'd expect 'em to be a little more 'in yer face' and where they weren't really wanted to be in order to make an impression, but never mind...

This pup has been watching the bulldozers transform what was once a pretty good mousing ground for him and his siblings into a Protestors' Paradise. Let's hope the protestors appreciate the sacrifice this little guy and his wolf pack have made for the G8, and let's hope that their happy hunting ground is treated with respect. Although we would not be surprised to learn that alpha Wolf Momma has relocated the cubs by the time the noise levels diminish. We also expect that, if asked, the wolves would have a little bit of protest of their own about all of this...

Some of our guests heard our wolf pack last night. We wonder if any of them are sitting under the night sky, howling happily, right beside a soldier masquerading as a tree...

They're Here... and Here's to Them!

Mike and I had to go into town today. This is the last day we can do that by driving Hwy 60. Tomorrow the Security operation "goes Live". Highway 60 will be closed to through traffic, and anyone heading to Huntsville from Dwight will do so along South Portage Road, Brunel Road, or through Dorset and Baysville. It's a long way around, but on the other hand, the view is nicer.

The final touches were going onto the Security Fence. Crash barriers, cement bollards, check points. The whole enchilada... It's quite the sight.

Mike spotted a pair of tanks inside the fence, being covered with a camouflage tent. You don't want to argue with those puppies... He and Brian were flying last night -- last time they'll have the chance until after all the dust has settled -- and Mike reports that he knows where all the police cars in Ontario are currently parked. Not to mention an entire field full of buses, waiting for the delegations. From the air, there are military tents everywhere. There's even some kind of balloon at one of the staging areas, but we have no idea what it is doing. We considered flying one of our own, here, that reads GOOD LUCK!

It's not only Hwy 60 that will see traffic restrictions starting tomorrow. Peninsula Lake will be closed to all boat traffic. Brian's plane is grounded -- there is an 80 km. NO FLY zone, and since we've seen the F18's zipping overhead, he has no ambitions to take them on. As Mike said, "I don't want to get shot down. I want to have supper..."

Today there were big helicopters circling over Deerhurst. That resort has been in lock-down for almost a week now. There's a lot to prepare, and we know that Joseph Klein and his crew at Deerhurst will do us all proud.

We got a look at one of the Police Boats that are patrolling Pen Lake. Disappointing, really, since no-one was waterskiing behind it... now THAT would be our tax dollars in action!

I asked if it was alright to take a photo for the Blog, and the RCMP officer replied, with all courtesy, "It's a free country, and we're working hard to keep it that way."

Three cheers for him. And three cheers for all the men and women who are here, working long hard hours, doing their best to ensure that this is an uneventful three days for most of us. Let's hope that it's a productive meeting... that something good and lasting emerges from this. Let's hope that some of the beauty of this part of the world sticks in the minds of the leaders of the world, and reminds them that we are all part of this wonderful World. That we can't pull on one string in tapestry without affecting the entire weave. That we ARE the world. And the world is us. And wouldn't it be wonderful if we could get along, so that this massive security presence was not such a necessity.

Let's hope that the protests -- and there will be some, and they have a right to assembly, a right to object, a right to be heard -- will also be respectful of the rights that have been so hard earned for them in the first place.

Local Colour

Darla, from Soapstones, on Brunel St. in Huntsville, has the best soap anywhere. Really... There is always a bar or two of her product in my bathroom. (her lilac scented soap is what gets me through the darkest winter drearies!)

I ran into her today at the Water Festival at Rivermill Park. She had gamely submitted to facepainting by the crowd next door, and had a lot of product on display. Her soaps are biodegradable, environmentally friendly. And, in case you need to know, Soapstones has provided all the soap for the G8 delegates.

If you are one of that crowd that need to know just what soap Harper, Obama, Sarcozy and the rest of them are using to bath their bits, well... now you know!

Just one booth over from Darla was Ken. He's the force behind Springhill Freshwater. It' another company located right here in Huntsville. He's heading to Toronto, where he will be providing water at the Muskoka Alley display, promoting Muskoka Water, and Savour Muskoka, to the several thousand journalists who are meandering about . It's a wonderful opportunity. As he says, "you might as well get on board and get excited about it, because it's coming, it's here, it's happening, and it's the biggest thing I've ever been involved in."

The bottle he's holding is still under wraps -- so I make no apology for the photo not being as crystal clear as the water in the bottle. It is the showcase bottled water that will be provided to the G8 delegates.

Just imagine... after a long hard day of saving the planet, the World leaders will be able to lounge in a tub full of Soapstone bubbles, (we hope in separate tubs...) sipping a long tall cool one from Springhill Freshwater. AND enjoying the view of a real Muskoka lake... it doesn't get much better.