I can't believe how fast this week is going. Well I guess is isn't going as quickly as I thought. I was in town first thing this morning for my 9:15 appointment that isn't until Friday!!! Oh well between the storms it was a nice day for a drive.

Speaking of storms construction on the ARK will start on Saturday the only nice day we will have any time soon. You get one nice day and pay for it for three. This time around there will be no Black Flies or Mosquitoes invited for the ride!!!

Reports in yesterday and this morning say that the ice is now almost off Lake St. Peter and Mink Lake. Some is just blowing around onto the shoreline. Other than where the plow left banks all the snow is pretty well gone. Just some spots that the sun doesn't hit for long.

The creeks are quite high and there is a lot of standing water in the ditches etc. A great breeding ground for the pesky mosquitoes that are already starting to show up. Not biting just flying around.

All and all it is starting to look like spring time. The grass has turned green overnight and my chive plant that had one sprout yesterday is nearly in full growth today.

High Country Lodge is having their ATV run this weekend. And the local ATV club will be having their first fun ride Saturday May 7th and a trail brushing/clean up on Saturday, May 14. Both events start at the Bekkers on Boulter Lake Rd. and end with a BBQ back there also.

Things are still pretty quiet. Not much to report just yet. It was nice to see some of the cottagers and summer people up on Easter Weekend. Keep on coming.

That's it for now.
Back soon.
Cheers
Nancy

When will the madness end??? One nice day is rewarded with three inches of freezing rain, snow, ice pellets and other assorted crap falling from the sky. ENOUGH ALREADY!!! Let's bring on spring or if not- just jump right into summer.

I saw a few robins this morning with their little suitcases packed heading back down south until things get back to normal.

The ice is still on the lakes with not much sign of leaving. This is very late for the ice to be so thick.

We were just lucky enough to be a few hours ahead of the storms hitting North and South Carolina on Saturday and Sunday only to arrive home to a white out snow storm between Maynooth and Lake St. Peter. Had a great trip. Had my purse stolen and then returned a few hours later a little lighter by with the ID still inside. I hope when I grow up I can take care of my stuff better.

It's pretty quiet around town this week. Not much happening. Not even any ATV's out yet. If you are coming up for the first time this weekend you will notice that the Price Chopper in Bancroft has closed down. It is being renovated and turned into a Food Land opening in the next week or two. It has been closed since the first of March. At last we will have a real grocery store in town.

Well not much else to report. I hope the Easter Bunny is good to all even if he has to borrow Santa' s sleigh and the eight tiny Reindeer.

The diner will be open Good Friday and Easter Sunday with music on Saturday evening just in case you don't feel like cooking.

I look forward to seeing the summer people soon. Think sunshine and rainbows!

Cheers
Nancy

Seriously-Will winter ever end!!!!

Just when it looks like it might be a nice day it snows again. At least when in rains it might wash the snow away. But noooooooo. It has to snow after it rains just because it can.

There is still lot of snow in the bush so if you haven't had the driveway plowed at the cottage you won't be driving in this weekend. More and more grass is starting to show and I even have some daffodils trying to poke out of the ground. At this rate they will be blooming in July. A number of people have seen robins but most of them have ear muffs and rubber boots on.

This time last year the ice had been off the lake for a week but it hasn't even melted near the shoreline yet. That means chilly swimming in June!

It is so quiet right now I think that there must be a gate up in Bancroft not letting anyone past.

South Shore Cottages the rental cottages on the South Rd on Lake St. Peter just sold this month. They hope to be up and running by May. This is a good thing. They have 5 or 6 rental cottages and may be putting in trailer sites later this year. When I get a number I will post it. It would be a great place to stay if you are ATVing.

The inmates will be running the asylum next week. I am taking a week off. So no new posts until at least a week Tuesday. Let me say that the snow had all better be gone when I get back or I will be very cranky!!!

Have a great week. Enjoy these nice long days especially the sunny ones. It is great to get home and still have some daylight left.

Back soon.
Cheers
Nancy

It was a pretty quiet week around the old diner last week. Not much shaking around town.

We still have way too much snow for my liking. On Saturday our first customers came from Harcourt by ATV and the next group through the door came by snowmobiles. It's that time of year again.

There have been many beautiful sunny days but it is darn cold. If it doesn't warm up this snow will be here until May or June!!!! I think that I am even looking forward to the black flies (easy to say now) and not just to get the wine on the deck black fly report started. But at least that means summer is not too far away.

I will not be doing an ATV run this spring but the one at High Country will be the third Saturday in April.

Not much else to gab about today so I will be back later next week. Brian M is finally back from working away for a couple of months. Maybe he and Jim will do something entertaining that will give me a chuckle. They have started a DYI project at Jim's cottage, that should be interesting.

Have a great week.
Cheers
Nancy

What a difference 12 hours makes. When I went over to the house last night about 6 pm the parking lot was covered in snow and ice the trail was good and there was three inches of water on the path from the garage to the house. But with the mild temperatures, a night of rain and a warm wind it is almost gone. The water has all but dried up.

I just talked to Russ that had ridden down from Mckenzie Lake and he said that the rail bed was good and there is still a lot of snow in the bush and the back yard behind be. I know this because I cut through it to take the dog for a walks and I am knee deep in snow trying to get to Boulter Lake Rd.

The stakes have been removed from both Baptiste and Lake St. Peter and Mink is open in the usual places. So any long rides may not be a good choice but if you just want to bomb around your property or through the bush it should be no problem.

Now if we are not going to get any more snow and the season has to end I hope that the snow just all goes away and we can jump right into spring and get out the ATV's. I hardly used mine last year and I am looking forward to some riding this year.

It looks like it will be a great weekend to get away to the cottage this weekend. Great weather, longer days and relaxing. Hope we see you.

Cheers
Nancy

It's still looking good. Trails are holding up. A mild afternoon yesterday softened things up but a cold night fixed that.

No rain today, possibly tomorrow. Sunny and cold on the weekend. I'll let you know.

Off to town on an errand.
Cheers
Nancy

We have had lots of riders enjoying the spring like conditions. It's nice to go home at night and it is still light out. The trails are in good shape. Groomers were out on Monday night. Riders in this morning say that there are no dirt patches and only the odd rough spots in the usual places.

It was supposed to rain today but so far we have had only snow. It looks like it may snow for awhile. It has been coming down pretty steady for a couple of hours now.

Not too many families around for the March Break. I hope you are all sunning your buns down south, not just hanging out on the couch. The dollar at nearly par makes traveling look pretty inviting.

Other than that nothing new or exciting this week. I will be back if the snow turns to rain and I'll be pissed if no one comes sledding because the weather man called for rain and it snowed again. What a wonderful job. You can go to work every day, screw up constantly, still get paid at the end of the week and the public still loves you!!!! I think when I grow up I want to be a weatherman.

Back soon
Cheers
Nancy

All and all it was a pretty good sledding weekend. We had a fair amount of riders in both Saturday and Sunday. Not as many families as I expected being the start of March Break.

So where are we now? The temperature dropped overnight, the groomers were out, the rail bed looks like a table top. It is cold and very sunny today but tomorrow may not be as nice.

There is still a ton of snow in the bush and I know this first had because we walked into the hunt camp again yesterday. We usually go on Sunday afternoons to let the dogs have a run. I'm just saying that it is easier for a 20 lb beagle to run on top of the snow than it is for a hefty old bag to slog through it. I think it is about a1 km hike in and 10 kms out. I ask myself about half way in why we keep doing this. I also don't know why they keep laughing at me when I fall down and look like a turtle on it's back when I try to get up. My daughter starts throwing snow on top of me like you would a whale beached on the shore. She says she doesn't want to see me dry out before I'm rescued!!!

If we get rain any day this week I will update. It looks like the week may be warming up.

That's it for now. I'm on by myself all day because the cook has been on vacation.

Cheers
Nancy

Saturday again already. A quick update.

Getting colder, a little skiff of snow last night and this morning. More expected Sunday also.

Riders in this morning came from Harcourt said that the trail is a little bumpy but otherwise conditions are good. There is still lots of snow. They were pleased with their ride.

This time last year the snow was all gone and we had ATV's in. I guess we are lucky to be sledding at all.

Here's hoping you can get out for one more ride.

Back soon.
Cheers
Nancy

The good news is the tsunami did not hit Lake St. Peter, the bad news is the rain did!!!

We have had two days of off and on drizzle. Not a big downpour just steady drizzle. The parking lot is like a skating rink. We still have a crap load of snow so when the rain stops the sledding can continue.

There is to be some snow or rain tomorrow, the powers that be have not decided which way to go. The temperature is dropping already today.

I can't update tonight because of commitments but I will be back tomorrow morning with what happened overnight. The old measuring stick is still standing upright in the snow on the picnic table. I would check the depth of the snow if I didn't think that I would break my beak getting there. I am having the parking lot sanded this morning.

To answer anonymous I can't say how much rain fell other than too much. I will check with Charlie Foster the resident weather watcher for the exact amount.

To Bill from Eagle Lake. Way back before my time the village was called Porterville. Named after the MP or MPP (I can't remember which) at the time. The lake and the train station were always called Lake Saint Peter, so in 1941 it was decided to rename the village to be the same as the lake and station. So just for historical sake I decided to name the diner The Porterville Diner. I does make a good topic for conversation.

Hope things clear up. Back tomorrow
Cheers
Nancy