Helicopters Underfoot

It had to happen. We've got a lot of air traffic these days, more than usual. Lots of helicopters zipping about over our heads, looking for who-knows-what.

So it should have been no surprise that Brian and David pooled resources and got a helicopter of their own. It's a little smaller than the ones checking the Hydro lines. In fact, it can only fly indoors, but it's the cutest little toy you've ever seen.

Napster the cat remained unimpressed, but the rest of us thought it was a scream. It zipped about my living room, proving really difficult to photograph...

If the Security boys need to borrow it for the G8, they can negotiate with David and Brian, who have flight time on this model now...

Flowers and Flies

Carol loves to garden. In fact, if it wasn't for the fact that she has to pause occasionally to make meals, I suspect she'd spend all her time puttering about in the gardens.

Given the fact that the deer will eat anything that isn't behind a fence, her scope has been limited -- that might be a good thing. Left unchecked, we could well look the gardens at Versailles palace... If you really want to know what varieties are Deer Resistant, don't read the labels, give Carol a call. It's a short list.

Right now, the iris are coming into their full spring splendour. She has iris in every shade of the rainbow. They range from the tall, elegant wild fleur-de-lis, through the short Japanese iris, to these tall majestic enormous blooms.

And, as is the way with iris, they spread. Which means Carol spends a lot of time in the garden, weeding, dividing and generally re-arranging. This time of year, if you plan to dig in the dirt, you'd better plan on having company. Blackflies are about (warming up for the influx of the G8 delegates, who should feature prominenently on the blackfly menu), mosquitoes come out to play in the late afternoon. Early this year, the deer flies and horse flies are also zooming about. These are big enough to fly in a breeze, and they make the horses' lives a misery. Not to mention the deer's lives -- they have taken to hiding out in the indoor arena, because curiously enough, deer flies and horseflies (and blackflies) don't follow you under a roof.

Carol has several tools in her arsenal, including this one. She takes on of those sticky fly strips, the kind that are designed to stick on your indoor window and catch house flies. She pins it to the back of her shirt. She gardens. Yes, it works really well...

We're also recommending the Vitamin B1 (thiamine) skin patch. Nancy's had good results using that, when she's outside working with her horses and riders. Easy to use, and certainly it seems to help.

When the bugs are bugging you, spare a brief moment to remember that they have a use, and a place in this beautiful world. They provide food for swallows, bats and a host of other creatures. They pollinate blueberries, raspberries, wild strawberries... They only bite you once.

G8 and Muskoka... there seems to be a Parallel Universe

There's getting to be more and more buzz about the upcoming G8 Summit taking place at Deerhurst at the end of this month. The fences continue to go up (Welcome to Muskoka!) My friend Jenn took this along the road leading into Deerhurst. After the Summit (which starts Thursday afternoon, parties hard through Friday, and on Saturday packs up and moves to Toronto for the G20) some of this fence will go to make up the new Dog Park in Huntsville, allowing Rover to run free behind prison walls... The rest? Who knows? Probably for sale, if you feel the need.

There is already a large police presence in the area. Don't speed. Just a reminder... Part of that may be due to the weird case of the missing body parts currently going on -- a murder investigation has found evidence in two locations in Lake of Bays, and one in Barrie, and more yet to come. It seems to be completely unrelated to Lake of Bays, or Barrie... It is weirdly unsettling. It has lead to some strange occurences -- like the chap who had just finished burying his dear old dog in his (big) yard when the cops arrived. Apparently they'd spotted the activity on satellite, and came to find out what he'd buried. Made him show them... That in itself is as weirdly unsettling as anything else. I lost a chicken last week, dear old Ancient Crone, who was almost five, curled up and passed away in her nest. Old birds do that. With full ceremony, she was accorded a native burial, lovingly placed in our woods... Did somebody watch me do that on satellite link? Should I be expecting a visit from men in SWAT gear?

Journalists are roaming about as well. CBC had some hilarious footage recently starring the Great Northern Blackfly, and interviewing "the man on the street." Many of whom (other than the blackflies) had no idea what a G8 was, where it was, when it was or why it was. Apparently, for the billion plus being spent on Security for the event, the trickle down effect of information to the masses is not quite hitting on all cylinders. Then again, I gave a couple of chaps a lift into town last week. They live near the Park. They don't listen to the radio. Don't "do" computers. Never watch the news. Don't read the papers. You can't help everybody... it may come as quite a shock to them to wake up one morning and find GreenPeace in their untold multitudes partying on the lawn... I suggested they stock up on beer and groceries, be sure the bbq was ready to go, and just carry on. We parted great friends.

Brian got himself in the papers, with this photo he took last month of the Barracks being set up in the gravel pit near town. Some 800 housing units, some 5000 people are congregating here in Mosquito Central.



That photo lead to us being contacted by Nick, who writes for McLeans magazine. He, like all the rest of the journalists, is looking for a 'story', an angle... Maybe a good photo. The roads may be getting a little congested, but the air is still open -- Brian's plane isn't grounded until much closer to the Summit, so he and Nick went for a flight. It was an education. It always is. Seeing this area from the area is a breath-stopping experience. Down here on the ground with the rest of us mortals, the trees and lakes and hills may be fabulous, but they sure do block the view... Not so from above.



We think Nick found his story. And his photo. We're eager to see the article he writes. And we've got our fingers crossed that he'll come back and do another story here, after the firestorm of the G8 burns out. We hope he'll come and stay with us us, spending time at our resort and discovering the real reason Muskoka roots itself so deep into the hearts of those of us who know it. The real reason Stephen Harper described it as a "Jewel"

There are a quite a few misconceptions about Muskoka. One is that it is plural, The Muskokas. Eeek!!! How wrong that is. There is ONLY ONE Muskoka. Journalists please take careful note. Another is that it is the sole domain of the uber-rich Cottageaucracy, that if you can't buy and sell a small country with your pocket change, you can't come here. Muskoka has more small family-oriented resorts than it does five star City on the Lake Hotels. The big guns are undoubtedly lavish by resort standards, but there is a host of accommodation to chose from to suit every taste and every pocketbook. Owning your own cottage is not the only option to spending quality family time in God's Best Backyard. Far more affordable and stress free is spending quality family time at one of the area's smaller, family-run, family-friendly, relaxed-the-way-it-should-be resorts.

Too bad the World Leaders won't be able to enjoy THAT experience!

Furphy Fights Fires

This is a post I've been longing to have a chance to use! Relatives sent it to me, and it's been hiding out on my computer ever since.( we can call them relatives, can we not? They are related to my Grandfather's first wife's family. Violet Varley was one of the premiere artistes of the Australian/New Zealand stage. Married to Joseph Tapley, she died tragically during childbirth in Australia in 1895)


Through the miracle of the internet, folks from her side of the family found folks from Joseph's side of the family -- we all met up on line, and voila, photos and information flowed!





























Some of that included an article about fighting forest fires. George and Gloria live in Callignee, which was the site of some of the worst of the Australian Black Saturday forest fires, a series of bushfires burning across the Victoria, Australia on and around Saturday 7 February 2009 during extremely dry onditions. The fires resulted in Australia's highest ever loss of life from a bushfire-- 173 people died as a result of the fires and 414 were injured. As many as 400 individual fires were recorded on 7 February. In Callignee, where George and Gloria live, 12 people died in the bushfires.


George and Gloria Krommnehoek of Callignee managed to save their house and most of their .8 ha property thanks to their trusty Furphy farm water cart.


Thousands of the cast iron carts were made at Shepparton’s Furphy Foundry between 1880 and 1983. They became an Australian icon during WWI. In fact, Aussie slang uses the word for a rumour, or an erroneous or improbable story. Used to transport water to Army personnel, the carts, with "J. Furphy & Sons" written on the tanks became popular as gathering places where soldiers could exchange gossip, rumours and fanciful tales—much like today's water cooler discussion. The sound of the rumbling carts also was frequently confused with artillery fire -- but was a false alarm.


There was nothing false about the alarm at Callignee. George fought the fire for nearly 12 hours, towing the Furphy cart behind an old International tractor. During the battle, the Furphy sprung a leak. The foundry agreed to repair the tank for free. The company reported they were “quite chuffed” when asked to help out. Mr. Furphy says the foundry repairs 30 to 40 of these carts every year.

“We love our old Furphy,” said Gloria. George, a member of the Traralgon South Fire Brigade, said a Furphy cart belonging to the Callignee Fire Brigade was being considered as a permanent memorial to the 12 people who died in the raging forest fires.


And I am posting this now, because???? Well, last weekend we had guests here who enjoyed a day in Algonquin Park. It was hot, as it has been most of the spring. It was dry, as it continues to be. We need rain. When I asked how their day had been, the reply was that they'd had a wonderful time. They saw moose, and while picnicking at Canisbay, they watched the forest fire across the lake. It is not every day that a guest describes a forest fire as an attraction... They reported seeing flames shooting up above the treeline.


That gave me pause. Two helicopters were zooming about checking the fire, and forest fires are part of the natural occurences in our forests. Algonquin is a BIG park. It gets forest fires. Lighting is one of the usual suspects. People are the other... The tale of George and his fearless Furphy reminds us just how devastating forest fires can be. It is a cautionary tale for everyone to take extra care in the bush. When those fire hazard indicators are set at high, they must be taken seriously. Seriously.



Even if this sign needs someone to move the needle two spaces to the right...

Seasons. Change.

It's hard to believe that less than a month ago we had a blizzard. Monika sent us this photo -- she snapped it in Algonquin Park while staying with us in Bondi. (That free Park Pass that is included in all our reservations certainly gets a good workout!)

This female moose, casually toughing out the weather on the edge of the road, didn't care that it was snowing. Neither did Monika's family, who had a moose of a time (can't say whale of a time... no whales in Bondi Bay!)

Here we are, not even four weeks on, and the lake is 23 degrees, everything is blooming, the birds are back. It's HOT.

How boring to live where the weather is the same day after day! We certainly don't have that problem!

So let's raise a toast to summer, and all the fun that goes with that season, while remembering to cheer on the other seasons, remarkable for their own beauty and specialities! Here's to seasons! Here's to change! Here's to the Great Outdoors!

In praise of flowers and wings

Orange hawkweed. Better known to many as Devil's Paintbrush. This is a very pretty little invader, who arrived in Canada back in the 1700's, hitchhiking in seed crops, and found the soil and climate much to its liking.

It's all over the place now, and while it may be invasive, it is certainly decorative!

The name hawkweed was bestowed on the flower by the Roman Pliny, who was of the opinion that hawks ate the flower to gain strength. That's doubtful. The name Devil's Paintbrush was given to it by the farmers who struggled with this invasive weed in their fields.

It's a beautiful flower, even if it can be troublesome. The Tiger Swallowtail butterfly likes it! And she at least finds it gives her strength!

Along the road, we've got fleur de lis, the original wild iris. It's name means "lily flower' and it packs a lot of punch as a symbol in old heraldry, and, of course, in France and closer to home, here in Quebec.

These are spectacularly lovely flowers, growing tall and graceful, surviving our climate and decorating the spring.

The Painted Lady butterfly was busy at work on them today, along with a host of bumblebees. You have to look close to see the Painted Lady -- when she closes her wings, she almost disappears with wings camoflaged to look like bits of bark, with eye spots. It's a good match on the iris! You have to look closely to see her!

Between the flowers moving gracefully in the lake breeze and the butterflies drifting on the air, everywhere we look right now it is a moving garden. Beautiful.

Here's to Their NEXT 50 years!

Andy and Dawn brought the gang along last weekend to help celebrate their 50th Anniversary.

We turned on the Sun. They could not have had better weather if they'd been here in mid-summer! The lake was 23 degrees.

While the wolves didn't howl back for us while we were out looking at the stars, there was plenty of Wildlife going on with the Anniversary Couple. Cake, balloons, gifts, photographs...

We can't wait to see if Dawn succeeded in getting the whole clan posed on the lawn, all in white t-shirts, copying a photograph she was carrying about with her for the composition!

Their roots go deep in the Dorset area -- Andy's father was known at Paint Lake as Doc Fisher -- so this was a homecoming of sorts. We hope they won't wait another 50 years before gathering up the family again!