Despite the fact that this year’s time spent at Maple lake was unique and precious to me, there were a couple things I want to acknowledge in case anyone is wondering what planet I’m from, though in the states I am actually an alien. Har.

First, the weather. If I hadn’t had the luxury* of the ability to do paid work at the cottage I simply could not have stayed on as I did.

The key reason is that after months of discussion with the two potential internet providers that could serve Maple Lake it became clear that only one– the satellite Internet guys could actually complete the install for this summer.

They did a brilliant job. The service was better than what I have on a day-to-day basis with my American provider, Comcast, and through a bit of good luck I had more online work than I could handle.

It would have been very, very tough to chose between a beautiful day on the Lake and getting my work done but because many days were not beautiful in the traditional sense, I didn’t have to chose. I could find a nice spot only feet from the lapping of the lake and work away as the lake itself was colder than I’d ever experienced during high season.

My first week at Maple Lake was very quiet as I was alone in the cottage. I’d not ever been alone like that at Maple Lake and though a bit eerie the first night or two, it became quite peaceful. I absolutely never recall my dreams at home and here it seemed I woke each day with vivid recollections. I also had a transformative experience at one point when I awoke but I’m not sure blogging about it here is what I want to do right now.  It was very, very helpful, I will say that.

I had time to notice a lot of what’s happening on the surface of things at Maple Lake. Even so, I have no illusions that I know much beyond that but here’s what’s not good that happened and that I’m very concerned about for my family both immediate and extended and for other folks on the lake.

Between the time that my spouse and I opened the cottage in early June to the time I returned in the third week of July and than again in the two weeks I was absent in August several acts of property damage and loss occurred.

Even before this happened–and it was a deep shock– I felt that it’s imperative that the residents of Maple Lake both summer and year-round, watch out for one another. This was a wake-up call for me and I’ve taken steps to keep a closer eye on the place and I will return with a stronger security mindset next June.

I am concerned that modern life, though it can seem to be pretty far away when one is at the cottage has indeed been able to creep down our gravel road or perhaps wander the perimeter of the Lake and we need to stop feeling secure that what we’ve been doing is enough when in fact there are many renters on the lake and there is much new development (teardowns, especially). Once you go out and paddle around the Lake’s edge it is very apparent.

We simply cannot know all our neighbours–as many may never return after their vacation. Again, I want to be emphatic: I have no reason to believe anyone we know vandalized our property but I can’t be an ostrich when taking note of the multiple incidents.

I am intensely curious to find out if the crime rate in the Maple Lake area is rising. That would seem to follow as more people equals more activity of many kinds.

Sorry this has been rambling. I hope that what happened to us didn’t happen to anyone else.

Next year I’ll try to be at the cottage even longer than this year–but on a different schedule based on my son’s need to visit potential universities which has yet to be determined.

No one is paying me to say this but having the ability to set up a webcam or two so you can literally keep an eye on your cottage may be worth the investment. It’s my opinion that the guys at the link above may be the best investment I’ve made thus far in our cottage.

That is one really compelling reason to utilize Phone Lookup, a company which has a data base brimming with cellphone telephone numbers (try finding a cellphone number in your white pages–not doable). You may wonder, What about unlisted telephone numbers? Using this service you can identify those as well. By clicking the “phone lookup” link above you can read more about all the states that are information sources as well as all the exchanges that are offered with this service.

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.

Hey there from Maple Lake!

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.

St. Peter’s Church

Look how big the beach is now!

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!

I was just mulling over how when we go to Maple Lake, we are much more aware of our environment and how we impact it and visa-versa.
For example, cleaning products. At home I live in a condo in a big suburb and really don’t put much thought into what my cleaning products are made of. At the lake it’s a different story entirely. Any waste water that runs off does so just feet from our lake. Being aware of this, we go out of our way to use products that if somehow they do get into the lake won’t do significant harm.

The product I found myself using a lot at the cottage for older stains on ceramic and tile was baking soda. It was gentle but very efficient–even removing stains that I’d scrubbed with harsh cleansers that I’d previously used in desperation.

Another eco-friendly product I brought up to Maple Lake especially to keep at the lake was my sun jar. The cottage gets plenty of sun so the solar cells quickly powered the rechargeable battery which is then used to power the low-energy LED lamps.
My intent was to have another source of light if we were to lose power to the cottage which is quite common with severe weather. It did happen that the power went out one late afternoon, not returning until 11 p.m. and the sun jar was enjoyed greatly not just as a light source but as a object of beauty.

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!

My favourite rock has been on this beach a very long time.

Now it is the bottom step.

Cool, no?

Both sets of stairs are wicked awesome. Spouse is very industrious and exacting whenever possible. This is repurposing these rocks back to what they were doing long ago.

Very pretty and through manual labour–lots of it–the steps have been re-built. I think they look great.

It’s rather quiet here though we’ve had a brief respite from the storms. I even managed to get myself in a bit of a fix going out on the Lake as a novice canoeist yesterday!

Just the same it’s going to be hard to leave on Saturday but leave we must. Spouse returns to work and school starts for son on his birthday–August 20th!

He chose to take a couple friends to Gameworks the day before and I’m the chaperone so I cannot very well miss it. I am however considering coming back up for a couple weeks in September depending on if the current forecast for “drier than normal” weather pan out. Here’s how the current long-range forecast looks. BTW, bugs are really a non-issue as it’s been so cool.

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