Now we're talkin'

Flash freezing has created a gigantic skating rink on the lake.  Perhaps skating from end to end will be in the near future.

Someone has sanded mill hill with, it seems, a touch of salt to assist melting.  It looks like we are becoming more of a year round accessible area?  Road is completely drivable to the island.

Malice in Wonderland

Well nature hit our area hard last nite.  Heavy rain, wind, thunder and lightning.  Hydro flicked on and off but was never lost.  Lots of small branches down.  But, although still ice on the roads, there are ruts caused by  ATV travel that has exposed gravel.  Unknown about mill hill.

Rain, rain help our rink

Pretend you are on the other side of this picture looking at it!  The picture represents the reversed weather that we are having compared to last year!

 Mill hill is very icy.  Easy to come down, but probably difficult to go up.  Road is well packed to the island, but it is a combination of ice, slush and liquid water (similar to the rink).

What's next, maybe a power outage?

Hope for rain

Well, the rink is 'bumpy' but a bit of heat and soft rain followed by flash freezing should bring the rink up to the usual standards for the holidays.

This summer the beavers at their usual culverts were missing, (except for the Thanksgiving weekend at the municipal culvert at the township division.)  Apparently the feeling is the strong wolf population limited their domain.  But, look at the causeway!  They're back.

No skating for now

Well, this is a fine mess.  Several days of clearing of snow and then it gets warm!

On Sunday two conservation officers from Minden drove their truck onto the island.  They were checking the area for possible hunting.  The road is quite passable, but the mill hill is starting to ice up and probably will be a headache if it rains (today!) and turns a bit cold.  Traffic still going into East Bay.

Fresh snow

Four to five inches fresh powder snow.

Road plowed

Clarke Road has been plowed from mill hill north, past Africa Trail to the mainland southern cottages, which will be called the 'annex' for future reference.  Africa Trail to the island not plowed, but snow is only 2-3 inches.

Rink ready

What a great rink on Elephant Lake.  Sorry, no change shed available.  Lights soon to come.

Time for skating

Ice is a full 5 inches thick.  Time to clear the 2 inches of snow from the lake and make a skating and maybe a curling rink.

Stormy

Power out 7:30 pm yesterday (Monday).  Returned 12 noon today (Tuesday).  Lots of trees down along the road.  But none of the cottages have trees down around cottage.  Very windy last nite.
Reminder, email is now johnjamieson11@hotmail.com.

Really

The road has been plowed from mill hill down Clarke, past Africa Trail and down to the southern cottages.  In addition, the hills have been sanded!  Really!

Ramp being constructed

The ramp on the causeway was built from two sections united by a welded grating in the middle.  Notice the height of the ramp compared to the road.

New email

Hi association members.  If you need to contact me, please use the following:

      johnjamieson11@hotmail.com

The hughes.net is no longer working.

Come out Saturday

Have a great time and support your local museum.  Take outs are available.

Tree down

Who wants wood?

Yuk

Sorry gang, computer problems prevented postings.  This should be figured out very soon.  Hey, 2 inches of snow this afternoon.  Hills very slippery. Skim ice on both sides of causeway.  Time to sharpen skates.

New culvert

Well, this place really doesn't have an established name.  But, it once had a crushed plastic pipe, but that is now history.  It was sometimes called Roger's culvert, since it was close to his place.
    Anyways, a six inch, 16 foot metal culvert topped with A gravel has replace the old pipe.
    Maybe someone can name this part of the road?

Enchanted Forest diversion

The orange marker is the location of bedrock that pushed water onto the road and formed rills.  Now, the water will be diverted 'neatly' around the rock, and it will be pulled back off the road with the formation of a ditch on the west side. The road will be slightly diverted to the east by just over a foot, but really doesn't affect normal traffic.  Some A gravel will be added to show a slight change in the road.

Hopefully several other area will get ditches before the snow comes.

Power outage

Planned power outage Sun. Sept 21, 6 am to 7 am.

Thanks to all the Terry Fox walkers from East Bay and Elephant Lake Cottage Ass'n who walked from East Bay.  The post walk social was great as usual.

Surveillance

Sorry gang, but I thought there was a way to flip this.  Anyways, if you are interested, twist it around.
   One cottager has installed four camera that hook into the internet on a static IP connected to a turbo hub.  It monitors whatever you want 24/7.  There is also a 28 day recording that can be attached to the system.  The internet monitoring is approximately $10 per month, not including the regular internet fee.
    The installer is from Bancroft.
    This seems like a great way to view the cottage and the scenery whenever you want.  Perhaps we'll get an update at the annual meeting in May 2015.

Just in time!

Yesterday afternoon and evening saw the heaviest rain and wind of the season.  Fortunately, through great planning (or luck?) the drainage diversion was put to its first test.  The road was unphased and the usual washout at the top of the cottagers' lane was untouched by washoffs as can be seen above.
     The orange marker is the rock outcrop that used to be a big problem.  But now the water is pulled back into a ditch and away from the road.
      Ditches are a roads' best friend.

Water divergence

The north end of Guest Trail has a major outcrop of bedrock on the east side.  This pushes water across the road causing rills.  At the orange marker, water will be pulled back into a shallow drainage ditch which will keep water off the road.  We'll wait to another rain storm to check out the ditch.

Mugs

     The wonderful Schoolhouse Museum in Highland Grove, at the big bend in the highway, has started a new project.  In order to support heritage and community, they are placing various pictures on coffee mugs for a lean price of $12.50 per mug.

     But in addition to heritage, the museum has broaded into cottages, cottagers and even prizes for fishing contests.  Or, family pictures for seasons' presents, like December,  birthdays, mothers' and fathers' day, you name the event. Or, perhaps you just want type on the mug.  For instance, THE BEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD ARE THE ONES WHO WASH DISHES IN THIS HOUSE.

    Or, MY GRANDPARENTS NEVER FORGET MY BIRTHDAY IS AUGUST 15!

    Or, I GOT THIS MUG FOR MY MOTHER SINCE SHE FORGOT THAT THE TOOTH FAIRY IS NOW GIVING $5 PER TOOTH

     Or, as a person is leaving the house, gulping the last cup of coffee, he/she reads,
                                                    CHECK LIST
Cell phone, shopping list, pick the kids up, return library books, don't text while driving and say something nice to everyone today.

    We scan, accept pictures on memory sticks (we'll return sticks), take live pictures.  Who doesn't want a mug like the one above!  By the way, whose cottage is that?  I know.

     All money received goes to pay off the capital equipment which is in the community centre and purchase more material for supporting the small community of Highland Grove and the surrounding communities, which includes Elephant Lake cottagers.

   

Sunday August 10

Sunday afternoon the Highland Grove Museum will be accepting registrations for Singles and Teams looking to compete at the new Bamford Horseshoe Pits next to the Museum... Registration is being accepted for all Divisions - Mens, Womens, Junior Boys, Junior Girls, and Seniors. Everyone is welcome to stop by between 1-4

                                    Come out and throw some shoes.

The following can also be used for contact.

BamfordHorseshoePits@hotmail.com.

Ready, set, throw...

Bamford Pit is open for use by all interested people. If you have an interest in forming a team or competing against others, please call Joanne at 448-2218 and leave a name and phone number. The Pit is beside the Schoolhouse Museum in Highland Grove.

The Heritage Society is interested in having community members set up clubs, competitions, and whatever you devise. There are 2 sets of shoes that are available, but you must make arrangements for obtaining them from the museum staff. Regular horseshoes, from real horses, are also great for use.

This blog, http://heritagemuseumhorseshoes.blogspot.com site will be used to set up blocks of time for scheduled events.

Turtle eggs

Surprising to see so many turtle eggs and so deep in the soil, especially on the hard causeway road.  The broken eggs show lots of yolk.  They have been safely reburied. 

Causeway molar extraction

The miserable two rocks that crowned the causeway by the ramp have been exposed to sunlight and removed from hitting  mufflers.
     At the same time of removal, at one to one and a half feet from the surface was a clutch of turtle eggs, perhaps 100.  They were buried off to the side of the road, by the large rock that was extracted.  Rocks were placed on top of it to deter animals.

Heritage Thanks

Thanks to all the people who donated to the Heritage Day.  Great baked goods and oodles of doodles of books for sale.  And not to forget the great musicians playing outstanding country and western music.  See you next year.

Maple Hill

Two loads of A gravel starting from the bottom of Maple Hill.

Heritage Day

                                           Heritage Day,   Saturday July 19

                                       Highland Grove Community Centre

                                                     10 am to 3 pm
                                                   Museum is open

                                                            BBQ

                                                       Rent a table

                                                       

                                                            Bake Sale

                                       Bancroft Photography display in museum

                                              Family history research to be seen

Horseshoe Pit

This is one end of a competitive horseshoe pit in Peterborough, Ontario.  This club has 20 throwing pits and 600 members.

Could Highland Grove be far behind?

Heritage Day

                                          Heritage Day Saturday July 19 th, 10 am to 3 pm

Highland Grove Community Centre

Family History on Display, Bake Sale, Book Sale, Live Music BBQ

                              Rent Tables to sell items of your own!

For Information, contact
Jane 705448-9546  or Joanne  705-448-2218

Local attractions

Highland Grove Heritage Society is having a heritage day, Saturday July 19, from 10 am to 3 pm. at the community centre and schoolhouse museum.


Terry Fox Walk, Saturday Sept. 14, from 9 am.  Walk will be from East Bay to mill hill and back.


More on these activities to follow.

Good shape

Although there was heavy rains recently, the road has held up well.  Some additional diversionary channels are being constructed along the road to take runoff water into the bush and away from the road.

Strawberry Supper

                                                 Strawberry Supper

Saturday June 28, 2014
4 pm to 7 pm
Highland Grove Community Centre (part of the library, behind the schoolhouse)

Cold Plate
 Turkey, beef, salads, beverages, dessert

Adults  $12   Children 12 and under  $6.

Robert will have the schoolhouse open.  On display will be an exhibit by the Bancroft Photography Club.  There are some nice photos.  Schoolhouse open early.

A tremendous amount of local family history has been gathered over the years.  For a small community this is indeed a major investment of volunteer activity.  View some of the files.

Funds collected support the Schoolhouse Historical Society

Turtles

For the past two weeks the snapping turtles have been digging holes on the causeway.  If you look closely, you can see a leech taking a ride on the snapper.  A couple of empty turtles shells also seen.

Bump culvert

This is still a 'bump' culvert, but at least you can't see the metal.  Both sides of the road are approximately at the same level, perhaps making drainage difficult.  Fix next year?
     Lots of people are seeing very small fawns in the area.  There is a lack of beavers at the 3 beaver ponds on the way to our cottages.  Local people believe it is due to strong hunting by wolves this winter.  Turtles on the cottage road to the island this week. 

Getting better

Maple hill has been graded, but is still rough.  Some gravel will be added, especially at the bottom to cover the rough stones.      The pointer rock at the Clarke Rd-Africa Trail intersection will remain for the summer. It needs to be removed when there is no traffic since it requires some major excavation and will block the road for some time.  Drive by it carefully.
      Bump culvert has been covered and will remain for the summer.

Strawberry Supper

                                                   Saturday June 28, 2014

Strawberry Supper, Highland Grove Community Centre (part of the library building)

Cold Plate
Turkey, Beef, Salads, Beverages and Desert

Children 12 and under $6
Adults $12

Schoolhouse will be open

4 pm to 7 pm

More A gravel

A load of A gravel (40 % stone and 60% sand) spread in two lots on rill hill, on either side of the gravel depot (the two inch pile on the north side of the road delivered last year)

Still rock pointers on the road, but slowly coming out. 

Rock Pile

Fifty-five rocks have been removed from the cottage road, most between north end of new road and Guest Y.  Your muffler should be safe.  But the large pointer at the bottom of maple hill is still there.

Lost Leg Lowlands

Remainder of Lost Leg Hill A gravel was spread over the lowlands north of the hill.  One complete load covers both sides of hill.

Lost Leg Hill

A gravel added to Lost Leg Hill to cover the 2 large bedrock projections.

Water damage

The bottom photo shows a completely washed out culvert from the old road, which is commonly call white ash hill.  This is due to the beaver dam above Hogan's Culvert, if you remember from the road trip on the annual meeting day.   (ps I'm told Hogan didn't build the culvert on the new road, so this culvert will be known as "Misnamed Culvert".  Cottagers wanting to return to cottage had to go around the lake and take boats across the lake.

Early arrivals may get stuck, just as in the photo.  It had to be pulled out by Bamfords.  Can you identify the area?

Rock'n roll

Seven protruding rocks removed between top of maple hill and 2 gates logging road.  Several more still in this area, as well as from bottom of maple hill to Guest and the island. Less rocks for Linda to paint.

Cottage lane

Some cottage lanes were very steep and a challenge to construct.

Clearing the bush

It was not many years ago that trails were cut through the bush.  This photo is the start of the trail from the top of white ash hill (now called the old road) north to the riffles.  The property on the north end of the lake is still for sale.

First day grading

Road has been travelled by a grader from Tusk to the open area on the new road.  Notice the organic debris on the road, resulting from vegetation along the sides.  This gets removed with a center scraping and pushed off to the side of the road.

Ninety degree corner

This wet area is covered, Clarke Rd at division concession.

Split load

Half a load of A gravel.

First gravel, 2014

Extreme end of Clarke Rd. One load, 57.5 metres, 10 chain links in dump truck.

Turbo Hub

In the past, a satellite dish was the way to receive internet in our cottage area.  Unfortunately, modems can break down (twice in this case), and the LNA on the roof dish can also need replacing (twice in this case).  Yuk, it gets expensive getting a technician, and trying to determine the problem.
     So, a Turbo Hub from Bell ($99) and a two year plan seemed an alternative.  Wow, just plug into the wall, connect the cable from the computer, put the hub near a window and instant internet.  No software required.  Extremely delighted.  In addition, it is faster than the satellite signal.  A Bell tower has made internet much easier than the past--and a technicial does not have to climb onto the roof to replace equipment!
    

    

From the Fire Chief

The question was: some people state that a daytime fire can be used for cooking.  Is this correct?

Answer from chief:

Only for cooking, this exemption in the bylaw was designed for campers. The food is to be cooked and the fire put out‎, the other restrictions apply also, no burning if it is windy, the smoke cannot interfere with your neighbors or roadways and never larger than a half a cubic meter fuel load. If the department is called and there is a violation the charge is $410.00. You can apply for a burn permit to burn during the day, the applications and burn bylaw are on the Highlands East website.

Dragonflies

Dragonflies appeared for the first time yesterday, May 22.  Great news since they eat blackflies.

Grader

To grade a road, the grader makes 3 passes.  The first pass pushes the shoulder material from one side onto the centre of the road.  The grader returns on the opposite side and does the same.  The final pass is down the centre of the road to flatten the surface.
     This way, the shoulder is cut down and the crown established.  Thus water is not held in the tracks made by vehicles.  At least this is the theory.

Corduroy Road

     Corduroy roads were built mostly in wet areas to raise up the road.  Often they are intertwinded with  roots matting together.  Taking singles out could end up with more problems that you expected.  Due to the severe cold, the frost heaving is throwing up lots of buried trees.
     The best solution is to top up the road with pit run gravel and/or A gravel.
    

Heritage Society activity

June 28, 2014, Strawberry Supper at Library/community centre/museum.  Mark your calendar.  More information later.

Leeks

The following site was referred to this blog. If you harvest leeks, which are found in abundance in our area in certain locations, you might want to read this article.

 : http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/20/dining/20forage.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

New site

Coming soon, a new URL, www.elephantlake.org, is being developed to inform about  many aspects of the lake and surrounding communities.  It will become a centre to consult about activity around the lake. 

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