Happy Holiday Weekend to both Canada and the U.S.!

I haven’t checked elsewhere but both Maple Lake, Ontario and where I am (23 miles northwest of Chicago) are having very nice holiday weekend weather compared to last year. That makes me hopeful that Maple Lake especially will have a good summer weather-wise which of course effects lots of other aspects of life, too.

On with what to expect in the next week from  the weather and the bugs:

July 1 Holiday Weekend Weather

Chances are if you look outside or are outside right now you’d see a lovely sight–perfect holiday weather at Sunny and 75°F. It will be be clear overnight with a low of 61°F. Seems like summer is here. Yay!

Sunday morning will be sunny and 66 °F, rising to 82°F by Sunday afternoon with a sunny high of 82°F.

Sunday evening will be clear and 77°F and Sunday overnight will be mainly clear with a low of 68°F.

Long Term Forecast. Southern Ontario. July 5 thru July 10. 2010 - CLICK TO ENLARGE

July 1st Holiday Weather- Click to enlarge

Looks like Deer and Horse flies are going to be most pesky. Your mileage may vary.

Scroll below for More photos from the southern Ontario area today July 3. 2010– including cottage country!

Ontario late June sunset photos

[View with PicLens]

Happy week!

Kincardine Harbour Lake Huron - Ontario - April 27 2010

Kincardine Harbour - Lake Huron - Ontario 4.23.10

One of the reasons I like to check back via webcam on areas in southern/ south central Ontario is the seasonal changes that are most apparent by gazing upon the same vistas week after week. In the hard, cold midst of winter, very little changes. The water is frozen and if more snow falls upon the snow already on the ground—well, to my eyes it just looks like more snow.

But. This change–the one above is the one that signals to me that winter is officially over. Just four days ago there was but one boat anchored in the water of Kincardine harbour. However today at sunset when I pulled up the harbour on Lake Huron next to the Penetangore River, the harbour was nearly half full with boats in the water. Cool beans!

Since it was the time the Ontario sun was setting I was lucky enough to get some lovely photos including one that is wallpaper-pretty (you need to photoshop a bit of glare out–but otherwise it is luscious).

Indian River, Port Carling, Ontario - 9.24.09

Weather Forecast - Friday - September 25, 2009

The weather forecast for West Guilford/Haliburton Highlands on Friday is no surprise to anyone that’s kept track of  many Fridays over the summer. It with be clear and beautiful with sunny skies. Expect a comfortable high of 57° F. Lows Friday night will be in the mid 40′sF°.

Looking ahead to the coming weekend, Saturday starts off partly sunny with a high temperature of about 61° F. In the afternoon you may see some isolated showers. Expect a low overnight of about 41°F.

The weekend closes as a cloudy day with showers on Sunday and a high of 63°F.  Evening temperatures will be mild with a low about 55°F.

The traditional workweek on Monday starts with light rain and a high of 57°F. Overnight lows should be about 48°F.

Tuesday will be yet another day of light rain with a chilly daytime high of only 48°F.  Overnight temperatures are expected to dip down into the low 30′s°F.

Wednesday, expect a reprieve from the rain. Variable cloudiness is predicted with the high a brisk 46°F. Overnight temperatures are expected to about 37°F.

Thursday, the sunshine returns! Expect a sunny day with the high about 55°F. Overnight lows however, will dip down to freezing at 32°F.

Have a great week!

*Sorry that there was no forecast here on Maple Lake Ontario this past week.  I had my first major computer meltdown and ended up wiping the hard drive. With help from both my sons I am back up and running along with my photo program which I realize is totally priceless. From here on in I should be able to stay current on the weather, the webcam shots and with any luck some nice change of colours fall photos.

Dorset, Ontario 9.24.09

Kincardine Channel, Lake Erie, Ontario 9.24.09

Kincardine Harbour, Lake Erie, Ontario 9.24.09

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.

Have a great week!

[View with PicLens]

Lake Muscoka, July 15, 2009

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!

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]

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]

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

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.

As you may know, I’m a big fan of not typing, however it’s tough to be a blogger without doing so.  Dragon NaturallySpeaking voice recognition software has become a companion of sorts for me, a blogger with multiple blogs. But Dragon can be used very effectively in a number of other ways. Please have a look at my fellow blogger Heather and her 95-year-old father as they capture a piece of their family’s oral tradition–you know, all those wonderful stories the elder folks in your family told but due to time passing will be lost forever unless committed to the written word.

Type at $150 Words Per Minute for $99!

Press Release:

The above video is not the typical Dragon NaturallySpeaking video. It was created by a blogger named Heather from British Columbia. She writes a blog called Boating in Beautiful British Columbia.

In the video that she has created, she talks about Dragon NaturallySpeaking. She talks about using Dragon NaturallySpeaking. In fact in the video, she is using Dragon NaturallySpeaking while she’s talking about it but you don’t quite realize that until the video is about halfway done.

The thing that’s REALLY interesting about this video, is not the fact that Heather is using the software and it’s not the fact the software works for her so much as HOW she chooses to use it. She took Dragon NaturallySpeaking and sat down with her father who is 95 years old. She spent a few minutes with him getting the software tuned to his voice so that the computer recognizes his sentences and words. Then she’s lets her father tell some of his great stories to the computer which transcribes everything that he says.

You can tell just by watching the video and listening to her father that he really does have some interesting stories to tell. I have a feeling that I could probably listen to the stories myself quite a bit, enjoying them immensely. And that too is not really the cool thing about this video. Although I’d love to hear her father tells more stories, the COOL THING is that she’s using Dragon NaturallySpeaking to capture a piece of her family’s oral tradition.

I can think of hundreds of different stories that my family has shared with me over the years that have not been documented. Our family is slowly losing some of those great stories and unfortunately, as we are losing some of our family members. We survivors don’t know all of the stories ourselves that our parents or grandparents or our great grandparents knew. But this video shows that you can use Dragon NaturallySpeaking to help capture some of those great stories that your parents and grandparents and great grandparents have probably told you dozens of times.

It’s something that we don’t always think about, but in a lot of ways those stories are some of the most cherished memories that we will walk away with from our family. And the sad thing is that our family cannot Be with us forever, but their memories can live on and this is where Dragon NaturallySpeaking really shows us its value. It’s true for $99 you can use Dragon NaturallySpeaking and you can type 150 words a minute. That’s a pretty good value for the software. It’s not too expensive and the benefit is tangible.

Now, you can get a useful tool at any computer store or Home Depot or Lowes, and if you don’t know how to use it well, then it really doesn’t matter what you pay for it. It is a waste of money.

Heather shows us a great way to use Dragon NaturallySpeaking to capture some of the most valuable information and stories from her father that she might ever be able to record not only for herself but for her daughter and her grandchildren someday and great-grandchildren and many other branches of the family even.

So that’s just another great reason why they Dragon NaturallySpeaking is a pretty cool piece of software. $99 could help you capture your family history easily and even make it indexable too, so that you can search it from your computer. That’s just amazing.

My name Brett Bumeter, and I write about Dragon NaturallySpeaking. I’ve been writing reviews about it for almost 2 years now. You could say that I’m sold on the software, and I hope that this article and this video helps show you the value of using it as well.

Sincerely,
Brett Bumeter
Softduit Media
www.softduit.com