Kukagami Environment Watch Area News
kewatch.blogspot.com Summer 2014
Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under the trees on a summer's day, listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the blue sky, is by no means waste of time
~John Lubbock, "Recreation," The Use of Life, 1894
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:
July 11 at 8 pm. August 9 at 7:30 pm.
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.
Roads Board Update: Crushing began on June 17th at the MTO pit on Kukagami Lake Road. The gravel will be put down within the next 2 weeks followed by the laying down of calcium. The new contractor for the next 2 years is Gaudette Contracting from Warren.
Logging Update: Goulard Lumber resumed work mid-June in the same area as last year, east of Kukagami Road at the old tracks, South and South-East of Crerar. Currently, only harvesting and road building crews are in. Hauling will start anytime now. The plan is for them to spend the Summer in that area.
Goulard has pine allocations in the Wolf Lake area, but there are no current plans to head up there in the next few months. If plans change we will send an update.
Future Wood will be resuming their commercial thinning of red pine plantations along Kukagami lake road. They are expected to resume activities this week, finishing the block they started around the near the start of the road. They will be in the area for the better part of the Summer.
For Silvaculture, there is an aerial spraying block planned for North of Doon Lake and West of Kettyle Lake. This normally occurs in early September.
Goulard's recent cut in the Bassfin lake area, West side of McLaren was planted with Jack Pine this Spring. A total of 210,000 trees were planted in this block.
Taoist Tai Chi classes will begin a new session in September. Watch for notices of date and time. There is a class from 9:30 to 11:30 on Tuesdays at the Lodge, starting on July 8th.
For Sale: A paddle boat, asking $100.00 (worth $500.00) barely used; along with Step 2 kid's slide for $25.00 (worth $100). If interested call Micheline at 853-0368.
Ageing Exercises by Vicki Thurlow
As we age, doctors, gerontologists & fitness gurus all seem to agree that seniors need to remain active & keep their weight down. Like many in my age group, I'm carrying around a few extra pounds. Except for a couple of temporary, extra pounds gained while on a cruise or during the holiday season, my weight hasn't changed for the last ten years or so. Those couple of pounds come & go at will like a beloved family member. During the winter months we head south & keep active with walking the dog, walking with friends, swimming at the pool or beach, & dancing at the clubhouse. We need to do these activities as we seem to eat out more often, have many parties which always seem to involve food, & entertain much more during these months.
Well, judging by the activity I have been involved in over the last three weeks, I should have lost at least a few of the extra pounds I carry around with the familiarity of a long-time friend. That theory is not working!
Anyone who knows me well can tell you that the only thing that freaks me out more than spiders are blackflies & mosquitoes.
We've had few blackflies but mosquitoes have been a whole new experience! I'm known as "Flash" this time of year as just about the only glimpse of me is a quick flash as I race like a mad fool from back door to the car, or vice versa, in an attempt to drive to town to get away from the invasion of these @#*%&*)^ bugs.
But, it is while I'm in the house that I truly get my exercise........& I have exercised to exhaustion these last two weeks or so, with no end in sight. We are currently housing two dogs who bark to go outside, whether they need to or not, many times during the day. Not long after they go out, they bark or scratch to come back in. My guess would be that the mosquitoes are biting them too, as they come prancing in the door bringing hundreds of the buzzing, blood thirsty suckers on their coats. It would be just my luck to not let the dogs out on demand & find myself the recipient of a smelly deposit on the floor, so I continue with the revolving door routine.
Add to that a hubby who smokes but, as that is not allowed in the house, he must also go out.........numerous times a day. Of course, he also heads in & out during the day to putter around, fix something etc. & then come back in for a drink, a meal, a bathroom break. Each time this happens hundreds more of the mini buzz-saws fly in like they own the place.
We've also discovered that it is a myth that they are attracted to dark colors as there are always thousands on the white garage doors. Indoors, they love white ceilings, doors, cupboards, lamp shades & best of all.........skin! MY skin in particular!
What does this have to do with exercise you ask? Well, ALL my waking hours are spent tracking & killing these vampires. Believe me it is a full time job. I have never done so much bending, twisting, and swinging my arms, in my life. And dance moves such as you have never seen, (& likely wouldn't want to), well, I have those in spades. The palms of my hands are like raw meat from angry mosquito squishing, I'm on the second set of batteries for "The Executioner" & every exposed inch of me has been bitten at least once.
In my spare time, I can be observed doing hand & finger exercises.....as I scratch like a dog with a flea infestation. I have made moves I never knew existed & are guaranteed "one of a kind". I am close to becoming double jointed as I twist to swat at the #$*^% dive bombers. I frantically run to get "The Executioner" as I spot another victim ripe for the killing, only to discover that she has decided to play hide & seek. In the evening I do sit-ups......I get into bed after thoroughly scouting out the bedroom for any AWOL critters, turn out the light & BINGO! The *&^%$ little s^%&s are buzzing the runway so I do a sit-up, flick on the light & the dance begins......again!
All of the above mentioned activities are repeated, in sets, continually, for 18 to 24 hours /day. I should be skinny as the proverbial rake, right? Hah! Someone needs to come up with some new weight loss exercises. In the meantime, does anyone know a good exterminator? How about a dance teacher? Maybe Kijiji has a buyer for thousands of mosquito carcasses? SHHH, I hear a buzzer, I'm off on the hunt again!
KEW neighbours send a special Thank You to Vicki for luring the mosquitoes to her part of the lake. Especially this year, the worst bug season ever.
Nature Notes: This issue: Snappers! Starting this summer, a full page peek at nature will be attached to the newsletter. Let KEW know if this fits well into your email box, and if you have suggestions for content.
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This air photo is centered on "The Gut".
The low area provides a shortcut to the North End in summer and winter.
On the right is the long "Outlet Arm".
The top left corner show some of the islands in the North End.
