Cottage Life

A Christmas reflection
“We are blessed,” Dawn Yager said, randomly, one day last week as I dashed into the office, having spent more time than I wanted chasing a last-minute gift at lunch. I stopped and looked at her. What? “That man,” she nodded in the direction of a co...urier who had just left, “has people in...

View story | View all stories | About Social RSS | Join Social RSS

Cottagers can participate in the annual Christmas Bird Count
Northern saw-whet owl. Photo by Betsy Higgins, courtesy Ontario Nature Did you know that there was once a popular annual hunt during which teams competed to see who could shoot the most birds and small mammals ...as a Christmas day activity? Fortunately, someone saw the light through the flying feat...

View story | View all stories | About Social RSS | Join Social RSS

Do water-testing on your lake?Protect fragile wildlife habitat?Help the environment in other ways at your cottage or in your cottage community?

These plastic canisters and foam sheets, made by Cortec, give off harmless rust-preventing vapours to protect metal tools and valuables in a closed drawer or box. They’re especially useful in unheated cottages, where seasonal condensation promotes rust. Available at Lee Valley, less than $10.

Candles for cottagers
Wondering which candles to use for your holiday dinner? At our on-the-grid cottage, we burn candles for ambiance, not out of necessity. I’ve spent many mornings peeling little pools of wax off the dining room table after a long dinner the night befo...re. It’s a ritual I find oddly satis...

View story | View all stories | About Social RSS | Join Social RSS

Reusing old hockey sticks
In our Winter 2009 issue, we showed you how to make a coat rack using old hockey sticks. The project was a hit at our Fall Show, and lots of attendees seemed keen to tackle the rack themselves, and a few suggested improvements. One attendee ment...ioned they’d vary the stick lengths so that there ...

View story | View all stories | About Social RSS | Join Social RSS

Surviving cold-water shock
Watch the Ice-Fishing Crazy Canuks below, then check out the video of Ray Ford’s plunge into near-freezing water. Maybe it’s  just as well these anglers didn’t read Ray’s story in the current issue of Cottage Life magazine before attempting the...ir ice-water experiment. There’s gotta be ...

View story | View all stories | About Social RSS | Join Social RSS

Even with the massive amount of snow that has fallen on Bracebridge, and continues to pile up, these residents still made it out to walk their dog this morning. Officials are warning people not to drive, as more snow is expected and roads are hazardous.

Embroidered ant pillows: A perfect picnic perch!
I recently came across these pillows, by Toronto textile designer Bev Hisey. So playful! I have a soft spot for trompe l’oeil, and these embroidered ants are more than welcome at any cottage picnic I’m attending (or in an...y cottage hammock, for that matter). I wonder if they’d d...

View story | View all stories | About Social RSS | Join Social RSS

An old-fashioned cottage read
Does anyone else clip stories from magazines and newspapers to send to family or friends—and later find piles of unsent clippings that you still can’t bring yourself to discard? Today I unearthed a gem as I was digging out my office. Maybe t...his excerpt will resonate with you, too. “Surely a...

View story | View all stories | About Social RSS | Join Social RSS

DIY Wool Blanket
I wanted to share with you my current DIY project: a wool blanket. I was visiting my favourite fabric store (Len’s Mill in Port Dover) and I came across a fabulous black, red, and cream tartan. Right away I thought it would make a great blanket. After sq...uaring up the piece (easy to do becau...

View story | View all stories | About Social RSS | Join Social RSS