International Plowing Match, Earlton, Ontario

For the first time ever the IPM has come to northern Ontario at Earlton, Ontario. History records that in 1846 when the first provincial exhibition was held in the city of Toronto, a special feature of the event was a plowing match. It took place on a farm on Young Street in the vicinity of St. Claire Avenue. The IPM has been in various locations in Ontario since 1913.

Today the plowing competitons are combined with a Rural Expo of farm related products, from tractors to GPS's, quilting and solar energy products. Shows of tractor pulls, music and picking the Queen of the Furrow. Check out the IPM here.

Here are a few pics of the old tractors on show.

Fall colours creeping in

Nice sunny weather with a bit of rain. The temps have been a little too hot recently but today it has moderated. Out cutting firewood yesterday and the day before and today putting in some new wires upstairs for all the computer equipment. This was a job I started a long time ago. Oh well it's in except for repairing the hole in the drywall.

A few pics from west of town of trees changing, has been very slow this year because of the dryness I think.

Tomorrow off to the Internation Plowing Match and Farm Exposition in Earlton, the first time ever in Northern Ontario. Crowds are expected as high as 70,000 over the 5 day period.

Canoe Trip 2009 Day 5

Last part of the trip today and by noon we should be in Matachewan. Everybody up early and a quick breakfast and on the way. Light showers started shortly afterward but no raincoats were needed as we dried just as fast. We have two rapids to do today one at Fort Matachewan an old Hudson Bay Post and another at Old Woman Rapids. The run at Fort Matachewan had a spillway which we took and the boys went down the rapids. At Old Woman Rapids we both got stuck on some rocks, the boys had to bail out and get off the bottom and we got stuck in the middle trying to stay away from where the boys ended up. The canoe swaped ends and I was looking upstream for awhile until we pushed off turned around and shot down through a trough that bought a wave over the bow into Brians lap. All in all a good run and lots of fun.
A little while later we could see the bridge of Matachewan and pulled up right beside the car that we left days earlier
Brian and I drove to Gowganda to get the truck and van while the boys cleaned up the goodies in the food barrel. A great trip had by all and the weather couldn't have been better.

No pics for the last part of the trip but a pic I took early this AM of Gowganda Lake with the fog rolling through

Canoe Trip 2009 Day 4

After eating breakfast of scrambled eggs, ham, and red and green peppers, right from the package they came in, not bad for a dehydrated breakfast. We packed up and got underway fairly early. Today we would be travelling north for awhile on Mistinikon Lake, there are a few motorboats around today mostly fishermen. We travelled up the west side of Bell Island as the east side showed there were a few camps along shore where there is road access.

Further up the river we crossed highway 566 out of Matachewan, a bailey bridge crosses a lets vehicles and trucks travel further to the west. Lots of vehicles and more camps. We stayed pretty much to ourselves on the opposite shores.

A little further up we started into The Great Northern Bend where the Montreal River finally turns and flows south. This bend is all deep sand areas as the Matachewan dam holds the river back from the Upper Matachewan Lake. Here we portaged about 300m.+ to a campsite on the edge of the Upper Matachewan Lake. At the campsite the fire was still smoking as we had just missed it's former occupants who had left quite a mess. We cleaned up the site quite a bit before setting up camp and getting supper started. Again the night ended with a good fire.

Canoe Trip 2009 Day 3

Up early this AM on Rankin got Sam moving to go out and pump some water off shore, I think we lost him a couple of times in the fog. All of our water supplies are pumped and filtered with a Katadyn Combi Water Microfilter which removes all taste, odour, bacteria and protozoan cysts such as Legionella, Giardia, and Cryptosporidium, the main filter can be cleaned when needed on site. We have used it 2 years now without any problems. They say you could pump the water out of a swamp if needed. The main ceramic cartridge will pump 50,000L. depending on conditions. A+ on my list.

Got started around 10:00am and had 2 rapids soon into the trip, ended up at the portage going around Caribou Falls (280m). Had a good lunch before we headed north on Mistinikon Lake a very large lake with cliffs on both sides and very scenic. Boat traffic is on this lake coming in from a road from Matachewan. Not enough to hardly know they were there.

Later on we started to look for a campsite and found an old concrete dock that was at the end of a small bush road. It looked as if it was a loading area for boats long ago during the mining boom. Brian set up the tent on the dock, it had wood flooring and the boys camped a distance away as the night before they moved their tent down the beach in Rankin to get away from some sort of snoring that was going on. Honestly I never heard it at all.

Of course there was the usual evening campfire too.

Canoe Trip 2009 Day 2

Didn't get moving too fast the second day but finally got out to do some fishing. Paddled back to the base of the second rapids and did some fishing from the shore. Not much biting there so out in the canoe pitching Rapalas and ended up with a nice bunch of walleyes. They were added to the Maritime pasta dish that Brian served up. Good stuff. After supper the sun dipped into Rankin and we watched the fire as the moon came up over the trees.

Yesterday after almost a year waiting I finally got hi-speed internet. There is now a seat belt on my chair in front of the screen.

Canoe trip 2009 on the way to Matachewan via Montreal River

Just back from a great 5 day trip up to Matachewan, left at the Wapus Ck. on 560 and headed north on the west Montreal River. These were some of the finest days of the summer, sunny, low humidity, a touch of drizzle the first night and a bit on the last morning of the trip. Brian, (brother in law) and his son Sam and his friend Johnathan arrived Wednesday night for the start of the trip on Thursday. Got all the gear packed Wednesday for the big start in the AM.

Lots of campers at the Wapus landing and several motor boats were tied up. Off we go, up the Wapus to the Montreal River and north into Metikemedo Lake and finally into Penassi Lake, using some old canoe route information there were very few of the marked campsites still being used. Without a good spot it's difficult to pitch a couple of tents so we paddled on. Further north we rode out two good rapids with no trouble even though the water was low. Finally got to Rankin Lake where I had heard there was a great beach to camp on. Little did a know it was quite large for a small lake off the river a piece. All in all 27 Km. later we pitched camp a tired bunch of paddlers. Had enough energy to have a steak and potato supper and a short sit around the fire and an early turn in for the night.

We only seen one motor boat the all the way up and it was on Penassi Lake. Where we were at Rankin it would have been hard to get a motor boat in since the water is low in the rapids.

August gone all ready

Hard to believe that August is gone. Weather is finally improving with several days of sunshine coming up. A hint of fall is in the air, some of the Red Maples are starting to change and the temperature at night is getting close to freezing.

Our canoe trip is on hold until Thursday and have rerouted the trip somewhat to fit time limits.

Ontera is coming to hook up the hi-speed internet finally. Hopefully before Thursday.

A few more pics from the Edith Lake area, Meadowsweet, Edith Lake rapids, and some Dogwood berries.

Gowganda to Matachewan by ATV

My neighbour across the street Mike was determined to make it to Matachewan by way of the snowmobile trail. On Sunday we started the trek 3 machines with Mike, his wife Sharon and myself. It turned out that the worst part of the trip was the crossing Miller Ck. north of Everett Lake. Lots of boulders and muck after fixing up a couple of spots with more boulders we made it through. This trip probably wouldn't be possible if the creek was very high.

The first part of the trip had several boulders and logs across the trail, but finally we made it into the old cuts north of Obushkon Lake, from there on the trail just got better. Stopped in at Matachewan for a drink and then took the long way home along the road with a stop in at Indian Chutes Generating Station. All together it was about 135 Km. All in all a good trip. Crossed the Montreal River between Tommy Lake and Crotch Lake and took a pic of the low water levels.

Some more pics from Edith Lake

I knew I had more pics somewhere from the trip a couple of weeks ago. One of them a purple fringed-orchid. I think this is the first orchid I've seen this year. Right beside it a crimson mushroom (don't know it's real name) I have ever seen. Back down by the rapids there were a group of Arrowhead.

Weather has been cooperating pretty well with a thunderstorm moving thru today.

Look who flew in

Look who flew into the window I mean. While working in the kitchen I heard a great thump on the back porch window, after going outside to look around what do I find is an immature Pileated Woodpecker flat on the ground with his head rolling around. Picked him up and placed him in a dark box for about an hour in the porch. After that time I started to here some scatching from inside the box.

Opening the box I saw he was all right after all they spend most of their time pounding their head and neck into trees looking for bugs a crash into the house can't be all that bad. Anyway I took a few close up pics and then Gert came over and held onto him for his portait. This was taken between pecks at her hand with that large sharp bill, Thanks Gert.

Lobster Mushrooms

While cutting the grass over near Gowganda Lake Camp I viewed large Rubermaid containers filled with something redish, not going over to be a busy body I didn't find out what they were. Mentioned this to a friend who went and asked the camp owner what was going on, they said the people staying in the cabin were picking Lobster mushrooms. Never heard of them before so looked them up here, wouldn't you know the next ATV trip out piles of Lobster mushrooms. Bought them home, cleaned them up, fried in peanut oil some salt and pepper and voila good tasting wild mushrooms. Since that trip I have seen them all over the place and they are easily found by their lobster like colour.

For those around Gowganda while picking blueberries and rasberries enjoy some Lobster mushrooms with your next steak or whatever.

Blueberry crop

The blueberries are plentiful in most areas this year as expected with all the blooms earlier. On our ATV rides there have been areas that are completely blue and some have been the biggest I have ever seen. Lots of wild rasberries too and the pin cherries are loaded, the cool damp weather has made a bumper crop

Met a painted turtle along the way on a trip to Obushkon haven't seen one of those up here for a long time.

Paddling around Edith Lake

Up to Edith Lake with the canoe on Saturaday for a little trip for new pictures. The other reason is to get ready for a canoe trip at the end of the month to Ishpatina Ridge with Brian (brother in law), son Sam and a friend.

Day was quite pleasant and took pics of several new flowers which will come later. Today just a picture of the rapids from north of the landing, a Kingfisher and a Loon. Caught a nice bass out there too.

Edith Lake is the jumping off spot to the portage into Obushkong Lake, all part of the Montreal River system.

Fishing on Gowganda Lake

Out this afternoon for some fishing and picture taking. Fishing yielded some small mouth bass, perch and one 18 inch walleye. Only the walleye made it home in time for supper. While taking pictures I just missed a bald eagle that flew behind me but as I was taking pictures of the shore this Great Blue Heron flew out unexpectedly. Took several pics but this was the best of all.

August and still raining

Still the same old weather that we have had all summer, a continuation of May. Managed to get out for a bit this afternoon on the Bouche road. In between the rain showers I got in a few shots of Evening Primrose, Pearly Everlasting and some Pin Cherry. The cherries are abundant this year and the bears are pulling down the saplings to get the cherrys. They are also leaving lots of eaten cherry sign all along the road.

The boy's are gone

They must have had a good time as they didn't want to go. After a week of swimming, a pool party, fishing, hiking through town and generally doing what they wanted I guess not. Grampa had a good time too with the company. The silence is deafening.

Some pics from last week with the boys some Indian Pipe, Mountain Ash, and a Delphinium from the garden.

Jeremy and the boys on the way home from a afternoon of fishing.