Nature in Disguise

Tamaracks (photo courtesy of Ontario Parks)

Fall in Muskoka is synonymous with the colourful show put on by the sugar maples, birch, aspen and red oaks. But amongst those deciduous beauties is a pretender whose colours are peaking now: the Tamarack.

Also known as the Larch, the Tamarack is a deciduous conifer – a tree with needles that are shed in the fall. The Tamarack is a brilliant yellow this time of year, in stark contrast to the surrounding evergreens and barren deciduous trees that have already lost their leaves. Their unexpected colour prompts some to ask why they’re dying—they’re not. Their soft, bluish-green needles will return in the spring.

Ruffed Grouse at Limberlost Forest Reserve

The Tamarack’s autumn “disguise” as a deciduous tree is right out in the open, but other animals in Muskoka blend right in to their surroundings this time of year. A stellar example is the Ruffed Grouse, which can be difficult to spot any time of year as it makes its way through the undergrowth. Often, the only time you see one is when you almost step on it—it flies off in a ruckus, leaving you startled and it safely hidden before you realize what’s happened.

And then, of course, are the animals who

Snowshoe Hare (photo courtesy of the
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources)

adapt with the seasons like the Snowshoe Hare. A rusty brown in the summer, it turns white in the winter so that it mostly blends in with the snow. (The better to hide from its abundant predators: lynx, bobcats, fishers, owls, coyotes and wolves.)

Finally, there’s the creature most adept at disguising itself: the human child at Halloween. In search of its main prey—candy—they go to great lengths to alter their appearance to capture their treats. In Muskoka, a great place to see them in their natural habitat is at Muskoka Heritage Place Great Pumpkin Trail on October 31:

This 25th Annual Community Event is a great alternative to having your children go door to door through busy streets in traffic, in the dark. Held in the Pioneer Village within the gates of Muskoka Heritage Place, this traffic free and youngster driven Hallowe'en event proves as much of a social event for the parents as it is for the kids. From 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with last admission 7:30 p.m. Cost: $3.00 per head (head must be attached to a body) or $10.00 per family.

With the leaves mostly gone and the first sprinklings of snow arriving this week, our thoughts have turned to winter activities. Don’t forget all that winter in Muskoka has to offer: alpine and cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, skating, snowmobiles, snow forts, snowmen and more! (Or cozy up next to a warm fire with a good book...you don’t have to go outside!)

We hope you’ll visit our winter wonderland this year,

The Howell Family

Giving Thanks in Muskoka

Living and operating a small resort in Muskoka gives us much to be thankful for: beautiful lakeside views, a friendly community and great guests. We’re grateful that you choose to spend your vacation time with us (or that you’re maybe considering it!).

We’re also grateful for the abundance of local producers who provide delicious produce, meats, preserves and honey. At this time of year, when turkey and cranberries are on almost everyone’s mind, we thought we’d remind you that Muskoka is home to two commercial cranberry marshes. Both—Johnston’s Cranberry Marsh and Iroquois Cranberry Growers—are in Bala. Every October on the weekend following Thanksgiving, you can join the entire town of Bala in celebrating all things cranberry at the Bala Cranberry Festival. The highlight of the festival is the marsh tours but if you can’t make it that weekend, you can also visit the marshes throughout October to see how the cranberries are harvested. Check their websites for details, or watch this video from the Rick Mercer Report a few years ago to get a quick lesson in cranberries.

Thanksgiving dinner wouldn’t be complete without cranberry sauce (and that doesn’t mean the gelatinous goop that comes in a can). Here’s one of the best cranberry sauce recipes around—tart with a rich cranberry flavour—and super easy to make. If you try it (and we think you should!) you can adjust the sugar to your taste.

Killer Cranberry Sauce (source unknown)

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ c sugar
• 1 navel orange
• ½ tsp. grated ginger
• 4 c. fresh or frozen cranberries
• ½ c toasted pecans (optional)

Instructions:

1. Grate the orange peel and add to a pot with the sugar and ginger. Add the juice from the orange and simmer over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Add cranberries and cook until most of them have popped (about 5 minutes).
3. Add pecans (optional).
4. Cool and serve.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

The Howell Family