Geocaching in the Highlands

My latest discovery....geocaching. I know, it has been around forever! But I always assumed it would be difficult - get a compass, get coordinates (from somewhere), and trek through the bush to find "something".
I was wrong! The other night my daughter and husband went for a walk after dinner, right from our front door. Christine pulled out her phone, checked her "app", and discovered that there were 10 caches within walking distance of our house, along the road - who knew???
Their leisurely walk turned into a fun, competitive hunt. Dad and Daughter each trying to find the next cache before the other. The next day I had to check out an acreage for a client, so when we were done, Christine again pulled out her app, and found two caches near the acreage. Off we went!
Now caches come in many forms. They are whatever the first person started. They can be as small as a pill container, or as large as a Thermos. There is always a small notepad so that people who find it can sign and date it. People leave little trinkets -anything really. We saw rubber bands, buttons, a toy car, stickers....anything to say "we were here". Christine has a friend who has gps "buttons" that you leave behind, and then other people take them and put them in different geocaches. You can track your buttons to see where they go. She has one that is now in Germany.I don't know where she got them, but I want to find them!

Our outing took us to Scotts Dam - a truly beautiful spot in the Highlands. We discovered a walking trail along the rushing water, and there is a lovely bench with a view! It is a great way to find nooks and crannies in the area and get you off the couch in the evening. Most are easy to find - no skill required. Although I will say we made one mistake. Since my brain regularly forgets that my body is not 20 years old anymore, I tend to make ill-thought-out decisions. One of the caches warned of heights and being careful. We got to a rock cut along the side of the road and quickly looked around to see if there was an easy way up - a trail of some kind. When we didn't find one, we went to the lowest part of the rock cut, scampered up, and then followed the ledge looking for the cache. We hit a spot where rock was jutting out and Christine quickly slipped around it. I, on the other hand, stood there for a minute, was definitely concerned for my ability to get around this big rock without becoming a pancake at the bottom, then proceeded to step around the rock anyway! A second later Christine's blood curtling scream disturbed the local residences as my foot slipped and I headed downward. Luckily my hand grabbed on and I was able to pull myself up to safety.
Now, this sounds dangerous but let me assure you that geocaching is not! There really was a trail - a safe trail! We just didn't see it!
This was so much fun - it was simple - it was free - anyone can do it - and a great way to see the Highlands! We will be doing this again, and again, and again!

The View at Scotts Dam

Rushing Water at Scotts Dam

A Taste of the Highlands....

John and I had the pleasure of going out for a wonderful meal Wednesday night - alone! Something we rarely do. We went to one of our favourite spots - Bonnieview Inn on Kashagawigamog Lake. Bonnieview offers a very casual atmosphere with amazing high-end food! We also got a window table so we could enjoy the view of the frozen lake and the lights across the lake - very pretty! Bonnieview is one of our favourites - we have been there many times, and never had a disappointing meal! Escargot for John, Creamy Parmesan Tomatoe Soup for me, then two New York Strip Steaks with an amazing peppercorn sauce! We even had dessert (but don't tell anyone :)

Last month we went to the new location of Rhubarb, in Carnarvon. Rhubarb was originally located near the ski hill in Eagle Lake (Sir Sam's Ski Resort). It was high-end, fine dining, in a fine-dining atmosphere. Late in December the restaurant moved to Carnarvon. It is now high-end, fine dining, but in a more pub-style atmosphere. You no longer have to dress up (but you can!). Come in your snowmobile gear - it's o.k. The food was divine. Love the location - lots of room, lots of parking, and overlooking the lake.

Our next venture?? Heather Lodge has a new Chef and Manager - James Jennings and Maria Micalef. James was a Chef at PineStone Resort and Wig-a-Mog Inn, and I cannot wait to eat there! I'm thinking March - just before I get crazy busy at work again.

We are really lucky in Haiburton Highlands to have some wonderful hidden gems. Check them out....you will not be disappointed! You just need to know where to look :)

The Highlands in Winter

Ducks on Horseshoe Lake

We finally had a break in the super cold, snowy weather and I took full advantage! Sneaking away from my office, just for a couple of hours, I grabbed my camera and hopped in the car. I love photography and do not get near enough time to play, so the sunshine yesterday and fresh winter air beckoned. The great thing about The Highlands is that you do not have to go far or have a lot of time to indulge in your favourite winter sport! I drove 5 minutes up Highway 35 north of Minden - never even left the side of the highway, and got to take some shots of Mountain Lake, Twelve Mile Lake, and Horseshoe Lake (o.k. - I left the highway for Horseshoe Lake). We have over 600 lakes in the Minden and Haliburton area, and my goal is to photograph as many of them as possible. I think I have been to most, but I want to capture each one. I did not have much time to look for the perfect shot, but it was fresh air! So much to photograph...how do you choose? I also got to stop at the White Water Rapids. There was a huge snow cone in the way and lots of snow joined my feet inside my boots, but I enjoyed every minute of it!
Haliburton is hosting, for the second year in a row, the Canadian National Pond Hockey Championships, Jan. 24-26 and Jan. 31-Feb. 2. There are 30 rinks - over 300,000 sq. ft. of ice space, and it is just simply put .... a lot of fun. Come cheer the players on! The rinks are spread out between the pond in front of PineStone Resort and Head Lake (the lake in the Village of Haliburton). Lots of parking. It is not something you get to see every day.
Another very special and unique event coming up is Hockey Night in Haliburton - the premiere of "There's Something in the Water?". This is a documentary that tells the tale of some great NHL hockey players, from our area - told on a 40 foot outdoor screen in Head Lake Park - now there is something you don't see every day! The screening is January 25 and you can purchase tickets online at www.hockeydocs.tv . There will also be some celebrities on hand!
So that was yesterday...today it is snowing again and I am back at my desk, plotting my next big 2-hour escape!

Winter is Coming!

As the sleet hits my office window this morning I ponder as to what happened to yesterday's higher than normal weather??? Business is getting quieter, snowmobilers are starting to perspire at the thought of what is almost hear (I can hear Geoff pacing in our office - he can almost taste that white powder!), and the first round of hunters are done for another year, with only one week left of deer season. The Highlands is settling down, ready for the white stuff!

Personally, I LOVE the changing seasons. As Canadians we get bored quickly and each change in the weather gives us something to talk about, something to prepare for - new clothes, preparing the house, getting wood - it's all good! We even get to change the interior of our house - colour schemes and nick nacks get to rotate.

Both Minden and Haliburton's main streets received a facelift this Fall - new curbs, sidewalks, street lamps....there is still a bit of work to day, and the contractors will be back in Spring to finish up, but they are looking great. It was hard on local businesses - everyone avoided the main streets for September and October, so let's hope the Christmas season is extra busy this year - perhaps we can all work harder to buy locally this Christmas to give them a boost! I know I will - unfortunately for the business owners though, we don't spend much at Christmas anymore....are daughers are adults and moved away, it is just the two of us. So our donation to the local economy will certainly be small, but every bit helps.

Well everyone! Happy Winter! Snowshoe, ski, snowmobile.......jump in and have fun! I know I will!

Children and Education

Hi everyone - this is a post I found in my "draft" file - it should have been posted last May - oops! Still relevant though ---- so here it is!

I have done a lot of thinking lately about how lucky we are in Central Ontario. Our youngest daughter recently took a job with a charitable organization called "Elephant Thoughts". The organization is based out of Collingwood and provides educational programmes to areas that are challenged. One of their aims is to raise the percentage of graduates from high school. Christine is working in Northern Quebec with Cree First Nations students and her experience to date has been wonderful. In the communities she has been in so far, she has found amazing children with a unique culture and look on life. Many of them start their lives speaking Cree then about Grade 3 they must choose a "stream" or second language - either English or French. This sounds wonderful, but in one community there was a lack of language emphasis, and since in that region you need 2 languages to graduate from high school, only 2 children graduated last Spring. Wow! This is hard for us to relate to, and makes me realize how little I know about many areas of Canada. I know the surface stuff - issues mentioned on the news and in the newspapers, and up until lately, I thought I knew quite a bit - I was definitely wrong. Listening to Christine's stories has become my drug of choice - I talk to her almost every day, and every day I want to hear what she has seen, experienced, and learned. The people have welcomed her with open arms - they have fed her, involved her in their celebrations and have been eager to share with her their history and stories. Every Canadian should get the opportunity to experience this - forget The Bahamas!

Hidden Gems

I love to find hidden treasures in our County - in any format.....geological, physical, people or business/organizations. Last week my business partner and I were hosting an Agent Open House at one of our properties in Irondale. The owner suggested we serve the agents sausage on a bun, and to get the sausages from Highland Meats - a butcher shop located between Gooderham and Irondale, on County Road 503. The Shop has probably been there 2-3 years and I have never stopped in. We picked up two kinds of sausages - cranberry maple and apple. Yum! The flavours are subtle - the cranberry maple was my favourite, but both were delicious. I took the leftovers home and they were an instant hit with the family. Check out this great place!

While I am at it - I have some other favourite hidden gems to mention! Norm's Smoked Meats in Gelert, on Gelert Road - Norm has been there for years and has a very loyal following. All kinds of fresh smoked fish, meats - a treasure of discoveries! Beside him, in the same parking lot is Lambs 'n Ivy Antiques - dissappear in this old barn full of exciting things! The third favourite - The Little Tart Bakery in Donald. Everything is done from scratch, real butter, and real taste! Delicious! You have to turn off Gelert Road onto Koshlong Lake Road (only 5 minutes from Haliburton) - it is well worth the drive! Oh - did I mention Wintergreen Restaurant? Again on Gelert Road - although it is a "pancake house", they go all summer long and offer with amazing pies as they come into season. This place is packed on weekends, so be prepared. A fun place for breakfast!! They have wonderful sauces, jams, etc. also!

Christine and I are off to Algonquin tomorrow for 4 days of kayaking and hiking - can't wait! Hope that fire ban gets lifted!

Volunteers

I was sitting in my living room this morning catching up on newspaper articles (I tend to pile them up and get around to reading the papers slowly), and I was mesmorized by the article on the annual Business and Community Achievement Awards, put on by our Haliburton County Chamber of Commerce. As I read the description of each of the award winners and their accomplishments, I was completely taken by what one individual can do. I am sure people might disagree, but it seems that volunteerism is a bit stronger in country areas rather than urban. Perhaps this is my lack of living in an urban area that gives me this impression, but, wow - the people who live here are beyond amazing!
I dabble in volunteerism, have for many years, and raised our daughters to understand the importance of community involvement - but I could never begin to imagine the depth of involvement that many of our community members have.
Take John Teljeur for instance (not to leave out the other incredibly amazing award winners and nominees!) This gentleman has volunteered with several organizations such as FoodNet/Food Coalition, Haliburton Highlands Outdoors Association, SIRCH, Out to Learn, and Community Care, started three more community gardens growing over 1,000 pounds of organic produce for organizations such as the 4Cs, Minden and Cardiff Food Banks, Ontario Early Years Centre, SIRCH, Point in Time and Community Care - the list goes on.
Is volunteerism a learned state or something that just comes natural to people? I know we taught our children the importance of helping your community, but surely these "above the crowd" members of society take it so much further.
With my limited volunteer involvement, I find I am always stressed - when I am volunteering I am thinking about family and work - am I letting anyone down? When I am concentrating on family and work, I wonder if I am doing enough - it is a balance. Everything in life is a balance - exercise, work and play, eating and drinking habits - all in moderation, just the right amounts of everything. Luckily, the volunteerism in Haliburton County is OUT of balance! Extraordinary people live here, get involved here, and keep our communities going. I feel very blessed (and at times, somewhat inadequate) to live and work and play in this fabulous part of Central Ontario!

Packing and Sorting

Our daughter received one week's notice for a new job in Northern Quebec - eek! We are packing her apartment in Ottawa, trying to organize a sublet from a distance, and now we are in the midst of figuring out what to put into 2 med. and 1 small suitcase that will cover her until June! Mass confusion! It seems that subletting is not that simple either. As Christine is leaving tomorrow morning, we need to pick a day to be in Ottawa to show the apartment to people. And we are learning that there is a fee for everything. Before we can even hand out an application to a possible tenant, the property manager requires $250 for an application fee! Crazy stuff but all for a great cause. She will be teaching Cree First Nations high school students, and assisting them in earning marks high enough to get them a graduation diploma. It will be a wonderful experience for her to see another culture, another area of Canada, and to meet new people. Very exciting! The organization she will be working for is a charitable organization that assists First Nations students and students in Africa with education. Check it out at www.elephantthoughts.com - a fabulous concept, and everything I have heard is very positive. The work they do is top quality and very needed. Their main office is out of Collingwood and they have a store there for fundraising - if you are in Collingwood, check it out! Well, off to pack some more.......

Hmmmm......

Once again I have been tardy in my blogging. Experts say that you should blog regularly or people will not read what you have to say. Well, I haven't had anything to say! My real estate blog goes steady - it's easy! But my personal life has been incredibly quiet, so family and friends - I apologize!

As empty nesters I thought we would have lots on the go, but it seems my first love is work - is that sad? Our daughters are grown and making their own mark on the world. Shannon will be starting an internship with Amnesty International in Australia on January 16. She is very excited and gets to work with Burmese (or Myanmar - depending on your political stance) refugees, as a processor and case worker. It is exactly what she wants to do as a career - it is too bad internships aren't paid, but that will come.

Christine has spent her first months out of university, in Ottawa on the Ottawa West School District's supply list - but she has not had more than 8 or 9 days work since September! This is not a good scenario and she has been to several interviews for temporary positions, with no success so far. The only thing that has gotten her as many days as she has had is that she is certified to teach French! She has an interview in Huntsville in a few days - so fingers crossed! If she gets that position, she will move back home for a while. If she does, I will have more to blog about again, as we will continue our quest of exploring different areas of the County - she is my partner in crime! We are both explorers at heart so I miss her being away from home! We are still patiently waiting for snow in the Highlands - snowmobilers, cross-country skiiers and snowshoers are getting anxious. We have a bit - but not near enough! At least Sir Sam's Ski Area is open! Ahhh, life in the Highlands - we are always waiting - waiting for snow, then waiting for warmth!

Pool for our County :)

I was in our wonderful Bulk Food Store in Haliburton this morning when I saw a new cookbook available called "Recipes with a Splash". The cookbook is being used as a fundraiser for the County Swimming Pool Initiative (CSPI), with proceeds going towards a market demand feasibility study. The book is available in several locations including the Bulk Food Store, Rails' End Gallery, Wintergreen and Eagle Lake Country Market at a cost of $12.00 each. If you are in the County - please support this VERY worthy cause! The area needs an indoor pool and recreation area. Not only for those who live here now, but for those thinking of settling to the area. It is too easy to get caught up in the now - those with a vision of what Haliburton County should be, and will be in the future know that this pool is needed. If you try to find a community that has an indoor pool that pays for itself, you will be let d0wn. They don't - they are costly and take a great deal of human resources to manage and maintain. The question is, is the cost worth it. In my opinion you cannot go wrong. People's lifestyles are changing - they are more active, eating more healthy, and are more involved in their community. Indoor pools offer a place for exercise programmes, events, therapy, and an outlet for people to "just get out". It affects our physical and mental well-being. As a community, if we are more active, we are a stronger community and a place not only to stay, but to move to. Along with walking and cycling trails, an indoor swimming pool should be part of the "big picture" for our community. It is our future!

Fall Events

The colours are out in full force and all indications are that they will peak about a week before Thanksgiving - but no fear, there will still be some for the long weekend! We had amazing weather for the Hike Haliburton Festival this past weekend - almost tropical! This Saturday (Oct. 1) ColourFest hits the Highlands. This is another fabulous event organized by some extremely hard-working volunteers. Excellent muscial talent will be entertaining in Head Lake Park, an IAMS Pet Contest, Vintage Car Show, Kids' Funfest Zone, Petting Zoo, Kids' Art Attack, OPP Golden Helmets Motorcycle Show, Buskers, Clowns, Barn Dance, Corn Roast, Pancake Breakfast.....oh my I am out of breath (or finger energy)!! And wait until you see all the great scarecrows and decorations around town! Go to www.colourfest.ca for details.

Friends of the Rail Trail also have a couple of events coming soon - Friday, October 14, 2011 there is a dinner being held at Camp Wanakita, with Ed Poropat as a guest speaker. If you do not know Ed, he is a resident biologist who has an up-close and personal knowledge base of the wildlife found throughout the rail trail bed and in our County. He is a great speaker and you always learn something! Tickets are $20.00 per person for the evening and if you are interested, please call me at 705-455-7578 to reserve.

The second Rail Trail event is the same weekend - Saturday and Sunday, October 15 and 16. We are holding an "End to End" walk - 34 km in total. It will be a group walk, but at your own pace. Do a little, do a lot, do it all! We are starting with a small, casual event this year in the hopes of growing it into a large event next year. Everyone welcome, no costs to participate. I will post time and start info soon.

I can't wait to join these events - bump into neighbours, and see many of our seasonal residents and visitors for the last time this year. Come on out and join in!! See you there!

Hiking in Haliburton

Each year I try to squeeze in some walks/hikes throughout the County where I haven't been before and with the annual Hike Haliburton Festival coming up (details further along), I was curious to check out High Falls in the eastern portion of the County, within the borders of Algonquin Park. Yesterday was a beautiful Fall day and so it was decided! Now, having never been there, the question was - is it a large rapids or truly a Falls we were going to get to discover? As we arrived at the starting point, we (my husband John and I) were perplexed. We heard it was a rugged walk requiring really good footwear and were met with a completely level walk through new-growth forest. It was like walking through a farmers' field with young trees in it! This continued for a good 15 minutes - then we turned a corner and the old-growth forest, a hiker's true love, met us. It was still an easy hike at this point but we could hear rushing water ahead. We soon came to the river, a wide area with rapids at the top. The water was very low and most rocks were high and dry. Was this it? We tried to picture it in high water and thought it would be quite pretty. The trail continued.....another pond - more rocks - the rushing water a little more vibrant this time. We rock hopped along the rapids - very easy with that many rocks! Leaving the rock hopping behind, we got back on the path and found it to be getting much more difficult - many roots, rocks, boulders with great crevices everywhere (perfect homes for wildlife), and we noticed for the first time we were travelling higher and higher. There it was - about 40 minutes into the walk - High Falls. Not Niagara Falls by any means, but incredibly picturesque, with great spots to sit and enjoy the sounds and sights. Eventually you go right to the top and if you aren't nervous about hopping (really just stepping) from rock to rock, you can sit at the top - a great level spot, and relax. It was a great day and a lovely walk - 81 photos later!

Now, as promised - Hike Haliburton Festival! This is a great excuse to come to Haliburton County. On September 23, 24 and 25 there are over 30 guided hikes held across the County. They are FREE (donations appreciated), and organizers ask that you pre-register the hikes you wish to go on. The hikes range from short and sweet, to hardy. Something for every age and ability. Pick an area of the County you haven't been to before - get out and explore this gorgeous part of Ontario. For hike info, visit www.haliburtoncounty.ca/tourism/fall/hikehaliburton.asp .

Back at last!

Did anyone miss me? I miss this blog - but if I am not writing it means I am busy, and as a real estate agent, as Martha would say, that is a very good thing! Our social life has been minimized lately due to my hectic schedule, but I wanted to share 2 things with everyone! Last night Christine and I went to the Dusk Dances at Head Lake Park in town - lots of fun! Our local and extraordinarily talented band, Jazz Kitchen, entertained people as they arrived for the first half hour - the weather was perfect and everyone brought their lawn chairs for comfort. This is the fifth year for Dusk Dances and I hadn't been yet (shame on me!) so I wasn't sure what to expect or how things worked. Our local celebrity - comedian and tv show host (now also council woman) Brigitte Gall, hosted the evening in fine character as a ravishing and blood thirsty vampire! She was brilliant! There were 5 performances, each in a different part of the park. The concept was that you watched a performance, then the horn sounded and everyone picked up their chairs and moved to the next performance. Not sure of attendance but there must have been at least 200 people last night and it was quite a feat! But the constant movement of the crowd added to the fun and atmosphere. The performances were great and it was a perfect way to pass a Saturday evening in Haliburton County! There dogs, children, people of all ages. Tonight is the last performance for this year. As I sat watching the performances, I marvelled at what amazing things happen in our great County - a unique experience, yet only one of many unique experiences that happen here throughout the County - how fun!

The second fun thing, I will admit, did not take place in Haliburton County. Two weeks ago Christine and I snuck away for a 3-day camping trip at Bon Echo Provincial Park, south of Denbigh. Reviews from people about the park were mixed, so we were unsure of what to expect. We were told it was right by the highway and that the highway noise was very unappealing. This is a HUGE issue for us as we camp for solitude and peace, but we booked our campsite on line and chose one that we thought would be quite remote, and hoped for the best. One word describes what we found - gorgeous! We went mid-week, our campsite was located in Hardwood Hills, and there was nobody around! We had to park our car and carry our gear into the site, but it wasn't far and we had complete privacy on a huge campsite. It was a 20 minute drive on dirt roads to get from our campground to the beaches and other amenities, where the crowds were, but we didn't mind one bit. My biggest complaint was how far our outhouse was! Located on Mazinaw Lake, the park offers many beautiful trails and sites. The Mazinaw Rock that looms out of the water is amazing - photos cannot capture the height, but look at the photo and pick out the tiny canoe at the bottom to help! Plus, when you are on the water at the base of the rock, the rock goes 300 feet straight down under the water! Indian pictographs line the rock - over 200 of them and you can take a fun boat tour for a meer $6.25 to learn about the rock, the park and the pictographs - well worth it! We also canoed JoPerry Lake while there - a quiet, peaceful lake of good size with "canoe-in" campsites. Oh yes - and the Cliff top trail to the top of Mazinaw Rock - amazing! 180 official steps, 240 if you count misc. steps along the trail, but incredible views from the top - a peregrin falcon flew past our noses while we watched!

Next venture - High Falls which is part of Algonquin Park but located at the east side of Haliburton County - I hear it is a great hike and Christine and I are off to explore!

Cottage Life Show

Well - this year's Toronto Cottage Life Show was a huge success! Best attendance ever! Marilyn and I were at the RE/MAX booth on Sunday. The booth had a new look this year with more space for browsing and lots of people were checking out what Haliburton has to offer. It should be a great season! For the first time ever, Marilyn and I are going to have a booth at the Haliburton Home Show, the first weekend in June. It will be great to see people in this setting - past and current clients, and friends! Look us up if you come to show and say Hi!

First Ramble of the Year

Spring has sprung! Tomorrow (Sunday) is the first Sunday Ramble on the Rail Trail of the season. We ramble every Sunday throughout April and May, while ATV's are not able to use the trail. We vary in size from 10 to 35 people each Sunday that show up, free of charge, to take a stroll. Each week we start from a different point in the trail, so we can see all the trail has to offer. It is a lot of fun for sauntering, walking or speed walking - whatever the pace! Tomorrow we leave from the Rails End Gallery on York Street in Haliburton, at 11am. For those that work up an appetite, several plan to return to McKeck's Restaurant after the walk for lunch. For a schedule of events you can email me at terry@remaxhaliburton.com or check the organization's website - www.friendsoftherailtrail.com . I will post some photos this week of tomorrow's walk!

Office Re-Opening/Commercial Seminar

We are getting excited! Our office is set to re-open on April 13 if everything stays on time! It will be great to be back. In this age of cell phones and email, real estate agents don't really need a central office - it is business as usual, but I miss seeing the public and chatting with people who wander in, curious about the area. On Wednesday I attended a commercial seminar in Huntsville. I got to learn about services the Bank of Montreal offers to people purchasing commercial businesses and to hear from OREA (Ont. Real Estate Assoc.) and what tools they have for commercial realtors. The number of commercial businesses available in the County of Haliburton has been slowly increasing over the years as the County grows and it is important for Realtors to be up on the latest tools and services to help them sell! I attended a commercial seminar last Fall that was sponsored by TD Canada Trust and it was fabulous!! I learned so much.....never stop learning!

Company Name Change

If you are a frequent visitor to my website or this blog, you may have noticed that the company name on my website has changed from RE/MAX Haliburton Highlands Realty Ltd., to RE/MAX North Country Realty Inc. - a small change, and yet a very big change! Our offices have new owners and we are all very excited about the changes. Even though we are already the largest, busiest real estate brokerage in the County, we are looking forward to even more dynamic services. Our Haliburton office keeps it's location on the main street across from Foodland, but we have temporarily moved out for about 3 weeks for renovations. In the meantime, business is as usual. Our admin staff have a temporary office for processing listings, sales, and providing customer service, and as agents, well, we are working from home for the 3 weeks, but you can still reach me through our office phone numbers and emails - no changes! We are looking forward to the Toronto Cottage Life Show, preparing our listings and advertising for the upcoming season, and ready to help our clients buy and sell!

Rail Trail Events

Friends of the Rail Trail has big plans this year! We are continuing with our Sunday Rambles along the trail through April and May. Last year we held a luncheon at Camp Wanakita after one of the rambles and at the luncheon we provided a history of the community of Donald - it was it's 101st anniversary. This year we are going to do the same thing but provide a history of the ghost town of Gelert! The date is in April - I will post a complete list of event dates within the next few days! Another VERY exciting event is our first ever End-to-End. In October we shall host an event where people can, over a two-day period, challenge themselves to walk from one end of the trail (Haliburton), to the other end (Kinmount). Now remember, this is a completely level walking trail - ready for participants of all ages and abilities! Take a full two days and do it in stages, or do it one and challenge yourself. Bring the kids, the dogs, make it an annual event! For those travelling to the area to participate, we are in the midst of working with two local providers to provide inexpensive accommodation packages. Another HUGHE project by FoRt is a new trail map for Haliburton County - the first of it's kind. The map will cover trails of all kinds, from short walking trails to major hikes and will cover all corners of the County! It will be a must-have for anyone visiting our beautiful area. It will also cover items such as the locations of museums, parks, mountain biking, the Wolf Centre......the list goes on!

Real Estate Update

It has been a long time since I posted on my blog! Alot has been happening and it is tricky some days to keep up - but busy is good! The Toronto Cottage Life Show is happening the last weekend of March, which means realtors are busy pricing properties and getting listings ready to kick off the season - for those who keep a close eye on what is available - expect to see a lot of new listings from March 1 forward! RE/MAX has a huge presence at the Cottage Life Show - come see us and get a colour brochure of what is currently on the market! The market has started off with a bang this year. One week into January and we saw buyers back - no more distractions by the holiday season, and they were serious! Who says that cottage country has few sales in winter? Our office has been bustling! If you are thinking about spring or summer listing, now is the time to phone our office and book an evaluation on your property - time flies.

Community Halls

I am on a roll! Two blogs in one night! For those wondering how the efforts to save our community halls is going - a presentation has been officially forwarded for the new municipal council to review. A couple of the new council members that have been elected are compassionate of our cause and hopefully, supporters, and one who was definitely against keeping our Halls open, was not re-elected. So we are cautiously optimistic. Irondale, Lochlin and Gelert all have active community Halls worth saving and as a collective group we are going to do what we can to accomplish this. Many people have stopped me on the street, in the grocery store, and I have even had a couple of phone calls. People care and want updates and if anyone wishes a copy of the proposal that went to council, please feel free to contact me by phone or by email - carr2211@gmail.com and I would be happy to send a pdf of the report.