The Minden Branch of the Haliburton County Library has announced that construction will soon start on a new 5,000 sq ft library. The Minden Branch will still be open during construction though it’s important that patrons obey all fencing and signs around the Cultural Centre.
If you are curious about what to look forward to when the project is complete you can do so now as the plans for the new addition are available to the public at the library.
I’ll keep tabs as the project progresses so you can know exactly what happening, when.
Haliburton Sculpture Forest map
Through the announcement below I’ve discovered a place that you will be able to find me this summer: The Haliburton Sculpture Forest.
This one drew my eye right away. Curled Figures. Check out the map by clicking the link. There is a lot of talent in that forest!
They have an awesome easy-to-use interactive map on the The Haliburton Sculpture Forest website, too!
I’m so amazed and impressed with the talent in the Minden Hills/Haliburton Highlands area!
Here’s a must see event in Minden Hills on the Fourth of July!
A whimsical bike-rack sculpture created by respected local sculptor and blacksmith Leo Sepa has been donated to the Township of Minden Hills by the artist and the Haliburton Highlands Cycling Coalition. The Haliburton County Development Corporation also lent their support. Though is the first of twobike rack sculptures coming to Minden this summer, this will be the first piece of functional sculpture created by Leo Sepa that will be installed in Minden Hills.
What:The Minden Hills Cultural Centre is pleased to announce the unveiling of this beautiful work of functional, public art on the Cultural Centre Grounds. The unveiling will be followed by photo opportunities with the artist… and staff from various local cultural, health and community oganizations.
When: Friday, July 4, 2008 at 2:00 pm
Where: Minden Hills Cultural Centre, 174-176 Bobcaygeon Road North
Need more info?
Daniela Pagliaro, Township of Minden Hills
Phone: (705) 286-2808
Email: culturalcentre@mindenhills.ca
Celebrate Canada Day!*
Canada Day Celebrations will be held in Gooderham and Dorset on Saturday, June 28th and in Minden, West Guilford and Wilberforce on Tuesday, July 1st.
Canada Day in Dorset
Saturday, June 28
Fireworks will be lighting up the night sky at the Big Trading Bay in Dorset beginning at dusk (approx 9:30). There is no charge, but a boot will be passed around for contributions to offset the costs. All donations will go towards next year’s show. Rain date: Sunday, June 29.
Big Trading Bay, Dorset
The Algonguin Highlands Music Summerfest:
Saturday June 28 2pm - 1am, Ox Narrows Resort, Hwy 35
Roast Pig, Fireworks on the Barge at Dusk, Special Permit Lic,Music, Music 6 Bands, Food, Face Painters, Jumping Castle, Childrens Blues Harmonica Teaching Workshop, Jumping Water Raft and much much more. $20.00 gets you in to see it all (Wristbands and tickets). Proceeds towards Cystic Fibrosis.
Gooderham’s Family Canada Day Celebration
Saturday, June 28, Gooderham Community Center & Park Community Centre Road Gooderham
The Gooderham Committee for Kids will be hosting their third annual Canada Day Celebration Saturday June 28th, 2008 at the Gooderham Community Centre & Park. Starting at 11:00 a.m. until approximately 4:00 p.m. there will be fun games,old fashioned races, face painting, fundraising raffle’s, food, yard sale tables and more. Return at dusk for our spectacular fireworks display. Admission for fireworks by donation only. Fun Day Activities Free!
*Details courtesy of “What’s Happening in the Haliburton Highlands” - Canada Day Special
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Earlier this week I had a nice email exchange with a long-time “Maple Laker,” Mr. Tony Boros.
Besides sounding exactly like the super kind of person who you find on Maple Lake, Mr. Boros is a professional photographer who generously shared some spectacular shots of our beloved Maple Lake. His professional website is Websight 360 where you can enjoy 360 degree panorama images as well as find out more about the process and more about Mr. Boros personally and professionally. I highly recommend a visit.
Amy Brohm, the Tourism Marketing Co-ordinator for the County of Haliburton, Ontario is a font of information about the Haliburton Highlands. I’ve included her newsletter sign-up addy below along with her contact info:
705-286-1777; 1-800-461-7677
abrohm@county.haliburton.on.ca
She sends out a newsletter weekly that is just jammed-packed with every happening you could possibly imagine–and it’s all right in the Highlands. Click the link that follows this sentence to get on the email mailing list:
What’s Happening In The Haliburton Highlands This Week
I cannot wait to get back up there. I will be pouring over what is going on every week. This is the year that I rediscover the Haliburton Highlands. My mom duties are keeping me here and that’s OK. One truly neat thing is when I do return, shortly thereafter my son and spouse and little dog Raven will join me. 
My son is currently taking Driver’s Education classes that he will have completed upon coming to the Lake. But he’ll be far from done. He must put in hundreds of hours over a nine-month period before our state will grant him a driver’s license. Until then he will drive using a learner’s permit and with an adult driver in the car with him. This will give us all the more reason to venture out beyond our little Maple Lake paradise.
Ms. Brohm has also included some great links in this week’s newsletter that I thought I’d share with you:
Haliburton Holidays
Haliburton County
Experience Haliburton
(Above) Maple Lake Sunrise After Storm ~
The long-range Ontario weather forecast has been revised so for the 2.5 days we’ll be in Canada the forecast says now will be mostly no rain and good temperatures. Supposedly the “no-see-ums” count will be at “low,” too. Every good things helps, even a lack of things you can barely see. Hopefully for Maple Lake, Ontario and the Haliburton Highlands area the forecast won’t change too much more between now and Saturday.
Here’s the revised weather and bug forecast for West Guilford (Central Ontario) for the first half of June, 2008.
(Above) Maple Lake sunrise after storms~
Also have your bug report here.
Our spring shall soon yield to summer and from what I can see, this area of Ontario is quite similar to us (Chicago area) in that to be able to enjoy lovely, warm temperatures you have to be willing to “enjoy” the rain as well. And so the long range forecast for the Maple Lake area going through June 13 is a mixed bag of below normal temps, plenty of rainfall, and a few above-average temperature days, two of which we’ll be at the Lake.
I don’t really have a problem with it raining at Maple Lake as long as the temps. are pretty good and as long as it stops periodically to let things dry on the clothesline. However, what I like and what will be is not always quite the same. Read on:
And the bugs:
One would think after viewing the bug report that there is a good chance of getting eaten alive. I have a few strategies to attempt to avoid that.
1. Stay in the Lake –always. Only come up for air.
2. Stay inside. I don’t employ this one too much but then again, I haven’t been at Maple Lake in early June since I was an infant. Read along and learn with me.
3. Wear DEET and wear long sleeves and long pants, shoes and socks.
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It’s raining on and off here in Illinois today and it appears to be doing so in areas of Ontario as well. I just took two shots of Wawa on Lake Superior.
Without sounding like I’m snarking, I’d like to again note that there really is no point in Cams Across Ontario, a provincial-sponsored entity, approving a webcam feed that employs a lousy and or dirty lens. All one sees _all the time_ is blur. It’s really just shame– a waste of potential and bandwidth. With that said, I commend the various waterside entities that consistently offer clear, beautiful views of their area. They are truly appreciated.
It’s raining. Still pretty, though.
Mark your calendars because the second annual Timberfest is going to kick off the second week in June and there are some not-to-be missed events, just a few of which I’ll talk about as the ones I would most like to see/attend.
Firstly, I think I need to adjust my perception of Minden Hills Township as a sleepy little area because none of the activities that are slated for Timberfest sound the least bit sleepy!
Wandering street musicians downtown! Timberfest has them. How cool is that?! Uber cool, IMO!
Alright then. Are you they type who would you enjoy something a bit more out-of the ordinary?
Would souped-up chainsaws at the Fairgrounds meet that order? They would for me.
If I could, I would absolutely attend the broad-ax hewing demonstrations because I must admit, I’m not at all sure what they are but they don’t sound like any kind of demonstration I’d see in the mass suburbia in which I live. EDIT/ I found a photo of broad-ax hewing and it’s shown above. Now I want to see it even more!
Oh, and there must be food, right? Of course there is!–and it’s sounds delish–a “Bunkhouse Brunch,” with both music and storytelling!
According to Rick Cox, Director of Community Services at the Township of Minden Hills,
“There’s something for everyone whether you’re from far away or right here in Haliburton County.”
Just to give you a taste of what is in store musically here’s is some of the musical line-up: The Wakami Wailers performing logging-camp tunes and folk melodies. The Wailers will be performing some acoustic street music on Friday afternoon (June 13), followed by headlining a coffee-house style performance at the Community Centre on Friday night. Opening act John Foreman & Friends will share their Appalachian-Celtic sound.
All of this sounds perfectly delightful and I’m quite sad that I cannot attend due to my son’s summer school schedule here in the States. However, if anything changes in that regard I will be there as I’m sure it will be a truly fun time.
(A limited number of all-access VIP passes will be offered for sale giving the holder admission to the entire weekend’s events, including all performances and the Beef BBQ and the Bunkhouse Brunch. For more information contact Rick Cox at 286-1260 ext. 220.)
