Confederation Park, Ottawa, Canada
Ottawa Confederation Park
All webshots taken today, Sept 29, 2008 unless noted.
My spouse was quite excited yesterday as he informed me that he’d found a slew of new “across Ontario”-type webcams from which we–and the rest of the world could watch the changing seasons in Ontario. I was excited too until I realized many of them suffered from the same issues that I’d mentioned about my favourite Ontario webcam source–no one maintains the webcams. What I found while looking through these webcams were non-functional ones, horribly out of date ones ( June?), blurry to the point of unrecognizable shots, pointless pictures (your empty patio with a view of …nothing?) and one of my personal faves- crooked shots.
Lake Kawagama~
I went from being excited at the prospect of bringing fresh shots to Maple Lake Ontario to well, I found a handful of new ones –plus a lovely shot from Ottawa that features some great changing colours–so I’m still excited. But Canada! I’m talking 5 shots out of of 50! (In actuality about 40 percent of the shots seemed to be working today but some of them are the exact same webcams that I’ve been using–which is fine–and some of them are pictures of things like an intersection of Highway 11.) (woot)
Chapleau Waterfront~ Mulligan's Bay
Check out the clouds reflected in the Bay! This camera never fails me! Thank you to whomever is responsible for it.
Bay view~Lake Nipissing
Montreal River Harbour Sunset
Even though my link says “Most Awesome Ontario Webcams!”, in truth, many of the webcam shots available are nowhere near awesome. I find this both puzzling and disappointing. I’m puzzled because when used correctly webcam shots of your area whether they be of an area of interest like a traffic cam or an area of beauty like the ones I showcase on this website can be very valuable tools. The benefits of a good traffic cam are obvious in alerting commuters to traffic situations. But the aesthetically pleasing ones have the potential to draw people to visit your area. Why, as in the case of Haliburton, is there an offering of a scene that is fuzzy and does not showcase the more attractive areas of town (and, for that matter, why is it the exact scene shown on one of their postcards for sale in town)?! This is a question I cannot answer. Haliburton is not the biggest offender–not by a long stretch. There are others in which the webcam shot is so distorted that one can never make out what the shot is supposed to be of! But here’s the rub. Someone is paying to host these webshots be they privately or publicly sponsored. If you are hosting a webcam shot of a blob–you are throwing away money.
My goal of sharing the webcams shots that are quite spectacular is to share the beauty of Ontario with whomever wishes to see it. I’m frustrated however because in a great many cases I can’t do so even though the link is there and the camera is turned on. I get nothing and therefore cannot share anything. No one benefits and it seems like such a waste and with that I’ll end my rant and show you some extraordinary shots of the sun setting tonight in Ontario.
No one expects perfection from a webcam shot but all of the shots below give a nice feel for the scenes that they’ve captured.
Mulligan's Bay
Parliament Hill, Ottawa
NW View of Penetangore River, Lake Huron
Silver Lake, Parry Sound
Sault Ste. Marie
Beautiful Ontario Sunsets
Britannia Yacht Club view of Lac Deschenes, Ottawa
I finally remembered to check Cams Across Ontario at sunset tonight and boy did I luck out. I have some fantastic photos from two distinct regions in Ontario to share with you.
I’m a huge fan of sunsets–as silly as that statement may sound. It’s the thing at Maple Lake I’ll miss the most this winter because no matter what the weather there is a sunset to behold at Maple Lake each evening.
I know many people get excited by the changing colours of the leaves in fall and I think they are quite pretty as well but having grown up with them I can’t help but associate the leaves changing colour (dying) with winter coming and I just plain do not like winter! Sunsets on the other hand–well, nothing’s dying–just disappearing overnight. 
Kincardine Harbour, Lake Huron
Looking NW over the Penetangore River, Lake Huron
Toronto Windsurfing Club
Looks like these fellows are willing but the weather hasn’t cooperated so they are unable to windsurf right now.
Baysville
I realized on the way up to the cottage that Baysville is much closer to Maple Lake than I’d realized. In fact Baysville weather may be more reflective of Maple Lake’s that any other weathercasts available.
Not to sound too negative but in listening to the Haliburton radio station I found the weather forecasts they broadcast with great frequency to be almost nothing like the actual weather we had on Maple Lake. This difference was most profound when we had the hail storm that took out our power and the forecast said nothing about any kind of storm–before or in the aftermath!
Britannia Yacht Club view of Lac Deschenes
Beautiful Day in Dorset
(All photos from Sept 17/18, 2008)
Week of Sept 21, 2008
Though there’s no doubt that fall-like temperatures have arrived in Haliburton County, there’s lots of sun in the forecast which should make the “feels like” temperatures noticeably higher, especially if you are out on the water. Regardless, there is still plenty of beautiful weather for you to enjoy on both land and water
The Art Hive
For the longest time I considered myself to be a non-creative person both in my writing style and literally in the creation of of art objects.
Over the years I discovered that the less I confined myself to the conventional definition of what constitutes creativity and thought more about what pleased me when in a creative frame of mind, the more I revised my definition of “creative.”
One way that I would encourage anyone that’s wanted to explore her creativity and “craftiness” would be to join The Art Hive on Thursday September 18, from 7:00pm to 9:00pm for an informal evening for women to get together and be creative.
Each month highlights a different project. This month project is called Paint Your Own Tile and Art Hive artist April Gates will be at the helm. In joining you will learn the basics about bright and colourful Maiolica surface decoration on earthenware tiles. In the tradition of The Art Hive, where freedom of expression is honoured and encouraged, bring your design ideas and your imagination. Materials are supplied by the artist, however if you have favorite watercolour brushes, bring them along. Please wear a work shirt or bring an apron as pigments may stain clothing. Tiles will be fired by the artist and will be available for pick-up two weeks later.
This is a project that tempts me to jump in the Mustang and motor up there to participate. I’ve had grand ideas for a backsplash for the longest time and a project like this could be the start of something very exciting.
To pre-register, call The Art Hive. Cost: $5 for members, $10 for non-members
The Art Hive, 10239 Hwy 118, 4 km east of Carnarvon
Phone: 705-754-0021
Website: www.thearthive.com
Email: thearthive@live.ca
- Long Range Weather Forecast Haliburton County September 13-26
Oh yes. I think I forgot to mention that in addition to the most rainfall Maple Lake had had in 70 years it tried it mightiest to have the coolest temperatures on record, too. I don’t have any hard stats on that at the moment but what I can say from first-hand experience is that for the first time in 20 years I actually needed long pants and socks. Guess what I did not bring? Sounds silly, right? Well, consider this. I drove almost 700 miles knowing I needed everything squared away for the next four weeks but I did this in a teeny-tiny Mustang GT. I reasoned that since I’ve been hauling the warmer clothing up to the lake for twenty years and never using it that why should I start now? What were the chances? It’s good that I don’t gamble with money because I would have lost big. As it was, until spouse and son came up I made due with a very odd mish-mash of clothing and blankets. At one point I used–quite effectively I might add–a throw blanket as a maxi-skirt. Don’t laugh–it kept me warm.
What’s the weather like now? Continuing the trend of the summer, fall is shaping up to be cooler than normal too with tomorrow, Saturday Sept 13, being the only day where the temperatures will creep slightly above normal. After that, it’s all downhill as temperatures barely reach normal on one day, Wednesday the 17th, and on all other days range from a bit to quite a bit below normal.
Though there looks like there will be plenty of clouds it appears that there will only be two rainy days in the 14-day extended forecast. That is a big change from previous months. Hopefully, it’s a welcome one for the folks who enjoy what is beginning to look like an early fall season.
Even though I’ve stated that the month-plus that I spent in total at Maple Lake this year was fantastic there is one disappointment that resulted from the rainy weather. A lot of the activities that I’d planned to participate in–especially those outdoors–either got canceled (like the Stanhope Airport August Fly-in) or weren’t feasible due to the rains making the ground damp for days on end. Most any trail-related activities would have called for hiking boots which in normal circumstances wouldn’t have been needed as the trails I was planning on visiting were not challenging. They were more footpaths. This year, muddy footpaths.
I don’t blame the weather for me not getting out and about on the handful of non-rainy days. On those days I couldn’t tear myself away from Maple Lake as who knew how long the non-rainy weather was going to last?
I also messed up a bit in my plan for before and after photos of the little fix-up projects we indulged in–putting up new drapes, painting a bit, put down grass seed and nurturing it, as well as the extensive outside work that spouse did. On that last count I did take photographs of the newly-improved groin, and the great-looking beach that was a result of it. I also documented the finished sets of re-purposed steps that spouse made by hours and days of digging out old, forgotten near-boulders that the years had covered with sand and piecing them back in a fashion where they could resume their job of helping to keep the bank in place.
Anyway, we have lots more plans for the future and after we vet them with my Dad I’ll be sure to shoot before, during, and after shots to share here.
Yesterday I was out on our little deck admiring our new pot of mums and the pleasant weather. 
This is where we send our Schipperke dog, Raven when she asks for out. She’s on a 16-foot lead which keeps her from venturing even to the sidewalk. Generally, she’s not too fussed about wearing the leash but with me out there she seemed really put out that she was not allowed to go “au naturel” as she does at Maple Lake. Though we keep an eye on her at the lake so she doesn’t wander–she is small enough that other wild life could harm her–usually she watches us when we are outside.
Now however we are back in the Greater Chicago Area for the winter and Raven doesn’t seem to have yet adjusted to suburbia. My bet is she’s rather be at Maple Lake.
Photos of a disgruntled dog:
You cannot be serious about me wearing this leash.
Pfft. Pose for a picture? No. Way.
Outside is just not like it use to be.
Little Skipper
Beach on Labour Day, Toronto 2008
This is how it looked on our second to last day in Ontario. Shown here is Labour Day 2008 in Toronto at the Yacht Club. Maple Lake was just as beautiful (more pretty, IMO). Look below at today’s webcam still of the exact same spot. Need I say more about how fast the weather can go from outstanding to–well just look at the body language of the folks in today’s webcam shot at the Toronto Yacht Club–then scroll down for other perspectives of Southern/ South-Central Ontario. The long-range weather forecast for the Maple Lake, Ontario area shows next weekend to be a good one! Better go while you can if you enjoy non-frozen lake activities. Otherwise those that love fall—and it will be beautiful–you don’t have much longer to wait!
Toronto Yacht Club windsurfing
Sarnia Yacht Club
Mulligan's Bay, Chapleau River
Lake Superior (Wawa)
Sept 8 through Sept 21 Weather Forecast
Maple Lake-Late-Summer Sunset
Despite the fact that this year’s time spent at Maple lake was unique and precious to me, there were a couple things I want to acknowledge in case anyone is wondering what planet I’m from, though in the states I am actually an alien. Har.
First, the weather. If I hadn’t had the luxury* of the ability to do paid work at the cottage I simply could not have stayed on as I did.
The key reason is that after months of discussion with the two potential internet providers that could serve Maple Lake it became clear that only one– the satellite Internet guys could actually complete the install for this summer.
They did a brilliant job. The service was better than what I have on a day-to-day basis with my American provider, Comcast, and through a bit of good luck I had more online work than I could handle.
It would have been very, very tough to chose between a beautiful day on the Lake and getting my work done but because many days were not beautiful in the traditional sense, I didn’t have to chose. I could find a nice spot only feet from the lapping of the lake and work away as the lake itself was colder than I’d ever experienced during high season.
My first week at Maple Lake was very quiet as I was alone in the cottage. I’d not ever been alone like that at Maple Lake and though a bit eerie the first night or two, it became quite peaceful. I absolutely never recall my dreams at home and here it seemed I woke each day with vivid recollections. I also had a transformative experience at one point when I awoke but I’m not sure blogging about it here is what I want to do right now. It was very, very helpful, I will say that.
I had time to notice a lot of what’s happening on the surface of things at Maple Lake. Even so, I have no illusions that I know much beyond that but here’s what’s not good that happened and that I’m very concerned about for my family both immediate and extended and for other folks on the lake.
Between the time that my spouse and I opened the cottage in early June to the time I returned in the third week of July and than again in the two weeks I was absent in August several acts of human-caused property damage and loss occurred.
Even before this happened–and it was a deep shock– I felt that it’s imperative that the residents of Maple Lake both summer and year-round, watch out for one another. This was a wake-up call for me and I’ve taken steps to keep a closer eye on the place and I will return with a stronger security mindset next June.
I am concerned that modern life, though it can seem to be pretty far away when one is at the cottage has indeed been able to creep down our gravel road or perhaps wander the perimeter of the Lake. We need to stop feeling secure that what we’ve been doing is enough when in fact there are many renters on the lake and there is much new development (teardowns, especially). Once you go out and paddle around the Lake’s edge it is very apparent.
We simply cannot know all our neighbours–as many may never return after their vacation. Again, I want to be emphatic: I have no reason to believe anyone we know vandalized our property but I can’t be an ostrich when taking note of the multiple incidents.
I am intensely curious to find out if the crime rate in the Maple Lake area is rising. That would seem to follow as more people equals more activity of many kinds.
Sorry this has been rambling. I hope that what happened to us didn’t happen to anyone else.
Next year I’ll try to be at the cottage even longer than this year–but on a different schedule based on my son’s need to visit potential universities which has yet to be determined.
No one is paying me to say this but having the ability to set up a webcam or two so you can literally keep an eye on your cottage may be well worth the investment. It’s my opinion that the guys at the link up top may be the best investment I’ve made thus far in our cottage.
* Initially it was my plan to work for two full months at the Lake, however my son’s summer schedule changed this.
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