I am catching up on blogs - so many things to talk about as the Long Weekend approaches! Town is humming, there are already lots of extra people on the streets, and in real estate - we are working day and night! I love the excitement of the first long weekend of the season - promise of boating, canoeing, hiking, fairs, craft sales, and special events! I am getting excited to attend my first Haliburton Highlands Land Trust Gala on May 28 - I even bought a new dress! This amazing group of volunteers work to preserve our natural areas through donations of land and awareness programmes. At the Gala they award Enviro Heroes each year for their outstanding efforts in protecting our environment. And as a proud Haliburtonian, I love that there seems to be a large list of people to choose from each year for the award!

The Sunday Rambles on different parts of our Rail Trail continue to be a huge success this year! Last Sunday they had a special event after the walk in Donald, with a lunch held at Camp Wanakita, and a presentation prepared by Ute Wright of Friends of the Rail Trail. Ute provided an interesting history of the community of Donald - one of many of our small communities that was once a "hub" of activity with a very rich beginning. I could not make it but have heard nothing but great kudo for the lunch and Ute's presentation. Great job! I hope we can target another community next year such as Gelert or Tory Hill.  The upcoming walk on the long weekend will be in Kinmount (May 23 - 11:00). The walk will start at the Kinmount Railway Station and heads out to Joe's Black Rock. Check out the model railway station while you are there, and if you'd like, join other walkers with a bag lunch afterward at the Kinmount Community Hall above the Artisan's Marketplace.

Well, a broken finger has slowed down my blogging - it is an akward experience, but a flyer in the mail has inspired me to push through! While I sit with my morning coffee, I notice an adorable little catalogue that was in the Echo newspaper this week called "menu". The full title is The Highlands Menu - so I got really excited. We have some fantastic places to eat, and they are spread out all over the County! The booklet is beautifully produced, great graphics and lovely design, but alas, I was disappointed. It truly is a Haliburton restaurant book, not a Highlands book - the name is very deceiving. The only restaurant highlighted outside of the main town of Haliburton is Rhubarb - we have soooooo much more to offer! There is the Algonquin Cookhouse in Harcourt - a bit of a drive to the eastern townships, but a real treat. There is The Peppermill on Hwy. 35 near Carnarvon, Grill on the Gull - a great bistro in Minden, and the list goes on! How about a fabulous meal at BonnieView Inn on their outdoor patio? Sir Sam's Inn? The Chamber of Commerce has a list of restaurants that visitors can pick up, either at the Information Centre on Hwy. 35 in Minden, or in Haliburton, but so many do not think to stop there. Here is a challenge for someone - create a great brochure of every eatery in the County! Complete with a map - link it with some local parks, rivers, places to see, so people can make a lunch or dinner jaunt! There is so much to explore!

Changes in Tourism

I was quite interested reading an article in The Haliburton County Echo this week regarding how tourism is changing and how the County needs to recognize this. Are we adapting? You bet! We are very lucky that we live in a County that is made for active tourists. The article spoke of tourists wanting activities when at the cottage and how we need to brag more about what we have to offer. Wow - can we brag! Another article on page 32 of The Echo (a short article at the top of the page) notes how Sunday Ramblers have doubled this year from last. As a member of the Friends of the Rail Trail I know exactly why this is happening. It is not one single reason. 1. The committee has some great volunteers determined to get the word out and promote these free Sunday events; 2. We were able to secure some funding and received assistance from a local printer to create great brochures - placed everywhere in the County; 3. People love something free to do; 4. People are simply more active than they used to be! Walking, hiking, cycling, canoeing, kayaking is now for everyone - every age, every fitness level, every level of pocket book. The change in the air is electric and Haliburton County has loads to offer! From organized Outdoor Adventure tours for a bigger challenge to meandering rivers, to lovely trails for the whole family. I LOVE IT. Being a person of "significant size" (code word for overweight) myself, and a lover of nature and the outdoors, I am first-hand proof that everyone wants in to this new life style. I agree with the writeup in The Echo this week - this is a new way of life that people are embracing - not just in tourism, but for residents and The County has an opportunity to put our County in the forefront of a new way of living that is here to stay.

Exciting News!

Wow - I have two announcements today!
1. The Haliburton Highlands Land Trust has received a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation for $91,500 over 3 years to hire staff who will increase the organization's capacity to carry out its mission to protect the natural heritage of Haliburton County. That is incredible news and well deserved of a very hard working and committed group of volunteers. Congratulations everyone!
2. HCDC (Haliburton County Development Corporation) announced yesterday that they are providing a grant of $1,700 to FoRT (Friends of the Rail Trail) to assist the group in costs associated with promoting their Rambles programs and developing a website. This is a huge boost to a very small group and on behalf of the Executive - thank you so much HCDC!!

For those wondering how Haliburton County is coming with Spring - it has been rolling along at breakneck speed! Buds are just starting to appear but once they start, it doesn't take long for trees to take on that beautiful lime fresh green they have in Spring time. It is so exciting to watch everything come to life again - I never want to go inside! I cannot believe how early boats have been going into the lakes this year! I was out at Boshkung Lake the other day and there was a line up at the boat launch - unheard of in April. If predictions come true, there will be a lot of beach and boat time this summer. We sure deserve it after the cool, wet summer last year! 600 lakes and counting.....no better place to be!

Friends of Rail Trail Update and Head Lake Park

Our second Rambles on Sunday set ANOTHER record! Over 50 people took part in a walk that left from Sedgwick Farm in Gelert. The response to this programme is phenomenol. Today Pamela Marsalles and myself pre-taped an interview with CANOE FM that will be played on April 30. I talked too much and they have to do some editing to fit it in the time slot - imagine that!

On a different note, kudos to Dysart Council for the announcement in last week's paper that they have been successful in receiving a $1.1 million grant for improvements to Downtown Haliburton. Effective almost immediately, work will be done around the Cenetaph area at the West end of Highland Street to open it up and parking, sidewalks, walkways, etc. on York Street (behind Highland Street) will be re-configured giving a more pleasing area around the Rails' End Gallery and 4C's area. The addition of the new library beside the 4C's has been great and these addition changes will definitely be exciting. As a local "walker", there is nothing better than going for a walk around Head Lake in the evening, and anything that makes an already pretty area even better is welcome!

What a fabulous day yesterday for our first Rambles of the season! The weather was perfect. We headed out at 11:30 from Rails' End Gallery and followed the rail trail to Barnum Lake and back. 27 people came out - from children to seniors. The dogs had a great time too! Some people had cameras and although there was no greenery yet or many birds to spot, the walk was simply refreshing after a long winter! Next Sunday (April 11) we head out from Sedgwick Farm in Gelert at 11:00 am. To get there take County Rd. 1 (Gelert Rd.) to the hamlet of Gelert. On the left is Sedgwick Road - follow until you cross the bridge - immediately across the bridge there is a sharp fork to the right and the farm is right at the Y in the road. After, for those who wish, we shall meet at the Wintergreen Pancake Barn in Gelert to enjoy some fabulous food! See you there!

Busy Spring!

Happy Easter! What a busy Spring it has been....the real estate season definitely started early this year and we are getting into seasonal properties earlier than ever. Marilyn (my colleague) and I were at the Toronto Cottage Life Show on the weekend. We had the Friday evening shift which was quiet but agents that attended on Saturday said it was great! We had collages of all our listings displayed and know that several of our past clients attended the show and enjoyed it.

This Sunday is the first "Ramble" of the season. Everyone meets at 11:30 at the Rails End Gallery in Haliburton. Departure for this week only will be at Noon. So take a look at the exhibits and say hello to everyone! For those who wish a chance to socialize and unwind afterward, we will convene at McKecks - The Blue Line for lunch. If you haven't been since the big renovations, come check it out (even if you miss the walk) - the more the merrier!

For those who know my family (don't wish to bore anyone!).....our daughter Shannon is doing fabulous in Australia. School is going well - she is finding the Masters' programme there easier than the Honours programme here (weird eh?) and she is working hard at a Cafe, plus has a casual position at a Thai Restaurant (they needed someone who could speak Thai and English). Our other daughter, Christine, was invited to speak at a conference at Nipissing last weekend to present her research. She received an award for Excellence in Research and we are incredibly proud of her! She is about to move out of residence and into her first apartment next week and just got her official acceptance at Teacher's College, so things are rolling along!

All for now everyone - I need to go sell some real estate! Happy, Happy Easter!