Foxwood Resort BLOG

THE SNOW IS HERE.....FOR NOW

2011-12-03T10:22:00.000-08:00

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.

FOXWOOD IS JUST A PLACE

2011-11-17T20:03:00.000-08:00

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!

CHIP ON THE MOVE

2011-11-04T08:50:00.000-07:00

About three weeks ago we were walking around the property, surveying what things had to be done to get ready for winter. We were standing by Chip, our smallest cottage, and commented on the work that had to be done to the existing foundation.
Chip is one of our oldest cottages, probably built back in the 30's.....at the time it was located close to a potato patch and being as small at was, potato "CHIP" was born. It's a neat little place with a cozy ambiance and is very popular for couples coming to stay at Foxwood.
There was only one small downfall to Chip and that was where it was located. It stood right in between our new straw bale cottage and its' the view of the lake. We don't know how many times we were asked "too bad you can't move that cottage". Since we already had to deal with some foundation repairs, we thought well, "why not move it". And so we did!
It took a few days to reinforce the floor with new joists and build a steel sled for it to slide on top of en route to its' new location. It took another few days to move it along the lawn and jack it up into place on a new home of concrete piers.
We are just finishing up the trim, landscaping and connecting the utilities. In the spring we'll plant grass and finish up the patio/deck.
Welcome to your new home Chip!

FALL PADDLE TO BARRON CANYON

2011-09-28T17:05:00.000-07:00

The weather last week was amazing and it ended up being perfect for our annual paddling trek into Algonquin Park. The four of us (Rob ,Julia, Meg and Mike) only had a few days to spare and decide to try out the Barron Canyon route.
Access to the Canyon is via the eastern edge of the park on a logging road that takes you to Achray. We left on the Monday Sept 19 in the afternoon and travelled to Pembroke so that we could get an early start on Tuesday; Meg and Mike decided to catch up to us and leave very early from Dwight on Tuesday, Sept 20 . They made the right move as the motel we stayed at in Pembroke was the absolute worst we have ever experienced - check out TripAdvisor for the Champlain Motor Motel/Inn in Pembroke to get the details!
On Day 1 we got the canoes into Grand Lake by 10:30am and had the wind at our back most of the morning. We stopped at High Falls for lunch and exploring. The fall are a very popular and have a water slide which Julia tried out. It was so beautiful. While on St Andrews Lake we caught sight of several water snakes and even a chipmunk paddling across.
By 4:30pm we made to our campsite at Opulesent Lake. We made a fire and had a fabulous pasta dinner complete with wine, beer and a touch of scotch....ok, so only one of us had the scotch
The next morning we got into the canyon but not before talking to a group of paddlers who made camp a few kilometers from us. They heard the wolves howling the night before...WOW!
The canyon was amazing. The walls were up to 300 ft high at times and were carved out by the retreating glaciers and huge runoffs of melt water over 10000 years ago. Shortly after finishing our paddle we were able to take a hike which followed the upper canyon and gave a great view of the river below. It is not the type of hike for those who have a fear of heights!
As usual, Annie our border terrier loved the trip, finding herself at ease in the canoe on her perch high up on our packs. We'll be back.

INTO THE LAKE...IT'S HOT!

2011-07-24T05:06:00.000-07:00

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!

UP, UP AND AWAY!

2011-06-23T16:48:00.000-07:00

The lake is now up to 70F/20C and it's getting warmer each day. We are out skiing and wakeboarding too. Our first wake boarding guest came all the way from Kamloops, BC. In the winter Ian is a snowboard pro extraordinaire and now he can add wake boarding to his list of talents. He seemed to make getting up for the first time look so easy.
It only took him about two tries and he had the technique mastered...not without a few falls though.
Summer is here and we are getting ready for the July and August families to arrive.There are still a few cottage vacancies available here and there. Chinook, our new straw bale eco cottage is available for 3 day stays and Chip, our small studio cottage is great for couples looking for that last minute escape from the city.

THE ICE IS GONE AND WE'RE SWIMMING!

2011-05-08T04:30:00.000-07:00

It was a bit later this year, but the ice eventually left the lake in front of our house on April 27. Last year it melted more than three weeks earlier on April 3. That cooler, wet spring weather delayed everything.
To recognize "ice out day" Julia, in her traditional fashion, went swimming. The temperature was balmy 42F or 6C......yikes, that's cold! Rob, in his traditional fashion, documented the whole thing on film (without getting wet), getting the before, during and after shots.
It is now a week later and the lake is already beginning to warm. The weather forecast for the next little while is for the temperatures to rise up into the 20's. If that happens there is a chance that the May Long weekend might be warm enough for a "normal" person to take a quick swim. Usually by mid June the lake is up to a very nice 75F/18C+.

WHEN WILL THE ICE GO?

2011-04-13T19:21:00.000-07:00

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!

TURKEY FEATHERS

2011-03-26T10:53:00.000-07:00

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.

WINTER NOT DONE YET

2011-03-03T14:38:00.000-08:00

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!

Rink, a Rink

2011-01-06T16:20:00.000-08:00

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!

DECEMBER HOLIDAY WITH EVERYTHING

2010-12-20T19:22:00.000-08:00

We arrived in Vancouver with great anticipation. After being away for about 4 years we were back on the west coast to visit old friends and see our two kids for an early Christmas.
In Vancouver Rob met up with a few good friends, including John Gilbert an old tennis partner, well know for his UFO H2O creation at Vancouver's Expo 86. Later, we met up with Julia's mom's and tot's group who all have children of similar age to Adam, our first born. Although their meetings are not frequent, they have kept in touch going on to 27 years!
Next, it was off to Vancouver Island to relax with good friends at a beautiful resort located on Long Beach. It took Julia less than 10 minutes after parking the car to dash out in to surf. Although the next stop across the Pacific from where we were might have been Hawaii, the water was very, very cold. She seemed to love it. Just up the coast from Tofino we visited a secluded hot springs, a 90 minute boat ride away, and saw gray whales and sea otters. It was nice to be back on the Island where we used to live 30 years ago.
After returning to Vancouver we drove up the Coquihalla Highway to Kamloops, our home before moving to Foxwood. Again, we had a wonderful time visiting and being well entertained by friends. Several days were spent up at Sun Peaks where Rob used to work and where our kids Meg and Adam are spending the winter. This will be Meg's third winter working there, this year as a pro patrol. Adam, who has been working hard as a geological engineer in Vancouver, decided to take the winter off to teach skiing at Sun Peaks. It was good to see our friends and we celebrated an early Christmas with the kids. We skied two days and the conditions were actually quite good.
After banking almost 2000km of driving in 10 days we returned to Foxwood and to yet another foot of snow. It was good to be back at home and in our own bed. We knew that we were in familiar territory when saw the wild turkeys. The scratching at our bedroom window woke us; there he was, a peeping "tom" looking through the glass! A total of 7 turkeys paddled through the snow by the front of the house. We never thought they were that curious however from this experience, apparently they are.

LET WINTER BEGIN

2010-11-30T12:01:00.000-08:00

We left for Ottawa Friday morning to meet up with our son John. By 10:30 am when we pulled out of the driveway there just a dusting of snow. Although the weather department was forecasting 25cm of snow in our area we thought little of it. It would likely be another case of "how many times do they have to get it wrong before they get it right"?
Well, when we returned Saturday night what a surprise we had. There wasn't 25cm of new snow, there was about 40cm of it! Our car barely made into the driveway.
Sunday was spent cleaning up. The temperatures had already begun to warm up so we tried to get as much done as possible before the snowblower clogged up with wet snow. By noon we had most of it cleared off.
The snowmobiles have already been out and the ski hill has started making snow, so winter has started her engine. Lets hope for a good one!

PADDLING ALGONQUIN

2010-10-17T18:28:00.000-07:00

We both got away last week with Annie to take a short canoe trip into Algonquin Park. The weather started off brilliantly. It was warm and sunny, the wind was light; our first day was great!
After a late-ish start from Foxwood and some backtracking to the west gate to get a camping permit - we discovered that the permit office at Canoe Lake was closed for the season - we finally dipped our paddles into the water around 12:30pm. While loading up the canoe we met another couple who were also just setting out. Lo and behold we learned that they were both from the lakeshore in Montreal where Rob grew up, they went to the same high school as he did and Rob was in the same class as one of the sisters. Small world!
After 4 or 5 hours of paddling we settled on a campsite on Tom Thompson Lake. Dinner was rice soup and lentils, hot bread with pesto and cheese and a litre of wine. There was even a few slurps of scotch by at least one of us. The evening was cold, however we managed to keep warm.
Despite a forecast of rain showers, we were spared for most of the next day. Our campsite was well set up with firewood and a bed of pine needles under the tent; we did not want to set up a new campsite. So we decided to stay put and do a 5 hour day trip out and back. It wasn't until we returned that it started spitting with rain, but it wasn't enough to spoil the evening. Dinner was veggie chili, lots of it, but hot chocolate and no wine.
On the third day, our last, it rained and we had a rather adventurous trip home via Potter Creek. Had we studied our route a little better in advance we would have avoided that route as water levels were just bordering on being too low. Fortunately, we were going with the current, we weren't packed too heavy and it was our last day so finishing up wet was not a big issue.
The trip was fun and Julia even muttered that it was better than she had expected!

FOUR WEDDINGS AND NO FUNERAL

2010-10-06T12:51:00.000-07:00

It was memorable year for weddings at Foxwood. We had four of them (and not one funeral) with the first one happening in the middle of June, just ahead of the G8 summit.
Richard and Stephanie tied the knot on our dock. The air was fresh, the breezes were refreshing, the backdrop was amazing and no one in the wedding party ended up in the lake!
Right after the Labour Day weekend we had three more weddings. Each time when the weather looked like it would not cooperate, it was the Foxwood magic that took over, the clouds parted and the sun smiled down on everyone.
Elissa and Steve were the first of the Fall. They had friends and relatives gathering from around the globe. Two weekends later it was followed by Pam and Josh. We tracked the weather down to the final moments and had a wonderful ceremony on the patio of the Main Lodge. Josh even made the wedding cake and was it ever delicious! Then Josie and David had their wedding just last weekend. There were a number of guests who traveled from all parts of the continent, including the the west coast, to attend. They had a wonderful Ethopian stew for dinner in the Main Lodge
Having a wedding or special function at a smaller resort like ours can be quite special. You have the resort all to your own so you can celebrate the way you want, even if part of it means staying up to sing song around the campfire with friends until 4am. Unlike any of the larger resorts or hotels Foxwood has a location that is so private, a setting that is spectacularly natural and pure, and an atmosphere that is relaxed and warm.

SUMMER IS OVER

2010-09-19T06:25:00.000-07:00

Fall is now upon us. The temperatures are cooling, the days are getting shorter and summer has now become just a memory. Where did the time go? We often look back at the summer videos we post on our Facebook pages to rekindle the stories, the people and the great times we had this summer. And what a beautiful summer it was.
Annie, our little border terrier is now 11 months old and she had many neat experiences. She had her first kayak ride in the spring, then in August she made it across to Haystack Island on the stand on kayak. She had only one slip into the drink but thankfully her customed designed life jacket kept her floating high in the water.The weekly puppy training classes were another event that also got Annie really excited. They were a big hit for both her and our guests.
The other dog we had at the resort never had a name, though it should have. Her, or she, was rescued in June while floating down the lake alone after storm had sent her adrift. Nobody came by to claim her so she just hung around and did her thing with the kids....and a few adults too!
The lake warmed up to about 78F/24C this summer but it has now now dropped down to under 60F/15C. Still swim-able for some, but a little on the cold side for most. The fall months are a wonderful time to hop into a canoe or kayak and paddle though the calm waters and morning mists. With few people around it can be so peaceful and serene. Some of the maples found along the shoreline are starting to turn bright red. It won't be long before every tree is ablaze in colour.
Fall is here. We hope you can visit us.

THE QUEENS HAVE ARRIVED

2010-07-19T18:49:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we came to the conclusion that our hives might be missing their queens. The bees seemed healthy enough however we couldn't locate a queen bee - they are larger than all of the others - and we couldn't find the eggs that would be the sign that she was around.
So two new queens were ordered on Friday. Instead of driving the 3 or 4 hours to pick them up, we had them express posted to us in the mail. They arrived the following Monday, each in a small cage accompanied by a couple of their "attendants". The tiny cages were packed into an envelope and sent off to us.
When we got the queens we introduced them to their new hives while still in their cages. Each one has a small sugary plug in the end of it which stops the queen from escaping quickly. Over the span of a few days they eat through the sugary plug and then are free to move into their new home. This slower integration gives all the bees a chance to acquaint themselves with each other gradually.
It's been close to a week since the new bees arrived. We'll wait a few more days to check and see how things are going. It will be a good sign if we see some freshly laid eggs.

CHINOOK HAS FIRST GUESTS

2010-06-23T04:46:00.000-07:00

We were about 2 weeks late getting our final occupancy permit for Chinook but the place is now ready and had its first guests arrive on Monday. The building started way back in November 2008 when the old Gatehouse was torn down. About a year and half later, and after lots of work, the building is finally up and standing strong.
The photos above show the dining/living area seen from when you walk in the entrance and the other is of the guest room.
Chinook has many other interesting features. Some of them are: Eco-friendly mattresses made from soy foam, propane fueled "on demand" in floor radiant heat, wide eaves to keep the winter sun in and the hot summer sun out, dual flush and water saver fixtures, fiberglass low E argon filled windows, long lasting metal roof, passive solar gain window placement design, and beautifully polished concrete floors created through a process involving the slicing off layers of material using diamond cutting sanders to expose the aggregate within.
We still have a bit of fine tuning left to do like moving furniture and artwork around to the right spots, some landscaping and the usual touch ups here and there. Overall though, the place looks and feels GREAT! If you are looking for an amazing spot to stay and feel really comfortable then have a look at Chinook on our website.

TALK ABOUT NICE WEATHER!

2010-05-24T13:39:00.000-07:00

What a fabulous May Long weekend, all three days of it. The resort was full and the weather was absolutely amazing. The water temperature on our beach was about 70F/20C today, the sun was shining, the winds were calm and the thermometer hit 88F/29C.....it couldn't be May, it feels so much like the middle of the summer. It boggles the mind to think that it was only two weeks ago that we had 2 inches of snow on the ground and guests were using brooms to clean off their cars.
Today, we took advantage of the beautiful weather to get the raft in and do some swimming. Even our guests were taking to the water.
The next few weeks will continue to be warm so we should swimming almost daily from here on in. By the weekend we should have our water trampoline in as well.

FIRST KAYAK RIDE, FIRST SWIM

2010-05-16T17:15:00.000-07:00

A little less than a week ago Annie, our 6 month old Border Terrier, had her first kayak ride with Julia. The water was calm and so was Annie. It will likely be the first of many rides that Annie will have this summer. Border Terriers are not really considered water dogs, however Annie has been curious about water and she is definitely not worried about it. She has already had her first slip off the dock into water over her head. She made it out of the water likely thinking to herself "I'm still alive!", all the while displaying that Terrier bravado of "was that it?" We are looking forward to having her accompany us and our guests on the regular swims that we have to Haystack Island located about 800m across the bay from Foxwood.
Today, the weather warmed up to just over 22C. It was very summery and it was perfect for that first swim of the year. Annie didn't go in this time. Instead, she was a spectator as she cheered Julia on into the 9C water. A little cool, but actually quite warm for this time of the year. Julia normally makes it into the lake sooner; last year it was about a week earlier and just about every year she gets in on January 1.....we think that she has a few screws loose! In another month, if the weather cooperates, the lake should warm up to 20C or higher and then it will be a good time to get out onto that water trampoline.

LAKE ICE OUT EARLY

2010-04-03T05:46:00.000-07:00

Ever since we arrived in February 2002 the lake ice has always departed around April 19 or 20th. This morning at 7:30am the air temperature was an astounding 23C and the lake ice was gone!
Yesterday we took a photo with Julia, Annie and Martha playing down at the dock. The ice was ready to go and would just take a bit of wind to break it up. On a sidebar, notice in the photo the three ducks. Two of them are males and they are both trying to win over the heart of the lone female. We watched the males throughout the day trying to impress the young lady by beating their chests, flapping wings and spraying water at each other.
So Spring is here and it's about 3 weeks earlier than what we would have expected. It will be nice to get a jump on our annual clean up and will allow us to get onto the landscaping around Chinook, our new straw bale cottage. If you haven't seen Chinook, take a look through our earlier BLOGs or go to the Accommodations page on our website. Hopefully, we have it ready to go by the end of May.

LEGEND SKIING AND PALMS

2010-04-02T08:34:00.000-07:00

Our California trip continued after a long drive from Mammoth Lakes, through Death Valley, and then after 9 hours of driving we arrived at Big Bear Lake. Big Bear is home to a couple of really neat ski areas, Snow Summit and Bear Mtn. Not giants in vertical but very popular to the LA and San Diego crowd. Both have terrain parks, but Bear is really a mecca for them. They have "features" everywhere, top to bottom and Meg loved them! The temperatures were warming, the snow started mushing up around lunch, but we got in a lot fun skiing while there.
We also had a chance to stay and ski with Rob's uncle Doug who has made a living in the ski business. In fact, one of the first places he started off was at Snow Summit in the early 50's. He went on to a career that included writing a number of ski books, he was editor in chief of Skiing magazine and his biggest claim to fame is being recognized as the father of freestyle skiing. At just over 80 years of age he sports a long flowing pony tail and can still tear up the slopes faster than most.
We also had a chance to visit Palm Springs and the Indian Canyon. Incredible how beautiful the canyon was, and all of it located in the middle of a scorching hot desert. We ran out of time and would have wished to explore the canyons more.

MAMMOTH TRIP

2010-04-02T08:12:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while we are able to get away and last week we took off to California...to ski! Son, Adam and daughter, Meg flew down from Vancouver to meet up with us in LA. We rented a car and drove about 6 hours north to Mammoth Mountain, one of the coolest ski mountains in the west.
It was just below freezing the first day and we had a few inches of fresh snow. The vertical drop at Mammoth is an impressive 3500' with the lower elevation just under 8000' above sea level, the summit is at 11,500'. We found lots of steep stuff and we gave our lungs a real work out. Julia got a great sun tan (we called it a burn!) and Rob stretched about every hamstring in the book skiing runs like Climax and Huevos Grande
After two days of screamin' skiing we headed south to meet up with relatives in Big Bear Lake. We took the longer route and detoured into Death Valley, the lowest spot in North America (almost 400' below sea level). We stopped at Badwater to look around and walked out onto the salt flats. What a amazing place but such a contrast from our 2 days at Mammoth!

WINTER TURKEYS

2010-04-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

The wild turkeys are everywhere. Once abundant in Ontario they were hunted out to a point where their numbers were so small. Not long ago they were reintroduced in southern Ontario and now seem to be thriving even in our snowier climates.
They spend most of their time on the ground searching for food. It's not uncommon to see 12 - 20 birds together at one time. As awkward as they look, the wild turkey can really fly. At night they roost in trees and we've seen sitting in trees 75 feet and higher.
The deer don't mind the turkeys either. Not far down the road from us, we've been amazed to see half a dozen deer foraging for food with about a dozen turkeys percolating around their feet, getting any food that they can.

WINTER IS A SHOE-IN

2010-02-08T04:35:00.000-08:00

Although we are not breaking any records for total amounts of snowfall, it sure is wintery here. Our snowshoe trails are in excellent condition, as are the cross country, downhill and snowmobile trails. Temperatures have been ideal as well, dipping down to the mid teens at night and then warming during the day. The sun has been shining a lot too as you can see in the photos of Julia and Annie out on the snowshoe trails.
We are around the half way point in our winter and it is about 1.5 months to go before spring. We'll be getting ready for another maple syrup season soon enough.
If you are thinking about a winter visit to Muskoka this is a great time to do it. Family Day is this weekend and then the school spring break in mid March. Looking farther down the road summer is looking quite busy for us. There is still a fairly good selection throughout the summer however this is the time when many of the available cottages get reserved. Our new straw bale cottage, Chinook, is taking shape beautifully and will be ready for bookings starting in June. You can check out our BLOG to see the progress.

ANNIE IS HERE

2009-12-24T17:37:00.000-08:00

On Friday, December 18 we welcomed home our newest arrival to the Foxwood clan. Underhill Dreamboat Annie a 9 week old Border Terrier made her entrance.
Border Terriers when full grown are not big dogs, but they are tough as nails, full of energy and determined as ever. We really miss our other two pets, Shayla and Howie, however we love little Annie. She is so small but already is showing her fiestiness with our cats Martha and Zazu. Annie stands about 8 inches tall right now and will likely double in size by the time she is full grown.
So, welcome to Foxwood Dreamboat Annie!

WINTER HAS BEGUN

2009-12-08T18:15:00.000-08:00

Saturday, December 6th marked our first official snowfall of the 09/10 season. There wasn't a whole lot, maybe 10cm, but it was enough to cover everything and it didn't melt! Now, 2 days later, it's still piling up and looking like it's here to stay.
We have managed to get most of our winterizing done...stowing chairs and toys, closing summer cottages, putting away boats, insulating the bee hive and chicken coop etc.... As is often the case something gets overlooked and we find it poking out of the spring snowmelt in March or April.
It will be nice with a few more snowfalls so that we can get onto our xc and snowshoe trails. Last summer we cut a new one which we hope will be as great in the winter as it was last summer.
We are now looking forward to the arrival of our newest Foxwood staff member. Look us up again next week and maybe there will be more news. Stay tuned!

THE ICING ON THE STRAW

2009-11-10T16:50:00.000-08:00

Once we had the straw bales placed it was time to start the plastering. Over a period of two weeks we had 6 men spreading two coats of this mortar mix over the straw. It was quite a process particularly when we had to deal with temperatures dipping well below freezing half of the time. The last thing you want to have happen is for the water in the mortar to freeze. This leads to cracking and poor adhesion to the straw. It was also a problem having to deal with waterhoses that kept freezing on us.
The mortar was a careful mix of cement sand and fibreglass. Unlike ordinary sand which is rounder in shape, cement sand is angular and has more surface area which improves the bonding. The fibreglass strands were added to reduce cracking which can occur as the mortar dries and shrinks. In all, the mortar added another inch to each the inside and outside walls. Once cured, the walls in combination with the straw, become a strong, stable unit.
Unlike traditional walls today, there is no vapour barrier in a straw wall. This allows them to "breathe" and the cement tends to wick any moisture out and away from the straw. The air inside a straw home is very clean and without the vapour barrier there isn't the same worry about harmful gases being trapped inside. Even so, the materials used inside Chinook are all natural including all of the floor and wall finishes.
The next step with Chinook is to bring power and water into the building and then begin the interior finshing. We still have the soffits and some siding to do on the outside but all of the main work is now done.

POST THANKSGIVING STUFFING

2009-10-25T13:22:00.000-07:00

The straw bale crews started preping Chinook in the last week of September. This involved taping up windows, sills and doors and anything that you had to protect from the cement that would be eventually covering the straw. The walls also had to coverd with a plastic type of mesh fabric. This would actually help to hold the straw bales and loose straw in place and would give something for the cement to grab on to.
The open wall spaces had full bales stacked one on top of the other while the openings for the door and windows were curved using a wire mesh. These area were stuffed with straw by hand and then rammed tightly with a board to fill the voids. To finish, the straw in the walls was literally stitched together using a long needle-like rod which pulled twine from one side to the other. The twine was pulled tightly to bind the straw together.
A small chain saw was used some of the time to cut out sections for around electrical boxes or odd shaped corners. The finished straw walls are about 14 inches thick and make Chinook smell just like a barn. It's all natural here! We are really happy with the "feel" of the place and the deep window boxes and maple sills look great.
It was important for the bales to keep dry so each night the entire building was wrapped up with a waterproof paper to keep the weather out.
After about 2 weeks of preping, stuffing and stitching, the walls were ready for plastering. This would require two coats of a mortar mix on both the inside and outside walls of the Chinook.

CHINOOK IS HEATING UP

2009-10-23T16:32:00.000-07:00

Earlier on in August crews came in to install our in-floor radiant heating system. This type of heating involves laying a series of pipes within the floor - in our case a poured concrete slab - in which pre heated water is pumped through to warm the floor. There are no hot spots when heating this way. The floor is warmed and this warmth "radiates" throughout the building for a comfortable even heat. The concrete slab becomes warm and toasty just like a rock heated by the sun. Although the Chinook will take longer to get up to the right temperature, once stabilized, it will hold the heat for longer than most other buildings. The thick straw walls will insulate to almost R50 so it is a very efficient structure. We are still trying to figure out what the energy will be to drive the system; we are considering solar thermal and solar photovoltaic as possibilities.
Once the concrete floor was poured it was troweled to a smooth and even finish. Next were the floor polishers. It took about 5 days on slow, tedious grinding to get the finish we wanted. The grinding machines ended up taking about .25" of material off of the slab, exposing the beautiful array of aggregate within the concrete. Staring with diamond bits of about 30 grit, the finish grind used diamond polishers of about 3000 grit. The final product was amazing. Just like a marble slab where you almost see your reflection.

CANOEING, STUFFING AND NATURE

2009-10-03T04:43:00.000-07:00

Meg and I just came back from 3 days paddling in Algonquin Park. It was a great experience (at least some would say that) and a shortish trip down Smoke Lake, across to Bonnechere and up to Head Lake and that back across to Smoke Lake. Between the driving rain, 1C temperatures and howling wind, we had snow! On top of that, somehow I forgot to pack our camp stove. Meg and I had to madly forage around for any dry wood that we could find. Fortunately, we were able to chop up a dead cedar and strip away some birch bark from an old downed tree to make enough dry stuff to get a flame going. The hot tea and lip smacking garlic pasta with red hot chili really hit the spot after our first day. There is nothing in the world that can rival smokey camp food to comfort a grumbling stomach.
Canoe traffic was negligible and the colours were brilliant. Algonquin Park is actually just passing its prime but the red and oranges are the best they have been for years. Our colours at Foxwood haven't quite peaked yet but are just about to.
Chinook, our straw bale cottage, is now getting stuffed...just like a scarecrow. It's looking more like a home now, well perhaps more like a barn with all of the bales stacked in the living room. The crew should have it all closed in and plastered in a few weeks time. We'll try to do a more thorough update with photos in the near future.
Last week our friendly neighbourhood fox got at 6 of our chickens. In the span of about 30 minutes they were gone, chicken heads torn off and dragged off in to the woods. It was quite shocking when we discovered the massacre about 29 minutes too late. Oh well, that's nature for you and unfortunately, is what a dog's presence likely could have prevented. At the age of 13 Shayla, our bordie collie, huskie, coyote cross sadly succumbed to cancer at the end of August. She was a great friend, and like Howie our chocolate lab who passed away a few years ago, was a tremendous partner in our family and played an important role at Foxwood. Now all we have to guard the place are our two cats, Martha and Zazoo. They are hardy what you would call ferocious, but nevertheless loved members of our family.

MY FIRST FISH

2009-08-11T12:52:00.000-07:00

Earlier on this summer we had Max. Only about 5 or 6 years only, Max was determined, and destined, to catch a fish. Off he went to the end of the dock each day to catch that elusive big one, the one that we always hear about getting away.
The excitement of catching that first one is unforgettable. The tug on the hook, the bend of the rod and frantic reeling in of that fish. Pull it up quick and steady, keep tension on the line and get it on shore before it escapes. That was Max, catching his fish. It wasn't a big one, but it was a great one! And the great one did not get away. Yah!!
By the end of the week Max had his signature on just about every fish at the end of the dock. Needless to say those fish were very well fed, figuring that another worm was well worth the trip to the surface and another poke in the lip.

A GOOD FEELING

2009-08-06T18:49:00.000-07:00

Occassionally, we hear something that just says it all. Recently, we had a couple and their young son come to visit for a few days. A day after they left Foxwood we received an email from them. Reading it made us feel great and we'd like to share an excerpt from it.
"We just wanted to say how much we loved staying at Foxwood this past weekend. What a beautiful and well-maintained place you have there! It was just exquisite. Our cozy little cabin was perfect for the 3 of us and you just can't beat the view from Chip! A piece of heaven. We were in and out so fast that there wasn't much time for chatting, but we just wanted you to know that we were really soaking in all the delicious magic that Foxwood had to offer. Among all the incredible offerings and moments...the fresh eggs, the friendly deer, the loons on the lake, regaining childhood on the water trampoline, breathing in exquisite peace under the blanket of stars, the bonfires, the music, the kindness of strangers, the main lodge that makes even rainy days FUN, and that abundant, thick, juicy air that I only wish we could bottle up and keep on reserve for our year in Toronto!!....it was just such a delight"
Every now and then we receive feedback that really make us feel good. We often get great feedback, not always though, but about 99% of the time.....we are still working on that last 1%

POSTS AND ROOF FOR CHINOOK

2009-07-29T13:36:00.000-07:00

Despite the wetter weather that we have had in July and a few delays in our building schedule, Chinook cottage now has a roof overhead and we're dry underneath.
To keep a natural look we have incorporated several red pine log posts at the entrance and on the front screen porch. Like Snowshoe, we harvested the logs from our property. We had a good friend and a very skilled timber framer help us with the mortise and tenon joinery.
After waiting several days for the rain to stop the roofing crew arrived. It went on in just a few days and with the added colour, the building is really starting to pull together.
The next step is to put in the in-floor radiant heat lines, get it inspected and then pour the concrete floor slab. The plan is to have this step completed by next week. The floor will take about 3 weeks to cure and then we'll be focusing on installing the exterior straw bale and interior walls

WHAT'S HOLDING THAT ROOF UP?

2009-06-30T16:56:00.000-07:00

The straw bale construction used on our newest cottage is just a little bit different than the more commonly used form of construction. It is a mixture between regular stick framing with 2 x 6's and post n' beam when larger dimension lumber is used and spaced farther apart. To make the walls using straw bales the centres between the vertical posts are greater, similar to a post n' beam house, and we use a couple of 2 x6's like most houses have, but they are aligned together to make a thicker wall. In between those spaces are where the bales of straw are stacked "on edge". Hold things together from above are larger box beams which are designed to carry the weight of the roof over those larger spans. In the end, the walls consist of 14" of straw bales and about 2" of a mortar type mix which is smoothed over the straw inside and out.
Our construction has been somewhat stalled this week with the wetter weather. We were hoping to get the steel roof on this week but we'll have to wait 'til next week. The roof trusses are all up and it's starting to look like a house.

SOME BUZZ ON BEES

2009-06-28T18:27:00.000-07:00

What sounds like a roaring train and can send shivers down your spine? A swarm of bees!
A swarm is loud, impressive and a bit frightening if you don't know that swarming bees are incredibly docile and practically never sting. Swarming is the natural way for bees to expand and grow their numbers. When a hive is strong and healthy and the accommodation starts to feel a bit tight, the queen will ensure that the hive is full of honey, brood, eggs and newly developing queen cells. Then she, and about 20,000 of her closest attendants gorge on honey, exit the hive en masse and settle in a clump near by. There they stay until scout bees find a suitable location for them to set up their new house. This is incredibly unselfish. She does the work of building up a safe and secure hive, then leaves it behind to face the risk of starting over.
Commercial beekeepers do not like their hives to swarm as it slows down honey production in the old hive and leads to the loss of thousands of bees- unless of course, the beekeeper can capture the swarm and settle it in a new hive of their choosing.
On inspection of our hive a few weeks ago we did not find any eggs- often a sign that the queen has died. Instead, we found nectar stored in the brood space (the part of the hive where the queen usually lays her eggs). We had planned to wait a few days and check the hive again but before we had a chance, they swarmed! As we have learned since, nectar was flowing, but not abundantly, so the bees did not prepare the comb provided for honey storage but instead stashed it in the brood space. When the queen wanted to lay eggs and found her brood space full she decided the hive was too crowded and instigated the swarm. The bees settled in a very high branch of a nearby tree (pictured above). We tried to capture the swarm, intending to start a second hive, but when we dislodged it the queen flew back to the original hive, all her attendants in tow. We quickly added another honey super and some new frames in the brood space and so far she seems content with her expanded quarters.
Life is never dull at Foxwood Resort and we have great honey!

THE ROOF IS ALMOST ON AND IT'S HOT

2009-06-23T19:28:00.000-07:00

At just about the same time that the foundation was filled, the wall framing began. That was June 15. Since then the roof trusses have been put into place and so we should be ready for the metal roof sometime next week. We are about a week off schedule but are still doing well overall considering the amount of rain delays that we ran into a month ago. A skyhook made moving the trusses into place so much easier. After labouring away for weeks, excavating and getting the foundations done, it has only taken about a week for the place to really take shape with the walls and roof almost complete. The month of June has generally been great and we have been lucky not to have been held up by wet weather. In fact, the biggest challenge has been the good weather...it has been so hot that it has made working on the site tiring. The lake has warmed up about 10F in just the last 5 days and is nearing 75F or 21C. At least one of the building crew has discovered it refreshing effect! While building is going on we are busy sorting out kitchens, doors and bathrooms along with the day to day routine of running the resort. Just this weekend we had terrific wedding and hosted about 100 persons. There was also a rather interesting event involving our bees which we'll tell you about in our next BLOG

STRAW BALE PROJECT TAKING HOLD

2009-06-20T05:23:00.000-07:00

Since receiving the building permit on May 25 crews have made great progress on our straw bale project. In fact, by May 27 we had concrete footings and then, 9 days later, the foundation was poured. The worksite was a bit mucky and there was lots of rain to contend with. Our design has a frost wall foundation which is capped with a concrete slab containing an in-floor radiant heat system. The frost wall was built using insulated concete forms or ICF. They go together like Lego blocks and make up the wall forms and insulation all in one. Concrete is then poured into the hollowed centres of the blocks. It took almost a week of hauling truck load after tuckload, and over 800 tons of gravel, to fill up the inside of foundation which will eventually support the concrete floor. On June 15 wall framing began.

ROOTS ALMOST IN

2009-06-14T16:47:00.000-07:00

Spring is always a good time to plant and set roots. Our straw bale cottage is no different. Last November we demolished the Gatehouse with the help of an excavator and a Bic lighter. Sadly, it took all but a few hours to reduce 60 years of history to rubble. The old building was stubborn and it took more than a week for the burning embers to finally become exhausted. We were looking over an old resort rooming plan and saw that the 8 Gatehouse units were called Fe, Fi, Fo, Fum, He, Hi, Ho, Hum. What could be more simple! In a way it reminds us of how we are building this new cottage...out of straw, which is uncomplicated and well, simple! Since construction began in May the new building now has been planted and its foundation is firmly rooted into the ground. Next will be the walls and roof which we plan to get erected over the next 2 weeks.

LET THE BUILDING BEGIN

2009-06-05T20:47:00.000-07:00

Last November we decided to retire the Gatehouse...we'll show you pictures of how we did it in a future BLOG...and then on May 19 we began the process of constructing a new straw bale home. When done it will be about 2500 sq ft with 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a den/bedroom and a huge living area looking down to the lake. Evolve Builders have been contracted to do the work (learn more about them and straw bale construction by visiting http://www.yourhome.ca/homes/article/615983). If all goes as planned it will be ready in Spring 2010. To do this we are working towards getting the foundation and roof on before the summer holidays. We'll then stop much of the work for July and August and resume again after Labour Day. This is an exciting project for us as it further solidifies our commitment to be a prime example of an eco friendly resort. To our knowledge, this will be the first straw bale cottage to be built at a resort. We haven't given the new building a name yet and we would be keen to hear any suggestions.

SPRING FLOWERS

2009-05-16T11:59:00.000-07:00

Shayla and I have gotten into the habit of going for a morning walk each day. Sometimes we walk on the road, sometimes the Foxwood trails and sometimes both. We have especially enjoyed noting the daily changes in the woods this spring as the plants wake up and trees leaf out. We go on wildflower hunts and greet each new Trout Lily, Spring Beauty or Violet we find with enthusiasm. We have seen lots of small Trillium plants too and marvel at their resilience. After years of overgrazing by deer they still manage to leaf out and try their best to build up strength and energy before the forest canopy steals the sun away and they go dormant for another year. Hopefully the small Trilliums we see will be able to store enough energy to flower in future years. On the drive to Huntsville we pass a hillside that is covered in a mass of flowering Trilliums. It's quite a sight but nothing to compare to the single blooming Trillium we found on the Foxwood trail the other day. I felt almost as proud as a new mom! Since then I have found others stong enough to flower- both in white and purple- often tucked between the fallen branches of trees where the deer can't get at them. For the second year in a row we have noticed a drop in deer numbers in our area so there is hope yet for a hillside of floweringTrilliums at Foxwood.

A NICE REFRESHING DIP

2009-05-10T05:07:00.000-07:00

Monday, May 4 marked the official first swim of the year here at Foxwood. A few weeks ago the ice was floating around and we probably had the first boat in the lake. This time it was Julia's turn by herself. She always makes that first swim, however this year she was a bit later than usual. Typically, it's January 1 when she jumps off the end of the dock. We have aerators going to keep the area free of ice so it's easy to get in and out of the water. This year something else must have been taking place so the New Year swim never happened...maybe it was because our daughter Meg wasn't home to keep Julia company. The temperature of the water on May 4 was a balmy 8C or about 47F. Julia's words as she got out of the lake, and perhaps not to anyone's surprise, were "it's not too bad". For most of us we can wait a bit longer, or until the mid part of June when the water temperature creeps up into the mid 20C's or 70F - 80F.

AND THE BAND PLAYS ON

2009-04-19T09:04:00.000-07:00

Julia is now in her 5th year in the Huntsville Community Band. She, along with a number of others, decided to take up a musical instrument later in life with little or no previous music training. She is no Moe Kaufmann, however although she is quick to deny it, she does manage to crank out a pretty mean tune. The group practices once a week and every now and then they are invited to perform in front of live audiences. Last Wednesday they made the trek to the Kiwanis Music Festival, an annual event taking place in Orillia, half way between us and Toronto. Each entry to the festival is adjudicated and low and behold they won GOLD!

THE ICE IS GONE

2009-04-19T08:37:00.000-07:00

True to form and as has typically happened over the years, the ice is now gone from our part of the lake. It is just incredible, regardless what the weather has been like, how regular its departure has been. Last night Julia and I, along with two of our guests, went out in canoes to check out what remained of the ice. We pretended to be ice breakers but some flows were still too thick to do anything. With the wind shifting these massive sheets of ice around we had to be extra careful not to get hemmed in. By this morning, April 19th, it was all gone!

SYRUP-ING IS ALMOST OVER

2009-04-10T13:05:00.001-07:00

The sap runs this year have been OK but with the cooler temperatures and 15 cm of new snow earlier this week could this be the end of it all? Hopefully not. With some luck and the forecast of cooler nights and warmer days we should get one more boil done before we call this maple syrup season a wrap.
The next big event (for us anyways) is when the the ice leaves the lake. Since arriving at Foxwood in 2002 we have taken records of when we consider the ice officially gone. Although our records represent only a small snapshot of time - Tom Salmon settled the property in 1876 and the lake has had ice going in out for who knows how long - we find it interesting how consistent the dates are. Regardless of the year, the ice leaves the lake in front of us either on April 19 or 20....with maybe the last ice flow going on the 21st. We'll see what happens this year!