State of emergency lifted for Minden ON.

Spring is finally here with summer gardens on the way–and outdoor gardens the the Northwest Chicago Suburbs have taken notice.

Creeping Jenny

Ostrich Ferns

Look quickly though as many residents of these Chicago condo summer gardens will morph until they are nearly unrecognizable as summer moves closer—and it will continue well beyond that, too. I find it fascinating to watch and enjoy and snap shots of all this activity. I’m probably really going to miss it for the six weeks I am in Canada this summer…hope to see that the perennials that were planted at Maple Lake in recent years survived Ontario’s Winter 2013.

Halcyon Hosta with Creeping Jenny in the backgound

Crabapple blossoms (white petals) Back yard

Japanese Maple (front yard)

In full blossom (Crabapple tree)

The post Minden Flood Update – Condo Summer Gardens in Chicago – May 15 2013 (PHOTOS) #chicago #garden #summer appeared first on Maple Lake Ontario.

IMMEDIATE NEED TO HELP people who have been displaced by the Minden Flood: We need items like hand soap, tooth paste, deodorant, toilet paper, shampoo.

SOURCE: Minden Food Bank

Aerial View of Minden, April 2013

Though last week’s good weather helped to dry things up, the fallout from the 2013 Minden Hills flooding is far from over.

In an effort to bring you up-to-the-minute, I’m devoting this post to the Minden Hills area in hopes that you will reach out and support them in any way you possibly can. Over 150 families are homeless and many will permanently lose their homes as they do not have the option to purchase flood insurance coverage since they live on a flood plain.

Please read above “Flood related Community Information” about the latest, streamlined way that anyone, anywhere can donate to the flood relief fund. This makes me so happy as I’m 700 miles away right now and want to help and now can do so on payday using PayPal. Since I’m spending a month and-a-half in the Algonquin Highlands this summer, I intend to do as much of my shopping at local Minden businesses as possible and I hope other folks follow suit this year.

The sun coming out also brought this snap of the Minden Bridge opening this week past:

Minden Bridge reopens (May 2013)

Coach’s Corner Minden Hills Flood Relief May 8th 2013

A huge thank you to Ron Maclean and Don Cherry for giving our town such needed national exposure as we work to raise donations for our devastated town. Over 150 families are homeless and many will permanently lose their homes as they do not have the option to purchase flood insurance coverage as they are in a flood plain. Please visit www.pinestone-resort.com and click on the “Donate Now” button to donate to the “Township of Minden Hills Flood Relief” Trust account or visit any CIBC Branch – All Donations so VERY MUCH APPRECIATED!

EVERY DOLLAR RAISED IS MATCHED WITH A $2 DONATION FROM THE PROVINCIAL GOVT, ESSENTIALLY TRIPLING THE FUNDS

 CBC news report

More damage from high water in Minden Hills.

Fund raising efforts for the Minden Community After the Jump:

Pinestone Resort Minden Flood Relief Fundraiser tickets are sold out but you can still help!

After getting caught up on what is being done to help the victims of the Minden flood disaster, the next question I have is, ‘What is the weather going to be like in the immediate future?’

It’s typical spring weather meaning yes, there will be more rain. Fingers crossed that there isn’t any real heavy accumulation. Temperatures remain mostly normal for the highs and above average for the lows.

The post Minden Hills Flood – How To Help (PHOTOS) (VIDEO) What’s Happening in the Ontario Highlands #haliburtonhighlands appeared first on Maple Lake Ontario.

Kawagama Lake in Dorset Ontario – May 3 2013

Minden Hills residents in particular have been hit hard by flooding in recent weeks and though water levels are showing signs of improvement, the community remains in a state of emergency. (For up-to-the minute news about flood conditions and relief click
Get Flood Relief Information.)

Help Your Community!

With such gloomy circumstances, good weather news is very welcome, indeed. Today is a good example of what you can expect over the weekend and beyond.

 Highlands’ Weekend Weather

Weekend Weather Ontario Highland’s (May 3-4)

But what about after the weekend?

Weather Forecast for the Highlands May 4 – May 8 2013

*Click to enlarge for detail.

Through next Wednesday, there is NO rain in the forecast and the majority of days will be MOSTLY Sunny.

Beyond that, in the 14-Day Weather Outlook:

Highland’s 14-day Weather Outlook

Well, it is spring but from what we see here, the Highlands will be getting a full week’s respite from rainfall with 9 of 14 days calling for no precipitation. The few days with a chance of rain are followed by sunny days, so with any luck there won’t be much back-sliding on the recovery from the flooding. There certainly is reason to be grateful. Low temperatures remain across-the-board higher than normal and the high temperatures, when averaged out, look just about spot-on normal.

Chapleau River Ice melting

After all the mucking about it would be nice to get out and have a little fun so here What’s Happening in May in the Highlands.

The post Good Weather News For the Haliburton Highlands! #haliburtonhighlands #algonquinhighlands #weather appeared first on Maple Lake Ontario.

Kawagama Lake- Dorset – ON April 26

As usual, there are a tonne of activities to choose from this weekend–and beyond in the Highlands of Ontario. From Earth Day celebrating to learning how to grow your own mushrooms via the process of harvesting and inoculation of the host log(!) (I really want to do this!!!) to doing your part for your community in the Hike For Hospice–have fun choosing! So read on and catch up on some of  the fun things to do in the Ontario Highlands!

Weekend Weather Haliburton Highlands April 26 – April 27

Highlands Weather April 27 through May 10

It’s spring so yeah, it’s rainy–that’s what we all know we need. The temps look really good though–very normal highs and geez, how many more times am I going to note this(?) –higher than normal low temps. I have a problem with neither.

Also to note–the boats are back in the water in Kincardine Harbour as well as some other locations, while places like Kawagama Lake still look at least partially frozen. Diversity is good, right?

Kincardine Harbour and Kincardine Channel to Lake Huron Ontario

With any luck and the cooperation of our beloved Mother Nature, the rain should bring good conditions for summer–you know, lots of green and hopefully a low chance of fires in the Highlands. Fingers crossed!

The post Highlands Happenings – Earth Day – Live Art Here – Hike For Hospice – Grow Your Own ‘Shrooms #haliburtonhighlands #algonquinhighlands appeared first on Maple Lake Ontario.

Maple Lake Ontario North Shore

St Peter’s Church North Shore Rd on Maple Lake Ontario

I would totally love to spend July–all of it–on Maple Lake Ontario–but I keep wimping out about being totally alone for a week at a times sometimes. I wouldn’t be doing so if I knew more that some welcome faces would be showing up. Maybe this year.

I’ve been told that I’m trying to sell people on the place (Maple Lake) but I really don’t have to– in fact, I’ve undersold it. Summer Vacation 2013 Ontario vacation dates so far:

Maple Lake Ontario -Vacation Dates

Opening the cottage (Family) – June 23 – 29

June 30 – July 20 – Me and a dog (probably Raven) staying and my Dad and an additional (family friend) guest during the extremely busy July 1- July 4 celebrations (first week of July).

July 8 – 21 – Come visit—me and a dog! (Company welcome)

July 21-  Me and spouse and the dogs through August 3. (Company welcome)

Labour Day Week  Sept 1 -7. Closing cottage – Official, end-of-season – Friends, family whomever… (head’s up would be appreciated).

I have big hopes for it as a Maple Lake retreat because it is truly bucolic when the party people aren’t there (most of the time–non- holidays  and later, when they’ve gone to bed). There’s is so much to do here, whether you snap photos, revel in the opportunities to get close to nature, walk, bike, swim, hike, climb, run, fish, and soon, get into to some serious rock-hunting, along with the standard boating, tubing, swimming, skiing, sunbathing etc.

R and R on our beach on Maple Lake – Roger is brushing Raven. I’m not sure than she ‘willingly’ went in the lake or following Obi’s having gone in, was shamed into it.

This year past was R’s 15th anniversary (works at a very large Schaumburg-based electronics company) so he got to pick an ‘atta boy’ gift from a catalog. I saw a kayak and said that would work well  as one of the ‘toys’ at the cottage. Roger said he’d been thinking of  it, too–shazam! Our ‘fleet’ now includes a red canoe, a  12′ swim raft (my favourite!), a one-person kayak, and a rowboat that is getting a small motor this summer.

How it looked in pretty places in Ontario on Sunday at Sunset

Chapleau River Ontario sunset April 14
(Credit: Weather Network)

Blue Mtn. Ski resort Ontario 4.14.13 sunset April 14
(Credit: Weather Network)

Taking Hwy 35 to Maple Lake From Pearson

From Pearson to Maple Lake via Hwy 35.

The post Maple Lake Ontario – Summer Plans Coming Together (PHOTOS) #algonquinhighlands #ontario appeared first on Maple Lake Ontario.