Maple Lake Ontario

Weekend and Long Term Weather Haliburton Highlands – Maple Lake- Bug Report

Ξ May 29th, 2009 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Bug Report, Haliburton Highlands, Maple Lake Ontario, Photography, Travel/Vacation, boating, canada, cottage country, marine/marina, nature, webcam |

Weather May 30-31

If you are looking to spend some time this weekend at Maple Lake or in the Haliburton Highlands for that matter–bring your fall clothes. It’s still not really warmed up there which is OK seeing as though we are barely heading into June. I have to remind myself that it is in fact still spring. You’ll have a high of 62°F on Saturday with partial clouds and some rain moving in in the evening.

Weather through June 5

Sunday’s high will only be 57°F with cloudy periods. By Monday, you’ll have a return of clouds and showers and a high of 60°F. Tuesday brings variable cloudiness and a high of 59°F. On Wednesday, expect cloudy periods with a high of 60°F. Thursday, scattered showers return with a high of 60°F. Friday looks to be the nicest day of the week. Expect sunny skies and a high of 66°F.

The bug report is pretty confusing. Some bugs are not even in season and then the next day they are considered “high,” so I’m not quite sure how one is supposed to interpret that.

Bugs – click to enlarge

Pretty pictures of Southern Ontario on May 29, 2009

[View with PicLens]

Opening our cottage at Maple Lake Ontario

Ξ May 29th, 2009 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Bug Report, Haliburton Highlands, Maple Lake Ontario, Ontario, Photography, Travel/Vacation, canada, family, health/happiness, me, nature, personal, spring, weather |

Above – Maple Lake Ontario, Canada – May 2009

Spouse did the opening this year as things on the home front are a bit busy. We have a son who is a high school junior and things are already heating up for the year following graduation (pick a university, etc.) And the end of the year projects all coming due. An adult needed to be here and so I was — but I missed out!

We still have that family of bats in the wood-burning stove (which was taken out) chimney but spouse has them sealed out of the cottage, which is good.

Except for the rocks on the bank, things seemed to have stood up well over the winter and the Internet is working great–but still there’s “stuff” to be taken care of here. I’ll make sure I spend weeks on the lake this summer–at a minimum.
My spirit needs it to recharge.

Weekend and Long Term Weather Weather Haliburton Highlands – Maple Lake

Ξ May 23rd, 2009 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Haliburton Highlands, Maple Lake Ontario, Ontario, Travel/Vacation, cottage country, holiday(s), spring, weather |

This would be a very nice spring weekend to be in the Haliburton Highlands and in my case specifically, at Maple Lake. My spouse arrived there this evening and from what I hear there may even be some extended family at the Lake but alas,  I am firmly planted this holiday weekend here at home in the Chicago area with my youngest son who is still in high school, as well as our little dog, Raven.

This is what the American Memorial Day weekend looks  like:

Weekend Weather May 22-23, 2009

Tonight, temperatures were forecast to go down to 48°F but I can see that they are already down to 41°F so a bit colder than thought. On Saturday as the day progresses the sun becomes progressively more noticeable. The high will be a comfortable 68°F with variable cloudiness.

Sunday should be bright and sunny with 64°F for the high temperature. Memorial Day Monday will be a lot nicer at Maple Lake than here but I’m encouraged with the weather outlook not being a carbon copy of last year’s weather.  It will be sunny and 66°F.  Tuesday, temperatures will again be 66°F but some clouds roll in so it will be partly sunny. Expect light rain on Wednesday and a temperature drop to 55°F. Thursday, the sun returns. The forecast calls for a mainly sunny day with a pleasant  temperature of  68°F. Finally, Friday is a near carbon copy of Thursday, expect a mainly sunny day and a high of 68°F.

Have a great week!

Long Term Weather May 23 - 28, 2009

Welcome To Maple Lake! West Guilford Bug Report Ontario

Ξ May 22nd, 2009 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Bug Report, Haliburton Highlands, Maple Lake Ontario, Ontario, Travel/Vacation, canada, cottage country, holiday(s), nature |

Just off off the phone with my spouse who has arrived at Maple Lake. Yay!

He said so far, everything looks OK though he arrived in the dark as (long and convoluted story) he stopped at Costco in Barrie and got something to eat and then walked around and it would have taken him only 11 hours but he blew 90 minutes resting and shopping. It’s funny as it always seems to be a contest about who can make the best time on the 675 mile trip. So without the long pit stop spouse would have made in in eleven hours, which would have been a “personal best” record. I think he’ll have a couple more times before summer’s end to best himself but for every extra person and especially when there’s the dog to tend to the trip is more time-consuming.Upside of travelling alone: it’s fast and you only have to stop when you wish. Downside: it can be kind of lonely.

Now that he’s at the Lake I doubt that he will be lonely, however. He’s got the mosquitoes and black flies of course (report follows) and he’s got bats in what was the chimney opening from back when it was legal to have one of those nifty cast-iron wood-burning stoves.

So on to the bug report.

With the blackflies being rated as “high” and mosquitoes “medium,” it sounds like lots of repellent and long sleeves and pants will be the order of the day(s).

There’s been a change in the weather – for the better! Haliburton Highlands – Maple Lake Long Term Weather Revised

Ξ May 20th, 2009 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Haliburton Highlands, Maple Lake Ontario, Ontario, Photography, art/crafts, cottage country, events, family, fun activity, nature, weather, webcam |

Wow, just WOW! It’s a sunny 80°F at Maple Lake right now! Is this the first time the temps have broken 80°F this year? I think it may be!
Tomorrow is supposed to be much the same, perhaps with a touch less sun. Very exciting!

Prefer a photograph? Here ‘ya go! May 20, 2009, Kawagama Lake, Dorset

This is Kawagama Lake in Dorset and if you look past the smudgy lens you can see how beautiful it is there today. Here’s one more from cottage country before I show the revised weather forecast for May 22-27.

Silver Lake Cottages-Pretty day!

Here is your revised forecast for May 22-27:

Though not shown on here, tomorrow is to be much like today, perhaps with a few more clouds–but temperatures in the upper 70’s°F!

Weather remains moderate including the nighttime temperatures never going anywhere near the freezing mark. (Yay!–Let those lakes warm up!) I’m sure cottagers have  plenty of post-winter chores that need doing that may not have gotten done last weekend–like say, airing out stored away bedding and such? This weekend will be perfect for that or any other outside activity. Expect temperatures in the high 60’sF on both Saturday May 23 and Sunday May 24. There’ s to be anywhere from variable cloudiness to cloudy periods but no rain!

If you are looking for an activity perfectly suited to this weekend’s weather and you like biking, art or hopefully both please check into the Pedal Your Arts: Gears for Guilford event (more info below)!

Pedal Your Arts: Gears for Guilford
May 23 2009
Visit the studios of Haliburton County artists while enjoying the Visit the studios of Haliburton County artists while enjoying the beauty of the Highlands from your bike. This fully supported 40km cycling tour will take you on a breathtaking adventure along the scenic back roads of the West Guilford area. We’ll stop regularly to visit art studios to talk to the artist, watch demonstrations, and explore natural and cultural features. Original works of art will be on display for show and sale. A tasty lunch is provided. Tours are available with or without accommodation. Visit our Website for more details.

Haliburton Village Haliburton
Contact: Barrie Martin Tel: 1-705-754-3436
Email: info@yoursoutdoors.ca

Haliburton County – Maple Lake – Holiday Weekend Weather & Long Term Weather Forecast

Ξ May 15th, 2009 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Bug Report, Haliburton, Haliburton Highlands, Maple Lake Ontario, Sorry, canada, cottage country, holiday(s), weather |

Long Weekend Weather: how it begins

Happy holiday weekend! Let’s start off with the good news coming out of cottage country, shall we?

The good: You will not need to worry about pesky black flies, mosquitoes, no-see-ums and the like during your holiday weekend! The reason is that it’s been too cold at night for the little and not-so-little suckers to evolve (or whatever they do). So, no bugs over  the long weekend. Yay! (The official bug reports begin June 1st.)

To sum up the entire three-day weekend: Monday is your best bet with no rain and a high of 55°F.

Saturday there will be rain-to-light rain and a high of 60°F. By evening on Saturday expect the rain to stop and temperatures to drop sharply– down to 35°F with a “feels like” temperature Saturday night of 27°F!!!

Tonight,  Friday night, it will only go down to 57°F with cloudiness so perhaps an evening stroll would be nice?

So that was the holiday weekend. Getting back to the regular week which begins on Tuesday, you can look forward to more rain (sorry) and temperatures of 50°F for a daytime high. Wednesday, expect cloudy periods and  a moderate high of 55°F. The rain is back again on Thursday, expect isolated showers with a very nice high of 75°F! Friday brings full-on clouds with showers and another nice high of 69°F.

The 2-week extended forecast is below so you can see that things will be drying out and looking up. Have a great long weekend and week!

Calling All Haliburton Residents and Cottagers – Why Do You Look So Bad?

Ξ May 15th, 2009 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Haliburton, Haliburton Highlands, Internet, Maple Lake Ontario, NON paid Post, Ontario, Photography, Trails, Travel/Vacation, boating, canada, cottage country, image, marine/marina, nature, opinion, personal, service(s), software, webcam |

Kincardine Harbour Marina, Lake Erie, Ontario

Kincardine Channel, Penetangore River, Lake Erie, Ontario

As a Canadian ex-pat who married an American and is currently raising my youngest son in the Chicago area, I must admit that there are times when I just ache to get a glimpse of my beloved homeland Ontario, Canada

Though I long ago left my birthplace Toronto, (my father was transferred here when I was a child) I’ve continued to enjoy a spot in Haliburton County that my family has owned for going on 70 years.

Once a week or so I pick through the webcam shots which are available through the Ontario Weather Network and I click to the areas that are closest to our cottage with the hope that I’ll get an approximate glimpse of an area much like ours. Every time I’m disappointed and disheartened by what I see–which is very unlike what I see in person when I come to stay each summer in the gorgeous Haliburton Highlands.

The area that is closest to our cottage geographically is the town of Haliburton, 12 miles from our lake.

The webcam for Haliburton is hosted by Halcom Communications Ltd. where one must often click through to their advertisements before getting a glimpse of the webcam shot.

Unfortunately, I’ve never seen a webcam shot of Haliburton that wasn’t out of focus. The person representing Halcom Communications Ltd. who set up the camera overreached and the camera is insufficient to render the entire top half of the webcam shot as anything but a haze, on my screen currently, a purple haze. The camera also to put this charitably, is at such an angle that Haliburton’s best side is not showing. It is also at such an angle that I feel compelled to adjust it.

This would not be the end of the world though no matter what, it is an exercise in waste of resources but Haliburton County depends on people realizing what a jewel it is and visiting –perhaps for an extended stay?

What’s the best advertisement for Haliburton County? Haliburton County itself! And if you cannot see the county in person, a webcam image like the ones below (except the Haliburton one) should capture the area so you get a general feeling of it’s great attractiveness.

Though I have emailed Halcom Communications Ltd and politely asked them to adjust their webcam, I have gotten no reply and worse, there’s’ been no change in the quality of the webcam image.

To sum up, Halcom Communications Ltd does a terrible job of representing Haliburton and thus Haliburton County with their poor webcam image that the entire  world is privy to via The Weather Network webcam feature.

Halcom Communications Ltd. takes full advantage of offering it’s crummy webcam feed to flog their services to the public yet gives virtually nothing in encouraging folks to visit Haliburton County.

I know first hand that there are some wonderful professional photographers in Haliburton and I urge anyone that cares about contributing to the economic health of Haliburton County to alert them to this wasted opportunity to promote the town and county and at the same time their services. A number of town like Barrie for example have more than one webcam  image ( Barrie has 4!)

Please, pro photographer or amateur please consider adding your webcam feed of the beautiful Haliburton Highlands to the Ontario Weather Network. It is in fact free advertising that can potentially reach millions of people. All you have to do is care enough to show off the place you live.

Thanks!

Please note:  both Kincardine  photos are showing as pixelated because the originals are small.   I should not have included them in the gallery but I love these areas–so excuse, please.  The main point was for you to see Haliburton, which is offered as a large image by Halcom and contrast that with Reach Harbour in Lakefield, Ontario which is a very good, large webcam shot.

At top is how Kincardine is supposed to be viewed, I have enlargef them slightly which is causing  a bit of pixelaton but even so, there is far more detail in their small shots of the harbour than the ginormous one taken of Haliburton by Halcom.

[View with PicLens]

Synchronicity

Ξ May 11th, 2009 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Haliburton Highlands, Maple Lake Ontario, Ontario, Photography, Travel/Vacation, beach, boating, canada, cottage country, family, health/happiness, holiday(s), me, personal |

Something that living on Maple Lake each summer reminded me of was how much we are connected with the earth. From the experience of quite literally going weeks without wearing shoes, feeling with each step the ground beneath my feet, to taking the pail and going “down the hill” to fetch drinking water for our next meal, to the great care we had to take in regard to our septic system–there were always concrete reminders that nature was valued. There was a synchronicity I felt then and to a degree do now–though now it feels  like I have to make more of a conscious effort to actually be in sync with my environment. Whether that means sorting my trash and garbage into 4 different types and disposing of each in a distinct way or fretting about the impact that my dishwater might have if it somehow makes it’s way down to the lake, every day there are choices to be made about how I will interact with our Earth.

In this spirit I’d like to remind you all of one of many wonderful events and exhibitions that can inspire and motivate you to be a guardian of planet Earth.

The Green Legacy
Continuing until May 30
Be prepared to be inspired by exhibits featuring R.D. Lawrence’s environmental crusade for conservation and protection of wild animals, as well as a new multi-media presentation about sustainable straw-bale building.
Visit Website: www.mindenculturalcentre.com
R.D. Lawrence Place Minden
Contact: R.D. Lawrence Place Tel: 705-286-2298
Email: rdlawrenceplace@mindenhills.ca

Weekend Weather and Long Term Forecast Haliburton County, Maple Lake Area, Ontario Webcam shots

Ξ May 8th, 2009 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Haliburton, Haliburton Highlands, Ontario, Travel/Vacation, canada, cottage country, marine/marina, spring, weather, webcam |

CLICK the thumbnails to embiggen.

Weekend weather south central Ontario May 8-9, 2009

Gosh darn, I wish I could tell you about the great weather that you have in store this weekend, but alas I cannot–at least not on Saturday.

With highs only about 55°F and a 100% chance of rain, Saturday looks quite literally to be a washout.

The rain continues and temperatures plunge to 39°F overnight Saturday but on Sunday the sun returns. Though sunny with cloudy periods on Sunday expect highs of only 55°F.

Looking ahead to Monday, skies will be sunny with a high of 57°F. Tuesday will be sunny as well with temperatures inching up to 59°F. Temperatures continue to slowly climb so that by mid-week Wednesday you’ll have mainly sunny skies and a high of 62°F.  The rain returns on Thursday and temperatures drop down to 57F° for the high. On Friday expect another bright, sunny day, with below normal temperatures of 55°F.

Have a great week!

Long Term Weather

The Art Hive: I Found It at the Dump

Ξ May 6th, 2009 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Haliburton Highlands, Maple Lake Artisans, Maple Lake Ontario, NON paid Post, art/crafts, business, canada, cottage country, events, fun activity, jewelry, opinion, personal, shopping |

In an effort to freely support local business I’m giving a shout out to The Art Hive, a business that is mostly woman-run. If you have not visited yet I strongly urge you to do so.

I came across The Art Hive late in my stay at Maple Lake last summer and went inside to find a lovely and talented artist who welcomed me warmly and told me of the the many artists and craftspeople involved in “The Hive.” Many pieces representative of these artists are on display in the store.

My initial interest and reason for stopping by was not the art but the building in which The Art Hive is housed. Decades ago, it was a general store and I have clear memories of tagging along with my cousins–all of us barefoot–in hopes of getting some penny candy if we behaved. In the ensuing years the store has had a number of incarnations but I hope this particular one ’sticks.’  This is wonderful showcase for cottage country local talent that wholly deserves the support of their community as well as visitors who truly want to take home a beautiful piece that represents the Highlands.

Please read more below and clear your calendar Saturday afternoon on May 30. You’ll be glad you did!

Opening Reception: Saturday, May 9, 3-5pm
A recycled art exhibition and partnership fundraiser
Fundraising Auction will be held on Saturday, May 30th.
A recycled art exhibition and partnership fundraiser. Includes at least one component which has been reused, scavenged, found or repurposed. Entries can be sculptural, functional, decorative, wearable.
Visit Website: www.thearthive.com
The Art Hive, 10239 Hwy 118, 4 km east of Carnarvon
Phone: 705-754-0021
Email: thearthive@live.ca