Maple Lake Ontario

Haliburton County, Maple Lake Area Long Range Weather Forecast

Ξ November 29th, 2008 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Haliburton Highlands, Maple Lake Ontario, Photography, cottage country, weather, webcam, winter |

Weekend weather

Click to enlarge graph.

Weekend weather in Haliburton Highland cottage country looks to have seasonal temperatures around 30 F with snowfall accumulating in the one-half inch range.

The long-term weather forecast for November 30-December 13th will be in the normal range until Friday the 5th when temperatures take a tumble–down to about minus 10C on Sunday before stabilizing and beginning a slight increase to about minus 6C on Wednesday the 10th. There is no snow in the forecast between Saturday the 6th and Tuesday, December 9. Temperatures are more or less stable from the 10th through the 13th but still unseasonably cold. Snow is in the forecast on the 10th, 11th, and 13th, with a reprieve on Friday, December 12.

Long range forecast Nov 30- Dec 13

Click to enlarge graph.

There is a Commuter Alert for Monday. Details are:

“A low pressure system moving up from the southern US could bring significant snow accumulation to Central Canada in time for the Monday morning commute.”

Some webcam photos taken today, Saturday November 29, 2008.

Chapleau River, Mulligan's Bay

Port Dover Harbour Museum

Indian River Port Carling

Click to enlarge photos. Below is the first inductee into the

Maple Lake Ontario Webcam Hall Of Shame.™

Lake Muscoka, Gravenhurst

Above: Here’s an idea of the snow accumulation and an example of how not to display a webcam shot, courtesy of RE/MAX Lake Country Realty Inc. This is a perfect example of trying to drum up business by putting up a webcam. Unfortunately, there’s more to getting an acceptable webcam shot than what RE/MAX has done here. This is just ridiculously bad and I can’t help but wonder if they pay so little attention to detail here what else goes unnoticed? Such a wasted opportunity–and the first inductee into the Maple Lake Ontario Webcam Hall Of Shame.™

“Canada’s Government Could Topple”

Ξ November 29th, 2008 | → 0 Comments | ∇ canada, news, opinion |

Source
“OTTAWA — Canada’s minority Conservative government, re-elected less than two months ago, could be toppled in the next few days if Prime Minister Stephen Harper doesn’t make changes to an economic statement that has all three opposition parties up in arms.

Two of the three Canadian opposition parties are negotiating to form a coalition government, which the third has agreed to support, if the government is defeated in a confidence vote in the House of Commons on the government’s updated budget forecast, which the opposition parties said doesn’t address the financial crisis. The plan also would eliminate some subsidies to political parties.

Former Liberal Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and Ed Broadbent, former leader of the New Democratic Party, are brokering a behind-the-scenes deal, according to a person familiar with the matter.”

That’s a pretty attention-grabbing headline above.
It would seem that a minority government could be vulnerable to a “takeover” such as this. It is rather exciting to see government in action –because it actually is moving rather quickly. The outcome of this situation which will determine if Prime Minister Harper continues to hold his job or if familiar names from the past push forward and “topple” Harper’s minority Conservative government.
Can you imagine if Bush could have be toppled by a vote of no confidence? Certainly he’d be long gone.

I’ll be staying tuned.

Winter Setting (Settling?) In

Ξ November 26th, 2008 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Haliburton, Haliburton Highlands, Ontario, Photography, Sorry, Trails, cottage country, marine/marina, nature, opinion, service(s), video, weather, webcam, winter |

Last night–around 10 p.m. when spouse and I were walking our little dog around our neighbourhood I noticed that over the past couple of nights the ponds and rivers have frozen up almost completely. With December fast approaching we are heading into some of the more disagreeable weather we have each year. We don’t usually get much snow in December but the temperatures–and the wind become quite uncomfortable.

So today it was no surprise to see that every web camera in Ontario that I usually peruse showed a scene including snow and/or ice. And while I can still look out and see green grass on the hill near the road, I can see no green save for the evergreen trees in the photos of Ontario taken today. Thank goodness for evergreens.

Lake Nipisssing, North Bay

Mountain Trout House, Kawagama (photoshopped*)

This camera illustrates a frustration that will only most likely grow deeper as the weather gets more severe.

*Much of this photo was obliterated by brown scum on the camera lens. Therefore the sky is completely photoshopped, as well ad some of the snow. I tried to make it look as I think it looks but still, I  must ask the question of Mountain Trout House. You’ve gone to the trouble of setting up your webcam and getting it featured at a couple of web camera websites on the Internet. You have a business and you’d like to show off the beautiful area that surrounds it, right? They why pray tell, can someone not go outside and clean the filthy lens to your webcam?

That goes for you too, Halcom Communications in Haliburton. You do a disservice to the town of Haliburton, a town whose lifeblood is tourism dollars, by having either your camera “down” (not available for viewing) or dirty or crooked or some combination of these. Why are  you trying to promote business with a crap webcam?! Iknow this to be a fact as my spouse checks every day from his super fancy high-powered work computer and he never, ever gets a good shot of the Haliburton “Eye In The Sky.” If that’s an eye in the sky, then it’s a blind eye.

Perhaps I sound a bit cranky but these two webcams in particular are what I’m offered as choice when I want to see webcam photography of “Maple Lake, Ontario.” I’m an action-oriented person and since I have Internet at the cottage–right now–right this minute I’ve decided to try to finance a webcam to capture Maple Lake. I’ll put it in next summer and run it through the summer (hopefully) so I can get an idea of the in’s and out’s of doing so. I’m also tempted to contact these guys who do a consistently fantastic job with their webcam offerings:

Reach Harbour, Lakefield

(Click photos to enlarge)

..and ask for any tips or suggestions. I can see that they are using a fisheye lens but beyond that am not sure what they are doing right. Not leaving the camera exposed to the weather is probably job one./end rant.

Penetangore River, Kincardine, Lake Huron

Calabogie Ski Hill Peaks Resort

(Click photos to enlarge)

Toronto Island

Boler Mtn. Slope, London

Blue Mountain

Haliburton County, Maple Lake Area Long Range Weather Forecast

Ξ November 21st, 2008 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Haliburton Highlands, Maple Lake Ontario, Ontario, Photography, weather, webcam, winter |

Blue Mountain Resort, Ontario, Canada

CLICK to ENLARGE

As usual, the weather in the Haliburton Highlands never fails to be less than diverse.

Though it will be mostly clear tonight with a low of about 6F, Saturday brings partly sunny skies and  temperatures of about 17F. Though Sunday has isolated flurries in the forecast and a seasonal high of 26F,  it also has the most extreme low temperatures of the week. Sunday night’s temperatures take a steep tumble down to minus 4F.

The rest of the week should have daytime highs around 30F with light snow or isolated flurries every day but Wednesday.

CLICK to ENLARGE

Good News For Snow-Loving Types

Ξ November 19th, 2008 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Ontario, Photography, Trails, canada, cottage country, image, weather, webcam, winter |

Ski Resorts in Ontario webcams

I’ve been checking  out the weather conditions in Haliburton County and Ontario in general and can see that  the snow season is in full swing but many if not most of the ski resorts are not yet open for business–or at least that is what available information is indicating. If I were planning to travel any  distance to engage in for-pay snow-related activities I’d suggest calling first. For you snow-loving types it sure looks to be a white winter.

As my spouse and I were navigating walking the dog in a construction zone adjacent to our home in the 20-F weather last night I remarked that my Pennsylvania ancestors had it wrong to migrate further north. I’m a warm-weather type. He compared it to the dark hair and complected people in the North and the blond, more fair-skinned folks in Southern Italy which I assume he was thinking of due to his blond. blue eyed part-Sicilian heritage.

The snowy cold is pretty to look at if not be in, so here are a few web snaps that I got off last evening.

Kawagama Lake-11.18.08

Toronto Island Sunset-click to enlarge

Indian River- Port Carling

Beaver Valley Ski Club - Markdale

Lake Nipissing, North Bay at sunset

Pentangore River, Lake Huron-Kincardine Channel

Haliburton Highlands Long Term Weather Forecast, 11.14-11.20.08 Rain, Light Snow, 14-Day Forecast: More Snow, Cold

Ξ November 14th, 2008 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Haliburton Highlands, Maple Lake Ontario, Ontario, Photography, cottage country, nature, weather, webcam |

Long Term Weather Forecast Haliburton Highlands 11.15-11.20.08

Click to enlarge weather outlook

Like here in the Greater Chicago Area,  the Haliburton Highlands near Maple Lake, Ontario had a surprisingly mild day on Thursday.  Friday they are going to see a slight drop in temperatures and most likely, rain. Moving into Sunday, temperatures continue to drop with light snow expected. This really isn’t all that much though when you look to Thursday. Yes, that does say up to four inches of snow. Skiers should be happy. I need to scope out my favourite ski cams this season. Cheers.

I’ll be back with the longer outlook later today.

Earlier this week…snow at Mulligan’s Bay on the Chapleau River.

Chapleau River- Mulligan's Bay

It looks as if the outdoor folks who enjoy the snow and cold (is it obvious I’m a summer person?) are going to have something to cheer about very soon. Have a look at the 14-day weather outlook for the Haliburton Highlands/Maple Lake area: (don’t forget to click the graph to enlarge it)

14-Day Trend, West Guilford, Ontario

Never Forget: Remembrance Day, 2008

Ξ November 11th, 2008 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Ontario, Photography, canada, events, holiday(s), image, webcam |

A Canadian serviceman leans on the Tomb of The Unknown Soldier to place his Poppy following Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa on Tuesday. (Tom Hanson/Canadian Press)
“Thousands of people braved grey skies and damp winds to crowd around the National War Memorial in Ottawa on Tuesday to pay tribute to Canada’s war heroes in the country’s largest Remembrance Day ceremony.

The day marked the 90th anniversary of the end of the First World War, which ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. Ottawa’s ceremony paid special tribute to that war…”

War Memorial, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Remembrance Day, 2008

 (Click to enlarge)
…More than 100,000 Canadians soldiers have died in various conflicts since 1899, including:

• More than 240 in the Boer War.
• More than 66,000 in the First World War.
• More than 44,000 in the Second World War.
• 516 in the Korean War.
• 121 in peacekeeping missions.
• 97 in Afghanistan.

 The last living Canadian veteran of WWI is  John Babcock, age 108.

John Babcock, Canadian Veteran WWI, age 108

Mr. Babcock participated in Ottawa’s ceremony by video conference, “passing” a lit torch, a reference to Lt.-Col. John McCrae’s famous poem, In Flanders Fields.

“We must never forget our fallen comrades. I pass this torch of remembrance to my comrades. Hold it high,” Babcock said.

From having the blues to getting gator bitten

Ξ November 9th, 2008 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Internet, Ontario, Photography, Sorry, blogging, business, my blog broke :(, personal, technical |

Lake Muscoka, Gravenhurst, Ontario-10-31-08

Sincere apologies to the small group of folks who read Maple Lake Ontario that the site has been unpredictable in it’s availability over the past couple of weeks.

I was using a host company that became increasingly less dependable and after trying to work with them to resolve the difficulties only to have them suggest ultimately that I take down most of this blog _permanently_ to “fix it,” I opted for another host for the website that had been recommended by a number of fellow bloggers.

It’s understandable now if you are wondering, “Was it her own fault?”

Nope. Don’t worry, I triple checked on that myself but the giant fumble in forgetting to fully transfer Maple Lake Ontario over to the new sever was not my doing. Being a brand new customer I should have had as my new host trumpets, them “do all the file transferring” for me. It should have been as simple on my end as essentially plugging in in a new address to send the Maple Lake Ontario name to it’s new host. “Should” being the operative word here.

They forgot to move the Maple Lake Ontario files and I ended up dealing with a succession of people at the new host, two of whom told me it was not their responsibility to help with that. One, I caught when he “found something” on his end (duh!) and he let out an involuntary “oh-oh.” With that he said he’d put in a ticket–but failed to get complete information so my website languished yet another day.

Again, I apologize to anyone that may have come back here after getting essentially nothing for two days.

As you may have noticed, in order to make some pocket money and pay hosting fees (and this year buy myself my first full-length winter coat in a decade–50% off at Old Navy) I do some posts for which I am paid well, pocket money.

I choose who advertises here and believe me, I turn down far more than I accept. But my point is the advertisers have a right to have their posts that I wrote on their behalf be accessible and my new hosting company prevented that, too.

I’m not sure what to do. At this point I’m adopting a wait and see attitude because there’s not too many other options.

Please wish me luck.

Haliburton Highlands Long Range Weather Forecast, Ontario Webcam Photos

Ξ November 7th, 2008 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Haliburton Highlands, Ontario, Photography, cottage country, image, marine/marina, nature, weather, webcam |

Honey Harbour- Delawana Bay

Please click each photo and the weathercast to enlarge.

When I checked the weather near Maple Lake in the Haliburton Highlands today I was astonished to find a reading of 64F!

Down here in the Greater Chicago Area we have  just enjoyed a string of lovely Indian summer days. Sometimes there is overlap a day or so later with Toronto weather being like ours–not too tough to understand as they are both basically Midwestern cities and are situated on the Great Lakes. But for the cottage to be summer-like in November? That’s quite a feat!

When I perused the webcam photos from Oct 7 I noticed quite a bit of overcast and fogginess. The weather Saturday will plummet, continuing through the weekend with rain on both Saturday and Sunday (boo!)

There’s snow in the forecast for Monday and from there it continues it’s downward trend — into the zero Celsius range. Temperatures begin a steady climb however starting later on Wednesday until reaching about normal temps in the 8C range and holding steady throughout the rest of the week–the 13th-15th.

These more moderate temperatures will be accompanied by rain and by Sunday the 16th a rain-snow mix with yet another steep drop in temperatures and more snow.

Chapleau Waterfront

Kincardine Harbour, Lake Huron

Kincardine Channel- Pentagore River to Lake Huron

Kawagama Lake

Hawkesbury

Port Carling-Indian River

It’s Almost Over

Ξ November 4th, 2008 | → 0 Comments | ∇ United States, canada, opinion |

Over the last eight years of Republican domination, American-Canadian relations have been strained. There have been moments where it felt to me as if they would would break apart completely–though I realize  that realistically it would be a remote possibility.

Canada has chafed at the bit well before the Bush 2.0 administration took over. United States looms large over Canada, and oftentimes I’m sure Canadians have felt smothered by the presence of this huge country. However, from my perspective as a Canadian, long living in the United States, it seems that Canada took a step up and forward when she did not automatically side with the United States’ decision to invade Iraq. The consequences had to be clear when Canada made that choice and indeed there was a chill in the relations between the two countries. It’s not as if there hasn’t been disagreements before, whether we’re discussing taxes on lumber or acid rain. But in my memory there had not before been a time where Canada took such a strong stance in disagreement with the US in what she believed to be the right thing to do.

I cannot remember a time where I was more proud of my mother country than when Canada said “no” to the United States. No. Canada will not support the US invasion of Iraq. In doing so it’s my feeling that Canada at last grew up and grew away from its place in relation to the United States.

Of course, we remain each other’s biggest trade partners, and and it’s unlikely that this relationship will change anytime soon. It is then in both countries best interests to be allys. I hope the new administration respects Canada as this old administration has not and my sincere hope that the countries can mend whatever ill feelings remain as a result of Canada thinking for itself in relation to what we now know was a terrible mistake. Here’s to a new administration and a renewed relationship with Canada based on mutual respect.

EDIT/ Yahoo!

President-elect Barack Obama

President-elect Barack Obama and family, Chicago, Nov 4, 2008