Winter is on its way

Friday afternoon, had Jim Brow and myself travelling to Kenora for a swim meet. Historically, most of the lakes and creeks are iced over. In some years there are already snow banks on the sides of the highway. The swim meet always takes place on the same weekend in November.
We allowed ourselves lots of time for the drive. We knew that we had to arrive at a school just before five to do some teaching, so driving a little slower, we were able to watch the sides of the road and into the trees for wildlife. The day was clouded over and a dampness hung in the air. Yet the air temperature hung above freezing.
Rarely is it warm for this swim meet. This year, the only lake that appeared to have ice on it was Caliper just before Nester Falls. Creeks were still running and in places a skin of ice covered water in the ditches. Fall is holding on in our country and refusing to give way to winter.
Once we reached north of Crow Lake, we saw lots of hunters in their blaze orange suits. They were coming out of the bush and putting their guns away. No one appeared successful, but being out in the woods, was the real quarry of the day. We would occasionally overtake a half-ton with hunters driving slowly along the highway.
The only place with boats still in the water was Kenora. Several were tied to a dock below the Shopper’s Drug store. The lights from street lamps and homes sparkled over the waters of Lake of the Woods in Kenora.
This is a changing time of year, that period, where we can hardly wait for the browns and tans of grass and gravel to be covered by a light covering of fluffy snow. As we travel north of Sioux narrows, a snowplow had actually pushed snow off the road and a thin bank existed. The roads were dry and any melting only appeared on the edges.
With all the leaves down, one can look deep into the landscape. The shrubbery that in summer normally blocks out the forest floor, is barren and all the dead fall can be seen, and you almost believe that you can see through the forest. We only saw a single deer and it had chosen a safe location to be eating grass. It was the lawn of an OPP station.
Sunday, we woke and a light powder dusting covered the roads and rocks. The snow seemed to cleanse the dreariness of the day. Winter is on its way.

–Jim Cumming,
Publisher