Cranberry Bog

Have you ever wondered how cranberries grow?
The bogs are very interesting pieces of the puzzle of Muskoka.

With shallow bogs, tons of granite, and lots of water, farmers do well to farm where they can.

Here and there you can find cranberries.These were on our little piece of paradise.

I like mine with peanut butter on toast!


The geese frequent the bog, as do ducks, snapping turtles, snakes and all sorts of critters.

The berries require lots of water, regulated by these mechanical systems.

We were made famous by Rick Mercer's trick wakeboarding in the bog one fall. The video below shows the workings of our local cranberry farm, as well as his play time.

'He who dies with the most tools wins'

This is what I write for part of my dad's eulogy, as Dad had the most tools of any man I know.
He won, for sure!
I was so proud of the work he did around the house.


Muskoka needs a variety of equipment for rain snow, sleet or hail. Any ground work must blast through granite rock, or on ice.

Trees are tall, and threaten hydro wires.

The railway is an important part of the history of this region. There are great machines for this purpose, too.

Between construction and repairs, Muskoka will win, too.

A MOOSE!!!! Finally!

You may well laugh...after driving for cappuccino to all sorts of places, whilst hunting for moose...

—Guided by those who suggest Aspdin, or Algonquin Park, and getting up at 5:30 three days in a row...

I have spotted some moose.

I hope they had a good conference. Bala Bay is the place to be!

The loon was in the Moon River in My World.

It is nearly time for Neem Oil for the lily plants. The bugs are a-biting...

Empathy, stupidity and ignorance

Fabulous article about American politics.
It makes me think of the quote, "Ignorance is not knowing. Stupidity is the active pursuit of ignorance."

Empathy and epistemic closure

It reads, in part,

Empathy, at its most basic level, is epistemic. It is sometimes discussed as though it is identical to love, respect or regard for others, but really it precedes that. It is what makes such love, respect or regard for others possible -- what informs it. Empathy is a way of seeing, and therefore a way of knowing. To avoid empathy is to limit one's own perspective to only one's own perspective -- to choose not to see and therefore to choose not to know. Worse than that -- it is to choose not to be able to know.

...

Empathy, in other words, makes you smarter and wiser. Rejecting empathy makes you dumber and more foolish. To choose not to see what empathy shows us is to choose stupidity.

Spring sings in the forests and on the lakes

Muskoka Bug Alerts

Mosquitoes have woken.
Normally, the blackflies die out with the heat after May, and the mosquitoes take over in June.

Whether or not it is climate change, that depends upon a change of years...I will say that the bugs are all a month early.

The mosquitoes have hatched, as well as the blackflies. Normally blackflies ease off, blackflies feed on blueberry pollen, while mosquitoes dream of June days. But those female blackflies are hungry. In order to be fertile they need blood. This is true of the 'squitoes, and we have it with both barrels.


Blackflies have reared their ugly little heads a month earlier than their normal May awakening. They are, indeed, early as I predicted. Warm temperatures, not necessarily Climate Change unless there is a long-term change. But read all my bug posts here!

They are the worst on a windless day. Wear a hat, with long sleeved shirts. They like to get in behind my sunglasses on a sunny day.

They have been slowly working their way north, despite weather forecasters telling us they shouldn't be bad this year. So far...they are merciless.

The blackfly landed on me, eager to bite out a hole and eat my blood! 

This external post explains how mosquitoes work.








I spotted a June bug on April 30th.

Spiders and moths are out and about, as well. The tent caterpillars are having a feast.

The starlings are busy in the swamps eating their fill. Bless their little souls.

There are a variety of bugs in Muskoka! That incredible food chain. But the fish are now jumping and the birds are happy.

Beaver action video

Camera Critters #108
I posted photos and dam videos previously: Busy as a beaver, but another early morning junket gave me some live action shots!

Still busy as beavers, I proved it on a video! 

G8 Signage

There are those who disparage it, but now that the money has been spent... an amazing amount of patience and skill, splitting the stone and placing it just so.

Local masons, etc., are getting work.

Here are the photos I took as the work was in progress.

Rock on, dudes! A couple of the men of Muskoka: they are skilled and hard workers! We have many wonderful contractors in the area.