Kincardine Channel Sunset, Penetangore River to Lake Huron

Hi again,

This will be the last time for some weeks that I put together the forecast from a 700 mile distance from Maple Lake. Next week I’ll be quite happy to forecast from the Haliburton Highlands.

Monday I’ll set out for a few weeks of cottage time. I don’t think I need to tell anyone that the hot and humid suburban summertime conditions are no picnic and the Lake will be a welcome change. So what will the weather be like?

Short Term Forecast Maple Lake and Haliburton Highlands

Overnight on Saturday expect some isolated showers and a low temperature of 63°F.

Waking up on Sunday look for isolated showers to continue and a temperature of 64°F. As the day goes on however you’ll see cloudy periods and can expect a high temperature of 75°F.  There could be 0.1 inch of rain accumulation in this 24-hour period. Sunday afternoon expect cloudy periods and a high of 75°F. Sunday evening, sunny skies and 72°F.

Overnight Sunday expect the temperatures to drop to 55°F and it will be clear.

Haliburton Highlands long term Weather

Monday, expect sunny skies and a high  of 77°F. The low overnight is forecast to again be 55°F.

Tuesday will be mainly sunny and 79°F with the third-in-a-row cool nighttime low of 55°F. Perfect sleeping weather.

There is no precipitation in the forecast for Monday or Tuesday.

Wednesday, expect variable cloudiness a high of 79°F–which will feel like 91°F– and an overnight low of 63°F.

There could be up to a quarter-inch of precipitation accumulation.

Thursday expect isolated showers and a high of 73°F. The low temperature overnight on Thursday is expected to be 61°F and there may be up to one-tenth of one inch rainfall.

Friday, July 30, expect cloudy periods and a high of 73°F. The overnight low  will be 61°F. There is no rain in the forecast.

Saturday, July 31st is expected to be mainly sunny day with a high of 73°F, and overnight low of 59°F and again,

no precipitation in the forecast.

Have a great week! Bug report and webcam pics follow!

Bug Report July 24- July 29

IMAGE FILE: Clockwise from top left: Pottery Lane Studio & Gallery (clay), Red Thread Design (fashion) , Opal Wing Creations (jewellery), Box Boy (wood), Cori Lee Marvin (watercolour)

WHEN: Friday July 23 noon – 7 pm
Saturday July 24 10 am – 6 pm
Sunday July 25 10 am – 4 pm
Admission. $2, children under 12 free

Wow. So this celebration has been going on my whole life. I remember it going back to young childhood and it seems it started at the perfect age for me–when I was four.
This year we traveled back to Maryland to see my folks then took this week “off” (euphemism for madly tried to catch up) so we can leave later this weekend for Maple Lake. So again I’m missing the Art & Craft show though I know that I’ll still be able to enjoy some of the featured attractions individually during the few weeks I’m at the Lake.

And remember: Admission is good for all three days, just be sure to have your hand stamped at the gates for readmission.

Webcam shot from Southern Ontario Today:

Chapleau River, Ontario - 7.22.10

WHERE: Head Lake Park, Haliburton Village
MORE info/directions www.railsendgallery.com

705-457-2330

July 23,24,25 Haliburton Art & Craft Festival – Make it part of your Haliburton Highlands Summer
More to see and do at the 2010 Festival

There’s more to see, do, and hear this year with Buskers throughout the park, afternoon Kids Art Attack, a Lakeside Lions Club BBQ and the Rails End beer tent (a family friendly spot), Artist demos, Brigitte’s Picks of the Show and the Library in A Box. Make a day of it, or make it a weekend. Admission is good for all three days, just be sure to have your hand stamped at the gates for readmission.

Visit www.railsendgallery.com

for a list of participating artists and daily events schedules.

The Haliburton Art & Craft Festival is presented by Rails End Gallery & Arts Centre.

Rails End Gallery & Arts Centre is a registered Canadian charity devoted to bringing art to life in Haliburton and a member of the Ontario Association of Art Galleries (OAAG), the Ontario Crafts Council (OCC) and Arts Council ~ Haliburton Highlands.

Info thanks to the County of Haliburton, Department of Economic Development, Tourism & Marketing.

Lake Of Bays

Haliburton Highlands Short Term Weather

Summer has certainly reached the Haliburton Highlands and on the whole, the weather for the next 2 weeks should be NORMAL. Isn’t that fantastic?!

I had high hopes after the less-than-great summers of 2008-09 and Mother Nature seems to have come through for us.

The remainder of this weekend calls for light rain and a high temperature of 68°F. Light rain continues overnight Sunday with low temperatures a mild 63°F. There could be 0.6 inches of rain in this 24-hour period.

Monday morning is more of the same with a prediction of cloudy with showers and the day starting at about 64°F.  By Monday afternoon  the weather shifts to cloudy with sunny breaks and a high temperature of 75°F.

Monday evening calls for variable cloudiness and a high of 75°F. Overnight Monday, expect cloudy periods which change to mostly clear as the temperature drops to 57°F.

Links to some fun activities this week in the Haliburton Highlands:

Haliburton Highlands Long Term Weather July 20 -25

Tuesday, you can expect variable clouds with a high of 75°F and an overnight low of 57°F. There is no rain in the forecast.

Wednesday also calls for variable cloudiness. The high will be 77°F–which will feel like 88°F– and the overnight low should be about 63°F. There is no rain in the forecast.

Thursday will be a sunny day with a high temperature of 79°F–which will feel like 91°F with an overnight low of 64°F. Again, there is no rain in the forecast.

Friday, July 23 bring clouds and showers, a high of 79°F, which will feel like 93°F and a muggy overnight low of 66°F. More than 10mm of rain is possible so it looks like some significant storms are rolling in.

Saturday, there will be a chance of thunderstorms, a high of 75°F and another muggy overnight low of 68°F. There may be 0.4 inches of the wet stuff.

Finally, on Sunday expect a sunny day, a pleasant high of 75°F and an overnight low  of 66°F. There is no rain in the forecast.

Have a great week! Scroll down for more webcam shots of Southern Ontario and this week’s bug report.

Bug Report July 18 - 23

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!

Ontario Harmonized Tax Info

I was planning to put up a “Happy Canada Day ” post and after quite a bit of searching google.ca I came up with very little in the Haliburton Highlands even though I know there is plenty happening. Heck, it’s enough that this is the first official long weekend of the summer, right? That is something to celebrate.*** Scroll down to check out the weather below.

Coincidentally, I was was reading today that if Americans want nationalized health care like Canada and Europe then we shall have to pay taxes as you do. Now that I’ve read through a comprehensive list of what you have been paying for sales tax and what you will as of July 1, Canada Day, for my area of the United States (Greater Chicago) there is __right now__ little difference in taxes. (Illinois’ taxing system is both incredibly complicated and incredibly corrupt. Currently some areas pay 11.50% sales tax.)

Even out here, 25 miles northwest of the City of Big Shoulders we pay 10% sales tax and that includes infant car seats and baby clothes and shoes and of course, we pay our health care out of pocket (including prescription drug taxes, taxes on eyeglasses & contact lenses, etc.) whilst paying relatively high sales taxes overall (the highest in the U.S.– Governor Terminator out in California raised their base state sales tax to 11.5%, allowing county tax to be added so they are probably paying what Ontario is and they still don’t have health care!)

So to get to the point, you really do not have it all that bad especially if you cut your own hair, give yourself your own mani and pedicures, don’t smoke, don’t take vitamins and don’t drive a petrol-fueled car. Just about across the board your so-called sin taxes are going up according to the “Harmonized Sales Tax Guide,” which I’ve pieced together and you can read at it’s full size but clicking on each page twice.
I can’t say I’m thrilled about the gasoline taxes getting higher but we kept that in mind when we needed to replace our family sedan. We aren’t in the income bracket to purchase a hybrid but still we found a decent compact car that sips petrol at about 40 mpg. The fact is we won’t change our behaviours that impact ourselves/the environment without a nudge and sometimes a kick in the derriere and so the new “harmonized” taxes reflect exactly that.

This is completely inappropriate to bring up here but it’s true (skip this paragraph if you have tender sensibilities).
The harmonized sales tax dings diaper-clad babies at the 5% GST but incontinent adults are completely exempt from all taxes. Since diapers are paper products usually, they shouldn’t be in a special category because the are deathly to the landfills so making them exempt from HST makes the “sin-tax” logic go out the window. Same argument for adult diapers and paper-based feminine hygiene products. I’m sure if I read closely I’d find other examples that go back and forth sometimes seemingly tied to logic and others not.
Anyway Happy 143 Birthday, Canada! You look wonderful and are and will remain my favourite country in the world–always.
Canada Day Weather : It is NOT going to rain!

Canada Day Weather Thursday July 1, 2010

Greetings!

I have an important and fun bit of information that I’m going to share and that, if you live in the Haliburton Highlands area or plan to be in the area on June 19, 2010 you’ll be intrigued to hear about. First click on the announcement below:

Minden Kinsmen Truck Pull and Show and Shine June 19, 2010

This year marks the 23rd year that the Minden Kinsmen Club has sponsored the Truck Pull and Show and Shine
in a continuing effort to support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the community as a whole.
The Truck Pull and Show and Shine will take place on June 19^th 2010 at the Minden Fairgrounds. This is a fun family event which children under age 12 enjoy for FREE (ages 12-16 are $6 -adults, $12).

What will you see?  I’m happy to report that there is something for everyone. New this year is the ATV Mud Bog with prizes presented at the event. Less messy but just as entertaining is the Vintage Vehicle Show for vehicles of an 80 year-and-older vintage. The fun continues with a Truck Pull which starts at 12 noon. There are more details on the flyer above so be sure to click on it to enlarge it for better viewing.

In addition to the activities mentioned, The Truck Pull and Show and Shine will feature Food, Refreshments, Camping and Beer Tents on Site!

Want to know more? Contact the Haliburton Visitor Info Centre at 1-800-461-7677.

This is a non-paid post in support of the Haliburton Highlands continued vitality.

Inuksuk, Fleming College, Haliburton Campus, August 2009

The weather people are categorizing this summer’s weather as “unusual” which somehow strikes me the same way as when one comments upon something as being “interesting.”

The weather guys offered up several scenarios including the jet stream in the wrong place and ice on Hudson Bay but ultimately concede that there’s really no explaining the weather definitively.

So, what to expect this week?

Tonight (Friday) as today has been, rather mild with light rain.

Saturday, expect light rain or “cloudy with showers” conditions throughout the day into evening. The daytime high will be about 59°F. Sunday showers will be isolated. The high will be 60°F and low 51°F.

Monday will be as many Mondays this summer have been–sunny. On this last day of August fall begins to creep into the air with Monday high of 60°F and an overnight low of 48°F. September starts off promisingly. Expect sunny skies and a comfortable high of 68°F. Nighttime temperatures will dip down to 46°F.

Wednesday expect another bright sunny day. Temperatures again will be quite lovely at 71°F. Expect another 48°F nighttime low.

There will be a change in the weather on Thursday. Expect a cloudy day with showers throughout and a high of 68°F.  The low Thursday night will be a chilly 44°F.  Finishing out the week and beginning the Labour Day weekend, expect mainly sunny skies with a nighttime low of 53°F.

I’ll be sure to have the Labour Day weekend weather report up Thursday or early Friday as I’m just as curious as you are what to expect.  I’m looking forward to our return to Maple Lake to close up the cottage and I’m hoping for one nice day to get in some Lake time.

Have a great week!

More photos taken by my spouse, Roger Corrao with the first Panasonic point and shoot we’ve ever owned. We were both getting familiar with it at this point  though I daresay he caught on much more quickly than did I.

[View with PicLens]

Fierce rain, wind and thunder and a weird, orange sky - Maple Lake August, 2009

[View with PicLens]

Click thumbnails to embiggen

We had some notable weather whilst at Maple Lake plus I had some really intense storms go over when alone  in the cottage for an additional week. My battery was charging on the new Panasonic Lumix point and shoot I bought specifically for this trip when the tornadoes hit the area and spouse had taken the other camera home with him so I was late to the picture-taking party of the crazy-orange skies. At least I’d finally gotten the hang of taking clear pictures. I’d been doing the stupidest thing or more correctly, not doing the most basic thing you do before taking a digital photograph.

Anyway I ran out of good weather and out of time prior to me getting very many shots off but spouse did ‘cos he gets up in the a.m. so I have many to post that he took and technically, he’s a better shooter than I am—not that I’m all that. :p

*These are all mine, tho’.

Cheers!

Cyn

Maple Lake between storms - August, 2009

Maple Lake, Ontario, Canada – August 19, 2009 from Cynthia McCrackan on Vimeo.

One of the worst summers weather-wise in many years, the sun finally came out and we all rejoiced.

Tubing on Maple Lake at Sunset - 8.19.09

As I noted previously, we had a really miserable 2 weeks of vacation weather with just a few tiny breaks which needed to be timed correctly to enjoy and since one never knew exactly when these itty bitty breaks would occur it was a bit frustrating, to say the least. It was a replay of last summer, which at the time could be dismissed as one wistfully recalled the summers past with reams of sunshine and blue skies, lovely daytime temperatures, approaching hot by the Lake–then cool overnights happily bundled under the quilt. Funny how we mostly remember the good stuff as the past grows ever more distant.
The charm sort of wore off this time ’round and perhaps I speak only for myself, though my relatives seemed a bit peeved by crummy weather too, and hypothetically they can zip up here at a moment’s notice as they are an easy 2 hours–and less away.
For my little family however, having driven almost 700 miles to get here we couldn’t exactly decide to go home for a few days and return, rinse, repeat.
However as the video shows it was nice yesterday and in fact we’ve had several good days or at least partially good–rain part of the day and then most welcome sunshine later (or I’m told, occasionally visa-versa. I keep semi-vampire hours so I must take the word of anyone who reports what it’s like outside between 5 a.m. and 1 p.m).
I’ve been alone in the cottage since spouse shuttled son home Saturday and really alone after my cousins and neighbours left, except a very, very quiet one who I did not even know was here until I went outside in my bathrobe to retrieve clothes off the line! Glad I wore that bathrobe. LOL
So I’m alone, I like quiet to write and what happens? The weather turns nice and I want to play hooky!
Now I’m back to work but I indulged in learning to work my fancy-pants point and shoot camera and though my videography skills leave a lot to be desired I will, in the weeks to come share videos and photos of what I still consider to be a little slice of heaven on earth-Maple Lake.

[View with PicLens]

It finally turned warm for the first full weekend this summer. It turned really warm. And humid.

In the early evening, prior to sunset I thought I’d go and snap a few photographs–which I did– but as soon as I got in the  vicinity of  the back field I started getting eaten alive–and I had bug spray on!

Big storms came in tonight. They came up so quickly that the screen blew in at the front of the cottage and quite a bit of water came in too through the upper window which I have to go outside to close. I was too late though. The winds were so strong I could barely open the  front door, never mind play around with a 12 foot window closing stick (I usually love using it–so simple yet effective–a wonderful example of something made by my grandfather, who with my dad, built these cottages that we all enjoy).  Anyway I got some plastic sheeting and *lightbulb,* a large umbrella and after the worst of the first storm passed I went out and closed up.

Right now, I’m alone here as we are driving back to the States in shifts.

Despite the rotten weather the first two weeks here were OK and then I really wanted to be done with it.

Cabin fever, I suppose.

Also, things are so different here now. It’s like party central every weekend. The guy across the way shoots off fireworks well into the late evening (meaning near midnight) every. single. weekend and that crew is incredibly raucous until 2, 3, 4 in the morning.

I work at night as you can see from the posting time and me and a bunch of party animals just don’t mesh well.

You were here and so was I and it’s the same as it ever was, isn’t it?

Cheers,

Cyn