Winter at Kukagami

Best of the season to you from Kukagami!

 

The lake mostly froze on the morning of December 24th, then the first real snow of the year came that night...effectively insulating the new ice so it can't get thick enough to be safe. Warm weather again on the 27th was melting the snow, then plunging temperatures and more new snow came that night!

Still, we have been out skating and skiing, and in the mushy snow of the 27th I had a great walk across the old ice and along the ridge on the other side of the lake. Whoo hoo! I do love winter!  It started snowing heavily, so I could not tell if the main part of the lake had frozen.  Thus, I hiked the 3 km again on the 28th to have a look.  There, rising with the north wind I saw water and waves in the distance!  I wasn't too surprised by this, because that's the area nearest where we used to live, and it has always been the last bit to freeze.  Look for an update here in the next day or two.

We have been intensely working on winterising our old camp, and not doing much else. We are now rewarding ourselves over the holidays by taking a week off 'work'. I'm trying to catch up on the mail and the website! Take a peek here now and then to see what's happening at the lake. Also, I will be writing a new series of articles for the local paper in the new year, and these will be posted on the website.

 

We would still love to hear from you and what's keeping you busy. And if you find a great little lodge in the wilderness ... let us know! We'll be looking for places to ski this winter.

We'd love to hear what's new at your house.

Viki et Al and Kate and sometimes Vesta

Merry Christmas!

 

 

 

Updates and photos coming Soon!

Summer Update

It has been a very long time since I've done an update.... As with many 'retired' people, we find we are busier than ever.

We moved over to the camp at the end of May...which stretched out through the first week in June as the new owners didn't come out to get the keys until June 4th. Thankfully, they have allowed us use of the shed at the lodge until we build the garage, as there is no storage space here. We also have things stored in the sauna here and in a tent-shed at Mary's camp. We have only a vague idea of where anything is. But, being summer, it's not too difficult to get by.

Our first big project is building a small pottery studio for me! We designed it with a second story that will be a library. There will be a sofa-bed in it to allow guest space. It is tucked nicely into the forest, yet still has a stunning view of the lake. I am very excited to have this space....which I might actually get to use by next spring because it will probably end up being storage space until we get the house winterized. That is our next priority! Winter is coming!

Do we miss the lodge? Not really. As you know, we talked about selling the lodge for the past few years. This was a slow letting go of our life there. The fact that we have this beautiful spot on the western shore of Kukagami Lake more than makes up for what we left behind at the south end. As I gaze out at our view here, I'm already looking forward to many winter snowshoe hikes along the ridges!

The view we wake to each morning is the lake just a few meters away, and marvellous sunrises! I've always loved 'morning campsites' when we are canoeing. I feel that joy every day now. This summer has given us marvellous weather. I'm swimming before breakfast very day. The water is just as wonderful here as it is at the lodge. There are lots of neighbours though...and Allan has to watch out for motor boats when he takes his long swims in the afternoon. We are getting used to the rise in activity all around us. And we rest assured that life at the lake will become quiet again when the summer is over.

We do take a few days away from building each month for a little get-away, and went to Killarney in June. We paddled around George Island and camped on the western shore. Then spend a day paddling around Badgley point. We hiked to the Crack on our way home. Having never been there before, we were amazed at the views! It was especially nice to see out over the bay to where we have paddled for many years.

Kate was at her summer camp for 3 weeks in July. We spent a couple of days in Algonquin Park just before we picked her up in Sundridge last month. Allan had never been in the Hwy 60 corridor before, and was keen to see the logging museum. Pretty as Algonquin is, we were glad to be back to our clear, cool Kukagami Lake.

In Early August we spent 5 days at Camp Manitou on the north shore of Lake Huron. Vesta came home from Ottawa to join us there, so it was a wonderful family time together...with someone else doing the cooking! I took a mini workshop on Acrylic painting, and found it very interesting. Could be a part of my future!

Mid-August found us off to do some canoeing. Leaving from home, paddling back home again ... to familiar places. In August! We used to have to work on these glorious summer days! We were out for a week, and it was wonderful.

Kate will be going to LoEllen Secondary school come September. I think she's looking forward to it? She will be taking the bus, so she will be able to go to school every day. It is the 2 hour bus ride that makes me uncomfortable. What kind of life is it for a kid to have that long a commute every day? She leaves here at 6:10 and gets home after 5. Yuck.

Vesta is living in Ottawa. She skied with x/c Ottawa last year, all over Canada! But mostly in the Gatineau's. She's having a great life, but still hoping to find a real job soon. Working retail part-time gives her lots of time, but she would really like to find a job in research or perhaps at a conservation area, or just about anything that will let her use her geography degree. Any suggestions and referrals would be very welcome!

We are looking forward to a long extension of this glorious summer... there is so much more we need to do! Would love to hear form you!

Viki et Al and Kate

Here's our contact info...not much changed from before....

Allan, Viki and Kate Mather

426 Fox Road

Wahnapitae, ON

P0M 3C0

705-853-1571

kukagami@gmail.com

Pottery Show

Greetings all!

For the past two years I have been a member of the Sudbury Potters Guild. A show of our best work will be at Artists on Elgin for the month of August. Here is an invitation to the opening reception, which will be this coming Thursday at the gallery from 5 to 7:30. Hope to see you there!

Viki

Monarch season

 

Wolf Lake needs you!

For the past 20 some years, I have been working to protect a bit of wilderness not far from here. The Wolf Lake area is host to the largest area of Old Growth Red Pine anywhere. It is located along the Chiniguchi River, and in 1999 was designated as a Forest Reserve (FR). This allowed mining exploration to continue until the claims and leases naturally lapsed, while protecting the land from other commercial exploitation.

The Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forests has never been happy with the FR designation, and for the past several years has lobbied the Ministry of Natural Resources to remove the FR protection. And they have prevented the natural lapsing of claims. Now the plan for taking much of the Forest Reserve away has been posted for public comment. You can read a summary of the proposal at www.kewatch.blogspot.com .

 

Even if you don't have time to read the background, I'd really appreciate it if you could send a quick email to scott.dingwall@ontario.ca with this simple request: Wolf Lake and the rest of the Chiniguchi River system need to be protected. I object to the removal of the Forest Reserve, and urge the Minister of Northern Development, Mines and Forests to stop interfering with the lapsing of claims. A more thorough public review of the protection and boundaries needs to be conducted.

 

Put EBR 010-7775 in the Subject line.

 

Send a blind carbon copy to me if you could. Thank you!

Sunset #3076