Ahhh...The Cottage Life!

Kakabeka Falls, Thunder Bay
I have done a lot of traveling for work over the years. Last November found me heading to Kenora Ontario, almost to the Manitoba border. The route through Ontario is beautiful any time of year but it is eerily beautiful in the early winter before it gets its blanket of snow. On the way back from Kenora, heading to Thunder Bay we stopped at Kakabeka Falls. I had been here in the summer before but that was nothing compared to the winter view. Known as Niagara of the North, Kakabeka Falls plunges 40 metres over sheer cliffs and some of the oldest fossils in the world.















The colour is a luscious rust, so coloured from all the minerals, especially iron in the water. It is a stark contrast against the evergreens. The falls makes a steady roaring drone as it tumbles over itself to get downstream.
















All around the perimeter of the falls and the river is a boardwalk tucked into the forest. Made out of wood, it blends in nicely. There was a fine snowfall at the time and the wood planks were very slippery!















There is abridge up stream that spans over to the other side and gives you a view from the top. Crossing here you can go to the other platform looking out over the river.















The view from the south side. It is really nice that you can walk all around and get photos from different angles.















The predominate wind blowing from the north to the south blows the mist from the falls onto the embankment on the other side and here the mist has frozen over all the trees and weeds into a thick crust.















Kakabeka River, Thunder Bay
The water falls down to this magnificent river. There is a lovely Native story about the falls. This exert is taken from The City of Thunder Bay Tourism.

Chieftain White Bear, the peace-loving grand old leader of the Ojibway tribe was interested only in the welfare of his people. One day Chief White Bear was greatly vexed to learn that large numbers of the fierce warlike Sioux were approaching his tribe's encampment at the mouth of the Kaministiquia River, bent upon the destruction of his tribe.

Being too old to go to battle himself and not knowing how to ward off the enemy, the old Chief was greatly distressed. Seeing her father's dilemma, Princess Green Mantle devised a plan.

Bidding her father farewell she hurriedly left the camp and paddled swiftly up the Kaministiquia River. Many times before she had gone for long canoe rides with her brother and she well knew of the Great White Falls. Leaving her canoe at the foot of the falls, she ran swiftly along the bank until she reached a point well above the waterfall.

She soon came within sight of the Sioux Camp. Boldly the young maiden walked into the camp of her bitterest enemies. At once they pounced upon her and captured her. Pretending to have lost her way, she led them to believe she was very frightened. Green Mantle was taken before the Sioux Chieftains and they decided to put her to death. Bargaining with them she followed through with her plan and told them that if they would spare her life she would lead them to her father's camp. The Sioux Chiefs were elated, thinking that they had indeed been blessed by the Gods.

The following morning the young Princess was placed in the lead canoe and the great band, in their war canoes followed, tied as Green Mantle suggested, one behind the other so that they would not get lost. However, she did not tell them about the falls and as they swiftly turned the bend of the river, they plunged headlong into the great gorge, killing all.

Princess Green Mantle of course lost her life also but all of her tribe were saved from the torturous hands of the most dreaded of all Native tribesmen.

I was looking at these pictures today and thinking how amazing nature is to provide camouflage to the wildlife to protect them. This little guy blended right in and didn't seem too wary of people as I almost stepped on him. He also seemed to be a bit of a camera hog as he started following me around! His little lady came over for a photo shoot too!



























There are all kinds of camouflage in our world.This little red squirrel at the cottage was chattering away at me. I was disturbing him just by being in his presence. Look at the size of him and yet he stood right up to me!







Can you see this one?







He is well camouflaged. Look closely and or enlarge the picture.

Here he comes out of cover for a bit. He was, as you may say, a "Busy Beaver". I was able to quietly watch him for some time swimming in the river and looking for food on the banks. Beautiful animal!








And then finally, the innate ability of a kitten to expertly hide from his brother and sisters to get some much needed shut eye!

Well I finally got up to the cottage on Kawagama Lake to put the boats in and put the water on. It was only a day trip. My son and I left about 10 am in the morning, picked his boat up along the way at a friends and and continued the 3 hour drive to the cottage. We got to the lake, successfully launched his boat amongst thousands of black flies trying to get a taste of us and drove over to the cottage. You can only get to our cottage from the water as we are on a peninsula with no road access. It is not far from the Marina, you can see our dock in the middle of the pic.



Now, normally the black flies and mosquitoes are only bad over at the marina. For some reason they are usually not nearly as bad over at the cottage. I had heard form others that the bugs were particularity bad this year but I just thought they were "bug wimps".
So we land, up the stairs to open the cottage (to put on coffee) and shed for tools. The bugs are bad. Hmmm..... the other boat is in the bush where the bugs are worse. It is not looking good!

Bring out the bug spray. Well I, as any self respecting person who has lived in the north knows, that only McKirdy's Repel-a-Fly works on Black Flies. Well there was none. The only thing there was Off! I don't use the stuff, find it useless but when that is all there is... So we spay each other and head off into the woods. Just as we pass the rockery we see this little guy sunning himself on a rock so I asked him to keep still while I got his photo and he complied.


Now my son has a fashioned a natural looking ramp to push the boat onto and down into the water. It is made of lengths of tree trunk slopping down to the lake. Works quite well unless the boat gets caught on the only huge rock at the bottom of the ramp and you have millions of black flies and mosquitoes flying around all eager to get get a part of you... and poor Son instantly wrenches his back, which he "NEVER DOES" and Mom being Mom doesn't want him to lift any more, but poor Son has to now get into the water (which is still freezing) and push the bottom of the boat away from the rock and oh yes, did I mention the millions of Blackflies and mosquitoes?
So now I am getting a little weary of the boats and the bugs and so on. Son had cleared the back end of the rock so I lifted the boat over to the left a couple of times from the front end and pushed! The boat accommodates and slides into the water! Nice! My son looks up at me and says" What did you do?" and I responded with "Got angry!'. It really was because my Son had cleared the back for take off though, it was easy after that. Now I have to jump into the boat and paddle it to the dock at the other side of the lot as the battery is dead and we forgot the gas tank in the shed but at least it is in. Two down and only the water to go!

So next is getting the the water on which starts with bringing up a couple of buckets of water from the lake for priming the pump. There is just enough of us left over from the flies in the bush for them to now feed on us getting the water on. Son is going to do the priming behind the cottage, I am cutting the lawn. Huh? How did that get in there? Well Son decided that there would be less bugs next time if we cut the lawn. True fact, but more flies this time. Argh..
Son gets the pump primed and asked me to turn on the pump in the cottage. IN the cottage! Those are lovely words. No flies in the cottage! And so I ran into the cottage and turned on the pump. We actually caught the prime right away which rarely happens only to lose it again just as quickly. But we got it going again successfully.Time for some much needed respite from the great outdoors and time for some coffee.

As we are sitting, enjoying a much deserved coffee filled mug, the pump comes on. All on it's own. It is only supposed to come on when you are running the water which means somewhere water was either running or leaking. Gee, why wasn't I surprised? So we check the cottage. Nope, no leaks, no leaks out side, maybe the foot valve on the end of the pipe going into the lake isn't closing properly. Check this out and yes this is the problem but, it is actually broken and we will need a new one. So, we lost the water prime and will have to do this pump priming all over again. Not this time but next time up. Son and I had about had it for the day and we still had a 3 hour drive home. So we cleaned up our tools, locked up the cottage and took the one boat over to the marina, to put in it's slip. The worst is over, the boats are in ready for us for next time when we can stay longer. Time to go. Round trip will be about 12 hours.
As I look back on our little cottage nestled in the beauty of a Haliburton forest, I wish I was staying. Blackflies, mosquitoes be damned! It is so green, so beautiful and in it's nature, so relaxing at the cottage, on the lake. I will be back soon!

Ahhh... the Cottage Life!

I know that all you fellow bloggers write religiously every day (or so) and I haven't written a thing since my lament on not going to the cottage for the long weekend. Suffice it to say I have been involved. Involved in putting together a new (huge) BBQ that has a (million) lot of parts and very little in the directions on where to put them. Involved in getting my extremely old lawn tractor to work properly. Involved with fighting off the blackflies as I do all this (I have bites from here to there). Involved with re-arranging my living room. Involved with treating my "Nasty Black Cat" as directed by his Vet and so on and so on. So no more procrastination! On with the blog....

I have decided to write down 20 things I love about the cottage and I invite you to tell me about your experience with a cottage. It could be your cottage, or a rented/borrowed cottage or a stay with friends. What did you like best about being at a cottage? The call of the Loons? The seclusion? The family/friends you shared it with? Every one looks differently at a cottage getaway. In many countries cottages are a way of life. Tell me your tale on Cottage Life.

Things I love about the Cottage!

1. The night sky so filled with stars.
2. The smell of a fire burning in the fire pit
3. The smell of the very fresh air
4. Waking up in the morning in my little cottage bedroom
5. Being alone, the only company being the chipmunks and the little red squirrels
   
6. Being with family, everyone helping out with the chores
7. The White Paper Birch trees down by the lake
8. Hummingbirds that come to the feeders
9. The family of ducks that swim by the dock looking for handouts
10. Laying on the dock and looking into the water at the little bass that swim around
11. A cool swim on a hot summers day.
12. Rain scent-hint of dust mixed with wet vegetation
13. Watching my grand daughters fish
14. Getting up before anyone else and having a coffee on the patio overlooking the lake
15. Reading a book on a lounge on the same patio
16. Proudly showing newbies to the cottage "Our Lake"
17. Going for a fast boat ride, alone, wind whipping in my hair
18. Rainy , must stay inside all cuddled up with a good book days
19. Looking for and finding the paw prints of animals that have been around in our absence
20. Thanksgiving weekend, turkey cooking, fall colours, crisp air

Summer Star on Kawagama Lake!

Building the flag stone patio

Time to start the bonfire

Son starts a mean bonfire!

Two local friends looking for handouts

Reflections of Autumn colour!

Grand daughters Kamisha and Kiandra fishing with Dad (Jason)

Kiandra giving her best fish face!

Grand daughter Kamisha with the family dog Harley

I am sad! I didn't get to go up to the cottage for the long weekend. What we call the "May Two Four" in Ontario. Better known as the Victoria Day weekend, the Queen Victoria's B'Day. A very traditional weekend that is the unofficial start to the summer and when most of us open up our cottages.
I didn't go, as there was no one else to go. Now normally this is no big deal. Except on the first weekend because the boat is on the shore. Which means that one needs to get a water taxi to go over. Normally this is trip is one way as we would then put the boat in the water and boat back to the marina. This is not a chore I can do alone. Older son got a wonderful bonus from his boss to go to a spiffy resort for the weekend so he took his family there. Younger son and girlfriend were invited to a friends cottage with "The Gang" for his B'day party. Hmm.. probably a lot more fun than going up to the cottage with "Mother". Can't say I blame him! So.. No cottage this long weekend.

And then there is the "Nasty Black Cat"problem. Our 15 1/2 year old cat Buster who was so nick named as he would sooner bite you than look at you for his first few years with us. Very lucky he was a good mouser. He came to us as an abused stray. It took years but he bit less and less and kissed more. He still bites, just "Love Bites" now. Any way he is old and arthritic and has fluid problems so I need to give him subcutaneous fluids and meds. He can't be left on his own any more. He also hates cars so he doesn't travel. I had no cat sitter. So no cottage.

I was alone and bored so decided to take a trip around the yard with my other kitty, Cleo, close on my heals. One bonus for staying here. I almost always miss the Crab Apple tree in my front yard blooming a I usually go to the cottage when it starts to bloom and sure as the sky is blue, it will pour rain and wreck all the flowers before I get back. This time I caught it!
















Notice the dark sky in the left corner of the pic. It is going to rain imminently. So taking these pics gave me an idea. I would take pics of what was blooming or almost blooming in my yard and gardens. Taking pictures always makes me feel better and so does checking on things growing in my yard. So, here are the results, so far. Next up was to see what was coming up in the garden. There was a parrot tulip that I never planted. Courtesy of my neighbourhood squirrel I think. But it is such a unique colour. The irises are almost there. These ones smell like grape!
















The buds on the spruce trees are beautiful. This Blue spruce and the general spruce are lush with new growth!


















The flowering Japanese Lilac will open in the next couple of days. Amazing aroma from these.The bees just flock to them.

















The back yard is large with white pines, apple trees, a few spruce and at the back of the yard, just into the bush a thorn tree. The flowers on this are very pretty and smell really sweet! I have 4 apple trees that are ancient. I never have pruned them to get fruit, just have kept them for the spring show of flowers and the greenery they provide.





















This little Chick-a-dee and I spoke for some time. I have a spruce in the back which is not a species of spruce I have ever been able to identify. It's a really neat spruce with tons of cones every year. The Honey Suckle is just coming out in bloom. Very fragrant!
















Looking off from the backyard into the distance I can't believe how green everything is getting again. This is Mustard, just a weed really, but I love the colour.


















It was a cool wet day and it has ended with a beautiful sunset and quite cold temperatures. They are even calling for snow in cottage country! Maybe it is not so bad being here. At least it is not supposed to snow!



Have a great weekend everyone! I am calling it a day!

I promised the recipe for the wonderful Beaver Tails. They are never as great as when you get one on a cold winter day skating on the canal but they run a close second. I don't know who wrote this recipe. I found it on line years ago, but it is easy to follow. The end result is mouth watering!

Directions:

In a large bowl, stir together the yeast, warm water and the pinch of sugar. Let stand until it is a slightly foamy (approximately 5 minutes). Then add the other 1/3 cup of sugar, milk, vanilla, eggs, oil and salt. Stir it all until it is smooth. Mix in about half of the flour and continue stirring it. Gradually add more flour.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface when it is firm enough. Knead for approximately 6-8 minutes. Add more flour if you need it to form firm elastic dough. Place dough in a greased bowl and cover.

Recipe for Beaver Tails:

Ingredients:
½ cup warm water
5 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 pinch of white sugar
1 cup of warm milk
1/3 cup of white sugar
1 ½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
5 cups whole wheat flour
1 quart of oil for frying
2 cups white sugar
touch of cinnamon

Let dough sit covered until it rises and doubles (approximately 35-45 minutes). Lightly deflate the dough and pinch off a piece the size of a golf ball. On a floured surface use a rolling pin to roll out the small ball of dough into an oval shape. Put it aside and cover it with a tea towel while you continue to do the same with the remaining dough.

Heat approximately 4 inches of oil in either a deep-fryer (375 degrees) or a wok or a Dutch oven. Before placing the flattened dough into the oil, stretch them into ovals and thin them and enlarge them (to resemble the tail). Place the tails in the oil one (or two) at a time. Fry in the oil, turn them once until the tails are a deep brown. This process usually takes about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Carefully remove the tail from the oil and let it drain on a paper towel. Place left over sugar in a large bowl and add the cinnamon. Toss the beaver tail into the bowl while it is still hot. Shake off any extra sugar and cinnamon mixture.

You can also add another topping of your choice (i.e. chocolate sauce, jam, garlic, cheese).

I was thinking about what I had said in the last post. About there not being very many truly Canadian Foods. As I pondered this, one food kept leaping into mind. One that was making my mouth water as I thought of it. One that is Canadian and the best there is right in our capital city Ottawa. Beaver Tails! Not the largest rodents tail in Canada, although I have had them as well.(Roasted over a fire)It is a wonderful doughnut like, flat dough, deep fried and then sugared. Looks something like the shape of a beaver tail. I had my first taste of this on the Rideau Canal skateway.
So this really got me thinking, what else are truly Canadian foods?

I went searching and actually found that there are quite a few! The East Coast has many foods to call their own. The Western Provinces, Quebec and the Prairies as well. Ontario has a couple. Who knew?
I have made a list of all the ones I could find. If anyone knows of more let me know. I am sure there are plenty out there. Later I will put up a recipe for Beaver Tails. If anyone is interested in any of the other foods here let me know and I will endeavor to get the recipe. It would be fun as well to hear truly traditional foods from other countries.

East Coast first:

1. Figgy duff is a traditional Newfoundland bag pudding. It typically contains butter, flour, sugar, and raisins, and is boiled in a bag.

2. Toutin (or Tiffin or Touton) is a Newfoundland term for a dough cake fried in fat and made from fresh bread dough.

3. Flipper pie is a Canadian dish made from seal flippers. It is specific to Newfoundland and commonly eaten at Easter.

4. Jigg's dinner is a traditional meal commonly prepared and eaten on Sundays in many regions around the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

5. Rappie pie is a traditional Acadian meal. Its name is derived from the French "patates râpées" meaning "grated potatoes". Potatoes are grated and the water removed, a hot broth made from chicken or pork is then added along with meat and onions and then layered over with more of the grated potatoes to make a casserole-like dish.

West Canada Food and Drink

1. The Nanaimo bar is a dessert of Canadian origin popular across North America. A type of chocolate no-bake square, it receives its name from the city of Nanaimo, British Columbia.

2. A Caesar, sometimes referred to as a Bloody Caesar, after the similar Bloody Mary, is a cocktail popular mainly in Canada. It typically contains vodka, clamato (a blend of tomato juice and clam broth), Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, and is served on the rocks in a large, celery salt-rimmed glass, and typically garnished with a stalk of celery and wedge of lime. The cocktail was invented by bartender Walter Chell at the Owl's Nest Bar in the Calgary Inn.

Quebec Food and Drink:

1. A tourtière is a meat pie originating from Quebec, usually made with ground pork and/or veal, or beef. It is a traditional part of the Christmas and/or Christmas Eve réveillon and New Year's Eve meal in Quebec, but is also enjoyed and sold in grocery stores all year long. This kind of pie is known as pâté à la viande (literally, meat pie) in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region.

2. Poutine: a dish of fries topped with cheese curds and gravy; a Québécois specialty.

3. Oreilles de crisse is dish in Québec. It is simply deep fried smoked pork jowls. It is generally served at cabanes à sucre (sugarshacks) in spring time, often, but not always, topped with a generous quantity of maple syrup.

4. Oka is a Canadian cheese named after the small village of Oka. Quebec Oka cheese has a pungent aroma and soft creamy flavour, sometimes described as nutty and fruity.

5. Yukon Jack is a "honey based Canadian whiskey advertised as the "Black sheep of Canadian Liqueur". Yukon Jack is made in Valleyfield, Quebec.


Ontario:

1. A butter tart is a type of pastry best known as a Canadian treat. The English Canadian tart consists of butter, sugar and eggs in a pastry shell, Butter tarts were a staple of pioneer Canadian cooking, and they remain a characteristic pastry of Canada, considered one of only a few recipes of genuinely Canadian origin. One of the earliest known Canadian recipes is said to be from in Eastern Ontario around 1915.

2. Persians -somewhat like a cross between a large cinnamon bun and a doughnut, topped with strawberry icing, unique to Thunder Bay, Ontario


Manitoba:

1. Red River Cereal -It was first created in 1924 in Manitoba. The cereal takes its name from the Red River of the North, more specifically the valley around Winnipeg.

Territories:
1. Akutaq or agutak, also known as Eskimo ice cream, is a common food consisting of whipped fat mixed with berries, with optional additions such as fish and sugar. The word comes from Yupik and means "something mixed".[1]

And of course there are foods from the beginnings of Canada:

1.Pemmican is a concentrated mixture of fat and protein used as a nutritious emergency foodstuff.
2. Bannock is a bread dough cooked over an open fire.

I think I am going to make some Beaver Tails for desert! Tomorrow I will post the recipe!




Inuit woman making bannock.

It is the time of year in Ontario when “Cottage Goers” are opening the cottages for the summer months. It is also the time of year for spring and summer storms (read Hail storm blog). Are you prepared for an emergency? Due to the difficulty getting into a lot of the cottage areas, when the power goes out it stays out for some time, even days. So whether it is for a few hours or days it is necessary to have an emergency preparedness kit. I have listed below the standard supplies needed. Personalize the kit to your families needs. I, for one, added chocolate! This kit works at home as well as at the cottage.

A three day supply of food and water for every person and pet when there is no refrigeration or cooking available.

• Protein/Granola bars
• Trail mix dried fruit
• Crackers/cereals
• Canned tuna, beans, turkey, beef, Vienna sausages, Bean salad, Canned tomatoes (If you don’t have a non electric can opener look for the pop top kind)
• Canned juice
• Candy, gum, nuts
• Water (4 litres per person and animal)

Lighting
• Battery lights (Flashlights, Lamps)
• Batteries for lights
• Candles
• Lighters
• Water proof matches
• Propane for Barbeque or single pot burner

Equipment
• Can opener
• Dishes
• Shovel
• Radio/Pen paper
• Axe
• Pocket knife
• Rope
• Duct tape
• Small games or toys for younger children

Personal Supplies and Medications
• First aid kit
• Toiletries ( toilet paper, feminine hygiene products)
• Cleaning supplies ( Hand sanitizer, pre-moistened cleaning cloths)
• Medication (Acetaminophen, Muscle relaxants)
• Prescription Medications (3 days supply)

Money Options
• Cash
• Credit cards
• Pre-paid phone cards

Notes:
1. Remember to update your kit every six months or if any items are used
2. You don’t want items “flavouring each other”. Divide items into individual Ziploc bags.

Canada being such a diverse ethnicity from our beginning, we don’t have a lot of truly traditional foods. Flour was a luxury item in the early days of the fur trade. It was used to thicken pemmican style soup. Pemmican is a mixture of fat and protein used as a nutritious emergency food. The word comes from Cree word pimihkan, “pemmican”. It was invented by the native people of North America. Flour was used as well to thicken Rubaboo which was a stew eaten by the Coureurs des bois and voyageurs (fur traders) and Métis natives. This was made of peas and/or corn and bear or pork fat thickened with bread or flour. They often mixed in pemmican and maple sugar. Occasionally when there was enough, flour was used to make galettes. Galette is the name used by voyageurs of the North West Company for an unleavened flour-water biscuit made by baking in a frying pan, or in the ashes of the campfire. Bannock is the name used by voyageurs of the North West Company. The Selkirk Settlers referred to their flour water biscuit as bannock. Eventually bannock became the name accepted. Bannock acquired other names, too: bush bread, trail bread, or grease bread. The traditional way to prepare bannock was to mix the ingredients into a large round biscuit and bake in a frying pan or propped up against sticks by the campfire. The frying pan usually was tilted against a rock so that it slanted towards the fire for part of the baking. Bannock is a truly Canadian food.

Bannock

Bannock is cooked in the oven or over a charcoal or open fire. Recipe for Bannock on a stick follows.

Ingredients:

1. 4 cups of all purpose flour
2. 1 tablespoon of sugar
3. 2 tablespoons of baking powder
4. 1/2 teaspoon of salt
5. 2 cups of water or milk

1. Combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl.
2. Measure the water or milk and add it to the flour mixture with a fork. A dough should form. If it is too dry and crumbly add a little more liquid, a tablespoon at a time.
3. Turn the dough out onto a surface lightly coated with flour. Knead for about 3 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (180 Celsius
5. Pat the dough into a circle about 3/4 inch thick. Transfer the dough onto a well greased cookie sheet. Prick the dough all over with a fork.
6. Bake about 20 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Bannock on a Stick
   

1. Prepare bannock dough as above. Have ready several sticks 3-4 feet long.
2. Divide the dough into golf ball size balls. Shape each ball into a rope about 8 inches long by rolling between the hands.
3. Wrap each dough rope around the end of a stick working length wise down the stick.
4. Hold the dough over a bed of red hot coals, turning frequently to bake the dough evenly.