A well-made groin. (above–the rock thingy). Spouse just kept at it until he couldn’t doing anything else to it.
First, hello officially from the US.
It was so perfectly beautiful.
I went to Maple Lake three times between June and September 2008, staying for 4 weeks straight in July/August plus two extra long weekends. My original plan involved staying up to two months but by late May my son had decided to take Driver’s Education at Fremd High School over the summer as there was no room in his academic schedule during the regular school year. Plus, the class is offered at about half the going (or less) than traditional driving schools. Last summer he took Health Education and something else. Killed summer vacation dates then, too. But as a wise person recently pointed out, in only a short while he’ll be away at college! I’ll miss him terribly but the cottage is much more likely to be occupied by me and spouse is *cough* getting older and accruing some good vacation time–so he can stay awhile as well. He very much likes it which I think is kinda cute as he married into summering on Maple Lake.
***Don’t miss the last photo. It’s the best.
Spouse working doing stuff at the Lake.
Dug up a pesky stump
Prepping for grass
Spouse removed an old stump and planted a patch of grass where it had been. That patch is now known as the best patch of grass on the property. LOL
South side of Maple Lake (click to enlarge)
Ack! Tried to find a cool older (5 years ago) photo for comparison. It’s pretty amusing but I’ve used three PC’s in the last week and I’m not even sure which one they are are on–just which one they are not on. So… more later.
St. Peter's Church, Maple Lake, after 2006 tornadoes
Maple Lake in Grey (2007)
Maple Lake Dawn
Moonlight (R. Corrao)
Sept 1, Sunset (2008)
Thanks to Alice and Frank and my Dad (pictured, age 2 months) and my Mom for picking my Dad.
Dad's Baptism?
Frank, holding 2 mo. old Jim, Alice
I love how well this photo cleaned up (and yes, I know I could have done a better job) . My grandmother looks so pretty and, for the very first time I can see the same jawline on my grandfather, Frank as that of my Dad (and me to a degree). Very interesting and fun to know.
The Labour Day weekend was perfect. No one wanted to go home. All my relatives live close enough to come upon the weekends if September continues from it’s fantastic beginning. I’m a bit envious as living too far from here will prevent us from doing so.
Just the same I’m happy to say that I’ve been here this year in the months of June, July, August and September and have gotten reacquainted with Cottage County to the extent that the massive amounts of rain let me.
Alice
We went on a final canoe ride today–all the way to the south side of the lake. Its was perfect. We saw some photo-shy loons and I got some nice snaps of St Peter’s Church.
Now we are packing and closing up for the next nine months. Real life duty such as work, child rearing, and more work call and they take precedence. We leave a bit of our hearts behind here at Maple Lake though.
I’m getting pretty excited and a admittedly a bit anxious about our trip to Maple Lake, Ontario on Friday.
The weather looks fantastic though (!), especially Labour Day–Monday. Finally, the people who really need good weather will have something to enjoy.
I’d like it to be calm enough that we get a last canoe ride in and I’d like the air temperatures to be warm enough so that the quite chilly lake temperature doesn’t force me to keep my swim-time short.
I guess that’s a rather large list but the biggest wish is that my boys, age 25 and 16 as well as our little dog Raven, do just fine here on their own. I’m sure they will but since I’m a mother worry is hard-wired.
Hope to see anyone reading this pop over for a visit to our cottage over Labour Day. If we don’t see you –enjoy!
Spouse has been following the Haliburton Highlands weather forecast like a hawk as he is concerned about his grass seed getting enough water.
Our gardens here at home look the worse for his being gone three weeks. Spouse says they are at the end of their life cycles but I think they got both too much water and too much heat.
So Maple Lake looks great this week, like much of the Haliburton Highlands!
Hurrah for a stretch of good weather. I’m still undecided about staying up there longer in September. With his dad working 7 days a week, I’m a tad concerned about leaving Chris essentially on his own at the beginning of Junior year.
Current Forecast: Haliburton Highlands
And the Long Range Weather Forecast for the Haliburton Highlands through the first week in September:
That looks really good until just after Labour Day weekend-then ZMOG! Freezing again!
A hail storm with high winds hit Maple Lake Thursday afternoon leaving many folks without power throughout the evening. As I write this, the power has still not been restored with the hydro repair personnel reporting that they cannot find the source of the outage.
They explained as night fell that they would cease repair attempts at sundown and resume again Friday morning.
The storms came on suddenly with high, gusty winds and hail, blowing deck furniture around and tearing branches from trees.
After the storm passed there was a thin white sheet of ice on the ground with the air temperature having dropped significantly.
See the video I’ve included for a taste of this early August weather event.
Though the sun is shining and I’m grateful, it is in no way warm. The water, after many sub-normal temp weeks simply never warmed up–so swimming has been less than a daily activity. But as they say you take what you get when you come up here–and there is still much here to savour.
A walk in the woods
Lots of nature–any time of the year–any weather!
My spouse, who is a much earlier riser than I, took these out in the back field area.
I’d forgotten that Monday is a civic holiday here in Canada so this weekend is a holiday weekend in every sense of the word.
Lots of people but so far not too many motorboats. Yay! Side benefit to the fuel fiasco.
I visited a bit with my Uncle Bob yesterday, sharing some really old photos of family with him and his daughter. He was able to clarify a couple things about places and people and I’m really grateful. He seemed particularly happy with some photos of some of his children when they were small so I’m going to scan them and email them. It’s nice to share.
In the spirit of sharing I have some photos of Maple Lake from yesterday and today when I made my inaugural attempt at underwater photography. I was so nervous about water leaking and ruining my camera but the seal held tight and if the water hadn’t been so choppy I may have gotten some stellar results. Also I have to figure out how to not float up as I’m taking the shot. I intend to practice as my ultimate desire is to get some underwater ocean photos.
This is what it’s looked like a lot here at Maple Lake this week past~
I wasn’t unhappy to miss the weekend revelry in favour of getting things set up for spouse, son, and dog’s arrival. They got here around 11 p.m. last night. As always (lol) it took 13 hours out of a start about 25 miles northwest of Chicago. Accidents, construction, the usual–but an easy border crossing which is always appreciated!
The cottage is sinking noticeably this year. I don’t think the rains helped much.:( Filing down the doors just isn’t a long-term or permanent solution. It’s pretty worrying because it needs to be addressed, then the siding!
To the weather and bugs! /EDIT
Black flies are officially out of season here! I wonder if they know that? (See bug report below for the day before.)
…is what the forecast calls for all the way into next week here in the WestGuilford/Maple Lake area. Must be kind of disappointing for anyone who has limited vacation time or has come to the end of their vacation.
My family and I usually hold off coming up to Maple Lake until August because whether it’s a cast iron fact or not a) virtually every time we arrive we are told by the regulars that we brought the good weather with us, that the weather had been not great for some time prior to our getting here. Always is nice to be perceived as a ray of sunshine. b) The weather here is near perfect most every August.
My perspective, having a whole month to chill out here is that I have plenty to do that doesn’t need great weather to be done–so though I’d welcome just a bit more sunshine, I’m willing to wait for the great weather on the way to Maple Lake on Tuesday and Wednesday and possibly beyond.
Spoke with spouse and both sons tonight–all sounds good on the home front. Spouse did tell me that the flowers that I posted were in fact some wildflowers seeds he just sprinkled on the bank before we left last time.
(above–the rock thingy). Spouse just kept at it until he couldn’t doing anything else to it. 
