Reflections from Crumbly Acres: What to REMEMBER on vacation

Remember...

Prepare for your trip. Read a bit about the place you are visiting. (more: Cottage reading) It gives you some appreciation for the locals, a history of the flora and fauna and people, and some perspective. Raisin Wine - Bartleman is a terrific one for Port Carling, for example. But there are many books on Muskoka and cottage life. Educate yourself!
What to take away! Clean up after yourself. We only have garbage once per week. Take it with you, park it in a good place, not at the end of your driveway where it is thrown to the wind by nature. We do not want your garbage littering, attracting bears, raccoons, crows, vultures, and other animals that should not be ingesting the plastic, cigarette butts, beer cans, and fast food wrappers some choose to leave behind.
Show respect for the culture of a place: environmental, wildlife, social, and municipal standards (e.g., burning by-laws). We know how to host visitors in Muskoka. If you treat us well, we will give you much more back.
SMILE! YOU ARE ON VACATION; you can take your time! You can visit with us. We want to like you!
Remember your manners. You are paying for service, but you can earn respect. The guy in the grocery store who complained about 'locals' shopping on a Saturday had his face smacked. Seriously. He can wait in line in the city, but rural life needs to be faster...
Much of Muskoka runs on volunteers. You will meet a fair number of them. They might be canvassing, since services in Central Ontario are fewer and farther between. I spent a couple of hours doing this for Hospice Muskoka. Be generous. We need your help with a 3-season economy, average pay $15,000 below that in the city, and many young, disabled and seniors who need access to services.
Buy local, respect and support our economy. That ensures that you will have good service when you return. We depend upon tourism dollars.
Read the weather predictions - or check the sidebar for current temperatures. We do not get good coverage in the media, but dress for the weather that can change on a dime. Check the webcams, too. See my Weather coverage - a r ant on disparities,
Prepare for the bugs. They are beautiful, but they are bad at night- even in summer.
Be a good neighbour; even if you are simply renting. Our local OPP are our friends, too. They are happy to help you settle in for the evening. Some of us have to be up for work early in the morning!
Read: Dos & Don'ts of cottage life!
Read: What to bring to the cottage.