The weekend weather forecast for the Haliburton Highlands is the best so far this summer!
It’s truly gorgeous–sunny, clear, humidity is tolerable. And it’s going to be nice on Sunday, too! Can you believe it? I need to pinch myself ‘cos it’s been so long since Maple Lake has had an entire weekend that was this nice.
My weekender neighbours are quite fortunate since they just need to pack an overnight bag and in a snap they can be in paradise. Not quite as fortunate are folks like my immediate family who left today to return to the States.
Turning quite serious, folks, we are all on the same page on global warming now, right? We acknowledge it; it is happening right now. We have used and abused our poor planet and it does not have to be reflected as “warming” in certain spots. Here in the Haliburton Highlands, it’s been really cold and wet until this week. Pay attention to the excessive precipitation, especially.
Maple Lake, to be frank, has given me an eye infection simply by using lake water to wash my face. I know this because I wear goggles in the lake as I am unable to see without my contact lenses. The waters of Maple Lake have spewed up all kinds of garbage this summer–literally all kinds of plastic, coke cans. I’ve not ever seen it like this and it makes me really sad.
I’m sure I’m not the first but I feel that the year-rounders, the permanent residents should move forward to protect the lakes of Haliburton County. Obviously, we cannot change how Mother Nature is behaving right now but we can change human behaviour. Impose restrictions to protect our lakes and all nature that depend on the ecosystem, as people haven’t shown willingness to “reign it in” on their own.
First, I would like to see the obvious pollutants removed from the Lake. I would like to see a ban on motorboats that leak gasoline into the lakes and nearly drown swimmers like me with their huge waves (not kidding– HUGE waves).
Truly, I hate the noise too, but it’s the pollution that is sickening me. The boats are getting more powerful, ridiculously fast, and burning petrol at a time when I thought we were supposed to be practicing conservation. Our lakes are what make this area the paradise that it is. And we are doing our damnedest to destroy paradise.
Please, Haliburton Highland year-rounders, restrict the use of motorboats to the weekend and otherwise allow all the the other nonpolluting boats free and unfettered any time. The beautiful sailboats, the rowboats, canoes, paddleboats—all of them wind/man-powered and not harmful to our dying lakes.
If we don’t start reigning in our excesses and our abuse of the lakes of Cottage Country there is no doubt in my mind that we shall lose them. Nothing would be sadder if our unquenchable need for “things” and need to have the biggest, fastest motorboats and personal motorized vehicles hastened the death of our lakes–leaving nothing left for anyone.
I can only hope that the fine people that live year-round on Maple Lake and in the Maple Lake area take action this winter and next summer to deal with the craziness that breaks out every weekend here with ridiculous amount of polluting watercraft on what was what was once a clean lake. It’s not just here but throughout Cottage Country.
Also, as related to a lesser pollution, what the heck is with the unrestricted use of fireworks on Maple Lake every single weekend? Hey, I LOVE fireworks. They can be really special–but every weekend?! WTH? My poor dog is terrified. She shakes and glues herself to her people.
Ban fireworks on Maple Lake except for Canada Day, period. Stop the insanity, please.
/end preachy rant
Here’s the rest of the weather. If you can, stay up an extra day as Monday will still be beautiful:
As for the bugs, it has warmed up, they like warm, there are lots of them. Stay in the lake and otherwise slather on your insect repellent of choice.
Haliburton Issued at 8:16 PM EDT TUESDAY 28 JULY 2009
Update – midnight: Ever since this warning was issued and since I’ve battened down the hatches, there have been no severe storms. It’s a really big county laden with lakes. Small as they are (compared to the Great Lake I’m use to –Lake Michigan) they do influence how storms patterns play out so someone may have borne the brunt. Hopefully not.
The warning that went out just minutes before the one below mentioned tornadoes which being in this lakeside little wood structure gave me a bit of unease.
In good news, after tomorrow my family will have rejoined me and the weather is getting better–less wet, a bit warmer though it hasn’t felt cold to me, not even in the morning. Maybe because I sleep very late? Seems to make sense to me.
I’d like to get a set of sunrise photos which I can usually snag on the way in but we got here too early. Maybe I shall try for when I next come up which will be Labour Day or possibly something will shake out in the next 3-4 weeks.
Here’s today’s attempt at getting a photo with the new camera. I believe I had the correct settings this time. It was taken between storms though it was just starting up again and I dashed back in to save my precious from any raindrops. Lake level dropped. We have beach now!
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE THIS EVENING. THIS IS AN ALERT TO THE POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. MONITOR WEATHER CONDITIONS..LISTEN FOR UPDATED STATEMENTS. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES TAKE IMMEDIATE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS.
We are now here on Maple Lake. Arrived early today after a 12-hour drive which was uneventful save for heavy thunderstorms after we turned north on Hwy. 400 on the second-to-last leg of the journey. We lost an hour (I know. Usually people say “gained” but in my mind an hour goes *poof* driving in the U.S. from west to east,–so it is lost) so after leaving the Chicago area at 3 p.m. Sunday we arrived here about 4 a.m -4:30 a.m. I would have been OK driving more but maneuvering the thunderstorms combined with the under-construction roads in various places made me thrashed so I instead clung for dear life as spouse navigated the last leg of our journey–the most “twisty and turniest”–on Hwy. 118 to Carnarvon. The roads were slick and though I’m well aware that we have a sports car (hence the two trips) Mustang GT’s are not known for their performance on slick, curving roads.
After a few hours spouse got up (he says by mistaking the time for 11:30 instead of 9 a.m. He was looking at an un-programmed clock. He had a nap later) and out but I tried to sleep. The day as predicted, was cool and rainy. By early evening though, the lake calmed down and it looked like we could’ve had a beautiful day (only it wasn’t). Tomorrow sounds like a repeat of today only in inverse with the a.m. nice and showers and thunderstorms throughout the afternoon and evening. Spouse must retrieve both our son and our dog and then we’ll all be together for the better part of 3 weeks. It’ll be the split trip going home again with me staying behind to go on the second trip back, so I’ll probably end up with close to four weeks here. I’m not complaining. Here are photos of our Maple Lake View from this evening. Trying settings on new camera. Pretty sure they are not “right” yet. It’s a 12X tele wide angle many pixeled model, priced more than my last point and shoot but less than my now-antique SLR. It’s all lens and screen–very small housing–which I like. Hope to get to know it well in the next month (and beyond).
One last thing: There are bats as in “bats” in a closed-off stove pipe (they passed an anti-fire law and we had to remove an antique wood burning stove) that is open-ended outside. and begins in the very centre of the cooking area in the kitchen. They are really loud and not-pleasant-sounding. Probably feel the same about me. Ha!
It’s difficult to put into words the feelings one has when about to embark on a trip that will keep them from home for the better part of a month. I have a to-do list in my head which I really should transfer to text–if I could find the time.
Last year I burnt up quite a bit of time at the Lake by working. Cottage County installed the base station for internet at (on, actually) our cottage so even though I swore I’d take a week off from work, I never did.
This year is decidedly different in that work has changed considerably. I’m doing more work independently but with that comes more juggling of saying “stop!” to it for the duration. As much as Canada doesn’t seem like a foreign country as far as mail service it is. Certainly in terms of internet access to a number of United States-based websites it is. Both these restrictions may prove either incentives to work less or work more.
Trying to find a workaround for them could consume large chunks of time and may ultimately prove fruitless. If I just say “no” to work completely then I won’t have to fret about getting access to the websites which provides a good deal of substance which I transform into content (I create content for put simply, things I like). I suppose it would be smart to find out just “how ” restrictive using the Canadian internet will be . (Is there such a thing? It’s probably using the Internet in Canada, right?). I hear so much about China and North Korea and other countries being crazy restrictive. I suppose I’ll find out soon enough.
I can keep my freelancing gigs to a point but there’s also a point where I’m defeating the purpose of vacation. Ten days to go and I’m juggling so much that I’m not even worried about the weather.
Guess it just proves that old saying about everything being relative. I do hope we get some good weather though. I’ve been watching the forecast for Maple Lake and right now, I see the first couple days of vacation ( should I say “holiday”?) look good temperature-wise though there is rain one day. The upside of regular rain is less fire hazard (though one must always be cautious–we are in the woods after all). The downside besides literally putting a damper on things is the bugs! My cure for too many bugs generally has been to stay in the Lake but not in the rain. See? Fret. Fret. Fret. Always wanted to be a Type “B” personality–never got there.
And where are all the people on Maple Lake who were supposed to sign up for Internet so our fee could go down? Don’t you know you can get television, too? No separate service, simply be slightly savvy and you can find your programs through the Internet and since it’s high-speed and since if you live on the Lake you cannot be far from us–the base station–your reception should be good. What are you waiting for? I’ll come over and show you the ropes as I’ve already –with son and spouse– gone through it. I’m seriously concerned that if people don’t sign up I’ll lose my service because I cannot see paying for 12 mos. of service and using it for barely one month. OK. I’d say I’ve fulfilled my fretting requirement for one day. Have a good one!
Tomorrow–Saturday the 27th– will be a simply perfect day. It’ll be sunny with a high of about 78°F and mild humidity.
Weekend Weather June 26-27
Weekend Weather june 26-27
Maple Lake Bug Report June 26 – July 3
Long Term Weather for Haliburton Highlands through July 3
Sauble Beach, Lake Huron, Ontario
Sauble Beach, Lake Huron, Ontario
Sauble Beach, Lake Huron, Ontario
Kincardine Harbour, Lake Erie, Ontario
Kincardine Channel, Penetangore River, Lake Erie, Ontario
Remember to CLICK each thumbnail to see full size.
Weathercast and Bug Report for Maple Lake and Haliburton County
Sunday starts off bright and mild but by Sunday afternoon expect scattered showers and a high of 73°F.
Monday, temperatures drop to 68°F for a high with afternoon isolated showers.
Tuesday expect light rain and a high of only 64°F.
Happy Canada Day! Wednesday brings clouds and showers and a high of 66°F.
Thursday will include light rain and a high of 64°F. Finally, on Friday you can look forward to a beautiful, sunny day with a high of 77°F.
Overnight temperatures throughout the week: Monday, Thursday and Friday are all forecast to be 57°F overnight with Sunday and Tuesday bringing a cool 51°F. Wednesday will be about 53°F overnight.
You can view the Haliburton Highlands Bug Report by clicking on it (above). The bugs are still quite thick with all of them either medium or high in intensity.
Please click the thumbnails (above) to see several photos of Sauble Beach on Lake Erie during today’s windy afternoon, as well as one of my favourite webcam spots, Kincardine Harbour, also on Lake Erie, Ontario.
I heard that Maple Lake has had snow this week–and pretty harsh temperatures at night. Yikes.
I was a bit worried that cottage country would have another summer like last year’s which was a huge disappointment to many cottagers. It was quite chilly and it rained often. I checked this summer’s forecast and the meteorologists are saying no, this summer will be more like a normal summer with temperatures that should keep most folks happy. There maybe a bit more rain than usual but not a lot. I really hope they are right, but when you are there for an extended period you don’t have to hope that your two weeks will be nice because there’s another two weeks and so forth, that may be just fine. That’s the fortunate circumstance that I find myself in and my spouse is taking three weeks plus the Labour Day weekend. Honestly, if it just warms up I’m OK with a bit more rain than normal.
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
On our recent trip to Disneyland, despite it being early spring and the Pacific Ocean waters too cold to swim in we booked one night in a room on Laguna Beach. We like to snorkel but since there really wasn’t time, not to mention fundage, I plotted out where the best tide pools might be. Laguna Beach has plenty of them, especially in the vicinity of Fisherman’s Cove. Lowest tides occur very early in the day so we set out in the morning with the payoff shown in the photos. We were exhausted from 4 days and nights at Disneyland, time crunched with having to check out of the hotel, and we had catch a plane home so I would definitively stay in Laguna Beach again later in the season so I could take full advantage of all it has to offer.
The people of Laguna Beach are quite protective of their environs but the result appears to be a wealth of natural wonders that I’d not ever seen in the Orange County area.
Even though I resided at Maple Lake for a total of about 5 weeks last summer I still did not get a chance to sight-see at the super-neat Haliburton Sculpture Forest.
The Haliburton Highlands is a artist’s enclave with about as many different types of art
and artists as you could possibly imagine. I don’t have the big bucks needed to lug home a fraction of what I would if I could but the Art Forest is FREE!
Speaking as someone who dabbles in photography I can attest to the fact that it’s a beautiful setting to indulge in photographic pursuits.
But last summer it rained quite a bit and was sort of cold and when the weather was nice I wanted to be down at the beach or in the Lake. I cannot believe I never made it to the Haliburton Sculpture Forest. This year, rain or shine. (I really hope we have some sunny days!)
Haliburton Sculpture Forest
One of the most unique among sculpture gardens and parks! This is truly a forest trail with a broad assortment of sculptures by Canadian and International sculptors. Free guided tours are available each Tuesday morning in July and August. Located next to the Haliburton Highlands Museum and the Haliburton School of the Arts, the Sculpture Forest is available to hikers and bicyclists in the spring, summer and fall. During the winter months, cross-country skiiers enjoy the serenity on a groomed trail.
About February I start to really need it to not be winter. My spouse started talk of Maple Lake when we had to put in for his 2009 vacation time and he keeps mentioning little things with the latest being that he found a great motion -activated light that would help prevent our neighbours and relatives people from falling down the hill into the lake when they pass between the cottage and the hill at night. Personally, I sort of gleefully anticipate hearing a *splash* one day and the motion-activated light would probably quash any hope of that but spouse is right– it’s a safety issue and would be nice for us as well coming home after dark.
STORMS POSSIBLE THIS EVENING. THIS IS AN ALERT TO THE POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. MONITOR WEATHER CONDITIONS..LISTEN FOR UPDATED STATEMENTS. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES TAKE IMMEDIATE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS.
trail with a broad assortment of sculptures by Canadian and International sculptors. Free guided tours are available each Tuesday morning in July and August. Located next to the Haliburton Highlands Museum and the Haliburton School of the Arts, the Sculpture Forest is available to hikers and bicyclists in the spring, summer and fall. During the winter months, cross-country skiiers enjoy the serenity on a groomed trail.