Skywatch Friday #52

Driving north on highway #12 in Southern Ontario
A clear sky.



Last week, on the way to Bracebridge - too bad the wires are in the way.
Hay! I love seeing the clouds just perching on a puff of air.

I understand some of my blogger friends in Central Ontario have had storms. We anticipate them for Saturday!

Visit Skywatch for more skywatchers!

The Oaklahoma Booklady has some nice shots.

Yogi's Den, too: Skywatch Friday - Oklahoma Edition
We are back in tourist mode: line-ups for gas in town.
People trying to drive 100 km/hr in an 80 km zone, to pass people going 60 km.

Drowning by fishing, boating

I like to surprise people with posts! I felt that, with the summer season, as a mom/grandma, it is important to be cautious around water.

And, as I told a Globe & Mail reporter in an interview on Tuesday, nothing has been learned in the year since we lost three teenaged men in a drinking and unsafe driving incident a year ago, July 3, 2008. The message in the bottle tells the story.

As I have been writing, we really can prevent these fatalities. Yes, we knew this. This is not new. Drowning is something that affects of of society.

• waterskiing without a spotter
• children swimming alone
• seniors swimming alone (a sector that is increasing due to demographics, and a stubborn independence!)
  
• inexperienced canoeists (two last year)
• inexperienced swimmers near a dam (one last year)
  
• Personal Watercraft (PWC) operators speeding
• people unfamiliar with boats (bad enough)
• fishing drunk (even worse)
  
• boating drunk (the worst)
  

We will not, as Cindy says, call these accidents, since they are self-inflicted wounds. Statistically-speaking, if you drink you have a strong chance of getting into trouble. If you do not wear a life jacket, you have a stronger chance of drowning. If you climb into a boat, or on a PWC, you do not know who is coming around the corner, or when your time is up.

As a retired teacher, I have seen a fair share of accidents. I am used to crowd control. Crowded lakes are not safe places. I am preoccupied with safety; you can read it in my blog. Living on a lake, as we do, - full time: rain snow, sleet or hail...I have seen the yahoos and heard the sirens as our tireless OPP and EMS crews respond. I can hear the OPP helicopter, as it screams south to take a patient to hospital. It breaks my heart as I know that the crews, the victim's families, and all of us will suffer for it.

While the Canadian Red Cross attributes drowning as a factor in 34% of all drownings, in 30% of the cases they did not have any information on this factor. We do not know what we do not know!

Fishing is the big one: 40% of all boating drownings, and 18% of all drowning activities. Do you know that alcohol is a factor in about half of these cases? Can you imagine why? After a day sitting around fishing and making a ruckus, then they go out on the water.

We see and hear them. For all of us - speak out. Stand up and be a friend. Tell that that what they are doing is wrong. Refuse to drink, boat, swim or allow them to hurt others this way. Their unborn children will thank you.


See also:

• Death by Drowning
• Accidents in Muskoka
• Drownings continue in Ontario

Many drownings related to alcohol, study says

July 8, 2009 - by Evan French

"A pair of newly released drowning trend reports, compiling 10 years of research by the Canadian Red Cross, show that boating fatalities make up 39 per cent of drowning victims, and alcohol is a factor in about half of the cases."

Endangered species

No, I'm not talking about the tourists, who might disappear, again, in our chilly July weather.
I worry about our frog ponds of Muskoka. I worry about the natural prey and predators as we develop Muskoka.

Yesterday, I found the carcass of my precious "Patch" (I think!), my little one-eyed snapper. I haven't seen him for awhile, but I've been busy with guests! It was nicely cleaned by sow bugs, and all sorts of critters. I don't know if a raccoon, or another critter got it.

There are several species who are beginning to invade Canada from parts afar.

• Water soldiers
• Zebra mussel
• Sea lamprey
  
• Round goby
• Purple Loosestrife InfoCentre
• Spiny Water Flea in the Great Lakes Region - competes with fish for food
  
• Giant hogweed.

Zebra mussels attached themselves to boats, and are shipped by recreational boaters or anglers wherever those who fish and boat place their vessels. People who take wood from place to place can provide transportation for insects that will endanger the fragile cycle of life. Predators must compete for food, upsetting the balance of feast and famine.

Spiky leaves, a Herbaceous Invasive Species is new and found in the Trent-Severn water ways, is pretty scary.
The sharp-edged water soldier plant hurts swimmers. It is sold at nurseries for aquatic gardens, but can escape and get into fresh water.

Giant Hogweed, from Brittain, is a phototoxic plant. From Wikipedia...

Its sap can cause phytophotodermatitis (severe skin inflammations) when the skin is exposed to sunlight or to UV-rays. Initially the skin colours red and starts itching. Then blisters form as in burns within 48 hours. They form black or purplish scars, which can last several years. Hospitalisation may become necessary.^[1]

How frightening.

Invasive species threat about 25% of native species, which impact for both flora and fauna in terms of biodiversity. We know how much an ecosystem can be affected by another species, especially non-native, that take away habitat and food.

The fisher (see my photo, right), a scourge of Muskoka, threatens cats and chickens alike. Our cat treed one and it didn't come back. This isn't the case in most situations, but our cat is rather territorial and fierce. It swims easily through the water, runs on land, and rips ducklings from their mothers.

The OFAH has a website to present information. But the big thing it to keep these species out and away from invading new territory.

Boaters
inspect, empty your bilges on land, rinse, spray, wash and dry all nooks and crannies, empty bait buckets on land
Wash your boats, clean your equipment, inspect and clean your craft regularly if you travel from lake or canal to other lakes.

Float Planes
inspect transom, wheel wells, steps for mussels and remove vegetation from rudders, avoid aquatic vegetation, and dry dock for a few days .

Personal Watercraft (PWC)
Avoid running the engine through vegetation, remove debris from the water-intakes, grates, inspect and wash thoroughly.

Scuba Gear
Dry your suit, rinse the inside with hot water (40 degrees C./ 104 F.) and submerge in salted water ( 1/2 cup of salt/gallon), do not remove artifacts (it is illegal anyway!) .

Waterfowl Hunters
Avoid anchors on decoys that will collect submersed plants, clean equipment, remove mussels, rinse hull with hot water, dry boat/equipment for at least 5 days, inspect equipment.

Safety and First Aid at the cottage

In My World...
As a retired teacher - it is crowd control and safety.

Number one is prevention of accidents. That said, preparation is important in that First Aid kits, medicines, and topical antibiotics should be handy. Do ensure that that are not last year's batch and check the 'best before' date.

It is better to prevent kids from getting too much sun and and protect them from the bugs. It is easy important, though to be prepared. Once there is a bug bite or sun burn, put on ointments right away. If it is 20 minutes to the pharmacy, by boat, on a good day, if the sun is shining, you may be out of luck otherwise.

If you have an accident - and there is a wound, clean it out and cover it up and get medical help if necessary. There are lots of bacteria about. A wound should be washed and cleaned and dressed. Bacteria and viruses live in the soil. Wounds heal best if they are moist and a scab protects the site.

You can see both my blister (on my left foot) and my swollen right ankle after my tumble on a root. It was a small tumble, on a fairly flat piece of land, over a root. I wish I had thought to pack a tensor bandage, since my ankle has been severely sprained before, it is susceptible to new injuries.


Have a spotter, with everyone wearing the proper safety gear. Also, do not swim alone, or allow your kids on docks alone. The little girl, above right, was alone on the dock. Her parents were 200' up the shoreline on the cottage deck.

You will never make it to them in the event of an accident, watching from above on a cottage deck.

These people were racing along side. The lake is only 400 m wide.

Danger...

Kids with fireworks blamed for fire at Stuart apartments
12:06 p.m. | Children playing with fireworks caused the fire that did an estimated $80,000 damage to The Crossings at Indian Run Apartments on Saturday, according to Frank Lasaga, community safety coordinator for the Stuart Fire Rescue Department.

MM - What happens at Grandma's stays at Grandma's

OK. Not so much. I have to laud our visit on Monday Morning.
There are guests - and there is family. We had so much fun as a family! I had forgotten about the joys of a simple thing like a phone cord. MTM is quiet.

We are so grateful to have had our daughter (AKA - 'Mom') and granddaughter visit for 5 days. (We call her Mom because she is much tidier than I am. When she would come home on co-op placements she would reorganize the Tupperware drawer and when she leaves the cottage it is always much cleaner than when she found it!)

Then, our granddaughter was with us for two days while her parents went out to play with their friends. They went to a friend's wedding in another city. Such lovely young people, who share their dating, engagement, wedding, pregnancy and baby passages, as well as their baby clothes and toys!

Josephine, 18 months, loves to tidy, too. She helped me hang up yawny (laundry), and handed me the clothes pins, one after another. Then she counted them as she put them on the deck, and that was fun, too.

Her day care provider has taught her meh mou (thank you), and her MaMa taught her peas (please). She always pairs the sign for it, and uses it faithfully. We have a sign she uses for moh? (more?), which makes life easier, especially for those unfamiliar with baby talk or for the hard of hearing!

At this point, she cannot say /R/, or /L/, nor can she manage the more complicated /TH/, or /ST/ sounds. It makes life so much fun. Today, I walk into a room and see her kayon (crayon) and papuh (paper), or look out the door and hear her say 'sigh? (Can we go outside? peas, peas, and then attempt to put on her shoes.) I should tidy up, but it is lovely to see the artifacts of a great visit.

She is managing some two-word (telegraphic) sentences, Gampa, come! I had totally forgotten all this. After three children, and a B.A. in ECE, I certainly heard it, and studied speech and language development. I had made a cassette tape of my daughter's vocalizations as she grew up. Unfortunately, it was overdubbed and lost.

My husband said, "No wonder people have babies at an early age."

I am so tired. We played puzzles, and school bus -both purchased from local artisans at the Gravenhurst Market. Josephine named one passenger a 'man', another a 'lady', a baby was on board, too.

I had forgotten about diapers that seem to duplicate themselves in the dark. And the constant supervision. We have bugs, cats, stuff everywhere and a place suited to adults, not children. We were vigilant.

We took several walks 'side to see ducks, boats, trains. We spotted a hummer (hummingbird), and many bees (any and all bugs).

We found fower (flowers), sticks and a hatched spring peeper. I showed her the peeper tadpoles down in the frog pond. Their little arms and legs are so cute as they develop. She wanted to swim in the pond, I dissuaded her! (Both cold and muddy!)

The train (over and beyond in the forest) was out of sight. But she was pretending to pull the whistle, "Woo-woo!", recognizing the sound.

By the end of the 5 days she learned to name the cats: Manee (Mitzi), Say-ee (Sady), and Awiveuh (Oliver). Oliver accompanied us into our trip in the back in the garage. (He is always hopeful for food.)

What is really great is that MaMa and PaPa had taught Josephine the concept of PARTY! She could process this concept, since they had actually attended a party. They had had a block party the week before, and they taught her to raise her arms and shake her hands and say, "Party!" When Josephine asked where her MaMa was (at 11:00 p.m., 3:00 a.m. and 6:15!)) I raised my hands and said, "Party!"

It was so funny but it really worked. She was having bad dreams, methinks, and wanting MaMa. What a precious girl. It is so good for parents to have adult & couple time. They have regular dates.

I had a few stickers, but also had a large Canada Post roll of tape with our Canadian flag. They make lovely 'stickers' and were really cheap. We put them on her arms, sleep toys and GR & GR's arms, too.

The car ride was fun. It was two hours and she emptied her diaper bag, Grandma put a diaper on her head, we told her she was going home, and all was well with the world. We read her books, played peek with my scarf, counted fingers and toes ( 1 - 2 - fwee - fibe - seben!) and ate a muffin, drank water from the sippy cup and ate more Arrowroot cookies than she should have. BUT SHE WAS SOOOOO HAPPY! (What happens at GR - stays at GR! Our car still counts)

We all met at noon. We drove her to a meeting spot south, since home is east and had a fun lunch.

But I am so tired. I should have been prepared. I have a B.Ed., and an M.Ed. in Curriculum but, like the pains of childbirth, memories and lessons fade in a middle-aged brain.

In the meantime...there are lessons:
Be prepared.
Buy a few essential things. The dollar store is a great spot.
Babyproof the joint - you don't want to spend your visit saying, "No, don't touch!"
Be vigilant. There is much danger and kids can drown in a few cm of water. The land is uneven, with roots and rocks and weeds that get caught in baby sandals! (I twisted my ankle last week!)

Shopping list:

• 
  

• Age appropriate puzzles. Mine were not, but it is fun playing with the pieces.
  
• A pretend phone
• A great MANY stickers. REALLY! They love them. Or Post-its. Easy to remove, cheap and fun!

• Baby cereal
• Bananas
• Blocks or get some leftover wood and sand it well.
• Bug bite medication for children.
  
• Baby aspirin. (Caitlin had packed these in the diaper bag!)
• Books

• 
• CDs with kid songs
• Cookies
• Cooler with snacks for the car
• Crayons and pads of paper
  
• Crackers

The sounds and sights of Muskoka from a fresh and young point of view!



Dancing with grandma

Marine laws

Quiet kayaks must fight with speeding boaters.

Babies in front at high speed - dangerous and illegal.

Some like to run rings around our loons.

Watch Your Wake

This sign is available from Friends of the Rideau. A wonderful group that seeks to protect its shoreline environment.

In most provinces there is a 10 kph speed limit within 30 metres (100 feet) from shore. Fine is $125.

Maximum fine is $500 or six months imprisonment. (Canada Shipping Act: Boating Restriction Regulations)

Smoky fires & beer all day - then out onto the lake?

The animals by the lakeshore. (Only if you were raised by wolves, or in a barn. Mind your manners!)

Wildlife flee for their lives

Watch your wake: it's the law

Here is a dangerous and illegal practice

vegetation is affected by your wake

References

[ PHOTOS; July 8 - 29, 2007 boat action on our lake and on July 1.2007. ]

My YouTube videos

[: sailboats fight for water, | PWC & boat traffic | August boats | boat wash onshore ]

Muskoka Lakes Township By-laws. Retrieved July 14, 2007 from http://www.township.muskokalakes.on.ca/siteengine/activepage.asp?PageID=61

Pat's Safe Boating Guide. Retrieved July 1, 2007 from http://boating.ncf.ca/speed.html

Rideau Canal Waterway (2006). Boating Rules and Regulations. Retrieved July 1, 2007 from http://www.rideau-http://www.tc.gc.ca/BoatingSafety/sign.pdfinfo.com/canal/boat_rules.html

Transport Canada (2006). The Boating Environment. Retrieved July 1, 2007.

The Safe Boating Sign.http://www.tc.gc.ca/BoatingSafety/sign.pdf from Friends of the Rideau (Canal), Ottawa.

The Federation of Ontario Cottagers' Association offer a speed sign.

Canada Day, July 1st

Happy July 4th, to my American friends!

Entertaining our family (daughter/granddaughter this week, son & friend the last) has kept me busy and I am belated in posting our Canada Day - Gravenhurst Market photos.

It has been wet, cool and rainy. We have had some house issues, too. The eavestrophe has leaked; we have wall damage where we have had ants take advantage of the wet wood, and the refrigerator crashed. Praise the Lord for our wonderful 'peeps' who will fix us all up shortly. If we must support the local economy this way I feel satisfaction that they are all good folks and deserve our business!

The Gravenhurst Market had a prize for the best costumed proprietors. It was so much fun.

Here is Barb, at her empty bake table. Barb handed out 200 Canada Day pencils with her baked goods. It was a busy day.


Karla (left) was dressed to the nines. She came 2nd in the contest.

Then I caught one fellow (the sausage man has the water gun) using Barb's gun.


Then there was and a fellow who was trying to avoid being arrested. He has his hands up. The police were in line beside him.

It was a very busy day. Parking was tricky. Some of the tourists dressed for the day, too!



This lady had a terrific Birthday Cake Hat.

This couple had Canada Day caps, and he had a bright red t-shirt.


Lots of fun had by young and old.

Skywatch Friday #51

It looks as if July, 2008, will be as dreary and wet as July, 2008.

That said, the skies are delightful!

With clouds growing like giant anvils in the sky.
Sometimes, I think this is the cosmic joker's sense of humour.

Cottage Guests

Living on a lake is a beautiful privilege and one we do not take lightly. Since inheriting our property, for which my parents both worked hard to purchase and maintain, we have been blessed with the sights and sounds of forests of trees that provide a feast of rainbow colours. The wildlife gives us great joy. The noisy tourists do not!

For many of us who live in Cottage Country myths abound. Peace, quiet, tranquility...

We are not rich. We pay highly for the opportunity of living at a lake. For this we make sacrifices: we do not travel far or often. Taxes are higher, driving to the stores is time and energy consuming due to distances. We must pay for our own snowplowing. We often lose hydro power due to the vagaries of Lake Effect weather, the shallow depth of soil (wires cannot be buried!) and long distances between hydro, repair crews and the various towns.

Many of us are pleased to share in the joy of cottage living and the cottage life style. One of our favourite stores, 'Docktails'. embodies that spirit. To sit by the lake on a day when bugs have gone, and sip a cocktail and read in peace and quiet is a luxury we do not take for granted, especially when the noisy boaters have gone home!

Drive slowly and carefully on land and water. You never know when an animal, or human might be out to get you! Our men and women in blue are out there in force. They expect 1,000,000 of you on a long w/e. Accidents are frequent, and a terrible thing in Cottage Country. Purchase a fishing licence, get a boating test, do not drink on land or water and follow road and marine laws. We want to live a long time.

We are happy to have invited guests. There are some things that might help you become a better guest, however, as many do not understand what it means to entertain and hosts friends and family.

There is a difference between a family guest and a cottage guest, but it is a fine differentiation, in my mind. I cannot accept that adults visiting cottage owners should assume that the wear and tear on their cottage, the food they eat, the gas they use, the utilities, such as water, heat and hydro, should be ignored. My clever son-in-law wires us money after his visit, for which we are most appreciative. We are on fixed retirement income, and it is a very adult and mannerly thing to do.

That said, as Dr. Phil says, "You have to treat people how to treat you!"

I have had elderly family members complain about the burdens of having family guests. It is important to let family members know what you expect: sharing responsibilities of buying food, meal preparation, and taking care of clean ups. They do not realize how much work is involved when they leave: laundry, keeping indoor areas clear of crumbs due to bugs (rural Ontario has wood cockroaches, too), and in outdoor areas things must be kept clean due to raccoons and/or bears!

HGTV offers a quiz for cottage guests. See how you rate! Maybe, before you take the quiz, you need to read the details below or e-mail this URL to your anticipated guests!

If you are renting your place to friends or strangers

1. Read: blogs for Owners at www.cottageblogger.com. There is a lot to renting a property out, even if you use a service. There are many ways to improve the experience for you, your clients and your neighbours.
   
2. Teach your guests good manners. You will ensure that you do not alienate your neighbours, with whom you share frontage.
3. Warn your neighbours and assure them you want them to phone you or the police if things get out of hand.

Ground Rules For Guests

1. Take responsibility for being here. We are not your slaves. We often entertain w/e after w/e. Help out. Clean up. Clean out soon and early. Some of us have to get ready for work the next day. You can expect your hosts to feed you the first meal (that just makes sense), but plan ahead to share the meals, clean up, do dishes, and grocery shopping. Especially, remember to bring your own drinks, return the empties, and brings juice and/or pop for the kids.
2. Bring gifts for your hosts.
3. Bring: toilet paper, paper towels, fruits and veggies, meat to BBQ, lunch meat, buns, wine and guest towels are a good hostess gift!
4. As a guest, do not invite other guests. This is just bad manners and may interfere with our plans.
   
5. If you break something tell somebody! Tell hosts about leaks, ants, mice, or appliances that do not work.
   
6. Respect septic systems. Nothing down there but toilet paper -which you should buy or bring for your hosts!
7. Take responsibility for your children. Do not let them swim alone, wander at the lake shore alone, or disappear. We are not used to children and we are not necessarily babysitters. It is easy to get into trouble outdoors. We have wild animals, insects, and leeches (for which the antidote is salt on the leech!).
8. Keep control of your children: do not let them scare our pets, throw things at the ducks or geese, or shriek and scream all day. If the 'cry wolf' - we will not know when they are truly in trouble. Up here a scream has got to mean a cry for help.
9. 
10. Take responsibility for your garbage and recycling, as well as bottle returns. Wash out the recycling to prevent attracting wildlife.
11. Strip the beds before you leave. Take them into the laundry room for them.
    
12. Do not leave wet towels on the floor. A cottage is not a hotel. This attracts bugs and moisture. Something we have plenty of in this region. You do not want to take these bugs home in your luggage, either!
    
13. Ask if it is shoes on or shoes off in the house/cottage. Just because it is a cottage...doesn't mean we don't have to clean up after you. Cottage dirt is clean, but contains its own bacteria.
    
14. 
    
15. Leave your animals (and your fireworks, foul language and loud music) at home. We have enough noise up here! It is a myth that it is quiet. Pets terrorize other pets and wildlife if they are not under control. Some neighbours think having the dogs bark all day is fun. Plus, if you leave them at home if you go out for the day, they will bark all day. To us it is painful since noises, including swearing, carry over the water. We are grandparents and are appalled with the language we hear. (see my: 10 Reasons For Swearing!)
16. Be prepared for insects, accidents and bad weather (hot or cold). Last July was cool and rainy, this one seems to be this way, too. Bring extra clothes, blankets and towels. Many kids get a soaker in the first hours!
    
17. Have First Aid kits on hand. Tylenol, surgical dressings, bee sting remedies, calamine lotion for bug bites, antihistamine products for susceptible adults and kids, and understand it might be a long drive into the pharmacy. See: What to bring, on another post!
    
18. Be prepared with activities and games for the kids (board games, cards), who may be used to high-tech toys and being entertained, not entertaining.
    
19. Critical comments about ______ [insert one: the weather, bugs, location, neighbours] will ensure that you are not invited back, if you were invited in the first place. We make compromises to live here, you should too, to visit. This is not the city! It is a different culture. Learn about country living. Respect nature, our neighbours and respect us.
    
20. Ask about smoking & fire protocols. We do not want your second hand smoke or your ashes flying around. The ground is susceptible to fires. Use a can with a lid if you must smoke. In Muskoka there is a day time fire ban. You cannot have a fire during the day - only for cooking or warmth at night. The smoke carries nicely across the water, into our open windows. (We do NOT have air conditioning!) If you use the BBQ, having asked permission, clean it well. The bears & raccoons like them, too.
21. There are manners around fishing, too. Take your fishing garbage away. The fishing line and plastic hurts the wildlife. Refrain from fishing in front of someone's cottage. Likely that is where they play and swim. It is like us sitting on the street staring into front of your house: really bad manners, and just plain rude. In addition, if you lose a lure we really do not want to have to dig it out of our feet, rural health care being what it is!
22. Leave some hidden cash to help with utilities. It is only polite. If you are boating, or having any water play, fill up the gas tank, or leave money for this, too. If you are not flush, put a token amount in an envelope, write a thank you card, and leave it behind. When you phone to thank your hosts for their hospitality do not e-mail!), tell them where you placed it!

Heather, the cottage guru, has tips for vacationing with friends. All these things apply. Plan, prepare, set the ground rules, divide up chores & costs, agree on sleeping arrangements, understand that your family has quirks (snoring, behavioural issues, and other things that may make life more difficult) and talk about what you will do about such issues. There is nothing like hearing arguments from across the lake!

Some will debate the difference between being a guest and renting someone's cottage. I think it a moot point.
There is one Golden Rule: Leave the place the way you found it! Clean up after yourself. Vacuum, wipe surfaces, clean the bathroom, take out the garbage, return empties.

For more help see my post:

• Dos & Don'ts of cottage life/What to wear/What to bring

Check out the blogs below for professional renting information. It is an excellent site, managed by Heather who has written a book, but shares much information from experience on-line:

• Blogging for Owners at www.cottageblogger.com
• Blogging for Renters, or Renters Tips. at www.cottagenews.ca

Monday Morning

I love Monday Mornings, now that I am retired.
It is a day to prepare for the week.

My clever daughter is working part-time and has Mondays off with her daughter. What a wonderful idea.

If you would like to play, copy the meme madge, check in in the comments section. Let me know where you live.