Red Deer Log Cabins

A lot of southern Ontario has lost its snow, but there's still lots here.  I don't know if the snowmobile trails are open with all the warm and rain that we've had; it looks really bad on the stretch that goes around this place.  Trees have been drinking heavily.  There are snow wells and bare patches now covered with a fresh 2 inches of white.
Problem with the wasps is I don't know how to frame their information.  Their nests were very high at the beginning of last season, slowly getting lower and lower; they are measuring precipitation level, not time (or that's the part I can't decode) or temperature.

It's not going to stay.
Predicting a green Christmas, lots of rain between now and then.
The wasps told me
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There is a marked change in the colours overnight.  Even this waterfront is showing much more than yesterday.  It looks like the rain may hold off, and no high winds are in the forecast at this time, so there is a great chance that my prediction will come true, and the colours peak will be this weekend coming.

Also just in time for Thanksgiving, I am finally seeing substantial numbers of edible mushrooms fruiting.

People asked this past weekend about wild berries; the only thing still on the bushes is wild grape.  There are lots, as they have been slow to ripen.

Cabin availability:  the log cabins are booked, but the little frame cabin is still available.  If anyone can get out of the city this week, I have up until Saturday available in 2 log cabins.  I also have Sunday night and on from that available in one log cabin,  The weather is looking fab for this week from what I can see.

Anyone with trailers or RVs, I have serviced sites available for the entire weekend.  Also, anyone who loves camping and isn't afraid of cooler temperatures, you have lots of choice in the campground.  :-)

AND there have been a number of sightings of a moose cow in the reeds to the south of the waterfront in the last while.  I can't guarantee she will show herself; nature does what nature does.
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In the shower...

I get a lot of inquiry from western Canada and the western States.  I never assume that those people aren't in Ontario looking for a place to stay...but sadly, they are quick to fill in the inquiry form or call, without noting the location of Red Deer Log Cabins.  I know it can be confusing, a place called Red Deer in Ontario, but we have wapiti too!  The name is historic, from the time before the elk were hunted out; they have been subsequently successfully reintroduced.  
People come here from around the world, and I have had a few visitors from Alberta.  I hope people in Ontario looking at the site aren't thinking this place is in the west...it is almost equidistant between Ottawa, North Bay, Toronto, and Kingston, so it's a great meet up spot if your friends and family are spread far and wide.

Flocks of swallows cavort, flying with their mouths open and eating biting bugs.  Yay!  Go swallows, go!

In the parade of spring, we have reached the special lighting effects portion of the program.  Meanwhile, the bullfrog chorous is ramped up to its height.  The soprano section, the peepers, are winding down.
​And the black flies are definitely gone.

It rained a lot of today, and this evening it is not possible to be outside.  There are definitely bugs.  We were on the edge of drought; grass was starting to die off where it had been cut.  There is a fire ban the next township over.  I haven't heard anything about here yet.
Speaking of fire bans, I am hoping with all of the consciousness about Fort MacMurray and the recent wildfire there that it will not be so difficult to get people to comply with fire safety rules here this summer.  It's fine to be cavalier about your campfire, as long as you want to pay top dollar for the place after you burn it down..my insurance company will insist the bill is paid.  Finding cigarette butts that were left to burn out on pine needles under trees is particularly nerve wracking.  It does not take much; the natural environment cannot be made fireproof.

The black flies are over.  This is the second day I have not worn any bug proofing, and no bites.  This is the earliest date to be clear of black flies in my experience.  Those of very tender skin may still be attractive to them, but for all intents and purposes it seems safe to venture this way.  Of course, there are ways that you can be more appealing to them; sweet scented and musky soaps, perfumes, hair products...all those kinds of things. Usually it is a good idea to skip bananas and eating lots of fruit this time of year, but I have not taken that precaution, and still, nothing!

​Yay!

It's too bad everyone pretty much gets their holidays during a 2 month stretch.  Some cabin dates are already full, and people who have no flexibility for their vacations are being turned away.  That being said, there is still camping available for all dates at this time.
 
So..."what about the black flies?" you may say.  My hair oil from the east Indian grocery store works better than the sprays everyone buys.  I have fewer bites (none), and my hair is very soft.  It really does work very very well.  It's much cheaper than spray, not toxic, and does not eat the finish off of furniture or melt plastic.  Vatika with amla and henna seems to be the best oil to use.  One application a day does the trick.
 
The dragonflies are prolific this year as well; they love it when I stir their meal up out of the dirt as I clean the place up for camping.  I am being surrounded by clouds of them.  Enchanting!

It's always a good sign to see the dragonflies show up.  It means the blackflies are on the run!  Can't say they are very bad this year, just an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening.  Other than that I hardly notice them.

I just saw 2 bats.  That's a good sign; it's been years.  If I am seeing them, the population is likely rebounding.

A new one has moved into the area.  He's so bold he was trying to get into the garbage can at 2pm today.  Strange, as they are generally nocturnal.  Either he is really hungry, or he has evolved.  It's true, it was overcast, but nowhere near the light level of dusk.
 
It's a stark reminder to keep food and garbage under control.  Don't feed the wildlife, either on purpose or inadvertently!  Otherwise, it is a pet.  Matter of fact, it becomes your pet, and you have to take it with you when you go.  That's the rule here.

They smelled the fresh mown grass.  The game is on!
I really didn't want to cut the grass, because the whole waterfront area was full of wild flowers.  However, with the number of people expected this weekend, some would think ... things if I did not cut it.  Now that there has been a couple of good soaking rainfalls, lots of flowers have come into bloom.

Though the leaves are starting to change, I am predicting a couple more weeks of fabulous weather before a cool down happens.  I am still finding the occasional raspberry on a bush.  Nature seems to think it is early summer.

I just saw a black squirrel.  That doesn't seem like much to city folks, but they are not typical in this habitat.  Ours are red squirrels.  I haven't seen any of those for a while, thought there were lots at the beginning of the summer.
It was a very fat, glossy, big black squirrel.  Maybe it hitched a ride with a cottager?

I can no longer say that I haven't had a bear in the campground.  Just before 7 am one walked down the main camp road, right in front of the house.  Strangely, the garbage (which gets picked up today) was intact. 
All the more reason to be very particular about food and garbage...

Because there are few tourists this weekend (blame the rain in Southern Ontario?), the wildlife is entertaining inside the grounds!  A beautiful fox and her kit were out hunting around 6 am.  That got the geese off the waterfront bright and early.
BTW, the rain was very light and seems to be over already.  Would have been pleasant fishing.  Too bad you missed it!  Really lovely, Garden of Eden type morning here.

This is difficult to believe, and I am having trouble writing the words, but there are almost no black flies.  Ok, ask a newbie to the area, and s/he will heartily disagree.  However, this morning at 17C it was completely possible to dig in soil.  That should be impossible in June in this location in my experience of 26 years.

It ran in the (propped) open door.
Not a good move this time of year with all the little animals looking for hidey spots for the winter...

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.