Wild flash storm, including hail. It only warrants mention because most of the really intense weather of the last 6 months has completely missed this area. Almost every summer I have been here there has been a serious thunderstorm; they were mild this past season by comparison.
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Arrivals are late, as usual, as it is Friday.
It's not raining, though there was about 5 minutes worth earlier. So often people forego the trip out of the city because of the weather forecast. It's usually not nearly as scarey as it looks digitally. The real deal is fine, once again. Leaves are falling in a big way. A lot of reds have dropped in the last 24 hours. Driving along the highway is still brilliantly colourful, especially where there is a cluster of maples, but the overall picture is starting to show more to the orange end of the colour show. Drove to Whitney today for business.
I saw 95% colour traveling west. There are still some green leaves on deciduous trees. Of course, the landscape never becomes totally coloured because of all the conifers in the region. There will still be lots of colour this weekend, though the weather may not be quite as good as last weekend; I would not take the forecast too seriously. Weather systems are generally moving slowly, and there has not been rain here yet, though it has been in the forecast for the last 2 days. My guess is that Friday and Saturday will be fine, and we might see a turn for cooler temps Sunday. It's not too late to get a spot, for camping, and there are cabins still available as well. Wow! What a great weekend. I think it was the best weather weekend of the entire season! Sunny, hot, calm (canoeing was fantastic; also almost no motor boats in the river, so safe) and the colours of the landscape were phenomenal.
There were more people turned away who tried to book in at the last moment than any other weekend this season. Unfortunately, they lost out to people who made a plan in advance, inconsequent of weather. Camping was completely possible, and all I had to offer. There are cabins available for this upcoming weekend, also for Thanksgiving. Some last minute planners may be able to get a spot. Some of these places may be going a bit overboard, by asking clients to take a vow of silence, or not speak during certain times (people used to go to ashrams or cloisters for that). My movement toward quiet was provoked by clients appreciating being able to get away from dueling stereos, revving ATVs, and drunken revelers partying all night. There are lots of other places to do those things.
This is not a library; happy sounds of children playing, people enjoying a good laugh around the campfire, etc are good things! ATVs are not turned away, but they are not allowed to run through the grounds for fun. People can play amplified music, but it must be turned off at 11 pm. The suggestion is that your music should not infringe on anyone else's enjoyment of their spot here. Make noise during the day, when the world is awake. Let everyone sleep at night. Slowly over the years, guests have been playing amplified music less and less during their stays, even during the day. This has nothing to do with my client guidelines and personal preferences. I love music! I don't like to be forced to listen to someone else's, particularly rap and country, for extended periods of time though. Once again, my format is ahead of the curve. You can have the luxury of quiet here, especially if you vacation off peak times. As I cannot control the public waterway, or the highway, these background sounds are likely during the daytime, especially during long holiday weekends and late July/early August. When the sun goes down though, likely you can hear the waterfall, a km away. I have been asked by some what highway is so busy at night; it is the only sound in their auditory library that relates to the white noise they hear from the falls. The luxury of quiet without the luxury pricetag. Good deal? Just got back from Barry's Bay (supply trip), and though it is a dull day, I saw some flaming maples along the way. However, the volume of colour is not as I had expected. My guess is it is going to be about 50% by this weekend. Earlier in the month I noted that there were yellow trees and dropping leaves 'ahead of schedule'. Now it looks like peak will be next weekend, Oct 3/4, if not later.
Just drove to Barry's Bay and back, and it's getting colourful out there. Driving west was more colourful than driving east, as usual.
Cherry trees are red, some maples are bursts of colour, and oaks are starting to go orange. Some poplar and birch are showing a fair amount of yellow. My guess is we'll be seeing 25% by this weekend. This is a great time of year for people with preschool age children to vacation. No bugs, fine weather, swimming/playing in the water is still viable. Blackberries for the picking too. Generally there is no competition for the time off, unlike the summer months.
Much as I haven't wanted to admit it, it is obvious that there are yellow and falling leaves. Willow, birch, poplar.
There have been flashes of red on maples for almost 2 weeks, something that is normal. The maples that shut down photosynthesis first are the deep burgundy ones, then the odd flamer shows. It's the yellow leaf part of the forest that seems early to me. Poor trees are probably confused with all the rain and cool weather. I think it's going to be a long autumn, but colours may come on earlier than the last couple of years. That will make moose hunters happy. The leaves may be down by the time they are in the bush. Saw a lovely specimen of this threatened species the other day.
By and large, the snakes you are likely to see here are not aggressive nor dangerous. If you don't bug them, they won't bug you. They are a big help in keeping the mouse population in check. Here's a cute snake, also sighted recently. In depth piece on The Current, CBC about feeding wildlife, intentionally or unintentionally. Statistically speaking, deer kill more people than hunters do. From raccoons to cowbirds, people are interacting unmindfully and/or inappropriately with animals, and it's turning into a battlefield.
Buckets of rain to start the day. Now it's very ... calm
Campapalooza is folding up, about to disappear into the mists. Yes, mists. It's almost raining, again. Who would have thought we would have such crappy weather in the middle of August? 21 children didn't seem to notice, as they swam, flew kites, caught frogs, played chase games, kicked soccer balls, canoed...the list goes on. Camp was well organized, and things went off mostly without a hitch. The rain amounts were inconsequential during the day; the larger amounts fell at night and early in the morning.
Talk about next summer's event is already on simmer. Tomorrow I have a crew of 21 youngsters and their collective Moms arriving for a week of fun.
Stay tuned! The grass is cut. That's done.
The not so good thing is the tires on the tractor are still getting wet, so the river is still high. It means the trail to the waterfall is still flooded, badly. There were many years when the trail was flooded in the spring, and it wasn't safe to go into the bush but for the bugs until August. Some years the trail has been passable for the entire season. For the last 2 years the trail has been under water. Between drenching rain (the drought is over, no fire ban for the last 2 years either) and the river being kept high by OPG (Ontario Power Generation), the trail doesn't have a chance. The tires being wet also means 2 campsites are flooded and consequently offline: the waterfront tent site and the original group site. Even if its dry when you arrive, OPG opening the floodgate at Whitney OR a 5 minute drench could mean you are floating by morning. That's how much the river is still going up and down with the management. It also means that on a warm humid evening there are still mosquitoes. Their breeding ground has never dried up this year. The deer flies are still murderous in the bush too, which is much later than their typical season. Hiking in the forest isn't fun this season. It's much better to travel by water or hike in the open. By water is the only way to see the falls this season, don't know that September will be any better. I just found a site with ropes in the trees wayyyy up, cutaways from the tarps and just about every branch that they could reach snapped back on the site. A pile of small branches under the maple. These are the same people that thought they could put 2 families on one site, because the sites are so big, and split the cost. Yup, that's why I made big sites. That would make me 400% dumber than your average business person. So that's a days worth of tree work and a monkey rental? Don't know what to do about the ropes; 2 guys move a picnic table under the tree and stand on it to tie them. Then they cut away at ground level, leaving the tree to strangle slowly.
Guidelines for Guests are given to new arrivals. "6. Firewood may be purchased at the office. Do not break limbs or peel bark from live trees." Tree pruning happens in the spring and the fall, when it is best for the tree, NOT in the summer at the convenience of the camper. Sites are big so that there is room for the trees too. Now I have a # of sharp points, some at eye height, and split branch stubs at the trunk. It is a visual signal for others to help themselves. After time, all the trees will be denuded on the lower trunks. Privacy between sites will be gone. Tops will strangle when the tree grows around the rope and the tree becomes a 'danger' tree and has to be removed. So much for it being a 'beautiful' place, as so many new arrivals and return clients say. It cannot be beautiful with everyone taking fire starter from live trees, and pruning as they see fit. That is well beyond the privilege afforded here with admission. Doing the same thing in Algonquin Park would attach a $250 fine to each licence plate. $1000 in fines for taking liberty with trees that do not belong to the 'harvesters'. I could rent a cherry picker AND a monkey with a chainsaw for a day for that amount! I've been having trouble receiving notification that someone has commented on the blog, but I think it is fixed. Hopefully for good.
;-) There was an orphaned question about nontoxic bug deterrent alternatives, which was answered directly subsequently. You will find bug information under the "wildlife" tag. On the topic of what my clients say:
The new word I am hearing from the description fed back to me is 'Canadiana'. This term has replaced 'rustic', which has become a common term in decorating usage as a new/old motif. Rustic never did mean 'run down', which unfortunately was the popular usage/comprehension of the term. But I digress. Numerous itinerant Europeans were here this past weekend, in motor homes, because the million trailer hookups in Algonquin were full (one family stopped here first, then checked out Algonquin and came back to register on Friday. As in, ahead of the frenzy for the last spots). Every one of them said the same thing. This was the Canadiana they sought and had not found other places on their trips, because of the commercialization of the industry. Even Algonquin was too much like a suburb of a city. The organized campgrounds in Algonquin hold more people than live in the town of Madawaska, in closer quarters. So does Riverland. Here, #1 on the menu is the environment. Many international visitors look for Canadiana on their trips, much as I wanted to find a 'real' castle to stay in when in Scotland. So many that offered lodging had completely 'updated', americanized and indistinct. Could I tell I was in Scotland once I walked indoors? The entire camping industry has gone through a huge infrastructure shift, as in providing more comfort/amenities. Industry surveys claimed that people wanted more services, higher amperage for bigger motor homes, free wifi, laundromats, etc. The sacrifice has been the camping environment; trees have to be removed to install infrastructure, sites are graded flat and graveled so the fridge in the trailer will work without leveling blocks. No grass to cut. Higher energy costs; both infrastructure and usage require that more units be put into a smaller space for profit...people don't want tree branches touching their rolling stock. Some rigs cost much more than my house; their occupants can be very demanding (and often ask for discount on a price that is already below the industry mean). Is a 42 ft motor home camping? These rigs are getting taller too, requiring more tree pruning. This industry is helping destroy the Canadiana that the international traveler is looking for. We have the same problem here as the rest of the world. We have become americanized; not sure who that is supposed to be helping. One of the Dutch families should be checking back in any moment. They went to the Park yesterday and said they might be back, then emailed. It's great when people who are in Canada for only 3 weeks want to come back! Ok, now I AM bragging... A client who has been here a number of times checked out, and a small tree in front of his cabin has had all of the lead shoots broken back. I saw same person on the far south end of the waterfront doing the same to another small tree.
I reminded him that I offer only the deadfall on the ground for harvest; nothing, no bark, no apparently dead branches, nothing from a live tree. I think my request is reasonable, and my reminder also. He did not. Oh well... The same infraction in Algonquin Park can attach a $250 fine to a licence plate. Many places do not allow any wood pickup. Small bundles of kindling are $6. Bigger bags of blocks are $7 to $10. Wood is available here for $10/wheelbarrow, a price that has held for 15 years. Likely too much cloud here, but tonight is the peak of this 20 meteor an hour shower. Moon sets early too, so should be easy to see some if there is a break in the overcast. Perseids are spooling up too.
Both raspberries and blueberries are coming along. There aren't a lot yet, but some ripen every day.
Mushrooms are happening but also not yet in big numbers. With the rainy blasts we are having, and the warm nights, I can't help but expect big bloom soon. That being said, it became cool this morning, which made for sweatshirt weather until about 2 pm. Then it became hot and sunny. Expect flaky weather. That is this year's normal. Bring 3 season clothing. Always a good idea when you are camping anyway, right? Layers, extra socks, 2 of everything even if you think you only need one pair of pants what happens if you rip them, Big Boy? Anybody got a big skirt? I've got stories. Everyone is anonymous unless expressly in agreement to be the known subject of humourous reconnoiters. Rocky is 'in the house'.
I don't see them every year, but I see them this year (hint: they fly at night). Milkweed is in bloom, which is great. Last year it was very late, like late August. Seeing more Monarch butterflies, which is also great. Last summer was a season of things being out of order. Over years of observing/living in nature, one is used to a progression, and as much as nature doesn't have a calendar, there is a time frame. That is why nature signs can say if it will be a cold winter, or if the snow will be high, or if it will be a dry summer. This year is, so far, 'progressing' in a more orderly fashion. This is also, so far, the most temperate summer in 20. As in not too hot, not too cold, just right kind of weather. A Goldilocks kind of climate. We had our regular autumnal spot for July this past week, so it is time for summer now, full steam ahead, 5 weeks. If I were a betting man, I would put some money down. The double flowered American wild roses are blooming, and fabulously perfuming the general area. Time for some rose petal salad.
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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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