Friday, November 29, 2013

BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE

Bigwin Island as seen from Foxwood
This morning the thermometer read -24C! Yesiree, winter has arrived! Not a lot of snow but the ground is frozen solid and the heat lamp is on in the chicken coop to keep our hens somewhat warm. 
It was particularly beautiful this morning so we took a few pictures. Hoar frost was coating all of the trees and with the sunshine reflecting off the ice crystals it made for some neat effects. Even the rock wall that surrounds part of our waterfront was wrapped in an icy cloak. Looking down the lake we could see signs of Haystack Bay beginning to freeze over. Usually the ice doesn't start forming on the lake until just before Christmas so perhaps these are all good signs for a white Christmas and a real Muskoka winter.
By looking at our holiday reservations it appears that even our guests are confident the holidays will be snowy. We still have some space but so far bookings are looking very good. Our local ski hill, Hidden Valley Highlands, opened last week under the influence of good snow making weather. That is about as early as you can get and we believe they are the first to open in southern Ontario. 
We want to remind anyone who is thinking about visiting this winter that Foxwood guests can receive a 10% discount off the posted lift rates at Hidden Valley. As well, while at Foxwood we offer complimentary use of our snowshoes for exploring the nature trails at Foxwood. We are also happy to guide you around the trails during the day. There is lots of nature to see; deer, wild turkeys or fox. For a very special Foxwood experience, we also invite our guests to join us and share in our tradition of going out at night under the stars and moonlit sky. A cup of hot chocolate along the way, the hooting of an owl or the occasional howl of a wolf in the distance make for a very memorable experience.