Cottage Country Lifestyle - Holiday Issue 2022

CHRISTMAS 2022

FREE -

Cottage Country

Thank Our Advertisers!

Cottage Country LIFESTYLE

Since 1994

IN PRINT, ONLINE & ON SOCIAL

Gran

t

Mar

Do min

k's

ique

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

with Mark's

Gift Guide Tebey Hometown Snowmobile Trails Chic Chalet Recipes

HOME & COTTAGE • EVENTS • DESIGN • LAKES • RECIPES • DIY • KIDS CORNER • PETS & VETS • IN THE NEWS

Cottage Country's FREE Multi Award Winning Cottage Lifestyle Magazine!

2 Christmas 2022 ~ Cottage Country Lifestyle Magazine

Explore Cottage Country

Since 1994

Holiday Gift Guide ~ Christmas 2022 3

CONTENTS NOV/DEC 2022 Home & Cottage 08 - Holiday Gift Guide 13 - 25 Years for the Annual Festival of Trees!

14 - It's Your Holiday Destination - Lockside 17 - Design a Holiday Home Atmosphere that will Last Forever 18 - Those Were The Days

“It is Still a Normal Life” 19 - Bring the Outdoors In! 21 - The Lights In Their Eyes 22 - The Magic of the Multitasking Garden 23 - Recipes 26 - Your Perfect Front Door - Lifestyle 29 - Chic Chalet with Birchview Designs 33 - Wonderful Things

The Peterborough Museum & Archives 35 - Up In Smoke - Cottage Memories 36 - Nature-Inspired Interior Trends 49 - A World of Flavour Awaits You at Euro Delight

10 Home for the Holidays with Mark's

19

23 Get Outdoors 40 - White Gold From Snowmobile Trails

Pets & Vets 43 - PARD 44 - Kawartha Wildlife Centre 45 - Puppies for Christmas

Kids Corner 46 - Three Simple Gifts To Make This Christmas 47 - The Beauty of Frozen Light

In The News ON THE COVER MARK'S

24 Tebey Hometown

39 - 2022 Farm Family of the Year 50 - Chamber News

PUBLISHER, EDITOR & DESIGN Kelly Welsh, Owner COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Emily Ireland ADVERTISING SALES Linda Blunt GRAPHIC DESIGN & SOCIAL MEDIA INTERN Moira Gale

Advertising / Marketing Agency Graphic / Web Designer

CONTRIBUTORS

Advertising / Marketing Agency

Russ Sanders, Emily Ireland, Jacob Rodenburg, Don Willcock, Correne Omland, Pyle Group, Birchview Designs, Jacquelyn Toupin, Craig Nicholson, Lisa Kooistra & Ineke Turner

Graphic Design Service

Volume 29 • Number 6 • 705-313-2245 • www.cottage.rocks Published 6 times a year by Cottage Country Lifestyle Magazine Inc., 705-313-2245, PO Box 8, Buckhorn ON K0L 1J0.

Distributed by Canada Post Publications Mail (to Cottages, Homes & Businesses) and distributed to over 100 drop locations.

Also promoted and viewed Online.

In Print, Online and on Social. Copyright 1994-2022. All rights reserved.

2016 Business Awards of Excellence

Entrepreneur Innovation Recipient

MARKETING & PROMOTION

Since 1994

Home & Cottage ~ Christmas 2022 5

6 Christmas 2022 ~ Cottage Country Lifestyle Magazine

Explore Cottage Country

Welcome to the Holiday Issue The temperatures have dropped, and the brisk winds of winter are at your doorstep. Seasonal favourites have packed up and are hibernating as winter visits Cottage Country. But the bustling region doesn’t just grind to a halt when the snow hits – quite the opposite, actually. Cottagers may not be listening to the lake lap at the shore, but many spend the winter months watching the snow fall on an icy lake, enjoying all that winter cottaging has to offer.

Hobbies turn from swimming in the lake, to skating on it – a friendly game of hockey in front of the cottage with a warming fire and hot cocoa, make for a great afternoon. Snowmobiles come out and trails are groomed for the influx of riders who visit Cottage Country for the amazing winter riding we have to offer. There are many clubs in the area that suggest snowmobile day trips with stops along the way, these stops showcase the amazing character the small towns that sprinkle our countryside have to offer. Toboggans are brought out, and children bundle up to go flying down the same hills they hike in the summer months. I even know one cottager who builds the most epic snow luge for brave friends and family – helmets are a must!

No matter what you get up to this winter, we suggest you take a few quiet moments with a warm drink and a cozy blanket and give this holiday issue a read-through. Inside you will find articles from reader favourites like Jacob Rodenburg, and Jaquelyn Toupin. A new writer we have contributing is Craig Nicholson – who you might know as the intrepid Snowmobiler/Cottager – but this time he is giving his humorous take on how a city boy learns the ropes at the cottage.

Since 1994

On the Cover Mark's wows with gift giving ideas for the hard-working humans in your life, with specialty brands and recommendations for winter workwear and footwear.

We have the shop local gift guide that showcases some of the amazing ways you can spend your gift-giving dollars locally. Design ideas from local favourite Birchview Design, and seasonal greenery suggestions from Griffins Greenhouse get your home or cottage ready for the festive season. We bring you recipes from Weekend at the Cottage, sure to make your guests mouths water this Christmas and suggestions about 2 quick ways to upgrade your curb appeal.

This year we are proud to be sponsoring the Festival of Trees, put on annually by Kawartha Settlers Village - read about what they have in store for this year, and be sure to mark the calendar.

The end of the year is upon us, as we look back at the happenings of 2022, I hope you smile with amazing memories made with all the people who mean the most to you. Look forward to 2023 with excitement; for as we know, you never know what a new year has in store for us!

Here at Cottage Country Lifestyle Magazine, we wish you all the best for a happy and healthy Christmas, complete with family and friends.

We wish you all the best in the fresh new year of 2023, and hope it has all the magic in store to make your wishes and dreams come true.

Home & Cottage ~ Christmas 2022 7

955 Syer Line, Fraserville, ON K0L 1V0 www.toddequipmentltd.com

134 Melody Bay Rd, Buckhorn, ON K0L 1J0 www.buckhornsandgravel.com 1230 Lansdowne St W, Peterborough, ON K9J 2A1 www.marks.com

#2 - 130 Industrial Park Road Haliburton, ON, K0M 1S0 www.theoccurrence.ca 378 Aylmer St N, Peterborough, ON K9H 3V8 www.greenup.on.ca 41 Lindsay St, Fenelon Falls, ON K0M 1N0 www.barnandbunkie.com

Lakehurst, ON www.shorelinecustomdocks.ca

Donation Link: www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/33851 www.kawarthawildlifecentre.ca

Apsley, ON www.waddellhomes.ca

2129 Davis Rd, Cavan-Monaghan, ON K9J 0G5 www.monaghanlumber.com

liz.phillips@sympatico.ca

Peterborough & the Kawarthas Visitor Centre, Lansdowne Place www.ptbomusicfest.ca 1300 Water St, Peterborough, ON K9J 7G4 www.riverviewparkandzoo.ca

KAWARTHA SETTLERS VILLAGE 85 Dunn Street, PO Box 755, Bobcaygeon, ON K0M 1A0 www.settlersvillage.org

A-B 102317 Hwy 7, ON-7 Marmora, ON K0K 2M0 www.powellpowersportsandrecreation.com

Lakefield • 705-772-7311 www.kitchenfarmacy.ca

1840 Lansdowne St W Unit 6, Peterborough, ON K9K 2M9

8 Christmas 2022 ~ Cottage Country Lifestyle Magazine

871 Webber Ave, Peterborough, ON K9J 5X9 www.overheaddoor.com

Explore Cottage Country

39 Bolton St, Bobcaygeon, ON K0M 1A0 www.bigleyshoes.com

300 Hunter St E, Peterborough, ON K9J 6Y5 www.peterboroughmuseumandarchives.ca

BURLEIGH FALLS INN

4791 ON-28, Lakefield, ON K0L 2H0 (Burleigh Falls) www.burleighfallsinn.com

27 Lansdowne St, Peterborough, ON K9J 1X8 www.harwoodkitchens.com

705-954-9595 Ennismore Mobile Flooring Showroom www.ptbo.floorcoveringsinternational.com

10 Angeline Street North Lindsay, Ontario K9V 4M8 www.foundation.rmh.org 3026 Lakefield Rd, Peterborough, ON K9J 6X5 www.griffinsgreenhouses.com

347 Pido Rd Unit 6, Peterborough, ON K9J 6X7 www.neiljohnstonheating.com

2805 River Ave. Young's Point, ON K0L 3G0 212 Highland St., Haliburton, ON K0M 1S0 www.lockside.com

1120 County Rd 8, Campbellford, ON K0L 1L0 www.empirecheese.ca

405 Cedar Glen Rd, Dunsford, ON K0M 1L0 www.newbeginningscontractingservices.org Showroom - 11 McFadden Rd Apsley, ON K0L 1A0 www.anstrutherlakemarina.com

53 Queen St, Lakefield, ON K0L 2H0 www.fourpointsconstruction.ca

168 Lakeview Dr, Campbellford, ON K0L 1L0 www.glidingshelf.ca

29668 ON-62, Bancroft, ON K0L 1C0 www.boyergmbancroft.com

FISHER EXCAVATING

Kawartha Lakes www.fisherexcavating.ca

370 Kent St W, Lindsay, ON K9V 6G8 www. eurodelight.ca

Since 1994

944 Crawford Dr, Peterborough, ON K9J 8K1 www. lifestylesunrooms.com

Holiday Gift Guide ~ Christmas 2022 9

Home for the Holidays with Mark's

Building upon more than 40 years as Canada’s leader in workwear, Mark’s brings authenticity to casualwear, footwear, and workwear for men and ladies alike.

With a friendly team committed to excellent customer service, Mark’s Peterborough is here to help you discover All Things Simple and get you outfitted for the joys of life in Canada.

Always ready for the winter, Mark’s is here to help Canadians stay warm and dry when the snow flies. Mark’s offers a wide selection of outerwear from WindRiver, Columbia, and Helly Hansen that will be your go-to jacket when working and playing in the snow. Our mens and ladies WindRiver puffer jackets are the perfect piece of outerwear for a crisp day because they feature T-MAX insulation to keep you warm and are water repellent with Hyper-Dri HD1 technology to bead off light rain and snow. ICEFX Winter boots with leading edge technology for enhanced traction on ice – a safer way to walk on ice in both casual and safety styles – will help keep you on your feet when the ground gets slick, and Below Zero wool socks will keep your feet toasty all day.

Looking for the perfect gift? You can never have enough flannel, and mens and ladies WindRiver flannels offer that lived-in feel - a perfect blend of style, comfort and function. Carhartt toques and Saxx underwear make great stocking-stuffers, and a Carhartt logo hooded-sweatshirt is as tough as the worker wearing it. Mark’s offers cozy and stylish men’s and ladies’ pajamas for relaxing around the home, and we are proud to offer Canadianmade Redwood Classics 100% heavy-cotton fleece sweatshirts and camp pants that keep you comfortable when the mercury drops!

10 Christmas 2022 ~ Cottage Country Lifestyle Magazine

Explore Cottage Country

Searching for an updated traditional fall look? Grab a pair of mittens, a scarf, and toque from the WindRiver Heritage Collection; one part cozy and another part throwback, these are timeless classics that live, breathe, and look like Canada. How about stocking up on jeans, a logo shirt, or sherpa-lined trucker jacket from Levi’s? Add in a pair of casual Blundstone boots from Mark’s Peterborough’s expanded selection, and you have a casual wardrobe that screams classic Canadian style.

Shopping for clothes should be the easiest thing on your to-do list, so you can get back to enjoying what really matters. Visit Mark’s Peterborough today and let our dedicated team help you discover All Things Simple.

Mark’s, 1230 Lansdowne St W, Peterborough 705-748-9570 www.marks.com Since 1994

Holiday Gift Guide ~ Christmas 2022 11

12 Christmas 2022 ~ Cottage Country Lifestyle Magazine

Explore Cottage Country

25 Years for the Annual

Festival of Trees!

The Kawartha Lakes Festival of Trees is back, in its original format, just in time for the 25th Anniversary! For 25 years, Kawartha

Settlers' Village has been transformed into

Since 1994

a Christmas wonderland, full of decorated trees, wreaths, garlands, and more. This event has become a family tradition for many, where all ages can enjoy various activities and events.

You can view and bid on hundreds of decorated and donated items through our in-person raffle and silent auction. Join us for the live auction on Saturday, November 12th at 7:30 pm in the Murphy Barn - Arrive early to register as a bidder. Enjoy a Visit with Santa, and a special appearance by his reindeer. Indulge in delicious food and treats in the Cafe and Snack Shack, plus new this year, an on-site Candy Shoppe!

Our General Store will be open for your Christmas shopping needs -- don't forget to

drop off your letters to Santa and enjoy our colouring contest and kids' crafts.

The Festival of Trees serves as the main fundraiser annual for Kawartha Settlers' Village, which allows the village to continue operations and offer events and general admission. We want to thank the countless volunteers who make this event such an annual success. We can't wait for you to join us!

This year's event runs from Nov 10th-14th at Kawartha Settlers' Village Full event times and details and weekend passes (on sale now) can be found at www. kawarthalakesfestivaloftrees.com or by following Kawartha Settlers' Village on Facebook and Instagram.

Holiday Gift Guide ~ Christmas 2022 13

It’s Your Holiday Destination Lockside Trading Company is more than just shopping… it’s your Christmas destination. “A way of life” since 1987, Lockside has been a major part of its communities for years, making it a key destination in Peterborough, the Kawarthas, and the Haliburton Highlands especially during the Holiday Season.

Serving you throughout the year in-store at Young’s Point right in the heart of the Kawarthas offering over 7,000sq feet of shopping, as well as in the Haliburton Highlands located downtown Haliburton, having just over 5,000sq feet of unique shopping.

Lastly Lockside’s online store is here for your convenience, helping serve you from any location.

team at Lockside knows the importance of keeping it local and supporting our fellow Canadians -because where you spend your money affects us all, instore, and online. - Shop Locally and Buy Canadian.

Both locations offer a mix of home décor to help you create a warm and inviting atmosphere in which to sit back, relax, and entertain throughout the holidays. The stores’ selections are in constant change throughout the seasons, offering a multitude of choice from quality custom furniture, lighting, home décor, great giftware, casual clothing, and bedding plus everything in between. Lockside is your one stop shop all year round, helping you with personalized shopping, decorating ideas, unique gifts for everyone on your list, and gift-wrapping, all in a safe, fun, festive, relaxing atmosphere.

Lockside is dedicated to supporting Canadians by sourcing and offering Canadian Made products at great pricing and superior quality. Specializing in custom Canadian made furniture, the

14 Christmas 2022 ~ Cottage Country Lifestyle Magazine

Explore Cottage Country

A multi-national award-winning retailer, Lockside sets itself apart from the rest with top-notch service from the beginning of your shopping experience to the end. From buying the right light, to helping you with turnkey projects. Offering a successful Interior Design Service that covers everything for your home, cottage, and commercial space. With their dedicated staff and quality products, Lockside caters to customers on any budget, in any location, with any look and style. Offering complimentary interior design with your purchase, having all your design needs under one-roof. This design service includes virtual, in-store and on-site consultations, helping with room layouts, color, fabric selections and much more. It is a service that works with the customer, giving direction and confidence to create a living space you have been dreaming of. In addition, they carry window treatments, floor coverings, and many lines of indoor and outdoor furniture. It’s a place you must experience and you will be returning with friends and family regularly.

For more information, upcoming events, and promotions, please visit www.lockside. com also find them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, & Pinterest.

Since 1994

Holiday Gift Guide ~ Christmas 2022 15

16 Christmas 2022 ~ Cottage Country Lifestyle Magazine

Explore Cottage Country

Design a Holiday Home Atmosphere that will Last Forever At the GreenUP Store and Resource Center, we love high-quality gifts and home goods that last, no matter the season. We are

aware that your home and cottage needs are just like the needs of the environment that your home is built on - low-impact and pro-climate. Plus, just like the connections between flora and fauna in protected nature, our gifts will help you feel more grounded to those connections you've built around you.

Since 1994

Your cottage can be as unique as beautifully crafted environmentally-friendly products.

Standing out from the crowd may mean creating a 'green' holiday – amidst the beautiful falling snowflakes this winter season. Shopping local can be an impactful way of reducing your carbon footprint, by decreasing the mileage that your gifts travel before getting to the store. Gifts and supplies from GreenUP are local, low-waste, and built to withstand the years, which decreases the amount of waste in and around your home.

Before the holiday season, visit the GreenUP Store and Resource Center at 378 Aylmer Street in Peterborough, where you can find our friendly staff ready to help you choose the best sustainable products for your cottage. Come in for:

Giving the gift of care this season to your cottage doesn't just extend to the friends and family enjoying the space. By setting up a composting, recycling, and rain barrel* system, you become a caretaker of the land that your home or cottage is on, throughout all four seasons. Asking your local green resource center for advice on making ecofriendly cottage or home changes can make the process of 'greening your holiday' merry and joyful.

Open Tuesday-Friday 10am-5pm and Saturday 10am-4pm.

♥ Stocking Stuffers ♥ Critter Cards, Coffee and Candles ♥ Local honey and Maple Syrup ♥ Children's Toys and Books ♥ Sustainable Homeware ♥ ...and more gifts that will surprise you!

* There are subsidies available for Peterborough Utilities Customers or Selwyn Township Residents to purchase rain barrels, which means that caring for the environment into the spring is affordable, too.

Holiday Gift Guide ~ Christmas 2022 17

THOSE WERE THE DAYS

“It is Still a Normal Life” Those of us fortunate to have lived on this Earth counting not only in years but decades, have walked the gamut throughout those years; from happiness to sadness, and now hopefully, we try to guide those who will place their feet where ours once trod. We have watched with glee as our families grew from infants, to siblings, to adulthood; and yet many times, we were forced to lower our heads as each took their place among the angels. We have witnessed wars, famine, hard times and good times; all the while, the clock never missed a beat.

With each passing day we were making history, events that will be discussed and studied possibly one hundred years from now – the schools we attended, and how we were taught, industry continually evolving with the times. What governments ruled our country, the price of houses and cars, and who survived the strict scrutiny of careful buyers?

Newspapers reported on floods, tornados, hurricanes and massive fires, it seemed there was nothing but gloom and doom engulfing not only our great country but indeed, the world.

But look around. See the glorious sun come up in the morning, the grass lush and green? Fruit trees laden with tasty morsels and gardens begging to be harvested. Soon the fields will be covered with pure, white snow and children’s laughter will fill the air as they slide down a slippery slope. Life isn’t beginning again, it never stopped.

This past year tested each and every heart and mind, COVID 19 and the viruses that followed separated families, rushed people to hospitals and took the innocent without mercy. Schools closed, jobs were lost and businesses closed, could we, would we be able to once again live like we did a mere few months ago?

The sky hasn’t fallen. The world has not come to an end. In November we will be able to properly remember those who fell in battle protecting our freedoms. December will witness men and women of various faiths thanking their deity for all that we have taken for granted. Christians will worship a Babe in a Manger as they have for the past two thousand years. During WW II trees were rationed because of the dire need for pulp to make paper, but this Christmas the lights will shine. Children were unable to gather, but the magic of Santa is again inviting wide eyed believers to sit on his lap and whisper their coveted wish list. The aroma of turkeys roasting in the oven. The crackle of wrapping paper being ripped from colorful presents. Remembering the homeless, the hungry, those less fortunate than us. The warmth within our hearts when we hear ‘Oh Holy Night’ or ‘Come All Ye Faithful’.

No, we are not starting a new normal, over many decades we have suffered and survived every misery fate can throw at us, but we have always risen to our feet and stood tall as all have done before us. So, gather at a cenotaph in November, sing Christmas carols from the heart, decorate your Christmas tree, enjoy the merriment with Santa and bow your head at a Manger, to me, that is simply being normal.

From my house to yours, a very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy New Year.

Russ Sanders epigram@nexicom.net

18 Christmas 2022 ~ Cottage Country Lifestyle Magazine

Explore Cottage Country

Bring the Outdoors In! It is a wonderful design trend to bring the outdoors indoors. We do it all through the warm months, so why not do it when it turns cold too? Of course, a vase of flowers from your garden is not an option - but a nice bundle of fresh evergreens is!

Evergreens such as white pine, cedar, balsam and spruce can be easily integrated into your home. And, ohh the fragrance! Freshly cut on the ends, they last for a long period of time in a vase of water. If you wish them laying out on the mantle, as little bundles tucked behind picture frames or even as a natural runner down the centre of a harvest table, they should be treated to prevent moisture loss and extend their life in our warm homes. Studies have shown that a Canadian home, in the winter, is drier than the Sahara Desert! So, it is understandable that evergreen boughs, not in water, will dry out quickly. A great product called “Wilt Pruf” can be sprayed on the boughs and it will lock in the moisture, extending the “freshness” of the evergreen by at least 10 days. “Wilt Pruf” can be purchased in any good garden centre.

A great evergreen bough to consider using indoors is British Columbian Cedar. B.C. Cedar is different from our local cedar. It is drapey, deep green and very elegant. It is fabulous to lay on mantles or to tie together, as a garland and drape down a banister or stairway.

Spraying it with “Wilt Pruf” will extend its life, but even if you don’t do it, when B.C. Cedar is dry it doesn’t look dry and will only shatter into pieces if touched repeatedly. Boxwood also works well indoors and adds a different texture to any arrangement.

Happy Decorating from your friends at Griffin’s Greenhouses!

By Vikki Whitney, Owner of Griffin’s Greenhouses 705-652-8638 or 1-877-647-4334 www.griffinsgreenhouses.com Since 1994

Holiday Gift Guide ~ Christmas 2022 19

20 Christmas 2022 ~ Cottage Country Lifestyle Magazine

Explore Cottage Country

The Lights In Their Eyes At least a decade ago when our family was young and we were adjusting to a new home and struggling with limited resources, there was a list of things I wanted to do with our kids at Christmas, but the cost was simply more than we could manage. I longed to see our kids’ eyes light up with awe at the twinkling-coloured lights at a local light festival, but I also knew there was no way to create the space in our budget when even much simpler ‘extras’ were considered unnecessary at the time.

It was easy to become disheartened by those humbling experiences, but now I look back on them almost fondly. They made us resourceful and required teamwork and ingenuity.

So, we came up with an alternate plan. One night, after we sent the kids upstairs to put on their pjs, they found a note on the bed. Only one of our kids could read at the time, so he did the honours. The letter informed them that they should quickly get into their jammies and hurry downstairs to meet us. The car would be waiting…

Since 1994

Of course, we heard the squeals of delight, and then we set to work. My husband pulled the car up to the door and warmed it up while I stashed some hot apple cider into a thermos and thew some homemade cookies into a paper bag. Daddy was even the chauffeur who held the doors open for us. Often it really is the little things that hold the most real estate in our memories.

We all climbed into our old chariot (she really was old) and took a night time tour of our little, local town, looking at the Christmas lights, choosing our favourites, enjoying our treats, and listening to classic holiday tunes. Even though our life is different now, this has become a nice little tradition we pull from every other year or so.

Our kids still remember that inaugural voyage, and we learned that it doesn’t take much to light up our children’s eyes, and to leave the imprinted memory on our family’s list of traditions.

Jacquelyn Toupin lives with her family in a heritage farmhouse that has been in her family for several generations. You can follow her on Instagram @my.sacred.wild

Home & Cottage ~ Christmas 2022 21

The Magic of the Multitasking Garden As the cold darkness of winter sets in, you will often find me by the fire, browsing seed catalogues, dreaming of next year’s garden. The blustery and snowy days of this time of year are the perfect opportunity to start planning your beds for the spring season and I’m hoping I can convince you to add some of my favourite botanicals to your property.

I love the notion and concept of the multitasking garden. What do I mean by this? I am referring the idea that our gardens can both be beautiful and useful! Many of my favourite medicinal herbs are stunning perennials that would be a showstopper in any garden. Have you ever seen, or smelled, the divine blooms of Valerian? Known for its sedative properties, many people are unaware how absolutely lovely these flowers are.

Pollinator friendly plants such as Bee Balm, Black-Eyed Susan and Echinacea also boast useful medicinal properties and are worthy of entrance into any flower bed. Chamomile and Thyme make lovely low-lying plants that can serve as edgings and borders, as well as being useful in the kitchen and teapot.

So, as you plan out your new flower beds for next year, I encourage you to think beyond the garden centre basics.

Where can you add in medicinals? How about pollinators?

Allow our gardens to become eco-systems that are pleasing to the eye, helpful to the insects, and useful in our apothecaries.

Correne Omland, Clinical Herbalist & Reiki Practitioner Spiraea Herbal Clinic + Apothecary spiraeaherbs.ca facebook.com/spiraeaherbs youtube.com/spiraeaherbs instagram.com/spiraeaherbs

22 Christmas 2022 ~ Cottage Country Lifestyle Magazine

Explore Cottage Country

Weekend at the Cottage

Recipes

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT BISCOTTI Classic crunchy biscotti with toasted hazelnuts, shards of dark chocolate and a hint of orange. Perfect for the holidays. Go to www.weekendatthecottage.com for the recipe and video.

INGREDIENTS • • • • • • • • • • • •

1 cup hazelnuts 1 cup semisweet dark chocolate chunks 3 eggs 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 2 tablespoons orange zest (about 1 orange) 1 cup dark brown sugar 1 ¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour 13 / cup cocoa powder 1 tablespoon ground coffee, finely ground 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Topping: • 1 egg white, lightly beaten • sprinkle sanding sugar

DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 325°F. 2. Toast hazelnuts: Spread on parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. If using nuts with skins, remove from oven and wrap in a clean dishtowel. Leave for 5 minutes then rub hazelnuts in dishtowel to remove skins. Cool then roughly chop.

3. Prepare dough: Combine flour, cocoa powder, coffee, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a bowl. Pass through a sieve to thoroughly blend. Set aside.

4. Roughly chop chocolate chunks into shards.

5. Lightly beat eggs in stand mixer with paddle attachment, then add vanilla extract and orange zest. On low, add the brown sugar. Add flour mixture little by little.

6. When the dough begins to take shape, add the chocolate and hazelnuts and run until a sticky dough forms.

EASY CHEESY POTATO CASSEROLE RECIPE This cheesy, creamy potato side dish is always a hit.

Head to www.weekendatthecottage.com for the video and recipe tips.

INGREDIENTS • 2 tablespoons butter • ½ white onion, diced • 2 garlic cloves, chopped • 1 bag frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed • 1 10 ounce can cream of mushroom soup • 1 cup sour cream • ¼ cup Parmesan, grated • 1 teaspoon salt • ½ teaspoon black pepper • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper • 1 ¾ cups grated cheese (cheddar cheese, Swiss, Gruyère, etc.)

For the topping: • ¼ cup grated cheese • 4 tablespoons butter • 1 cup Panko bread crumbs To serve: • 3 green onions, finely chopped

DIRECTIONS 1.

Preheat oven to 350°F. 2.

Melt butter in small skillet over moderate heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook until soft and fragrant. Remove from heat and cool.

3.

Place hash browns, soup, sour cream, onion and garlic mix, salt, black and cayenne peppers, Parmesan and grated cheese into a medium-sized bowl. Stir to combine.

4.

Transfer to a 9 x 13-inch glass casserole or oven-safe baking dish and smooth out to an even layer. Sprinkle with ¼ cup of grated cheese.

5.

Prepare topping: Place Panko in a small bowl. Melt butter and drizzle over top. Toss to combine.

6.

Sprinkle Panko over dish. Transfer to oven and bake for 50 minutes or until bubbling and golden on top. Sprinkle with finely chopped green onions.

Since 1994

Recipes ~ Christmas 2022 23

Tebey Hometown

Recently we had the great opportunity to catch up with local favourite Tebey, and we can’t thank him enough for taking the time to chat with us about all things music, writing and hometown.

Photo Credit: Katherine Marie Colwell

Tebey, who boasts four official Top 5 radio singles, five Top 10 singles, and 5 Top 20 singles as a recording artist has followed quite the path from hometown Douro, Ontario to get to where he is today.

Well known for his career performing music, Tebey is also a talented and well published song writer. He has written music for well-known names like One Direction, Fifth Harmony, Pixie Lott, Cher, FLO RIDA and Smashmouth in the pop genre, as well as penning country songs for the likes of Justin Moore, Big & Rich, Jimmy Rankin, Emerson Drive and Joe Nichols.

Currently Tebey is working on a new project called ‘TULUM’ which is set for release in the new year, he has released 2 singles from this anticipated new album - ‘What Was I Drinking’ and ‘Sink With The Sun’.

Tebey knew from a young age that music was his passion, and with the company of his father made the move to Nashville at the young age of 16 to pursue his dreams. He admitted the first little while spent in the big city led to a bit of culture shock, and he definitely missed home; but he persevered and in 2002 Tebey signed to BNA records Nashville (RCA Label Group).

While Tebey, his wife and kids still call Nashville home, his family is still in the Peterborough area. Tebey makes it home to Ontario 4-5 times a year and when asked what his favorite memories of growing up locally are – he immediately piped up with ‘tobogganing down Armour Hill!’, he also remains a Pete’s fan and works hard to give back to the community he grew up in. The Annual Tebey Golf Classic is held locally with the support of the Greater Peterborough Health Team, and through his connections Tebey amasses some amazing donations for their silent auction.

24 Christmas 2022 ~ Cottage Country Lifestyle Magazine

Explore Cottage Country

Artist Profile

By Emily Ireland

Participants in the charity golf classic enjoy a day on the course, dinner, silent auction, and private concert with Tebey – who is known to bring in some pretty famous friends! In 2022 the Tebey Classic raised money that was directed to Peterborough Youth Services and the YES Shelter for Youth and Families for Youth Mental Health and crisis services. This golf tournament is integral in raising both money and awareness for Mental Health initiatives in our community; and to date Tebey and his friends, plus many dedicated volunteers, have raised $250,000.

Watch for the 2023 date to be announced, this year the plans are for a concert the night before the tournament that will be open to the public to purchase tickets.

Coming up, Tebey also has a rescheduled concert to happen at the Venue in Peterborough February 17th, with a handful of other Ontario appearances that same month.

Photo Credit: Ben Dartnell

Since 1994

Holiday Gift Guide ~ Christmas 2022 25

26 Christmas 2022 ~ Cottage Country Lifestyle Magazine

Explore Cottage Country

Your Perfect Front Door Curb Appeal. It’s on every homeowners mind. How your home looks to others, and how it greets guests walking up to it. The statement piece that really boosts your curb appeal is your front door!

By getting creative with your front door, whether you are going for clean white lines or a hint of colour to add that pop of personality to your home, you can really boost your homes charm - and add great value! Plus, while thinking about a new, secure front door – have a look at those windows and think about an upgrade; your heating bill will thank you.

Lifestyle Windows and Doors are a local company based out of Peterborough Ontario, and they design, manufacture and install an amazing selection of lifetime windows, doors and sunrooms.

Lifestyle exterior doors and door systems are custom designed and fabricated to be the most secure, weatherproof, and attractive entry doors on the market. Your exterior door is an integral part of the security of your home, and a major statement feature for your entryway. Lifestyle doors offer a balanced combination of the high-level protection provided by conventional security doors and the elegance of popular, custom-designed doors. All of Lifestyle’s premium doors feature a foam-injected core, and they are available in a variety of attractive designs. You can also choose from either a durable steel skin for higher R-value and wear-resistance or a dent-resistant fiberglass skin that mimics the look of wood.

Since 1994

Both of these skins are efficient, offered in various designs, and can withstand Canada’s severe temperatures. Furthermore, most of our door styles are available with or without glass inserts, depending on your style preferences.

for your home with sizes, shapes, hardware, and frame colours that suit your décor.

Lifestyle Home Products’ vinyl replacement windows are created to the highest standards.

These premium-quality vinyl windows are harmonized tested and certified by third-party organizations, including ENERGY STAR® and the Canadian Standards Association (CSA), to ensure you receive high-performance products that are built to last. Lifestyle manufactures most types of vinyl windows and also create customized window solutions

So, if you are thinking about a simple way to add value and curb appeal to your home, call Lifestyle Home Products!

Once you’ve made your selections, their factorytrained and certified craftsmen will install your new windows and doors with precision.

The Factory showroom for Lifestyle Home Products is located at 944 Crawford Dr., Peterborough.

Visit LifestyleHomeProducts.ca or call 1-800-465-0593 for your free, in-home estimate.

Home & Cottage ~ Christmas 2022 27

28 Christmas 2022 ~ Cottage Country Lifestyle Magazine

Explore Cottage Country

Chic Chalet

Christmas in the Kawarthas, what a wonderful time of year we have to look forward to!

Once the colourful display of leaves has drifted to the ground for yet another year, many Canadians turn their attention to the hustle and bustle of the upcoming holiday season. With this being considered one of the busiest seasons of our calendar year, it is oh-so-nice to have supportive surroundings and systems in place to keep the stress out of the equation and the focus on the magic of the festivities. And, like many of us, one of the highlights at this time of year may include hosting friends and family.

Here at Birchview Design Inc. our recently completed Spruce Court project showcases a few fun details to add to your wish list when updating your home or cottage, ensuring hosting for the holidays (or any time of year!) is a breeze…

Since 1994

Home & Cottage ~ Christmas 2022 29

Spacious, yet cozy The perfect juxtaposition; spaciousness without any loss of coziness is completely attainable with the right design direction. Starting with visions of high ceilings, plenty of natural light sources, and an open concept floor plan, look to layer in grounding details such as ceiling and wall treatments, beautiful focal points (bonus if this features a fireplace!) a moody colour palette, and plenty of texture in your finishes and furniture selections to evoke all of those perfectly inviting feels.

30 Christmas 2022 ~ Cottage Country Lifestyle Magazine

Explore Cottage Country

Hidden organization  The kitchen still remains the hub of the home and with open concept spaces you may find your guests congregating in this area the most (especially if you are known for serving delicious hors d'oeuvres).

When envisioning an update to your space, be sure to think not only of the finishes such as cabinet colour, countertop material, hardware and lighting; but what’s inside the cabinets as well. A few of our top requests are pullout spice and oil racks, cutlery and utensil organizers, built-in appliances, and plenty of pantry storage. Keeping track of what you would find helpful in your layout when you use your kitchen daily will help a designer curate the space specifically for your unique lifestyle.

Easy Access  As with the benefits of hidden storage and organization, we also love opting to have pieces that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing out in the open for quick and easy access. Charcuterie boards are a perfect example. Layering these with your favourite local cheeses, fruits, meats, and pickled goods creates the ultimate graze-and-go station for your guests. Or, if you are feeling adventurous; try out the newest trend – butter boards!

Plentiful Seating & Cozy Layers  Once your guests have been welcomed into your space with delicious food and their drink of choice; it’s time for the most important part; sitting down and getting comfortable. Thinking ahead to ensure you have enough seating for the number of guests, plus areas that naturally encourage conversation will help your guests feel more at home. Layer in comfy pillows and throws to kick back with, and they may never want to leave!

Our Spruce Court project was in partnership with O’Reilly Custom Homes & Construction and photographed by Ash Adams of Flashback Photo Co.

Birchview Design Inc. is an award-winning interior design team serving clientele in the Kawartha Lakes, GTA, and beyond. As a full service studio, the firm offers an all-inclusive, simplified experience with elevated design expertise. www.birchviewdesign.com Since 1994

Home & Cottage ~ Christmas 2022 31

32 Christmas 2022 ~ Cottage Country Lifestyle Magazine

Explore Cottage Country

"Wonderful Things..."

November 2022 marks the 100th anniversary of what may be considered the world’s greatest archaeological discovery. On 26 November 1922, in the Valley of the Kings, near Luxor, Egypt, British archaeologist Howard Carter looked through a hole in a door to a room in the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun.

When asked if he saw anything, his response was “Yes, wonderful things!”. Finding a pharaonic tomb of the Eighteenth Dynasty that had escaped either scientific discovery or pillaging by thieves in over 3,200 years had never occurred.

The thousands of objects found in the tomb took Carter and his team of foreign and Egyptian specialists ten years to catalogue, photograph, repair or stabilize, pack, and transport to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

Items included furniture, statues, model boats, full-size chariots, textiles, tools, weapons, and everything else the pharaoh would need for his afterlife – both simple and ornate. The mummy and its set of sarcophagi were the prized discoveries, but the most recognized artifact is undoubtedly the pharaoh’s solid gold and jewelled funerary mask. All the tomb treasures have been held in the Cairo Museum until this year when a new museum, the Grand Egyptian Museum at Giza will open (scheduled for November). The Tutankhamun artifacts have already been moved there, by a middle-of-the-night transport truck convoy under heavy guard by the Egyptian Army.

Since 1994

While one must go to Egypt to view the Tutankhamun collection, portions of it have been on several international tours. Three “Tut tours” have come to Canada: Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toronto (Royal Ontario Museum), Ottawa, and Montreal in 1961-67; Toronto, November to December 1979; and Toronto again, from November 2009-May 2010.

I attended the two later Toronto exhibits, both at the Art Gallery of Ontario. In 1979, my mother’s birthday present to me was a trip to “The Treasures of Tutankhamun”, and in 2010 I returned the favour for her birthday and we went to “Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs”. Although these shows displayed only a small number of the objects found in the tomb, I certainly concur with Howard Carter that they contained many “wonderful things”.

By: Don Willcock, The Peterborough Museum & Archives, 300 Hunter St E, Peterborough 705-743-5180 www.peterboroughmuseumandarchives.ca

Home & Cottage ~ Christmas 2022 33

34 Christmas 2022 ~ Cottage Country Lifestyle Magazine

Explore Cottage Country

Cottage Memories

Chronicles of A City Boy’s Life In The Country

UP IN SMOKE The wife likes a good barbecue, especially during Christmas Holidays. I suspect my being outside contributes to making it good, not the quality of my grilling. Maybe she still hopes that practice makes perfect.

I can hear her and any guests cheering me on from inside, wine glasses in hand.

Outside, I’m slowly turning my bod into smoked meat.

Barbecuing is a year-round escapade for me. Four seasons of swarming insects, popup downpours, blinding blizzards, sunburn and frostbite. Whenever I sneak inside to get another beer, someone sounding suspiciously like the wife, always yells: “Fire!”

So I hurry back to my solitary outpost to avert calamity.

So far, I’ve only singed low hanging branches.

But considering the roaring flames, smokey clouds, and fire extinguisher residue, I thank Lady Luck that anything remains edible. Or that a forest fire’s been avoided yet again.

The wife has water bombers on speed dial just in case.

But I’m always a spark away from towering inferno. My handy hose drenches flame and meat alike. Huge billows of smoke and the piercing shriek of indoor smoke detectors alert neighbours of another barbecue fiasco underway. A MNR fire risk warning sign mysteriously appeared recently near my property. The wife keeps it set at high.

Nonetheless, I consider myself a griller in progress. I practice with BBQ tools, books and other accoutrements, including fireretardant apron. I've even taken a fire department course to stop a cottage from burning down. That conflagration would be my most memorable barbecue yet.

Barbecuing probably began with cavemen squatting around a fire. It harkens back to their macho spirit of hunt, chase and kill. Like Since 1994

my ancient ancestors, what do I care if my meat is dirty, bloody, hairy or all hacked up?

That's what scorching’s for.

Other perils lurk around my BBQ. I'm cornered by our scavenging Siberian Huskies, ready to chomp on a wayward morsel or hand that smells like it.

A loose shelf hangs precariously off the grill, often painfully dislodged onto my big toe. The deck railing’s cluttered with my array of condiments, spices and sauces – frantically knocked asunder while being deployed to mask the real taste of my cooking catastrophes.

My grill is rarely cleaned. So crusty build-up narrows the spaces where fewer pieces fall through to burn faster than the rest. But I still sear my pinkies, mining around in the blazing coals with my too-short tongs for some lost tidbit.

The automatic starter never works, especially when I run out of propane.

I've poured buckets of water on the tank to check the condensation line that's supposed to indicate fuel level. But all I get is soaked feet. So in constant fear of running on empty, I barbecue fast to avoid sunstroke or hypothermia.

Standing in my puddle of water and gashed-toe blood. I bet the cavemen were more comfortable.

My BBQ lid won't stay up or sticks when closed. Its handle comes off in my hand. The temperature on one side is cool, the other Hades. When I give my spatula too jaunty a flip, meat disappears down a gaping maw or over the railing into the dirt for a more earthy flavour. And when I squash a fly with that flipper, remnants get wiped on pant leg or meat. I prefer clean trousers.

S ome barbecuing misadventures are easier to hide. Cheap cut? Char it. Too much dirt? Blacken it more. Fly remnants?

Scorcharooney. With judicious manipulation of third degree burning, I can make everything look and taste the same. All smothered in garlic or tabasco or teriyaki or sweet and sour, with my secret dash of dirt rub. Or, when my grilling involves the fire extinguisher, all of the above. Cooking meat rare was problematic until I discovered that after it’s dog-licked, a quick sear seals the rawness.

Burnt offerings ready, I make a triumphal entrance. But the table’s always so crowded with other dishes that there's no room for my fast-food platter of arson treats. Guests either pretend not to notice or suddenly aren’t hungry. I don’t get many repeats.

The wife says we should get a smoker for Christmas. Isn’t that already my expertise?

But with everything going up in smoke anyways, perhaps I should try something new. Maybe it’s time to barbecue more than just hot dogs.

Craig Nicholson is a long-time Kawarthas cottager who also provides tips and tour info for snowmobilers at intrepidsnowmobiler.com and for PWC riders at intrepidcottager.com.

Home & Cottage ~ Christmas 2022 35

Nature-Inspired Interior Trends Nature has always inspired design of every kind, but even more so throughout the last two years, as we increasingly sought comfort, simplicity and a slower pace in the face of a frantic, pandemic-fuelled world outside. Indeed, our connection to nature has taken on new meaning, not just as a creative outlet but an everyday escape. By using a natural palette of colours and materials, and introducing more plants into our homes, we have progressively embraced nature between our own four walls – a trend that will I am happy to say will continue to dominate interiors this year and beyond. Here are just a few ways nature is finding its way inside.

Colour: This is the year of the nature-inspired colour palette, with the 2022 colour of the year being a muted or mossy green, as chosen seemingly in sync by a number of the world’s leading colour

authorities including Benjamin Moore, Behr, Sherwin-Williams and Dulux. The selection was largely inspired by a desire to connect with nature, gain awareness of self and surroundings, and need for revival and rejuvenation. Green hits all those notes and more, as a multifaceted hue ranging from pale and fresh, to rich and organic – truly the “new neutral” in many respects. I have always adored working with green and to me green acts as a perfect neutral backdrop in my interiors. You’ll find greens now being paired with other earthinspired, complementary hues, such as an array of beiges and browns, warm blues and subtle greys.

Materials: We're all looking to enhance our connection with nature as we spend more time indoors than ever before. This has sparked a rebirth in natural materials, such as bamboo, heavy grass, cloth wallcoverings and fabric upholstery with a nod to botanical

36 Christmas 2022 ~ Cottage Country Lifestyle Magazine

Explore Cottage Country

inspired motifs; stoneware, terracotta, marble and travertine, which are being used in backsplashes and bathtubs; and wood furniture and ornamental objects that bring their outdoor origins into our homes and lives. These materials' raw, porous, imperfect nature adds depth, soul and visual fascination, while also emulating the peaceful, restorative ambiance of nature.

This desire to reconnect with nature has inspired interest in huge potted trees in the home, but short of that, brown-hued, sculptural and curved furniture, including earthy tones and natural elements, are more at the forefront.

Plants: While houseplants are nothing new, they have certainly enjoyed a major revival in recent years, and this trend is only growing (pardon the pun!) as we increasingly gain awareness of their physical, mental and environmental benefits. And purely from an aesthetic perspective, plants bring rich colour and texture into our homes, and are arguably the most basic but critical accessory as part of this look. Choose pleasing pottery that makes a statement in terms of shape and colour, and complements your home’s

broader style. Opt for plants that will thrive in this environment – both the placement in the home (consider access to natural light) and your own green thumb. There are lots of low-maintenance plants, cacti and succulents that require minimal care, or none at all if you choose one of the fabulous fakes available on the market. Place plants among your other accessories, including on tabletops, windowsills, the fireplace mantel, bookcases and shelves.

A well-decorated home has aesthetic continuity and unity throughout, but the theme is where many people find themselves utterly lost. Luckily, if you’re leaning into the nature trend, your muse can be found right outside your front door.

So, strap on your comfortable walking shoes and venture into the outdoors, making a mental note of your surroundings.

Or better yet, snap some photos and add them to your “inspiration board.” Then, use this as your reference point when choosing everything from colours and materials, to those final finishing touches. And when in doubt, let nature be your guide. If it can be found in the great outdoors, then it can also find a place in your home.

Lisa Kooistra is the Creative Director and Principal Designer for Lisa Kooistra Design.

This multi-disciplinary sought after GTA design firm has become known for creating exceptional well curated interiors and custom builds. www.lkdesigns.ca @lisakooistradesigns Since 1994

Home & Cottage ~ Christmas 2022 37

38 Christmas 2022 ~ Cottage Country Lifestyle Magazine

Explore Cottage Country

2022 Farm Family of the Year The Peterborough County Federation of Agriculture and the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce are pleased to announce the Cornish family, 2275 Indian River Line, Indian River as the 2022 Farm Family of the Year.

This award recognizes a farm family that has demonstrated good farming practices, an interest in the farming community, and interest and participation by the family in the farm’s operation.

In 2010, Kevin Cornish and Janet Dawson purchased their farm in Indian River. Previously the farm was owned and operated by Marg & Allan Dawson (Almar Acres). In the early days, the farm was a dairy operation, cow/calf operation and finished as a beef & show cattle operation until Marg and Allan decided to retire.

Loving to grow and eat their own food, Kevin and Janet’s vision for a vegetable farm began. Indian River Acres is a 93-acre farm where the family grows and sells fresh vegetables and fall décor items. They operate on a 12-month sustainable farming cycle that includes crop rotations, cover crops, and selecting varieties that minimize pest and disease. The farm is open to the public every year from the 1st of July to the end of October and customers can access their produce from their farm gate stand (that is open daily), through their online farm shop, or from local grocers who purchase their produce wholesale.

Each year, the family grows 12 acres of sweet corn, 5 acres of Since 1994

pumpkins, squash & gourds, approx. 15,000 garlic bulbs, and 1.5 acres of other tender vegetables (pickling cucumbers, field cucumbers, beans, asparagus, beets, lettuce, herbs, tomatoes, potatoes, zucchini). Only the sweet corn and pumpkins are planted by machine. Everything else is hand planted, hand weeded, and all produce (including sweet corn and pumpkins) are hand harvested.

The farm operation also includes 99 free range egg-layers, offering eggs to customers who sign up for weekly egg pick up.

Kevin and Janet’s sons, Liam and Lucas, are actively involved in all farm activities. During the pandemic, they started growing and selling fresh-cut flowers – a huge hit and now a regular offering.

Kevin and Janet are active community volunteers, and donate a sizeable portion of their harvest to local food banks and Kawartha Food Share.

Congratulations to the Cornish family on being selected as Peterborough County’s 2022 Farm Family of the Year!

Photo Credit Heather Doughty Photography

Home & Cottage ~ Christmas 2022 39

White Gold From Snowmobile Trails Over 80 million dollars annually. That’s the estimated amount recreational snowmobile trails generate for our regional economy every year*. This “white gold” is a direct result of spending throughout the Kawarthas, Haliburton and Bancroft regions by residents and visitors engaged in their favourite winter pastime.

The obvious beneficiaries of this impressive economic activity are local restaurants, lodgings, gas stations, convenience stores, and snowmobile dealers. Less obvious are the indirect spin-off and trickle-down effects of this spending throughout our local communities. 650 direct jobs. $2M in municipal taxes. Hundreds of thousands of dollars of cottage-related expenses incurred by snowmobilers using their places year-round, instead of just in summer. The less obvious beneficiaries include many nonsnowmobile related businesses and services, and the residents employed there to earn a living. Most of this impact occurs primarily in the winter, during what are traditionally the more economically dormant months of the year.

trailering their sleds to distant locations. Consequently, popular cottage country destinations closer to major population centres – like the Kawarthas, Haliburton and Bancroft – could actually see increased snowmobiler spending this winter as sledders ride closer to home. Any way you look at it, that white gold generated by snowmobile trails will be here to help local businesses and communities through these tough economic times.

More good news is that participation in snowmobile trail riding has increased by about 15% over the past two winters. What’s more, many respondents to a recent rider survey by the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) indicated their intention to ride the same amount or more this season than they did last winter.

This aligns with their previous track record of continued spending on snowmobiling in good times and bad.

So, why do we mostly take snowmobiling for granted? Maybe because it seems the trails have always been around and just keep happening. But way back when, there were no snowmobile trails.

Early snowmobilers pretty much rode wherever the snow fell, often in places that were unsafe or where they weren’t welcome. To improve the situation, local enthusiasts formed community-based, non-profit clubs. They worked with their friends and neighbours to organize designated trails to connect communities and businesses. These safer and approved routes provide snowmobilers with interconnected corridors that are marked and mapped to a multitude of destinations. Just as important, these local trails also reduce random riding and trespassing on private property.

Early indications are that higher fuel prices won’t stop them from enjoying their winter passion either. Even if the cost per litre does affect some sledding patterns, logic says it would most likely reduce

As a result, today we can ride about 2,000 kilometres of OFSC Prescribed Snowmobile Trails throughout the Kawarthas, Haliburton and Bancroft areas. But neither these recreational trails or their

40 Christmas 2022 ~ Cottage Country Lifestyle Magazine

Explore Cottage Country

economic benefit would or could continue to exist without two key groups of local volunteers: those who contribute their time, effort and skills to keep their local club trails going, and those who contribute land use so that snowmobile trails have somewhere to go.

Together, these two groups not only provide economic advantages for everyone, but also social, recreational and health benefits that make our hometowns better places for all of us to live. Without landowners and volunteers, we wouldn’t reap these rewards – or enjoy safe trails to ride and places to go on our sleds. Without them, winter just wouldn’t be the same for anyone. So let’s say thanks to all of our landowners and club volunteers! *All numbers from 2019 OFSC Economic Impact Study Learn More About OFSC Prescribed Trails At: Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs – www.ofsc.on.ca

By Craig Nicholson, The Intrepid Snowmobiler International Snowmobile Hall of Fame Journalist

Craig Nicholson is an International Snowmobile Hall of Fame journalist and a long-time Kawarthas cottager who also provides tips and tour info for snowmobilers at intrepidsnowmobiler.com and for PWC riders at intrepidcottager.com.

Top Photo by Al Fletcher Middle Photo by Craig Nicholson

Since 1994

Home & Cottage ~ Christmas 2022 41

Kids!!

Don’t Forget to Write to Santa before December 9th & Get a Letter Back!

There's room for everyone on the Nice List at Santa’s Office this Christmas! Santa has Postal Elves who are ready to help Santa answer letters each year.

There are 3 important rules to remember when sending a letter to Santa: Make sure to include your full return address. Santa may know where you live, but his postal elves need this information to deliver your letter!

 Santa really loves to read about children’s favourite sports, jokes, school activities or family fun (even if Mom and Dad help with the writing). And, of course, he loves to get pictures and drawings from even his youngest pen pals!

 Send your letter soon. December 10 is the last day to mail letters to Santa (it’s a long way to the North Pole and back!). Letters mailed after December 9 may not receive a reply before Christmas, so remind the kids to get on it!

Santa's address:

SANTA CLAUS NORTH POLE H0H 0H0 CANADA Courtesy of the Elves at Canada Post

42 Christmas 2022 ~ Cottage Country Lifestyle Magazine

Explore Cottage Country

The PARD Charity Games Show It was a rainy Fall day, and not just a light sprinkle – a downpour, where the sky opened up and the heavens emptied out – and there was not a single person in attendance who wasn’t smiling. Happiness emanated from both competitors and the audience at this years annual PARD Charity Games Show.

The PARD Charity games show is a fun day meant for all ages and stages of riders and is one of the organisations biggest fundraisers of the season. Volunteers work hard to put on a day full of friendly competition and games that bring riders from barns all over the region. The spectators made up of family and friends cheer and laugh watching the comradery – even the competitors cheer each other on, waiting eagerly to see the end results of their division.

PARD is a registered charity run solely by volunteers that opens the proverbial barn door to riders of differing abilities.

This amazing 35-year young not-for-profit helps riders of all ages, with disabilities that include: cystic fibrosis, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, spina bifida, cerebral palsy, stroke, accidental injury, and visual & hearing challenges to access the therapeutic benefits of riding.

A volunteer instructor supervises each riding session and must be certified through the Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association (CanTRA). Using the abilities Since 1994

of the rider, PARD provides individualized riding instruction. The "three-dimensional" motion of a walking horse mimics human walking and stimulates the rider, helping to enhance balance, posture, mobility, coordination, and strength. By adding other exercises or movement, they can help rehabilitate specific parts of the rider's body. The program is also designed to enhance a riders social, emotional, and psychological well-being in a fun, nonclinical environment.

From its infancy to today; a registered charity and member of the Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association (CanTRA) PARD owes its continuing success to a long and distinguished list of volunteers whose time, talents and hard work make it possible.

PARD continues to receive support from the community through fund raising, service clubs, corporate sponsors, volunteers and many others, too numerous to mention.

A donation to a charitable organisation makes a great gift when done in the name of a loved one, and PARD receives numerous

‘Christmas Cards’ with donations in the mail this time of year. If you would like to donate, your Christmas Card would be thankfully received by horses and riders alike, and can be sent to the address below.

PARD - Building confidence, skills, and ability on horseback.

PARD Therapeutic Riding P.O. Box 1654 Peterborough, ON K9J 7S4 www.pard.ca

Photo Credit - Meg Gillis Photography (Horse with Wreath)

Home & Cottage ~ Christmas 2022 43

Safe Bird Feeding Practices Kawartha Wildlife Centre One of our most popular birds, Northern Cardinals brighten our days with color and clear (and loud!) whistled song throughout southeastern Canada. During the breeding season, males will sing and attack to defend territory against intruding competitors (and sometimes even their own reflection in windows and mirrors!). A regular visitor to urban and rural backyards, Cardinals eat seeds, berries, insects as well as spiders, centipedes, and snails.

As food sources contract in winter, Cardinals and other seed-eating birds gravitate to bird feeders as an easily available source of energy. If you have a bird feeder that you maintain during the winter, please take the steps to ensure that it is safe and clean for birds to use. Unfortunately, bird feeder-related disease transmission is one of the leading causes of illness and death for birds in Ontario.

Local Humane Societies Lakefield Animal Welfare Society

2887 Lakefield Rd., Lakefield • 705-652-0588 www.lakefieldanimalwelfare.org

Humane Society Of Kawartha Lakes 111 McLaughlin Rd., Lindsay • 705-878-4618 www.hskl.ca

Animal Rescue Krew (ARK)

3307 Lakefield Rd., Lakefield • 705-651-0069

Peterborough Humane Society

385 Lansdowne St. E., Peterborough • 705-745-7676 www.peterboroughhumanesociety.ca

Home Again Bancroft

613-474-3450 www.homeagainbancroft.ca

Dog Biscuits Home Made

Prevention is the key to avoiding the spread of diseases at bird feeders. Ensure your bird feeders are made of hard plastic or metal, both being easy to keep clean. Platform feeders are discouraged as birds defecate where they eat and avoid wood-based bird feeders as they cannot be fully cleaned/ disinfected.

Each week, please take feeders down, clean the debris from them with hot soapy water, then soak in a bleach solution for at least ten minutes which will remove any disease agents. Keep your eyes open for sick birds (which usually present as overly fluffy and relatively immobile). If there are sick or dead birds found in your yard or reported in the surrounding area, bird feeders should be removed and bird feeding should stop for at least 1-3 weeks to prevent further congregation and spread.

For more information about bird feeders please see Bird Friendly Peterborough’s website: https://www.birdfriendlypeterborough.ca/bird-feeders. Small actions will help keep our feathered friends safe this winter!

• 1 Beef or Chicken Bouillion Cube • 1/2 Cup Boiling Water • 2 1/2 Cups Flour • 1 Teaspoon of Salt • 1 Egg Mix the Bouillion Cube in boiling water in a mixing bowl until dissolved.

If you find a bird in distress this winter, please contact your local Wildlife Rehabilitator for guidance, such as Kawartha Wildlife Centre. KWC is volunteer-run wildlife rehabilitation centre located in Peterborough County in the heart of the Kawarthas.

As a charity relying solely on community support and receiving no government funding for care of wildlife, we are in urgent need of financial support to support our patient care and treatments.

Add 1 beaten egg and then add the remaining ingredients. Mix until blended - Do not over-mix.

To support wildlife in need, please consider making a donation this season: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/33851

Place a rack on a cookie sheet and place biscuits on the rack.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

44 Christmas 2022 ~ Cottage Country Lifestyle Magazine

Add the dough to a floured cutting board and roll out dough. Cut with dog bone shaped cookie cutter.

Explore Cottage Country

Puppies for Christmas?

Is giving a dog or puppy as a gift for the holidays a good idea, or bad?

Personally, I believe that choosing a canine companion is personal, as you want to be able to have a connection with the animal and that isn’t always possible if someone else picks it out on our behalf.

However, I understand that there will always be those who have no problems and think it’s a great idea, so here are my tips for making it an enjoyable and long-term gift that keeps giving: • Make sure the person you’re giving the puppy to is ready, willing and able to care for a dog (the puppy will grow up quickly!). The financial investment is only a small part of actually being prepared to care for a dog for the next decade or decade and a half.

• Consider helping with training (costs and/or going with them to training classes if permitted - if and when it’s necessary).

• Research their chosen breeds and take their lifestyle into consideration when choosing a puppy. A busy professional won’t want a high energy dog as much as an active family won’t want a couch potato for a dog.

• Research breeders. Not all of them are GREED-ers nor are they in it solely for the money. Choose a breeder with a contract, all reputable breeders will want or require that their dog be returned Since 1994

to them no matter what age if things don’t work out.

Parents: Be prepared to pick up the slack when the novelty of the puppy wears off and everyone is back to their busy routines.

Common reasons people re-home their dogs: • They don’t have time/unfair to the dog • Behaviour issues • Mismatched energy levels Alternatives to giving a pet for the holidays: • Pet themed items such as t-shirts, coffee mugs, or wall art.

• Stuffed dog in the shape of their favourite breed.

• Trip to the shelter to volunteer with walking and/or cleaning cages.

• A donation in their name to a shelter or breed specific rescue organization.

• A training voucher or gift cards to pet store to help with costs when they’re ready to get a dog or puppy (be sure to read the expiration policy with the issuer as some are only good for one year after purchase).

Be sure to follow me on Social for more tips! @turnerandpoochtraining You can also email me at ineke@ptbodogtrainer.ca

Pets & Vets ~ Christmas 2022 45

Three Simple Gifts To Make This Christmas Some of the best gifts I’ve ever been given were gifts someone made for me themselves. It always makes me feel special knowing someone felt I was worth the time and energy it took for them to make ME something. If you’re looking for some simple and fun gifts you can make, give these ideas a try!

Chocolate Treat Reindeer ✔ A small glass jar and lid ✔ Pipe cleaners (red or black) ✔ Pompoms ✔ Googley Eyes ✔ Glue (hot glue is easiest if you’re allowed) ✔ Chocolates or hot chocolate mix Fill your jar with chocolates or hot chocolate mix so the jar looks brown. Choose one side to be the face of the reindeer and glue on a pompom nose and two googley eyes. Use your pipe cleaners to make the antlers and attach them by gluing them to the lid once it’s secured.

NORTH POLE WORD FIND

Chocolate Spoons ✔ Chocolate chips ✔ Bamboo spoons ✔ Green and red sprinkles ✔ Parchment paper ✔ Ribbon or string Melt your chocolate chips in the microwave or in a double boiler on the stove top. Both of these jobs should be done under the supervision of an adult. Please be very careful not to burn yourself!

Once your chocolate is melted, you’ll have to work quickly. Dip the spoons in the deliciousness, and lay them on a sheet of parchment.

Before they cool and harden, gently drop any sprinkles on them to make them more colourful. Once your spoons have set, grab a few, cover the ends with parchment, and tie a pretty ribbon around it.

Silly Mugs ✔ A white mug ✔ A sharpie

REINDEER SANTA SNOW ELVES COOKIES

SLEIGH MISTLETOE TOYS TREES WORKSHOP

PRESENTS CANDY SNOWMAN LIGHTS CAROLS

COAL HOLLY POINSETTIA DECORATIONS RUDOLPH

46 Christmas 2022 ~ Cottage Country Lifestyle Magazine

This is a favourite DIY gift in our home. We like to scour Pinterest for funny sayings to add to a plain white mug. Sometimes we’ll fill the mug with treats, wrap it, and gift it to one of those ‘hard- to- gift’ types. Other times, we just gift the mug on its own. We have tried baking the cup after we write on it, but we haven’t noticed that it alters the durability that much. Just let your loved one know not to put it in the dishwasher. Some favourite ideas are: Tea-rex with a picture of a T-rex, a customized silly face (with a mustache!), or a simple a ‘you’re the best dad!’

Explore Cottage Country

The Beauty of

Frozen Light Ah the darkness of winter. It can feel a bit sad. But there is beauty in light. And take heart, the light will return – even if its just a few minutes a day after the winter solstice. In the meanwhile, why not lighten up this Christmas season with a few simple crafts that use the beauty and magic of ice.

Try this: Make Ice Lanterns: You’ll need balloons (any size), colored dye (optional), a large bowl, water and tea light candles. If you want to use dye, add a few drops inside the balloon. Attach the balloon to a water faucet and fill to desired size. Tie off the balloon. Put the balloon in a bowl and place it either outside or in a freezer for six hours or until the outside of the balloon is frozen but there is still water inside. Carefully cut and peel away the balloon. Working over a sink or outside, drain the water away by making a hole in the weakest part of the base using a kitchen knife. The hole will have to be large enough to place in the tea candle. Refreeze the globe until completely solid. Slip in your candle and watch your Since 1994

ice lantern provide a warm glow in the dark of a winter’s night.

Make a series of these and place the ice lanterns along a walkway to light your way.

Make Frozen Mandalas: Take sprigs of your favorite winter plants (suggestions: dogwood, rowan tree berries, winter green, holly, evergreens such as spruce, balsam fir, hemlock). Use a flat and shallow container (old tuna tins, Tupperware). Fill with fresh water. Place your plant inside. Place a twig in the upper middle and allow this to freeze overnight. The next day, gently ease your decoration from the container. Remove the twig. Place a ribbon or twine in the hole and create a loop. This will create a handy hanger. Hang on nearest tree. Watch as the winter side light filters through the beautiful textures of ice and plant material.

Submitted by Jacob Rodenburg, Executive Director of Camp Kawartha, an award-winning outdoor education centre and summer camp.

Kids Corner ~ Christmas 2022 47

48 Christmas 2022 ~ Cottage Country Lifestyle Magazine

Explore Cottage Country

MARKETPLACE

A World of Flavour Awaits You at Euro Delight Whether you’re looking for the perfect party platter this holiday season, or the perfect gift to check off your Christmas list, look no further than Euro Delight in Lindsay’s Whitney Town Centre.

Their made-to-order gift baskets start at only $49.99, and you can choose from a wide assortment of goodies, including: • Chocolates and selection boxes from the UK • German marzipan, chocolates & gingerbread • Sinterklaas treats from Holland • Scottish shortbreads • Assorted candies, jams, jellies • Specialty cookies & crackers Euro Delight party platters feature the finest local and international meats and cheeses: • 90+ varieties of cheese from around the world along with locally made • Deli meats from the finest Dutch & German meat-packers • Brandt meats • Gluten-free meats

Why not give a beautiful cheese board as a gift? Their knowledgeable staff can select the perfect combination for someone on your list.

European groceries, fine foods, teas and sweets, mustards, condiments and spices are a great way to add something special to your holiday cooking and entertaining.

Visit Euro Delight during St. Nicholas Days – Thursday, December 1st to Saturday, December 3rd. You will find lots of instore specials, and receive a free gift with purchases over $65, while supplies last.

One per Customer.

You will find Euro Delight, right beside M&M Meats, in the Whitney Town Centre, 370 Kent St. W., Lindsay ON, online at www.eurodelight. ca and on Facebook, or call 705-878-4157.

Santa Day in Fenelon Falls Fenelon Falls Chamber of Commerce You’re invited to join us as Fenelon Falls comes alive this November with the return of Santa Day, the night time parade and fireworks. The fun starts at 11:00 am and it’s a full day of FREE activities and entertainment for kids of all ages throughout the downtown. Santa will be all smiles for photos with the young and young at heart. If we’ve piqued your interest, make sure to mark your calendar for Saturday, November 26th.

The holiday fun continues with the launch of the 5th annual Passport to Christmas shopping promotion on Friday, November 18th. It’s a great opportunity to find unique items, connect with friends and neighbours and shop close to home. Discover the newest shops and eateries in Fenelon Falls, meet the business owners and staff while you fill up your passport(s). Make the most of your purchases during double stamp weekends and enter to win one of the fabulous prize baskets.

For those who enjoy the outdoors the Victoria Rail Trail is open year-round for walking, snowmobiling, or snowshoeing (weather dependent of course).

Visit the Rain Garden across from the Fenelon Museum and enjoy the beautiful art installations.

Shutter bugs can capture a winter scene or a gorgeous sunset from the swing bridge or the shores of Cameron Lake.

Fenelon Falls is a year-round destination so it’s the perfect time to plan your day trip or weekend stay.

Visit www.explorefenelonfalls.com to plan your trip.

Since 1994

Home & Cottage ~ Christmas 2022 49

CHAMBER NEWS

Explore the Coboconk & Norland Area

The Love Local Holiday Campaign

Growth in Havelock Chamber

Coboconk Chamber of Commerce

Peterborough & the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce

Havelock Chamber

As the colder weather approaches, the Coboconk & Norland area has exactly what you need to make your winter season cozy – and we want to reward you for it! The Coboconk, Norland & Area Chamber of Commerce has two shopping promotions approaching – a Fall shopping passport and a Winterlicious shopping scavenger hunt.

For many of us, nothing started off the holidays like getting that 20-pound Sears Wish Book delivered to our doors. You could spend hours flipping through the pages. Either looking for holiday gift ideas, or dog-earing pages for your parents to find.

Hoping this was the year you get that new bike.

Once you saw that book in your mailbox, you knew the holidays were on their way.

The Fall shopping passport launched in October and will be continuing until November 18th.

Participation is easy! Pick up your passport from the Chamber office or participating stores and get stamped for your purchases. On November 18th, we will draw three lucky winners from the completed passports to win one of three prizes.

The Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce would like to recreate that feeling again this year, but with a twist. It will all be online, and it will feature all local businesses.

We are heading toward the end of 2022 and the Havelock Chamber has a lot to look back on with pride and a lot to look forward to as it continues to grow. We can all be proud of the successful partnership with the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce, the Kawartha Chamber of Commerce and Tourism and the Millbrook & District Chamber of Commerce that resulted in a successful application for a Shop Ontario grant.

The grant money funded the Hometown Holiday promotion campaign last winter, with spots on local TV, radio, print, and significant social media exposure. As a result of that campaign, Chamber membership surged.

Our Winterlicious shopping scavenger hunt will launch on November 21 and last until December 23rd. Follow the prompts on our booklet, which can be picked up at the Chamber office or participating businesses and show us what you found at some of your favourite spots! A completed scavenger hunt earns you a place in another prize draw! This is the perfect opportunity to support local, win some great prizes, and celebrate community this Holiday season. You might even find the perfect gift for a loved one as you complete the hunt!

From November 17th to January 7th, you can visit the Love Local Holiday website (lovelocalholidays. ca) and cruise through a directory of Chamber Member products and services. This online Wishlist will showcase and promote local products/services for all your gift-giving needs, allowing you to check everything off your list.

If small town charm calls to you, be sure to check out our Santa Claus parade on the first Sunday of December! This tradition has been a staple in our area for over 50 years, and we are excited to be able to continue to bring our communities together for holiday cheer year after year.

From baked goods and home décor to clothing and delicious meals, our communities have something for everyone. Our businesses are part of what makes our communities unique, and we are always finding more hidden gems.

We can’t wait to share those gems with you!

by Hayley Phoenix-Winterburn

Shop all season long during our Love Local Holiday campaign!

On top of our Wishlist, there will be a Love Local Auction. Utilizing the ShopCloseBuy platform, we are building an online auction full of local products and services for bidding. The auction will run for 12 days beginning November 17th and ending on November 30th.

The renewed activity led to regular meetings in the spring, the election of new directors Laurie Goldsmith, Dave Sharpe, and Phillip Jolicoeur to the board. Rae McCutcheon, long-time president of the chamber (one of the original founding members) has moved into the Past President position and director Paul Stevens is the new president.

The general member's meetings paused over the summer and resumed in September when the chamber faced a new challenge. The effort to update the chamber's website came to a sudden standstill when the service provider announced they were going out of business. Fortunately, a new provider with an extremely supportive technical section is lined up, and work on a new website is progressing.

‘Feel like a big deal’ this year and be a love local champion.

Recognizing that a healthy business environment in a small-town needs support from multiple places, the Havelock Chamber has actively sought participation from community organizations and individuals. In addition to memberships from long-term members of the business community, the chamber is seeing interest and increasing membership from new businesses and small start-ups, often owned and run by people new to the area.

This holiday, whether you are shopping for someone you love, or for yourself, remember to visit the LoveLocalHoliday.ca site and support our local businesses. Happy Love Local Holidays!

Success in small rural communities requires an "all hands on deck" approach. The Havelock Chamber is proud to be a strong member of the growing Havelock-Belmont-Metheun crew.

The Chamber’s Love Local Holidays platform will help consumers find the best gifts this holiday season. But it is also a way to support our local businesses. Every time you support a local business you are supporting a family in our area. You are contributing to the local economy. You are helping our community.

50 Christmas 2022 ~ Cottage Country Lifestyle Magazine

Explore Cottage Country

Since 1994

Home & Cottage ~ Christmas 2022 51