Check out these –as well as some new 2011 shots of the family.

Goebbert’s Farms

Photos – Family – Animals – Exotic & Farm / Haunted House / Corn Maze / Seasonal Food

I tried checking for historical accuracy about “who” invented Thanksgiving in North America and it really seems to come down to semantics. One source took issue that Martin Frobisher ate salted meat, biscuits and peas and therefore it wasn’t truly a “harvest” but he and his crew were thankful. The fact is that Thanksgiving as a celebration of the season’s bountiful harvest had been going on in Europe for centuries before either Frobisher (see below) or the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth rock and partied with the local people.

Have a great Holiday!

Here’s a little blurb about how Canadian Thanksgiving came about:

Courtesy of the Weather Channel

And, just in case you have not decided about dinner yet: Here’s a local spot that you may have some luck with:

Thanksgiving Dinner at The Pinestone Lodge

 Autumn is the perfect time of year to enjoy the plentiful, beautiful trails of the Haliburton Highlands:

SOURCE: Haliburton Holidays

From Haliburton Highlands – Southern Ontario Webcam Shots 10.29.10

I found many very pretty Ontario webcam shots today of locations that are new to me on the  webcam at the Weather Network online. I was really surprised at how beautiful Gilmour is because this is the 1st time I’m ever seeing it–and there’s 3 shots–nicely done, too! But still no functional webcams for Haliburton. <sigh> not that I’m all that excited about the too distant/wasted space shot that was up there for so long—but anythings better than nothing. I do not want an picture of half-nothing again though. The whole left side of the former Haliburton webcam shot was of a uniform mass of evergreens–not too visually exciting.

I really wish a webcam /photo/ techie-type Ontario winter outdoor beauty-enthusiast would ask the Moose to take up a collection for the city of Haliburton to have a decent webcam shot of (maybe 2?) locations in the area  for display year-’round. It’d be a good thing for folks that are interested in a view of the area and certainly wouldn’t hurt tourism, right? Southern & So. Central Ontario is a hugely picturesque area.

From Haliburton Highlands – Southern Ontario Webcam Shots 10.29.10

Calm and cool in southern Ontario

This week’s howling winds are thanks to the weather bomb that has been spinning over the central part of the country since early this week.

…”Although the system has loosened its grip on the province, temperatures have cooled down significantly.

…Earlier this week, temperatures were sitting around 20°C, but as the winds changed from westerly to northwesterly, it helped to cool temperatures quite a bit,” says Michelle Cassar, a meteorologist here at The Weather Network. “Now a weak disturbance is moving into southern Ontario on Saturday and could bring some showery conditions. And while Hallowe’en Sunday will be dry, it will certainly be cool,” says Cassar.

Temperatures will remain in the single digits, so be sure to dress for the weather…

The system began to move into Ontario on Tuesday, bringing a mix of conditions to different areas. Environment Canada issued a tornado watch for Windsor, Essex and Chatham-Kent around the noon hour. No twisters developed, but the gusty winds were strong enough push a transport truck over in Chatham Tuesday afternoon. In northern Ontario, a gust of 113 km/h was recorded in Welcome Island, not far from Thunder Bay. About 10,000 Thunder Bay Hydro customers were without power for at least part of Tuesday.”

So. Ontario Halloween Weather - "Peak wind gusts reached in Ontario Thursday"

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Ah, I’m a sucker for a sunset. I have a particular soft spot for sunsets over the water–doesn’t matter if said water is a lake, river, the ocean. Water seems to amplify the already beautiful setting of the sun. I just now grabbed these webcam shots. As always, the Chapleau River shot is awesome–every single day throughout the year. They have a good webcam, that’s for sure, but a vista such as this is simply beautiful all the time. Another favourite of mine is Reach Harbour in Lakefield, Ontario. They too have a really sharp web camera (sense a pattern starting to form?) so the shot is always stunning. The positioning of the webcams in both places is on the money, too. All I do is click over to them at the right time and voila! Be sure that you click on the photos to enlarge them and get the full effect of  not only Reach Harbour and the Chapleau River but  the 3 other pretty Southern Ontario sunsets I’ve included.

Silver Lake Cottage Resort 10.22.10

Oct 23 & 24 2010 Haliburton Highlands Short Term Weather Forecast

A belated welcome to your weekend. Apologies that activities both enjoyable (a trip to the pumpkin patch) and those not-so-much ( disconnection of Internet for three days–waiting on new install–using my Blackberry as a modem!) have resulted in a slight delay.

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Overall, the weather in Southern Ontario this week looks pretty damp. Let’s look at some details:

Tonight, Saturday, expect the weather to be cloudy with showers with a temperature of 45°F. Overnight, light rain continues with a low temperature of 43°F. There should be 0.6 inches of rain in the period between Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon.

The light rain continues on Sunday morning with a temperature of 43°F climbing to 54°F, as the rain continues into Sunday afternoon.

By Sunday evening and overnight there will be a mix of variable cloudiness, scattered showers, and a low temperature of 52°F.

Haliburton Highlands Long Term Weather Forecast Oct 25 - 30 2010

The light rain continues on Monday with warmer temperatures. The high on Monday will be 59°F and the overnight low 50°F.  Up to 0.3 inches of rain may accumulate.

Tuesday’s forecast is a familiar one: cloudy with showers. The temperatures climb a bit more–to 63°F so all in all, not too bad. Temperatures overnight will reach a low of 54°F. There may be up to 0.6 inches of accumulated precipitation.

Wednesday, expect light rain with a high temperature of 59°F. The low overnight will be 46°F and there could be up to 0.3 inches of rain accumulation.

Thursday again calls for light rain. Temperatures begin to drop with a daytime high of only 48°F, an overnight low of 43°F, and up to 0.3 inches ran accumulation.

Friday, October 29 calls for rain with showers and a high of 46°F. The overnight low will be 37°F and there may be a trace of rain.

Saturday will bring a bit of sun mixed with scattered showers. The daytime high will be a brisk 45°F, the overnight low will be 34°F and there is 0.4-plus inches of rain forecasted.

Maybe it’s a good week to finish putting away your early fall clothes and make sure you’ve got your early, early winter stuff at the ready?

Have a great week!

Maple Lake "Back Field" 1969

Where were you in the fall of 1969? Just a couple of months past ” the summer of love”, at Maple Lake in the Haliburton Highlands pictorial evidence suggests that “everything  (was) beautiful.”

As I’ve talked about before, my mom was not the best photographer in the world (nor am I) but she often had her camera at the really and I’m so very thankful to her that she did. Again Mom, sorry I complained so much about having to stop playing for a few minutes so you could snap a shot that I now realize preserved moments that are ever-increasingly from long ago. I’m so glad that we can savour these photos in the here and now.

I am one of nine first cousins that spent our summers when growing up living on Maple Lake.  However in the mid-1960′s my father’s work compelled us to move to the eastern United States, 500 miles from our former home in Toronto. In the early years we traveled home many times a year– summertime of course, but Easter, Canadian Thanksgiving, and Christmas, too.

The photo here  is of 7 of 9  of the cousins in what was called the “back field.” What is striking to me now is just how few birch trees remain. I don’t know if they simply aged or if a blight took them or a combination or neither. I love the pretty white birches but I’ll never forget my grandfather admonishing us to never peel bark from their trunks. Funny thing is I don’t recall anyone EVER doing so that we’d need to be warned but to this day my thought process goes like this: Oh, pretty birches –>image of my grandfather –> don’t peel the bark off them!

Haliburton Highlands Short Term Forecast 10.15-16.10

Welcome to your weekend!

Your overnight temperatures should be down around 36°F, though there will not be any rain in this 24-period through Saturday night.

You can look forward to a bright and sunny day on Saturday with temperatures edging up to 52°F by afternoon. Come Saturday evening, expect cloudy periods and a low of 43°F. Saturday’s overnight low should be 36°F.

Haliburton Highlands Long Term Forecast 10.15-22.10

On Sunday, expect cloudy periods, a high temperature of 52°F, and  the low overnight a more moderate 43°F. There is no precipitation in the forecast for either Sunday or Monday.

Continuing with Monday’s forecast, you can expect a high temperature of 46°F and a low overnight of 32°F.

Isolated showers are on the weather menu on Tuesday, October 19. The high daytime temperature will be 46°F and the low overnight 29°F. There may be up to .04 inches of precipitation accumulation on Tuesday.

Wednesday brings light rain and a high temperature of 45°F. There may be up to .25 inches of rain and the overnight low temperature will be 36°F.

Thursday will be a near repeat of  Wednesday with the same high temperature of 45°F  but only 0.1 inches of precipitation accumulation in total.

The overnight low on Thursday will be 34°F.

Friday, expect mixed precipitation or as my spouse who listens to “The Moose” at work  told me, “They might get snow next week!” The high temperature is forecast to be 48°F and the overnight low, 36°F. There may be up to 0.4 inches of “mixed precipitation.”

Have a great week!

Thanksgiving at the Minden Wild Water Preserve
October 9 2010

Come and enjoy Thanksgiving at the Gull River. Enjoy the fall colours, get in a paddle on this amazing river and enjoy the company of people that have something in common with you – the Gull River. Spend the day or the weekend. Enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with all of the friends of the Gull River.

Minden Wild Water Preserve
Bethel Rd
(off County Rd #20/Horseshoe Lake Rd)
Contact: Donna Boadway, Cale Reeder
Tel: 1-888-322-2849
Email: info@whitewaterontario.ca
www.whitewaterontario.ca

If you’ve not yet firmed up your plans for the Thanksgiving weekend in the Haliburton Highlands, this virtual cornucopia of events should give you some great ideas. From the arts, to the art of finding edible treats in the outdoors to a yoga fundraiser to Thanksgiving at the Minden Wild Water Preserve and much, much more there is literally something for every taste and budget. Happy Thanksgiving! Much thanks to the Haliburton Highlands Tourism Department for assembling the information contained on this page.

Thanksgiving Dinner
October 10 2010

Contact the Dorset Recreation Centre for more details.

Dorset Recreation Centre Dorset
Contact: Melissa Alfano
Tel: 705-766-9968
Email: drc@algonquinhighlands.ca

Go Go Grannies Yoga Fund Raiser
October 9 2010
Saturday Oct 9th from 10:00- 12:00. Funds raised will go to the Steven Lewis Foundation Grandmothers Campaign. Gail Holness will lead us in Yoga to an African beat. Terri Mathews will teach us some African dance moves. Fun for whole family. Please come out and support us.

Where: Haliburton Dance Arts HDA (The Source Building)
Hwy 21 Accross from TimBr Mart Haliburton
Contact: HOLNESS YOGA- Gail Holness
Tel: 705-455-9294

Haliburton County Studio Tour
October 9-10 2010

An opportunity to visit the studios of Haliburton County’s artists. 26 studios spread out across the County offer a unique opportunity to experience the beauty of Haliburton County at this colourful year while visiting individual studios.
Haliburton County

Contact: Thom Lambert
Tel: 457-9110
www.haliburtonstudiotour.on.ca
Email: info@haliburtonstudiotour.on.ca

Tastes of Haliburton
October 9 2010

Join Yours Outdoors and discover the many Tastes of Haliburton! The unique local food producers and providers will be sure to wet your appetite – Haliburton style! Yours Outdoors offers a full-day home-grown taste tour which can also be enjoyed as half-day experience. Or simply join us for the ever-popular edible wilds hike in Snowden park for a morning!

Contact: Barrie Martin
Tel: 705-754-3436Email: info@yoursoutdoors.ca
www.youroutdoors.ca

Story of the Camera Exhibit
October 5-23 2010
Reg Holloway brings a fantastic camera collection and knowledge to you. Jose Smith utilizes his camera skills at the studio set up. Have your portrait put on Christmas cards or printed off for you. Check website for accompanying workshops/demonstrations.

Where: Minden Hills Cultural Centre
174-176 Bobcaygeon Rd
Contact: Minden Hills Museum
Tel: 705-286-3154

Tactile Memories
October 2-30 2010
Opening reception Saturday October 2 2-4 pm. Textiles from local collections and the stories behind them. This exhibition is curated by Wendy E. Bateman with Laurie Jones.

Where: Rails End Gallery & Arts Centre
23 York Street
Contact: Laurie Jones
Tel: 705-457-2330
Email: info@railsendgallery.com
www.railsendgallery.com

Carl Stewart: warehouse
October 2-31 2010
Opening reception Saturday October 2, 2-4 pm. “warehouse” is an installation project that honours the artist’s father and the story of a four generation family farm. Carl Stewart is an artist from Ottawa, Ontario and a member of the Enriched Bread Artists since 1997.

Rails End Gallery & Arts Centre
23 York Street
Contact: Laurie Jones
Tel: 705-457-2330
Email: info@railsendgallery.com
www.railsendgallery.com

Celebrity Portraits by Fred Phipps
October 1-31 2010
Fred Phipps had an amazing career working as the CBC photographer for over twenty-five years. Not only did he photograph Canada’s most celebrated TV personalities but was the one and only photographer to capture the famous images of Karsh. Viewing this exhibition is reviewing Canada’s TV culture from the 1960s onward. Stunning and rare these images are incredible but not as interesting as Phipps commentary and witty anecdotes on what it was like to photograph celebrities. This exhibition will be on display from September 15 – November 20.

Agnes Jamieson Gallery
176 Bobcaygeon Road Minden
Contact: Laurie Carmount
Tel: 705-286-3763

A Shriek in the Forest Night
October 1-31 2010

This exhibition will be on display from June 19 through November 6. Funny, insightful and full of extraordinary tales of Ron Lawrence’s sometimes dangerous encounters with wildlife over 41 years in the field, A Shriek in the Forest Night was first published in 1996. In this display find out the identity of the Star Washer, how Zorra returned to freedom after a debilitating accident, and which creature Lawrence had to bail out of jail.

R.D. Lawrence Place, Minden Hills Cultural Centre
176 Bobcaygeon Road Minden
Contact: Sheryl Loucks
Tel: 705-286-2298
Email: rdlawrenceplace@mindenhills.ca
www.mindenculturalcentre.com

From Abstract to Landscape – Retrospective on John Lennard
October 1-31 2010

In this exhibition John Lennard’s life as an artist since 1964 will be realized. Works from his years at the Ontario College of Arts, Toronto and Student League, New York to his struggling years living in New York, where a number of significant influences occurred and a range of styles were tried, to his poignant discovery of landscape upon his return to central Ontario will be included. This exhibition will be on display from September 15 – November 20.

Where: Agnes Jamieson Gallery
176 Bobcaygeon Road Minden
Contact: Laurie Carmount
Tel: 705-286-3763
Email: gallery@mindenhills.ca
www.mindenculturalcentre.com

BIG Thanks to the Haliburton Highlands Tourism Department for assembling the information contained on this page!