December weather: another snomageddon in Muskoka!

My friend, Ruby, sent me this photo!
With 60 cm, the drifts are amazing!

What a blast they've had. My friend in Muskoka tells me there is about 18", over 45cm, in her yard!
Another friend, in Huntsville, tells us she had 60cm of snow!
The snow squalls from Lake Effect Snow on Wednesday were shocking. Driving was terrible.

Moose FM CFBG 99.5 - Muskoka

Highway 11 between Bracebridge and Gravenhurst vehicles are at a complete stand still. While near the on-ramp for highway 11 and 118 vehicles are also stopped. We're expecting those conditions right across the region today. Stay tuned as traffic updates and cancellations continue.

This is caused by cold winds blowing across the warmer Great Lakes. The happy water molecules are happier dancing up in the clouds! Over they come and dump their load.

This is an annual sort of thing. I remember being in Muskoka, just east of Georgian Bay, where we had a dump of anywhere from 85 cm in Bala, to 150 cm of snow in Mactier.
(See the video below!)

Nancy, at Bondi Village, sent some photos!
Robin took this one!

The radar shots are amazing this week.
The winds were quite powerful, too!

That snow can fall in Muskoka - this was 2009!

With the hills  and lack of snow tires, it caused quite a commotion! I hope you like my video! It show just how much the drivers risk life and limb!

Muskoka Trip Part II: Bondi Village

Nancy, and her brother, Bryan, run Bondi Village. We stayed for a week with the kids one year, just after we left Muskoka.  I try to visit her whenever I am back in Muskoka.

The lodge - look closely at her 'friends'

Her friends visit, just like ours!

I love her chickens! Worth it for sheer entertainment value, let alone the eggs! 

Nancy has a new project: growing Magic Mushrooms! Ask her about THAT story: getting them across the border!
King Stropharia mushrooms, also called Wine Caps, or (as we now find out) the Godzilla Mushroom. Yes, edible, both caps and stems. And apparently they pop up out of the ground like, well, like mushrooms...
Yes, we'll be selling them...

Hubby adores horses, back from his childhood days on the farm (no running water or hydro)! We had a lovefest!

Nancy is a great riding teacher. Taffy wanted to show off.

Taffy is a wonderful companion!

Veggie garden, jumping ring and Taffy!

Bondi Village always is candy for the eye.

Lovely colours, as Taffy hustles down to the water
for a drink!

One of the cabins

Visit more

Camera-Critters #287.

Nancy has some new sculptures

Blog buddies and friends!

Chicken love

Chickens are capable of empathy - not to mention jealousy, selfishness, love and lust

A study has found that chickens are capable of empathy. What about their other emotions, asks Carla Carlisle.

My friend, Nancy Tapley, at Bondi Village Resort, is the chicken whisperer! More chickens here at Sunflower Farm.










Isabelle is my granddaughter, and she is 15 months old!


To join in the fun, visit Misty Dawn at CAMERA CRITTERS  

Bondi Village Resort Clamnation

Nancy, brother Brian, and Brian's wife, Carol, run Bondi Village Resort. They are Jack and Jills of all trades. There is much to do in keeping a resort running smoothly. With years of efficiency built in, they find time for Tuesday BBQ and corn roast, Wednesday was the Music Men of Muskoka songfest while folks lined up to register their clams for the clam race.

First one picks a name. Then you line up so that a number can be painted on with nail polish.

Brian draws a line in the sand, and prepares the equipment.
The next day, at 8:30 a.m., he measures the distance travelled. Participants get spiffy certificates!

Bondi Village Resort Beachtime!

We had so much fun there last week.
Josephine and Isabelle loved the water.

Nothing better than Muskoka in summer

I have cottaged in Muskoka since 1960. Awfully happy to be back, staying at Bondi Village.

Drive safely out there.

drive safely

Sir John along for the ride

my helper, packing

intense!

THE BEACH!

dancing in the water

deer fly

Dinner out

My dear family spent two weeks with us. They sent money for utilities, as well as some cash for our 7th (count it!) wedding anniversary. They are perfect family visitors, masquerading as guests. As much as I miss them (they are a 5 hr. drive away) they are in my heart.
The cats bought a helium balloon for hubby, as they like that kind of fooferaw!

We went out for dinner to one of our local restaurants: Moon River Lookout.

What a treat.

Bala has several restaurants with chefs, we often visit them for hatchings, matchings, and dispatchings - we had our fair share in the past few years. This calls for an excellent dinner, timeout and away from cooking and time to be pampered.

We were.

The salad was amazing, with taste, cranberries, and pine nuts. Just perfect. Such presentation, too!


Our dear, well trained server Andrea, took a photo that managed to include the Moon River. What a sweetie!

A good time was had. We booked an early dinner, as they fill up and we like our early sittings. More time to go home and let a meal settle. The cats do not like us being out late, either!

The specials were the ones we chose - always a good choice.

Chilean bass, for me, and a meat combo of beef, duck and for hubby, was accompanied by delicious vegetables: potatoes, peppers, zuccinni and white asparagus. Delicious!

Beautiful presentation, as always, we are never disappointed at our restaurants. Nicely seasoned and well presented.

I failed to capture a photo of the main course, as I was so excited to start eating! It smelled and looked incredible. You'll have to visit to see.

Tonight's dinner was Canadian (back) bacon and Bondi Resort's fabulous free range eggs, in an omellette with mustard, green pepper and chopped tomatoes. No wonder I need to check my weight!

Many thanks to Nancy, the chicken whisperer, for the eggs, and our dear 'children', who fill our lives with their joyful perspective of the world.

The chicken whisperer

What happens when you just drop in on a fellow blogger? As with many Muskokans, they welcome you with open arms.
In the case of Nancy Tapley, she gives you a tour of the property, she makes you laugh (the signage alone), she invites my hubby to visit with the horses (he grew up with them) and she sends you home with a dozen free range eggs. A brief drop-in visit to Bondi Resort, on our anniversary trip, was a treat.

Nancy and I have been visiting virtually for awhile now. I like to keep track of what is going on with Muskoka bloggers. It is a great way to promote our fine region.

We had driven to Algonquin Park for lunch at Arowhon Lodge. On the way home we thought we'd take the scenic way home. Actually, I was the official photographer/navigator, and when I spotted Bondi Village on the map I knew we needed to detour. "Left here!" "OK, right!" We made it.

This lodge is beautiful! A typical Muskoka spot. No cottageocracy in sight. There is a great spirit amongst the family and employees who help make it a go! Nancy's blog is a story of flora and fauna, poetry, information about, for example, loons, and appreciation of the world around her. Running a resort is a hard job, added to this her domestic animals, never mind the deer and bear stories!

She has a way with her chickens! Our family used to visit Bondi back when I was a young teenager when life was easy and my parent's longevity wasn't a concern. Life was good! The tradition was the last w/e of January, for a downhill skiing holiday with Pat & Bob Scythes (right) on a visit. They booked the resort and several families would go with them for a lovely inexpensive vacation, good food, both kinds of skiing and much laughter.

She is an amazing woman, Nancy. With a well-run resort, many friends; 30 chickens, equine, feline, as well as barn swallows (their 3rd nesting - it's a popular spot). There is much to keep her on her toes, but she finds time for fun and entertaining blogging. She even found time to photograph the barn swallows who didn't seem to like me!

I haven't been back since my teens, since we live in Muskoka it is much the same living by a lake. I am glad I did pop in, however. They are practically neighbours. Bondi Resort is just down the road from Deerhurst, where all h3ll will break loose for the G8 conference in June 2010. I wonder how the animals will cope with the fooferaw! We have had much in the way of jets and helicopters passing over in practices. Deep breath, Muskokans! (Although many threaten to leave town for those two weeks!)