Not long ago it was looking like November was going to be snow-free, but then it came on the last day of the month. It started off slowly overnight and then in the later morning hours it began coming down in buckets. When it was done there was about 15cm on the ground!
As the new snow piled up it played havoc, weighing down trees and snapping branches. Our wireless internet was on and off, the phone went out (Bell Tel still seems to think it was a problem inside our house!) and then we lost power in the evening. It was actually ok despite the inconveniences. We had a romantic candlelit dinner, we sat around the fireplace without feeling the urge to check emails and then we went to bed early. Everyone should try it!
The next day the sun was out and it was a winter wonderland. The snow glistened off the tree branches, shadows stretched their fingerprints across the snow covered lawns and the smell of winter was in the air.
Winter starting at the beginning of December is never guaranteed. It's still too early to get excited, but give it a few more weeks. Already the ski areas are working hard to get a blanket of artificial snow on the slopes.
Although Foxwood is just a place on the map, to many it is a place that's special. For us it's our home and we love it here. The peacefulness, nature all around, pristine Lake of Bays, space...lots of it. The big city is only a few hours drive south but for all we know it could be a million miles away.
When people call and ask us what it's like here we give them our "schpeel" and refer them to our website, our blog and our Facebook site, especially the videos, however the true story of what it's like at Foxwood can never be told as purely and as unbiased as it can by one of our guests. It becomes especially more credible and believable when it comes from the mouth of a 7 year old.
Yesterday, we had an email from the mother of a family who has been coming to Foxwood for years. She told us a story that is so heartwarming it gave us goosebumps.
It went like this..." The kids talk about Foxwood all the time as if it is a town or country. Ben doesn't understand why everyone doesn't always know what he is talking about. He says Foxwood the way people say they went to Florida".
The story goes on " When he talks about the "Foxwood" destination [to his teacher] he also says "that's where I always have my birthday" which sounds confusing to people. He has actually been at Foxwood for 5 of his 7 birthdays." She continues "He was crying at bedtime for 2 nights because it was so much fun and he didn't understand why we had to come home. He wanted to know why we couldn't live on a lake all the time. He had the very best time ever"
So thanks Ben for reminding us that Foxwood is just a place.....like no other!
If you are hot with all this heat happening over the last few weeks then what better place to be than in the lake. Air temperatures were reaching into the mid thirties some days but we had lots of breezes coming off the water to cool things down. The sailing was pretty good too!
Water temperatures off our dock reached up to 81F or over 25C. The warmest we have ever seen but about 2 feet below the surface it's cool. Just dive down and experience an amazing remedy to the hot air temperatures above.
If you are in the city feeling the sweltering heat radiating off of the black asphalt pavement, or being knocked down by stagnant air trapped between the tall buildings or you are not enjoying clothes sticking to you like hot soggy paper then you have to consider a visit to Muskoka!
Every year we guess what date the ice will officially depart. Last year was a warm one and the lake in front of Foxwood was ice free on April 3 and much, much earlier that in any of the other years that we have seen. Since 2002 the lake ice has consistently gone on either April 19, 20 or 21.
The signs of its departure are the same; first you see the snow on the ice begin to melt and become chaulky white, then as the ice breaks down it gradually becomes darker and darker. It can stay like that for ages, but all it takes is one opening, one small break in the ice, combined with a bit of wind and then it's game over. As soon as the ice begins breaking down and the wind starts to blow it usually takes a day or two for it to disappear.
For anyone with a dock in the lake it can be a nerve racking time. The power of a large ice flow, pushed on shore by the wind, can tear a dock to shreds in a very short time. We always hope that when the ice is breaking up that the wind stays calm or at the very least blows from the east or the north.
If you have any idea on when the ice will go out this year let us know. We thought it would be fun to put all of the names of those who guess correctly into a hat for a draw prize of a Foxwood t-shirt. So, email us with your "Ice Out" date by April 17!
Wildlife is always abundant around here. Unlike living in the city, we never have to worry about the noise, traffic jambs, garbage or smoggy air. However, living in the country does have it's own character traits and every now and then we come across situations which for the most part, are unique to our area.
Last week, early one morning, we where driving down Fox Point Road and we came across a flock of wild turkeys. Amongst the flock of 15 or 20 birds were two males and they were both flaunting their stuff, trying desperately to win leadership of the flock.....and of course, the lady turkeys that came with it. Unfortunately, we weren't fast enough with our camera to get the two toms going at it. They were nose to nose, fanning out their feathers and puffing out their chests, all in an effort to dominate the other.
While we thought it was neat to see the two of them going at it, the ladies looked on with disinterest....the grain that was left out for them attracted far more attention. In the end, there was only one winner and the looser wandered off into the woods dejected.
We were watching MPs debate on Parliament Hill the next day and somehow, in an odd way, it reminded us of life in the country.
In like a lion, out like a lamb? Well, it's too early to tell which way March will go, however we do know that winter is still around. Just last week we had another 15cm Muskoka dusting of snow. The trees lining the road to Foxwood looked beautiful. This weekend has another storm moving in with what could be a significant snowfall.
Spring Break is coming up in only a few short weeks and then we can declare the end of winter and the start of spring. Once the snow is gone we have a list of projects to work on including a few cottage renos and updates. Those projects will include landscaping around Chinook, our new straw bale cottage, and enclosing the front porch. We have a well know log home builder coming to help so we anticipate that it will look great when done.
If time allows, the two of us will try to escape for a week or so at the end of March to a place that is either warm or snowy....that leaves us a few options! The trails for skiing and snowshoeing are still in excellent shape and there is plenty of snow around so that Spring Break should be a safe bet for snow. If you haven't seen us in the winter your time is running out!
After our last thaw, when it rained and rained over the days leading into the New Year, the temperatures dropped and we had one of the largest skating rinks in the land. Lake of Bays was one giant ice pad. Though at first we weren't 100% sure that the thickness of the ice would make it 100% safe - our "safe" thickness for walking on is at least 4" - we did our checks and it passed our criteria .
We decided to clear off a patch not too far from shore. The snow that covered the lake was feather light and the ice surface beneath was as smooth as a baby's bottom, maybe smoother! Armed with a few shovels, we pushed the snow out towards the perimeters to expose our rink. It wasn't a tough job and we had our rink cleared off in less than an hour.
What a glorious opportunity to experience skating on one of the purest sheets of ice....no extra water, no hoses, no zamboni. It was amazing!
To make it even more incredible, we ventured beyond the boundaries of our rink. Out into Haystack Bay we pushed. One stride after another, with only a few inches of snow blanketing the the ice, we found the surface below to be just as smooth. There was little or no resistance from the snow and it was is if we were gliding only on the white blanket. It was "powder skating". . what fun!
