Strangely, the blizzard that hit Ottawa missed here completely.
Again, the weather forecast is not completely accurate for this location. Environment Canada says that it is 7C, but I see 15C on the thermometer. Walking around in the sun (yay!) with no coat. A short excursion on snowshoes showed me that the snow structure has gone to mush. There is water sitting on top of the ice on the river, from runoff, so the ice is going to be mush soon too. Looks like some sledders got bogged down mid river over the weekend, but fortunately did not go through. I heard the sound of stuck machines numerous times over the last couple of days. Even if we get more snow, the base is gone on the trails. I see grass poking through the snow pack.
Strangely, the blizzard that hit Ottawa missed here completely.
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Looks like snowmobiling season is over.
Those poor weather forecasters have had a rough go of it lately. Lets see if they have this right now.! An entire week of above zero daytime temperatures...starting today. It has been above zero every day for the last week, barely, though forecasts have been for -5 or so. The trees are already drinking heavily; there are bare patches around many of them. Snowbanks abound though. There should be a couple more days of Xcountry skiing/snowshoeing possible. People have busy lives these days. Many people have NOT been taking a vacation, when they really need one.
I see a lot of people vacationing so frantically that, when they return to their day to day lives, they need a break to recuperate. How about a real disconnect from the hectic life? Whether you are renting a cabin or campsite here, 5 days and 7 are the same price. That means the weekend, the highest rate days, are free! It takes about 3 days for most people to change gears from their high paced lives, so the real intense relaxation starts on day 4. The fresh air makes people sleep heavily; they are reoxygenating their bodies. Many guests feel drunk the second day here without having a drop! Do yourself a favour, and join my happy campers, who have found the freedom to relax for a while... There are numerous ways to book a vacation these days. Besides booking engines, which often charge exorbitant fees to the accommodation provider, there are booking platforms that fit the definition of the "sharing economy". Think Couch Surfing. True sharing economy websites do not have fees attached, for either the vacationer, or the accommodation provider, and are a matchmaking service. They find other ways to monetize the site.
There is a creep happening. Now there are websites that allow the vacationer to book stays in private homes. They do financial capture for the provider. The provider pays a % of the fees for the privilege of having the match made, and the money captured. Now everyone can be a hotelier! Just to let you know, private homes are not regulated to industry standards. There is no requirement to test water, and ensure it's fitness for human consumption. There is no coverage under the Innkeeper's Act (if you leave something behind, it can be thrown away or liquidated at the home owner's discretion, for instance). In that accommodation is not rocket science, this maybe seems like a lower cost alternative to licenced properties, which must submit to inspections and maintain a safe environment. There are now no less than 20 community college courses that cover the operations of tourism properties. These courses have been instituted for public safety since I purchased this property in 1989. I won't mention any names of sites here, but I am sure the savvy digital vacationer is aware of various of these types of websites/booking engines. Just in case you thought this was "sharing", be aware that some large Silicon Valley effort is making millions on your choice. Like a bank, they only take a few bucks from each participant. They take millions of $$ from the accommodation industry though. You get what you pay for. When the bottom falls out, you may not have many choices left of where to stay. Market forces are always shifting the landscape in all industries. Of course, things change in every industry over time. However, this is not a level playing field. These "sharing" sites have all of the advantages, and none of the costs. Consider choosing a dentist, financial advisor, or restaurant this way. Maybe you see my point? Apparently that is the % of Canadians who take their full vacations yearly. The rest let their vacation time expire, and the 4% of their wages that is put aside by law goes back to the employer.
Stop the insanity! Trip Advisor has come up with a Green Leaders badge for its member properties. Which is great. Except that they want to see independent auditing. All of these eco-auditing services are VERY EXPENSIVE. Looks like a make work project to me...many of their categories do not apply to this premises, and, as usual, they do not have consideration for things that would apply.
Auditing would substantially increase rates, which would lead to non-competitiveness in a tight industry. Having an environmentally responsible premises is fine, and I have been doing everything I can to keep the air and water clean, and to reduce the environmental footprint. The problem, often, is finding clients who will preserve that mandate. Why does anyone need a half hour hot shower after swimming in clean open water? Why is there more garbage/client year after year? Now we also have the problems of triclosan in anti-bacterial soap and plastic microbeads in soap and toothpaste; with all that I do, clients' choices can have ever increasing negative impact to the work I have done to date. It takes a personal commitment; it is not something that someone else can do for any individual. You might have noticed that I don't Facebook. Security issues, again. Besides that, I tried to start a Facebook page for Red Deer Log Cabins. Facebook refused to recognize Madawaska, Ontario as a location.
Technology. Ain't it grand? Along with other weather forecasting techniques used by Farmer's Almanac and myself is the berry predictor. Last summer saw higher wild berry yields than there have been in many years. I purchased extra winter wood.
The propane suppliers did not heed this. Thus, supplies were short, and when they did come through, propane was VERY expensive. So much for having an efficient furnace! Because of this, I burned a lot more wood than expected, but it looks like I have enough to get me through to the warm weather. The Weather Network examined this concept in the autumn, and stated that berry crops have no relationship to winter temperatures. Those weather people! It's like the forecasts that are formulated from inside buildings, isn't it? A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. Some time in nature might do them all some good. FAQs. Just the FAQs. I will add to this page as people continue to ask questions that I have answered many times. It's not that I don't like to answer questions; some people don't like to ask. Questions, good; assumptions, bad!
There are also people who ask again, and again...like I am going to change my answer! I've had practice with this people thing. Studies have shown it take 8 years to recover from discounting prices. Meanwhile the cost of operating a business continues to climb.
Prices here are consistent with quality. It is amazing how many booking calls I get from individuals who ask for a discount, after telling me how disappointing their last stay was elsewhere; dirty linens, filthy cabin, mouse crap everywhere, no swimmable waterfront...the list goes on. My only option in these cases is to try to duplicate the conditions they found at a lower price. Right? Also, I have found advice on traveler's websites to 'ask for a discount' or for the 'best price'. My prices are already the best. When you consider that minimum wage is over $10/hour (and the cost of an employee is double that to the employer) in Ontario, and that a meal for 4 in a restaurant can easily top $100, how can it be expected that a fully equipped log building on a waterfront should be less than a meal? People tip in restaurants as well. Tips for rooms are increasingly uncommon. They used to be the norm. Contrary to popular belief, it is not cheaper to live in the country. Our taxes are high, and service level incredibly low. There are no dollar stores around the corner, to readily replace broken/lost/removed cabin items. Distances are great, so every item that needs to be replaced easily costs $15 in gas to obtain. No big box stores for appliances with free delivery, very few places to find quality used items. I have also found that when the price is too cheap, the client can be brutal. No respect for the premises translates to damage, noise, lots of garbage, a big mess to clean up, and a bad attitude. There are automatic discounts built in to my prices. If you want one night, a Saturday, you have to expect the highest rate. If you want the best rate, choose vacation times off the high season. OR book a whole week. If you take my weekly rates and divide the number by 7, you will find unprecedented value, tax included. Less than a dinner for 4 at a mediocre restaurant! There are a few days already with no cabin availability. August 11, 12, 13, and 14 are full. As you may have noticed, I don't use availability calendars. There would have to be 4 calendars, one for each cabin. When I am quoting availability for groups, it would be very difficult for everyone concerned were I to use booking engines and availability calendars, because I hold on to dates for groups until they can get their plans solidified. Imagine trying to plan a family reunion, only to get back to me 48 hours later and find that the Saturday night has been booked out in one cabin, so there is no longer room for the entire group. Everyone gets some time to confirm, once they have made a firm request. Availability calendars make this type of consideration a nightmare.
There are no full camping dates yet, for either tents or trailers. It's a good time to start making plans. Not this one. I heard today of a competitor, in Dwight, who has been put out of business by negative reviews on the internet. I don't know if the reviews are warranted or not. I do know that they sold a lot of half price coupons through a discount site. Might be they had too many people who wanted something for almost nothing. The proprietor only gets half the face value of the coupon. These coupons rarely lead to good, repeat, or referred clients.
The sale could be tricky if the reputation has been made to look bad. Before the coupons, they had a good business going. I have finally received verification from that unsolicited booking service that they have removed my details from their site. Hope no one tried to book through them. Now they are actually threatening to sue after posting property details with no authorization.
Be very careful where you do business. There are a lot of unethical practitioners out there... Best yet this year. The sun is shining; the melt is happening in a big way.
Hope those snow machiners crossing the river don't fall through... When I purchased the property in 1989, there were 4 log cabins in poor condition along with some other unloved buildings here, on a beautiful quiet waterfront, 1 km from a stunning waterfall.
It took 5 years to find someone to help me rebuild the cabins. Every contractor I spoke with wanted to knock them down and build frame cabins on their spots, modern and ordinary. Besides the fact that no subsequent building would be allowed on the same footprint (too close to the water's edge, environmental laws), there was a reason for reconstructing the aging buildings instead of replacing them with modern ones. When you stay in a log cabin, you can tell you left home. Consider that most people live in apartment buildings or houses that are finished on the inside with drywall. Here, when you roll over in the morning and see the logs, you know you are not at home. You are not just in another box next to other boxes. Hotel rooms are boxes too. Many cottages are now like homes, and so pretty much a bunch of boxes joined at the walls. Why do I have Pete Seeger running through my brain? It can be very freeing to get outside the box. It can help you think outside the box. Breaking the regular routine of appliances, screens, granite countertops, conveniences at the touch of a button...of course, this can be scary to some people. A comment I have heard often from clients is that they experience a freedom here that they don't find in other environments. Makes me smile. The squirrels are out collecting pinecones from the treetops, so there are little red pine brushes all over the ground.
Last night was very crisp and clear. While I was out stargazing, I heard a female fox, a vixen, barking. Seemed cold out for amour, but hey, fox have fur coats... The enclosed is self explanatory.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bmo-customer-s-account-emptied-of-87k-as-bank-falls-for-scam-1.2555647 I keep asking every bank I deal with to bring the jobs back to Canada. This campaign started when an overseas call centre employee tried to make investment suggestions, having looked into an account that we were not working with at the time. I spoke with her supervisor, and with a supervisor in Canada, who both insisted that there was no problem. Right. My roses from Valentine's Day are still fabulous, so I was putting them in fresh water and cutting back the stems.
There are fresh green shoots at the bud points on the stems. Woohoo! I'll be planting those when the ground thaws. Then there will be 3 kinds of roses here; wild Canadian, wild American, and a cultivar from who knows where! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Man Happy spring break everyone.!
There is no wind. It's much warmer than it has been any morning for ages. Yesterday was above zero, and today is likely going to get there too. It's strangely quiet outside. I had expected there to be many more snowmobiles running the trails this weekend. So far not though. Maybe everyone went south? I tried to get a pic, but because of the deep snow, I couldn't get anything meaningful to the viewer. By the time I got closer, the bird flew away.
What is called a partridge locally is actually a grouse, the Spruce Grouse. We also have Ruffed Grouse. When there is less snow, they are starting to congregate and mate this time of year. So far, I am seeing (and hearing) a lonely only. Look at what Twitter is doing!
http://home.myhughesnet.com/tv/3/player/vendor/GeoBeats/player/fiveminute/asset/geobeats-twitter_builds_log_cabins_in_its_headqua-gnrc TEEHEE! Maybe I should get an account, so that Twitter can follow Red Deer Log Cabins! I'll also take Twitter's corporate move as an endorsement for my philosophy; log cabin=simpler time, more relaxing, and transporting from the current morass of too much, too fast, overwhelming, anxiety inducing aspects of our society. This is what I do instead of soliciting reviews.
I reward for referrals. If you send a friend who books a vacation, your name goes in a hat. On the Sunday of Labour Day weekend, a name is drawn from the hat. That person wins 3 nights in a cabin (no long weekends), based on availability. The more people you send, the more entries you have in the contest. Starting this year, there will be 2 contests; one for cabins, one for campsites. The campsite referral winner will receive 3 nights of camping (no long weekends) based on availability. I have not made this distinction in the past. It's time. It is important for your friend to mention your name if you have referred them. It's funny how many times I have had to pry a name out of someone new; they say that a friend stayed here and had a good time, but they don't want to say who it is. If I don't know, I can't make the contest entry. So, to win a free minication, have your friend mention your name at time of booking. Of course, this applies to new clients only. There is no cash value attached to either draw. How would YOU score? It would be a much different "review" world if the clients were publicly assessed, don't you think?
There is an idea out there that a couple of bucks makes the client king. That may be true in a large impersonal accommodation chain, but it doesn't work here. At no time is it appropriate to damage the premises or abuse the staff. One reviewer actually did comment on other clients, which I found strange. My intent to provide a quiet (non-amplified) getaway for people comes with a codicil; the clients need to cooperate with the mandate. The reviewer who mentioned other clients said that they were quiet. However, had they not been quiet enough for that individual, that would have been outside my control. I cannot control anyone. I can only ask for their cooperation. The neighbours did not play any music; I think the reviewer was not even considering that type of sound though. This is not a library; it is a vacation spot. Children's laughter, music during the daytime, people playing sports are all good sounds. Respect for others is a guideline for guests. Quiet time is from 11 pm to 7 am. That means that late arrivals in the campground cannot assume no one will hear them if they turn up the tunes, or drink too much and forget that they have neighbours. Skinny dipping at night is fine as long as you don't scream when you hit the water and wake up other clients. If you keep your party to yourself, it will all be good. If you don't come to the office if there is unwarranted noise at night and let me know, there is nothing I can do about it. Yelling at me the next morning is useless. I cannot identify the noise problem source once the noisy ones are sleeping off the party. Most of the time it is very quiet here. Most of the people who come want to listen to birds and other nature sounds. The departure from this is long weekends, when the place is full. Sheer numbers make for more sound. Again, if you keep your party to yourself, it all works out. Everyone has a good time. It's amazing how many places on the internet one can find reviews about everything and anything! What used to be the domain of "qualified" experts is now within the power of each individual to be heard. Sort of. After all, opinions are like a**holes; everybody has one. This means that many reviews are, at best, a selfish view of the world shouted large.
The reviews for my property are mostly positive. I have only had one review removed, because of a personal attack. I don't go after reviews, like some places do. My website is supposed to find the people who want to be here. I keep it as real as possible. I try to provide as much information as possible. Also, I happily answer questions by email or phone. There is no such thing as a stupid question as far as I am concerned. Assumptions are far more dangerous to a holidayer's enjoyment. I don't like to have unhappy people here; life is too short. Consider that some places actually DO pay for reviews. There are businesses that sell reviews. I get asked every summer for free accommodation in exchange for a review on some blog or other. Not ethical by my way of thinking. Strangely these requests are always for the high season, not the off season. Of course, by turning them down, I do run the risk of negative publicity... One of the two negative reviews on TripAdvisor is from a person who arrived on the fly. The extended family was revisiting the place her son had worked, a hostel in Madawaska, now out of business. Mom was disconcerted that I did not have her choice of accommodation available at the last second, then posted a negative review. Had they stayed at the hostel her son worked at, they would have to slept in dorm single bunks, and had breakfast and dinner included. I wonder which is the better deal, 2 cabins (privacy) with equipped kitchens, one on the waterfront, or the hostel, which was on Highway 60, not waterfront? The hostel cost more for 4 people than the 2 cabins here. Hmmmmmm....Oh, these folks left with a balance owing, which I thought was an oversight until I read their review on TA. The other negative review on TripAdvisor is from someone who wanted to change her high season booking from 2 nights to 4. I rearranged another client so that I could accomplish this without having to move the plan-changing client half way through her stay. This meant I upgraded the shorter stay person @no charge, and discounted the longer stay person. Then the person who wanted to stay longer changed her mind again, and wrote a negative review, after saying to my face that everything was fine. This easily explains why I am not keen on reviews. As a proprietor, I get a limited amount of time to respond, and only one chance. There is no taking back what is said. If I happen to be busy with clients on site, is it fair to take time away from them to respond to cranks? I find it takes some time to find the composure to make an intelligent, useful reply. Used to be if you liked a place you told your friends. If you didn't like it, you told the management so they could remedy the situation. Now we have ninja review writers instead. Lots of happy clients are not interested in writing reviews. After all, they are on vacation. Suits me fine! |
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February 2018
AuthorSince 1989, I have been known to many as The Red Dear. Most of the rest of humankind calls me Sandra. Categories
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