KEW Winter Newsletter

Kukagami Environment Watch Area News                                              Winter 2013/14
www.kewatch.blogspot.com                                                                         

I love the scents of winter! For me, it's all about the feeling you get when you smell pumpkin spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, gingerbread and spruce.      Taylor Swift 

 

Winter has arrived!

   Ready or not, winter arrived at our doorsteps early this year.  The good news is that Kukagami Lake is well frozen over.  After a couple of false starts (when most of the lake had a skim of ice, then reopened) it froze again over the next few days.  The last open water disappeared overnight on December 12^th.  After 4 days of extremely cold temperatures, the first snowmachine crossed the lake on December 16^th.

 

Trails, trails, trails!

    We are fortunate to have lots of winter activities at our doorstep here are the lake.  All of us who spend time here in winter love getting outside, one way or another.  Please respect all users of the various trails! The ski trails in particular can be destroyed by skidoos, snowshoes, walkers and ATVs.   Freshly groomed skidoo trails are also vulnerable to damage by ATVs.

     Respect is the key. Let's all enjoy winter's pleasures.

 

Sudbury Trail Plan on Kukagami.   The skidoo trail was checked on December 16th, and had at least 5 inches of ice everywhere.  STP trails on local lakes will be staked soon.  Except Lake Wanapitae, of course!  It always takes much longer to get ice. 

 

Cross-country ski trails ready for Christmas!    Skiers can enjoy the easy 2.5 km trail, or the more challenging 4.5 km trail.  Trails begin by the big white pine at the north entrance to Sportsman's Lodge.

     When conditions are good, the track-setter will put a ski trail along the shore of the lake in front of Sportsman's Lodge and north.  Please avoid driving on top of the tracks!

 

 

Snowshoe trails  The joy of snowshoeing is that you can go anywhere...trails are not required!   But if you don't want to trudge through a ton of snow, try out two nearby trails.  A lovely short trail winds through the forest of ancient white pines across the road from Sportsman's Lodge.  Please be careful not to step on the ski tracks.  The loop goes into the forest at the junction of the ski trail.  

   Another trail begins beside the tall tower, overlooking Klondike Bay.  You can park at the end of the short road that goes east, just north of the dump.  The main trail to the lookout is about a kilometre each way.  Other trails take off from there, so be sure to have a map if you wander off beyond the lookout.

 

Skating on the lake was great for a few days in the middle of December, and then came the snow!  Some folks here and there make an effort to keep some ice free of snow.  If you have a skating area that you would like to share with neighbours, let KEW know and we can pass on the info through the website.

 

Winter Walks Many winter folks walk along the road each day.  When the conditions are good, walking on the lake is a great way to enjoy the beauty of winter.  

 

Tai Chi classes continue in January

   Taoist tai chi classes have been ongoing since May.  Each Tuesday morning, six to 12 people get together to learn and practice.  The classes have been a great way for us older folks to rebuild our strength, balance and flexibility. Young people are welcome too!  But mostly our local population is made up of retired folks.  Beginners are welcome to join the new classes in January.  Drop a note to kukagami@gmail.com for more information.  Have a look at www.taoist.org for detailed information about the tremendous health benefits of Taoist Tai Chi.

   These classes are also available in Sudbury most days of the week.  Join at one location, and go to as many classes as you like...all around Ontario and the world!

 

 

2014 Calendar!

October's picture in the Picture Our Lakes contest was taken at Kukagami Lake by Gerri Kusnierczyk. Calendars can be bought at Artists on Elgin in Sudbury.

 

Logging Update

    Logging continues to the east of the old rail-bed.  They expect to be finished by the end of December.  A mid-term review of the 10 year plan is underway.  Watch for notices of an open house expected in April. 

 

Neighbours helping neighbours

     Last summer a small, dedicated group of neighbors pitched in & did some much needed brushing along Fox Road.  We now have much improved sight lines & some of the wood was recycled into beautiful twig chairs.  In addition, many muscles that had lain dormant for some time got a great workout.  The group worked well together both collectively & on their own.   Many thanks for donating their time, equipment & effort to:  Allan Mather, Doug & Jane Hallett, Dennis & Joel Savage, Tootey & Sue Duhamel, Kim Sloan, Vicki & Ivan Thurlow.  

 

 

From Earthcare Sudbury:

What can you do for our environment this winter?

1.    Shovel neighbourhood driveways. Keep active and prevent using gas for trucks or snowblowers.

2.    Get outside and play. ("People protect what they love." - Jacques Cousteau) Love the outdoors through sledding, snowshoeing, skiing and skating. You can also make snowmen, snow forts and create snow sculptures. Send in photos of your best snow sculpture to Jennifer Babin-Fenske.

3.    Feed the birds. We have many overwintering birds that could use a little extra help, especially after snowstorms.

4.    Buy or make environmentally friendly decorations and gifts.

5.    Volunteer at your community park/arena to help clear snow, sell hot chocolate and organize events.

Christmas Greetings from the Snowbirds

'Tis the season!  Bah, humbug!

As I trim the community Club House tree with 1120 colored lights & red & white poinsettia flowers, sweat beads on my forehead & drips down my back.  It is 80+F & feels like closer to 100F with the humidity!  As I gaze out the window, I can see my fellow park residents splashing in the pool & soaking up the sun while lounging on deck chairs.  Yesterday I decorated the front yard for Christmas.  The lighted, animated deer family is grazing under the colorfully lit palm tree in the front yard.  Oh how I miss the snow!  Despite the cold, snow shovels & frosty mornings I still long for home at this time of year.  Christmas is just plain weird without the white stuff.  

Christmas Eve will mean the annual decorated bicycle/golf cart parade down to the Club House with cookies & hot chocolate to follow.  Hot chocolate.......you've got to be kidding me!  Christmas Day most of our neighbors will be down at the Club House enjoying the gorgeous tree I decorated while chowing down on a delicious turkey dinner but....not me!

The family unanimously decided that it isn't Christmas without Mom's turkey, dressing & fixings & Dad's gravy, so guess who gets to stay home & slave in the kitchen all day?  We'll be 9 for dinner with another 8 dining across the road at my girlfriend's place.  There will be much going back & forth to compare notes on dinner favorites.  Afterwards we adjourn to the carport to enjoy dessert, coffee & each other's company.

Kids & grandkids arrive next week so, except for winter conditions like the beauty of snowflakes & icicles, it will be almost a normal Xmas.  

As I swim in the pool under the stars (with occasional roar of a plane landing at nearby St Pete's airport), I imagine myself back home, outside on the deck, under a northern sky full of twinkling stars & falling snow, as I relax in the hot tub.

Holiday greetings to all!  Have a safe, happy Christmas season.

If you know anyone who would like to receive the KEW newsletter, send his or her e-mail address to kewatch@gmail.com. If you would like to be removed from the list, please reply to this address.

 

Area news Autumn 2013

Kukagami Environment Watch                                                       Area News

http://www.kewatch.blogspot.com/                                        Autumn 2013

 “Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale.” ― Lauren DeStefano

 Community Events

Neighbours are encouraged to share local events.  These are a few that are coming up this autumn.  If you have an event you would like to share with neighbours, send a note to KEWatch@gmail.com

 Harvest Moon Gathering

            People will be gathering at the mid-point of Kukagami Lake (near the Big Island, see map below) on the evening of Friday, September 20^th, if the sky is clear.  Everyone is welcome!  

            Be there at 7:15 to watch the sun set in the west just as the full moon rises in the east.  Boats will raft up as they arrive, and will drift along in the early autumn breeze.  If you don’t see anyone when you get there, look downwind!

            Taoist Tai Chi classes began a new session on September 10^th.  The beginner’s class meets from 10 to 12 on Tuesdays at the Lodge.  New students are welcome to join at any time.  Taoist tai chi focuses on restoring and strengthening health.  Check out this link: http://www.taoist.org/transform-body-and-mind/.

 

Mushroom Walk  September 22, 2 pm.

            The fourth annual mushroom walk will be this coming Sunday, rain or shine.  This is an hour long walk through the forest.  You will learn what to look for and what to avoid.  You must pre-register for this event. Send a note with your phone number or email address to kewatch@gmail.com to get the information regarding meeting time and place.

Due to the cold spell we had in August, the honey mushrooms were out a month earlier than they should have been.  This is our best local edible, and they will not appear again until next year.  This year’s walk will focus on the beauty and ecology of our local fungi.

Road Clean-up  October 5 to 20

            Thanks to the many neighbours who take the time to pick up litter from our roadsides every spring and fall.  For most people this is not just a twice a year event.  The busy parts of the road are tended to frequently.

            There’s always room for more volunteers!  Contact KEW if you would like to have a section of road to call your own.   

Logging Update

Red pine thinning continues near the start of the road.

Goulard lumber is currently working South of the rail-bed east of Kukagami Road. About 2 kms east from where they were working in Summer 2012. They will likely be working there until approximately November.

The area East of McLaren Creek is scheduled to be harvested later this Fall and early Winter.

Slash Pile Burning

            Two years ago, much of the western side of McLaren creek was logged.  The slash from the McLaren cut has been piled, and it will likely be burned late this fall.  The logging company is hoping to see a lot of natural regeneration in the area over the next few years.  If all goes well, they will only need to do a little ‘fill-in’ planting after that.

 

Brown Birch Leaves?

            You have likely noticed that many of the birch leaves have gone straight from green to brown this year.  Normally, birches turn bright yellow in September.  This year they went brown in August.  What caused this to happen?

 Chris Blomme explained the problem in a letter to Northern Life earlier this month.  You can read the full story here.

The Birch Borer is a tiny moth that lays its eggs on birch leaves.  The miniscule caterpillars feed on the leaves.  If you park your car under a birch tree, you will have noticed an icky, sticky residue.  Fortunately, it washes off easily. 

Also known as the birch skeletonizer, we saw a little of its work last summer. Hopefully, it has peaked this year so by next fall we will be able to enjoy the brilliant autumn yellow of the birches.

Where on the Lake is that?

            KEW is in the process of developing a map of our area with local name places.    Do you have place names that you would like to share with Kukagami neighbours?  Send the information to kewatch@gmail.com, and send along a story if there is one. 

 

 

The Joys of Autumn   by V. Thurlow

I have a definite love/hate relationship with fall.  On the one hand it is my second favorite time of year (Xmas tops my list) but is also, in some regards, the one time of year I dread the most.

Last September my younger sister, Susie, flew in from Calgary for her first fall visit in over 20 years.  She commented on how much she missed the gorgeous show put on by the oaks, birch, aspen but most of all the stately maples.  Our beloved Aunt Mimi, 82 years old, gamely followed us around snapping pictures as we drove up Matagamasi Road, Bushey Bay Road and all around the Kukagami area.  We gamboled over rocks and fallen trees like a couple of giddy, chubby, graceful gazelles.  Well maybe we were more gambling than gamboling, chubby & giddy for sure but graceful gazelles might be a stretch........a very big stretch........of anyone's imagination!  We shrieked with laughter, shuffling through mounds of crisp leaves covering the forest floor.  (Kind of reminded me of the bedroom floor back in the days when I had a very messy roommate in teachers college.......you could never quite see the actual floor for all the discarded clothes.)  

I love the show fall puts on and truly enjoy walks in the cool, crisp fall air.

Unfortunately, this peaceful idyll does not last long.  Two things mar the tranquility and I can't control either.  One is the annual fall hunting season.  The guns go off regularly with no warning and I cringe as I imagine some poor dumb partridge falling over in a bloody mess of squawking feathers; a cute, silent bunny twitching on the side of the road; or a majestic moose or deer felled by a triumphant, grinning hunter.

The second disturbance is even worse!  As soon as the leaves start to fall, my husband is on a mission to blow every single leaf he can eyeball into a pile to be gathered & later dumped into a large clearing at the end of the drive-way.

 The method used is a gas powered leaf blower and it has become the most hated piece of "man toy" that I have seen...or heard...to date.  Hubby straps this contraption on early in the morning and, after gassing up, is set to go until nightfall.

He puts the Eveready Bunny to shame!  Across the front and side lawns, down to the lakeside deck, all the way up the steps and across the front and side decks, over to the rock wall, flower beds and the patch of grass over the field bed before heading up to the driveway and down to the main road.  Of course the boathouse roof and all eave troughs must be done as well.  Put a white hazard suit on hubby and he can start his own chapter of Ghostbusters when he has that @#(*^& contraption strapped on his back!  I will scream with delight if he ever runs out of gas to power my nemesis!  It will be a much more elated scream than the ones you will likely hear, probably by the end of the week, when I predict the dreaded leaf blower will make its debut for this season!

 

Hey, give me a break; I'm hurrying along as fast as I can!  Let me catch my breath.

Just a few moments ago the lake was shimmering in the bright sunlight with occasional puffs of wind ruffling the surface.  What a glorious fall day!  My friends & I were so happy to be wearing our new fall colors, hot reds, bright oranges, sunny yellows.

Soon I grew tired then felt my stomach do a somersault as I turned head over heels & floated & swirled my way to the cold, unrelentingly hard ground.  That sure knocked the wind out of my sails!

As I lay there trying to catch my breath, I saw the family dog frantically pawing at the patio door in a frenzy of barks.  The sky darkened as a cloud covered the sun...no wait; it was a flock of birds in a big flurry of flapping wings heading out of sight.

All of a sudden the peaceful, tranquil calm was shattered by a loud cacophony of ear splitting proportions.  Some overzealous, leaf-hating human with an outlandish contraption strapped to his body, was blowing every leaf in sight into little piles.  From the midst of my pile I watched as the number of piles continued to grow.  

Finally, after what seemed like hours, the noise mercifully stopped leaving throbbing echoes in its wake.  

Thankfully the piles were gathered together & unceremoniously dumped into a clearing off the driveway.  I was happy to snuggle in amongst my friends in peace & quiet as the footsteps faded away.  

Rumor has it that the process will repeat itself for many more days until the leaf-hater leaves for the winter.  Winter can't come soon enough for me!  

Website and Newsletter

The KEW newsletter is published quarterly, and sent by email to any interested person. The Website is updated randomly through the year – so check for new information and photos! Submit photos and news items to our email – listed below. 

 

If you know anyone who would like to receive the KEW newsletter, send his or her e-mail address to kewatch@gmail.com. If you would like to be removed from the list, please reply to this address.

 

Kukagami Summer Newsletter

Kukagami Environment Watch                                                       Area News

kewatch.blogspot.com                                                                  Summer 2013

 

Live every day to the fullest:

 Talk and listen to people.

 Love the earth and respect it.

 Learn something new every day.

 Find the positive in something negative.

 Laugh more, sing more, and dance more.

 Enjoy the small things in life, not the material things. In memory of Lillian Appleby

 

Community Events

Neighbours are encouraged to share local events.  These are a few that are coming up this summer.  If you have an event you would like to share with neighbours, send a note to KEWatch@gmail.com

 

Full Moon Rising      Long summer days just beg an opportunity to get out in the boat...whether it be a canoe, kayak, outboard, or pontoon boat.  Everyone is welcome to gather on the evening before the moon is full.  The moon rises in the east just as the sun sets in the west.  On Kukagami, come to the mid-point of the big lake.  A great opportunity to meet new people!

Dates and times to meet for this summer are:   June 22 at 8:30 pm, July 21 at 8 pm, August 20 at 7:45 pm. 

Annual Canada Day Boat Parade, July 1^st  Decorate your boat in celebration of Canada Day, and meet at the south end of Klondike Bay at 1 pm.  The boats will make a tour around the mid-lake, so if you don't have a boat, be sure to wave as they go by your camp. 

KCA annual Picnic   August 3^rd 

Taoist Tai Chi classes will begin a new session in September.  Watch for notices of date and time.  There is a beginner's class currently meeting from 10 to 12 on Tuesdays at the Lodge.

Kukagami Place Names Mapping Project.

   KEW is developing a map with common place names and places to go!  Send your suggestions to KEWatch@gmail.com  

 

Historical Tidbit

One of Canada's first Olympic heroes, Edward Blake Archibald, started a wilderness summer camp for boys on the northwest shore of Lake Wanapitei about 1924.   Camp Wanapitei was moved to Sandy Inlet on Lake Temagami in 1930 after Ontario Hydro constructed a dam at the outlet of Lake Wanapitei, raising the level of the lake and flooding much of the original camp.  The camp was on Parkin Creek, about three kilometres east of the mouth of the Wahnapitae River. Camp Wanapitae still offers wilderness summer experiences for children as well as adults.        

 

Road Clean-up

            Thanks to the many neighbours who took extra time to pick up litter from our roadsides this spring.  For many people this is not just a twice a year event.  The busy parts of the road are tended to frequently. 

            Summer is a good time to clean up lakeshores too!  If you are out and about in a boat, take a few minutes to gather in the junk that's washed up on shore.

 Logging Update

            You may have noticed some logging activity at the start of the Kukagami Road.  There red pine thinning operations are underway.  Also this summer, Goulard Lumber will be cutting a few kilometers east of the road along the old raid bed. 

 

Our Camps on the Shores of the Lake                                                                            Spring to Summer 2013

            The calendar says Spring has ended, but on the shores of Kukagami, the neighbours barely felt its passage. "How's the road?" garnered the expected Springtime litany, "If the potholes get any deeper, I'll lose my car."  "Watch out for that washout."  "They need to put in a new culvert." The neighbours finally knew summer was near when the complaints changed to, "There's so much dust on the road, I can't see the car in front of me." 

     In spite of the usual grumbling, the ride along Kukagami Rd in Spring can be a pleasant journey, as we watch the subtle changes in all the shades of green with a few splashes of white and yellow.  Or, the drive can be a wildlife adventure.  One of Kukagami's lovely ladies caught sight of a moose, a fox, a bear and a few rabbits, all during one trip.  One of our local artists, another lovely lady, had a thrilling, but unpleasant sighting; a moose ran into her new car.  The neighbours imagined the damage. They voiced very sympathetic concern, "Your car will be good as new." All the while thinking, "Glad it wasn't me!" Everyone drives a little more cautiously, aware that we are the intruders; the forest still belongs to the wildlife.

     Safely home, human sightings in spring are as intriguing.  From our decks, we watched the antics of intrepid campers.  On opening day, we watched eager fishermen line up a boat and 2 canoes off their dock, across the ice as it was breaking. They lounged on the dock, in warm winter clothing, enjoying a few beers, keeping an eye on their fishing lines. They clambered back and forth from boat to canoe to check their lines.  Fishing season on Kukagami was open.  

     May brought wind, snow, hail, rain and a few, a very few, sunny days.  The hardiest of the Kukagami neighbours jumped into the lake, swam one or 2 strokes, grabbed a towel and raced to the warmth of a sauna or the comfort of the camp.  Work with  hammers, saws and drills began as three of our lovely ladies built twig chairs. Gardeners fought off the flies, gazed happily as their perennials quickly filled the empty gardens; colourful flowers would soon follow.  Volunteers set to work cleaning the debris along the roadside; the neighbours at the end of Fox Rd  brushed their section; the COPS' teams began patrolling the road. Friends help friends.  Each Tuesday, one group, lovely ladies and helpful men, is discovering the value of a new physical activity.  An awkward, enthusiastic group learns the intricacies of Taoist tai chi.  A patient teacher convinces us that our individual hesitant, labored movements are as valid as his artistic fluidity.

     Let summer begin.  We are ready for the myriad of sounds, the endless variety of activities, the tantalizing smells of food, and as always, Kukagami is ready for the unexpected.

Story Teller waits for your stories. Ideas, exaggerations, poems, moments of life on our shores. moniquetaylor@xplornet.com    

 

     Neighbours gathered to mourn the loss of our favorite pioneer. Stories about Lily continue to be exchanged by all those who knew the joy of her presence in their lives.

     Kukagami mourns the loss of an endearing pioneer. Lillian Appleby's presence on our shores was a constant reminder of our history and our fun loving tradition of neighbour helping neighbour. Her friend Colette Conlon-Cresswell shares the eulogy she gave. 

            Terry asked me to give the eulogy for my dear friend Lily. I was honoured.  I couldn't refuse. The one I always counted on for help was gone. How could I do this without her?

   Lily was an exceptional woman, very caring, understanding, capable, and extremely knowledgeable and always wanting to learn more. As a matter of fact, she decided to learn how to play bridge at the young age of 85. That's a challenge, even for someone who played Canasta.

    Lily never had a bad word to say about anyone; if you said something negative, she would quickly find some positive comment. She felt everyone had some good in them.

    Lily was my confidant. My friend knew how I felt, what I thought; she knew what I hoped for and what made me proud.

   What was her secret to such youth and vitality? We all want to know. Did anyone ask her? Maybe a few details of her activities during 93 years filled with living could give us a hint.

                          Lillian had an interest in everything.

Gardening, fishing, hunting, berry picking, card playing. Reading, travelling, walking in the bush and watching curling for hours.

She loved everything to do with the outdoors. The only thing she didn't care about was house cleaning. She was always willing to go and do anything that others wanted, so as not to disappoint them.

   She was driving her car until just about a week or so before going to the hospital. We went shopping. She came riding on the quad with me to go pick cranberries. She wanted me to go too, but I refused because I complained of a sore hip. She had a sore back, but that did not stop her.

   This lovely woman did not have a selfish bone in her body. She would give you or share with you all that she had. Except her secret to where the best berries were. She finally shared that secret a couple of years ago and only to special friends. Ha! Ha!

   She loved her family and had the patience of a Saint. Her faith in God was strong and she loved to attend mass at Kukagami Lake. She could practice her faith in her favorite surroundings beneath the trees, the view of the lake, and the feeling of grass under her feet.

    I've heard many people say, "What's the secret?" Or, "I want to live just like Lillian Appleby. "

    Well, her friend knows what some of her secrets were: 

Live everyday to the fullest 

1.  Talk and listen to people.
2.  Love the earth and respect it.
3.  Learn something new every day.
4.  Find the positive in something negative.
5.  Laugh more, sing more, and dance more.
6.  Enjoy the small things in life, not the material things. 

   Lily was determined to pass on her life view to her children, her grand-children, her great-grand-children whom she loved dearly.  She always wanted them to appreciate the beauty that surrounded them and created many opportunities for them to do so. What an incredible legacy.

   Lily turned 93 in Dec. 2012. 

   In my eyes and most people's eyes that number should be reversed to be 39 for all the capabilities she had. I feel very inadequate trying to tell you about this ageless woman whose sparkling bluest of blue eyes captured everyone's attention. If you knew her, you will know what I mean.

  She will live forever as I see her in this room in the eyes of her children, her grand-children, her great grand-children her relatives and her many friends. She changed my life and I'm sure she changed the life of everyone she met for the better.

   Every time, I said grace before our meal, Lily was never happy with just saying it, I had to sing it. So for you my friend here it goes.

                         Oh, the Lord is good to me and so I thank the Lord

                         For giving me the things I need

                         Like the sun and the rain and the Apple seed

                           The Lord is good to me      

            We love you Lily- Thank you for being you.

Website and Newsletter

The KEW newsletter is published quarterly, and sent by email to any interested person. The Website is updated randomly through the year – so check for new information and photos! Submit photos and news items to our email – listed below. 

If you know anyone who would like to receive the KEW newsletter, send his or her e-mail address to kewatch@gmail.com. If you would like to be removed from the list, please reply to this address.

 

ICE is Gone!

KEW News                                                       May 2013 Update

ICE! 

      May 2^nd provided a warm, gentle breeze that swept away the ice on Klondike Bay.  Throughout the next 2 days, warm weather and strong south winds finally released the rest of the lake from winter's grip.  The ice was totally gone from the lake on May 4th.  There should be some new photos on the website over the next few days.
      The water level on the lake is higher than usual for spring.  Because of this, many of the old logs and other wood that once washed up on shore are afloat once again.  There will be a lot of flotsam on the lake for the next couple of weeks.  If you are boating, be aware that some of the logs, old boards and even docks barely rise above the water and are difficult to see.

Tai Chi

A four week introduction to tai chi will start at 10 am on Tuesday, May 7^th at Sportsman's Lodge.  Pre-registration is not required.  Wear flat shoes (running shoes are fine) and loose clothing.

Practicing tai chi improves balance and can help you to maintain, and regain your mobility.    

 Road Clean-up

Reminder to volunteers to pick up litter along the local roads!  Contact KEW to let us know what section you have completed.  If there are large objects, we will contact the city to arrange a special pick-up.   If this is your first time participating in the road clean-up, please contact KEW.  kewatch@gmail.com 

      

KEWatch Spring News 2013

Kukagami Environment Watch                      Area News

kewatch.blogspot.ca                                         Spring 2013

  A snowdrift is a beautiful thing - if it doesn’t lie across the path you have to shovel or block the road that leads to your destination.  Hal Borland

It is the first day of Spring! 
     And the snow just keeps coming.  This is great news for traditionalists.  Remember what winter used to be like?  Lots of snow until the end of April?  Might as well get out and enjoy it.  The ski trails are still in good shape, but spring conditions allow skiing everywhere - so get out and explore!  Don’t ski? No problem.  Take the snow machine out for a cruise, or snowshoe through the bush, or just go for a hike on the lake one sunny day this weekend.  The long days of spring are made for being outside.

Comet Watch
     During March, comet PANSTARRS may be viewable if you have a totally unobstructed view of the western horizon for about 15 minutes after twilight.  Any clear evening in the next few days, be sure to go out for a look.  The comet will begin to fade away slowly over the next week, becoming difficult to view (even with binoculars or small telescopes) by month's end. The comet will appear as a bright point of light with its diffuse tail pointing nearly straight up from the horizon like an exclamation point.

Spring Road Clean-up
     Once the  snow finally melts away, KEW will host the annual spring Road Clean up! Between now and May 5th, you can sign up to clear the litter from a section of Kukagami and Fox Roads. To register for your section of the road, drop a line here at kewatch@gmail.com.
Bring a friend – it’s a fine way to spend a spring day while at camp.
**Please note! The City wants us to sort the roadside trash into separate bags of recyclables and garbage. We have clear bags for the recyclables, and black bags for the garbage. Please let us know if you need these supplies!** 
You also need to sign a waiver.  Please wear a bright orange vest while working…and keep yourself safe!

Water Watcher
www.watercooperation2013.org
     2013 is the International Year of Water Cooperation, and this Friday is World Water Day.  If you are in Sudbury, there will be a lunch hour hike at the Lake Laurentian Conservation Area.  Meet at the Nature Chalet at 2309 South Bay Rd at 12:15 for this 3 km hike.  

     Keeping our Lake Water Clean…tips from Earthcare Sudbury:

At the Shoreline
      Priority: Protect natural habitat where plants, fish and other animals live, grow and help keep our lakes clean and healthy.

• Leave or create shoreline buffer strips.
• Keep most of your shoreline natural.
• Use dock designs that don't obstruct water circulation or disturb the lake or stream bed (eg. floating docks or docks constructed on stilts).
• Leave aquatic plants in the water.
• Avoid disrupting fish habitat during spawning and early rearing periods.

Our Stories

The KEW story teller begins another series of Kukagami tales about life on our shores.  Expect references to our drives along our roads.  Monique Taylor invites you to share in the fun of recreating special moments from your family's memories.  If you don't want to write just give her some details (exaggerations welcomed).  Your family can edit final copy, before printing. 
Call or email Monique 
705 853-4772
 moniquetaylor@explornet.com

Our Camps on the Shores of Kukagami Lake

"When I bought my 'camp', I did not know what a bargain I had in the bluebirds, daffodils and thrushes; as little did I know what sublime mornings and sunsets I was buying." Adapted   Ralph Waldo Emerson  

The Road

  Tales about wilderness surrounding Kukagami Lake suggest an interest about what trails  lead to the shore.  Any initial excursion to the North End guarantees discoveries about early 20th Century human activities .

  Children return from their first adventures with wonder.  "There's a really old mine, with parts of a rail, and you have to bend down to walk in, and it's really dark and when you shine your flashlight you can see lots of bats. So, how did miners get there?" 

    Teenagers - older, experienced adventurers - pipe up, "Did you find the broken-down logging camp?  When we searched, we found some parts of a broken-down building. Grandpa said there once was a horse stable there.  But nobody can see a trail through the forest.  So how did the people get there?"

    Around the fireplace, discoveries are shared. "We found what was left of a burned down place!"    
    "I jumped into the lake and saw a bunch of upright logs up against the shore, then I dove down and found a really ancient Pepsi bottle. Let's go look for more stuff."       
                            
   Stories about early decades of 20th century, folk tales and maybe legends about hardy trappers, hunters, and  prospectors  are part of our Kukagami heritage.
By mid 20th Century, we know that three lodges brought eager hunters and fishermen to our shores and guided the men seeking the thrill of a wilderness adventure to areas  where moose, bears and lake trout were plentiful.  The building of hunt camps began. The next half century saw rough hewn camps being built around the bays.  Each summer, the sounds of men hard at work and joyful children hard at play broke the wilderness silence.  By 1970's, at least one hundred families had become summer residents and they filled their homes with relatives and friends.
   
    Those early pioneers had hacked out a dusty, bumpy, winding, hilly, rough, narrow road to parts of our shores.
    An earlier Kukagami story reminds us of the journeys. "Kukagami Lake irresistibly draws us to its forests, to its shores, to our friends and neighbours, even though travelling along the narrow winding 'road' was mostly an unpleasant adventure."
    The unpleasant adventures repeated week after week, after week, always ended with a greeting. "How's the road?”  
    Visitors usually responded, "You call that cow trail, a road?"
    "At least, we have a road to our driveway", responded some lucky campers.

    In the late 70's campers further down the lake hired Leo McGillis to bulldoze a road from Rivais' driveway to Bellevilles.  Leo created the infamous chainsaw hill where cars grinded their way up.
    The neighbourly Kukagami greeting, "How's the road?" received bitter responses.
    "Lost my muffler!"  "Got a flat."  "You call that a road?"
    
    The last decades of the 20th Century brought rapid changes - hydro arrived by overhead lines and underwater cables, telephones replaced C.B.radios- with the changes came modernization. Camps were turned into cozy cottages, some well-loved camps were replaced by brand new houses built by experienced contractors using brand new materials.
    During 1st decade of 21st century, more and more retirees chose to enjoy our wilderness year round.  Perhaps, they chose to "live life to the fullest".  Long time residents, the Robinsons, the Spyrkas and the lodge owners welcomed new year-round neighbours.

    And now, no matter the season, Kukagami conversations begin with some version of the early "Where's the trail?"  First words - in person, by phone or e-mail - "How's the road?" 
The road has changed dramatically, but the question, and answers, echo the past.

Where is that?
  KEW is creating a map with our local place names.  Here’s the first place…as mentioned in the story above.  Chainsaw Hill is now a lovely walking trail, located just past #450 on Fox Road.  



In Memory:
     On January 2nd  our lakeside community lost one of its own, Sylvia (Cyr) Malette. 
     Sylvie was a loving wife, mother & grandmother looking forward to the birth of her first great grandchild.  Proud of her children, she was pleased as punch with the antics of her very busy young grandsons, Kevin & Keith, (better known as "Kiki").  They could do no wrong in her eyes & sure kept Sylvia on her toes.  Then after a long wait, finally a granddaughter...her beloved Magalie.
     I remember card games with Remi & his Sylvie, sitting around the table, comfy in the warmth of the woodstove she was so proud to own.  So many laughs & good times.  The others at the table all spoke French, so sometimes an expression had to be translated into English for me & we'd laugh all over again as they attempted to have it make sense to me.  We'd munch on snacks, while Sylvia would talk about the latest project she had lined up for Remi.  She would deliver him to a job site to do some drywalling & inspect the work he had done to date.  
     There were numerous bus trips to the casino or to see a concert, and she met many new friends on these excursions.
     She pitched in at the annual Campers' Picnic doing everything from running the kiddie fish pond to working at the bake table.  
     We hadn't had much contact the last few years, but the memories of good times linger.

     No two snowflakes are ever the same, so they say, and no two people are ever exactly identical.  Sylvia, there will never be another one quite like you.  
     Remi, Sue, Michael and families know that she will be missed by all those whose path she crossed.

"You can remember her and only that she has passed on or,

  Do as she would want, smile, love each other and go on."

Website and Newsletter
The KEW newsletter is published quarterly, and sent by email to any interested person. The Website is updated randomly through the year – so check for new information and photos! Submit photos and news items to our email – listed below.

If you know anyone who would like to receive the KEW newsletter, send his or her e-mail address to kewatch@gmail.com. If you would like to be removed from the list, please reply to this address.

Kukagami Environment Watch Winter Newsletter 2013

Kukagami Environment Watch Area News                                                   Winter 2013
www.kewatch.blogspot.com                                                                         

"Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home." Edith Sitwell

Winter has arrived!

   After a long and lovely autumn, winter has finally come to Kukagami.  The last bit of water turned to ice on the chilly night of December 24^th.  Time to get outside… snowshoeing, skiing, skidooing, ice fishing…enjoy!

 

Satellite Photo from January 2, 2013

  Find this view of our world online at http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?subset=USA4 .  Wednesday this week was sunny and cold, resulting in this excellent photo.  Lake Nipissing has been frozen over for weeks.  Lake Wanapitae has just begun to gather ice.  Kukagami has been iced over since December 24^th.

 

Photos

   The KEW website has winter photos of freeze-up and snowy landscapes. It is a great place to post stories and photos. Send these to us at kewatch@gmail.com and we'll get them online!

Trails, trails, trails!

    We are fortunate to have lots of winter activities at our doorstep here are the lake.  All of us who spend time here in winter love getting outside, one way or another.  Please respect all users of the various trails! The ski trails in particular can be destroyed by skidoos, snowshoes, walkers and ATVs.   Freshly groomed skidoo trails are also vulnerable to damage by ATVs.

     Respect is the key. Let's all enjoy winter's pleasures.

 

Sudbury Trail Plan on Kukagami.   The skidoo trail was checked on December 30th, and had at least 5 inches of ice.  STP trails on local lakes will be staked this weekend.  Except Wanapitae, of course!  It always takes much longer to get ice. 

 

Cross-country ski trails are now ready!  Skiers can enjoy the easy 2.5 km trail, or the more challenging 4.5 km trail.  Trails begin by the big white pine at the north entrance to Sportsman's Lodge.

 

Snowshoe trails are packed.  The joy of snowshoeing is that you can go anywhere...trails not required!   But if you don't want to trudge through a ton of snow, try out two nearby trails.  A lovely short trail winds through the forest of ancient white pines across the road from Sportsman's Lodge.  Please be careful not to step on the ski tracks.  The loop goes into the forest at the junction of the ski trail.  

Another trail begins beside the tall tower, overlooking Klondike Bay.  You can park at the end of the short road that goes east, just north of the dump.  The main trail to the lookout is about a kilometre each way.  Other trails take off from there, so be sure to have a map if you wander off beyond the lookout.

 

Skating on the lake was great for nearly a week at the end of December.  Some folks here and there make an effort to keep some ice free of snow.  If you have a skating area that you would like to share with neighbours, let KEW know and we can pass on the info through the website.

 

Winter Walks Many winter folks walk along the road each day.  When the conditions are good, walking on the lake is a great way to enjoy the beauty of winter.  

 

Logging Update

    After a long autumn of logging to the west of the Wolf Lake Forest Reserve, operations are now complete.  This note from the company:  Hauling out of the Wolf Mountain area is now complete. There might be some machinery left to remove from the work area, but this will be it for operations in the Kukagami area for the winter. 

 

2013 - The International Year of Water Cooperation

The "Water for Life" decade is an International Decade for Action declared by the United Nations to occur from 2005-2015. Within this decade, 2013 was declared the International Year of Water Cooperation.

In Sudbury, we are surrounded by water and we may not appreciate the valuable resource that is all around us. Let's join the global dialogue on water with the EarthCare Sudbury "Water 2013" campaign. Browse the Earthcare Sudbury newsletter to find ways to conserve water, protect our water sources, but also to enjoy our "City of Lakes".

 

 

 

Here is an Update on the Roads from our Matagamasi Neighbour:

The logging company did an excellent job in sanding the Matagamasi Lake Road this year.

We have had a few people hit the ditch this winter. On December the 23rd the Deputy Mayor of Matag took the ditch, no damage to the vehicle only to ones pride but the Jeep Liberty was able to pull him out. From a reliable source the Kukagami Princess ended up in the ditch on the 27th as well.  Ever helpful neighbours quickly came to the rescue and lifted her small car out of the snow bank.

 

In other words Slow Down.

Here are a few items that one should keep in ones vehicle during the winter:
Mitts, Hats, Candle, Shovel, Tow rope, Blanket, Flares, Flashlight, Sand/Cat Litter, as well as Booster Cables.

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