Signs of Spring

Spring has finally chased back winter for another year and now the clean-up begins. We’re busy painting cottages, repairing the winter damage to the playground and cleaning up the branches that seem to materialize from nowhere. (Yes, we know they come from the trees.)

The most tell-tale sign of spring is that the ice is out and the loons have returned to Pen Lake. It’s magical to hear their calls across the mist in the early morning (We haven’t captured them on film yet this year - this picture is from last fall).

With the ice gone from the lake, people sometimes ask ‘Can we swim yet?’. And the answer is…only if you’re really brave. The temperature is suitable for polar bears and penguins (not that we have any around these parts) but it’s a little chilly for humans. Still, it won’t be long before the sun starts warming the shallows and we can dip more than our toes in.

May is fast approaching and, with it, these holidays and local events:

• May 1 - Algonquin Park Visitor Centre is open daily throughout May, but ice is not out on all lakes in the park yet


• May 8 – Mother’s Day - You didn’t forget, right? Why not surprise her with a trip to Muskoka and a stay at Colonial Bay?


• May 19-23 – Victoria Day Weekend (affectionately known as May 2-4) and the ‘official’ start of the summer season. Join us!!


• May 21 - Muskoka Heritage Place opens for the season - get a dose of local history, ride the Portage Flyer and enjoy some old-time sweets


• May 26 - Huntsville Farmers’ Market starts Thursdays after the long weekend from 9 am to 2 pm. Check out what grows around here and support local vendors too.


• And at Algonquin Theatre: The Music Man, a locally produced show, runs May 1 and 5-7; the Take a Ride Tour with blues tunes from the Jimmy Bowskill Band is on May 11; and For the Love o’ Nat, a tribute to Nat King Cole, appears May 19.

We hope you had a wonderful Easter and look forward to seeing you and your family soon!
Bruce, Nicolle, Luke, Ben and Addie

Easter long weekend

It’s Spring (…really, it is!) and what better way to celebrate both Easter and Earth Day than communing with nature in Muskoka? We’re happy to see signs that Spring has arrived despite a recent dusting of snow. In fact, just in time for Easter, the landscape is looking very much like a Spring bunny: white with patches of brown poking through. Mother Nature has a great sense of humour.

Crocuses and tulips have started popping up in sunny spots, the first tentative buds have begun appearing on the trees, and there’s open water at the shoreline. There’s something magical about the day the ice disappears from the lake and with the forecast calling for a return to double digit temperatures and mainly sunny skies, it won’t be long before the ice is gone.

So other than watching the ice melt, what’s there to do on a spring weekend in Muskoka? The lack of leaf cover on trees makes it a great time to spot wildlife – there are lots of deer sightings right now and the bears are making their first tentative forays from winter dens. Cooler evenings and mornings are great for curling up in front of a fire with a good book or a board game. And there are a few local events happening this weekend if you want to venture further than your Colonial Bay cottage:

• For art enthusiasts and lovers of Algonquin Park, there’s a painting exhibition at the Algonquin Visitor Centre from Friday April 22 to Monday April 25. In the spirit of the Group of Seven, Philip Sworden explores the iconic landscapes of Algonquin Park.


• For hockey fans, the Huntsville Otters host the Dudley Hewitt Cup from April 19-23.


• And for the kids, the Muskoka Heritage Place Annual Easter Egg Hunt is Sunday, April 24 from 12-1. Goodies are provided by The Nutty Chocolatier. And it’s free!

This is one of the few 4-day long weekends of the year (if you’re fortunate enough to have both Good Friday and Easter Monday off) and we have some cottages available. As always, you can book online here.

We look forward to seeing you soon!
Bruce, Nicolle, Luke, Ben and Addie