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26 Articles

WEBINAR ON CHANGES TO CAPITAL GAINS Have you been wondering how the recently announced capital gains tax inclusion rate increase may affect you? Well, if you are in the process of handing down your cottage (or you plan to), it likely will. Luckily, with the help of succession expert and estate planning lawyer Peter Lillico, we can help! We recently hosted a webinar where Peter explained how much tax you can expect to pay under the new proposed rate and strategies for saving money on capital gains. Gain access to the webinar by signing up for Family Matters, our free newsletter on all things cottage succession, at cottagelife.com/newsletters. And keep your eye on cottagelife.com as we continue to cover the rate increase. The weekend starts in your inbox We’re adding a newsletter to…

Graham Roumieu “I’m one of those classic stories of the kid who drew in class,” says Toronto-based illustrator Graham Roumieu. “I started with drawing Transformers in grade school, mostly in the margins of my notebooks.” And Graham hasn’t stopped drawing since. (Though his repertoire has expanded beyond transformable robots.) Throughout Graham’s 23-year career, he’s contributed graphics to Disney, DreamWorks, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and many others. He’s also created a trio of Bigfoot-themed books, and has illustrated every Cottage Glossary since its debut in our May ’23 issue. “I always try to add a bit of a surprise factor,” says Graham of his approach to the illustrations. For this issue’s edition? “You know if that piece of toast goes in the water it’s doomed.” See the scene…

Editor’s Note: Here’s to the little things

ON SUMMER EVENINGS at the cottage, we eat dinner early. We wash and put away the dishes by 6:30 p.m., at the latest. This cuts into our cheese-eating and wine-sipping time at happy hour, but that’s a small price to pay for what comes later. Once the last crumbs are off the counter, we walk to the car with purpose, like the home team headed to bat. My husband drives, and the kids hop in the back while I play DJ from the passenger seat. I always choose a singalong tune—the Beatles, maybe, or Dua Lipa’s latest—as we drive from our rental cottage to Kincardine, Ont., just a few kilometres up the shore. We put the windows down so the breeze off Lake Huron can get at our sun-kissed faces, our…

Editor’s Note: Here’s to the little things

Your Letters: What’s the story, morning glory?

The case for water witching I’m responding to “The $12,000 Hole to Nowhere” (May ’24), which seems to dismiss divining or witching as a means of locating a water well. My neighbour, an older man, insisted he knew how to find groundwater by divining. Using a forked stick, he pinpointed a spot on our property that he said would produce water. I drove a spike into the ground and called another water witcher. Before he arrived, I removed the spike and put an innocuous pebble in its place. The second man went over the area from several angles and settled on the same spot as the first water witcher. Both men said a drill on that spot would intersect two seams of water. Sure enough, as the drill bore down, it hit a…

Your Letters: What’s the story, morning glory?

How you can help update Ontario’s Breeding Bird Atlas

COTTAGE COUNTRY FIGURES prominently in a push to wrap up the latest version of Ontario’s Breeding Bird Atlas. With the five-year census entering its fourth spring, Mike Burrell, the project’s coordinator with the Canadian Wildlife Service (one of five government and non-profit organizations partnering on the atlas) is looking to recruit citizen scientists to tally bird observations during the breeding season, from May 24 until late July. Volunteers are especially needed in central Ontario; that region has the most gaps in terms of data. “Cottagers are the best bet for getting coverage in places where we don’t have a lot of permanent residents,” says Burrell. “The biggest gaps are from North Bay to Parry Sound, Algonquin Provincial Park through the Ottawa Valley, and all the way to Sault Ste. Marie.” Currently…

How you can help update Ontario’s Breeding Bird Atlas

A shoreline project in Wabamun Lake, Alta.

AT WABAMUN LAKE, in central Alberta, the shoreline has been eroding for more than 60 years. This lake is naturally subject to water events, such as heavy wave action and ice quakes (expansion of ice onto the shore during high water). Then, there are the human contributions. “I think it was an unintended consequence, but people who were coming out to the lake wanted a clear view—they didn’t want to have any vegetation between them and the water,” says Stan Franklin, a former board member of the Wabamun Watershed Management Council (WWMC). Historically, much of Wabamun Lake’s shores were lined with reed beds, composed of bulrush plants. The bulrushes, which can withstand a lot of water turbulence, served as a natural water break for other plants, such as cattails, which can’t…

A shoreline project in Wabamun Lake, Alta.

Reporter: Berry cool, storm sighting & game’s on

BLUE’S CLUES Shocking news: blueberries aren’t actually blue. Whaaa? It’s true, according to recent research published in the journal Science Advances. “Blueberries are observably blue; however, the pigments found in blueberries are not,” explain the researchers. According to the study, it’s “nanostructures” in the berry’s waxy outer coating that scatter blue and UV light in a way that makes us perceive the fruit as blue. While scientists knew that the coating had functions—to repel water, for example—this research shows that it plays a role in the fruit’s colouration too. These findings could have applications in bioengineering, say the researchers, including the development of edible blue paint. What a time to be alive. THAT TRACKS Ahead of Canadian thunderstorm season—it peaks in July, FYI—Environment and Climate Change Canada marked the completion of a multi-year…

Wedding crashers that came out from under the dock

OUR SON, KYLE, and our daughter-in-law, Sam, were married at beautiful St. Peter’s Church on the Rock on Stony Lake, Ont., in July 2022. The church was enchanting, the cottage was beautiful, and the guests had a wonderful time. Because St. Peter’s is on an island, there was a fair amount of planning needed to transport all the guests from the cottage to the church. Everything went off without a hitch. Well, that’s not completely true. Guests started arriving at our cottage at 2:00 p.m. We’d lined up pontoon boats to pick them up from our dock and boat them to the island where the historic church is located. At one point, with so many guests moving onto the floating dock preparing to board the boats, the dock, large, but not…

Wedding crashers that came out from under the dock

Cookbooks based on board games

ARE RECIPES BASED on board games the next big thing in cookbooks? Last year, Ulysses Press produced a book of recipes based on the best-selling Settlers of Catan. This spring, they released Ticket to Ride: The Official Cookbook, featuring dishes inspired by the popular train-travel adventure game. We’re absolutely getting in on this before the trend explodes. (Don’t steal our ideas, Ulysses Press.)* EAT, DRINK, AND BE GREEDY MONEY-MAKING MONOPOLY DISHES POSSIBLE RECIPES INCLUDE Pacific Avenue Salmon Marvin Garden Salad Boardwalk Corn Dogs GRILL UP SOME MURDER THE OFFICIAL CLUE BBQ COOKBOOK POSSIBLE RECIPES INCLUDE Colonel Mustard-Glazed Ribs Smoked Duck with Professor Plums Mr. Green Chile Steak Rub 11 POINTS RECIPES INSPIRED BY SCRABBLE POSSIBLE RECIPES INCLUDE Winner, Winner Triple Word Score Chicken Dinner How You Use That “J” Flapjacks Zippy and Zesty Pizza *Ticket to Ride: The Official Cookbook ($40) is distributed by Simon & Schuster Canada (simonandschuster.ca).…

Cookbooks based on board games

This cottage purchase was a sister act

IN THE MID-2000S, Ellie Thiessen’s friends bought a cottage on Kushog Lake, Ont. As a regular visitor, Ellie, the general manager of a bookstore in Newmarket, Ont., quickly fell in love with cottage life. “The water was clean and great for swimming,” says Ellie. “And it’s a reasonable distance from the city.” From 2017 to 2019, Ellie rented a cottage on the lake with her family, including her two sisters, Tena, the director of operations for a staffing company in Toronto, and Linda, a dog walker, also in Toronto. By mid-2019, Ellie proposed to her sisters that the three of them go in on buying a cottage. “I thought she was nuts,” says Linda. The trio of sisters already owned condos or homes and didn’t think they could afford a vacation…

This cottage purchase was a sister act

Need a little assistance with your next DIY job? Try online coaching

FOR WEEKEND WARRIORS who have painted, tiled, or hammered themselves into corners, it’s smart to call for advice so you can work safely and more efficiently. Online DIY coaching—a virtual service that allows you to speak directly to an experienced contractor or fellow DIYer—can be more valuable than scrolling through random YouTube videos or seeking guidance from teenage clerks at the hardware store, says John Sanders, who launched Reno DIY (renodiy.ca) in March. “I’ll give the client the advice they need to take on their project as if I’m right beside them, except they do the work. Plus, I’ll provide a little cheerleading to keep spirits high,” says Sanders, a general contractor near Orillia, Ont., with 40 years of experience. After fielding hundreds of DIY questions from his customers, including ones about…

Need a little assistance with your next DIY job? Try online coaching

How to work with really tiny screws

ONCE YOU START repairing tools, appliances, and—if you’re adventurous—laptops and such, you’ll come across some very small screws. Some of these fasteners are only a few millimetres long, and working with them is threaded with tiny challenges. You don’t have tiny screwdrivers? A butter knife probably won’t work this time. Pick up a precision screwdriver set at the hardware store or online. The sets come with multiple heads to match those wee screws holding your laptop and small appliances together. You’ll need star-shaped Torx and pentalobe drivers for many electronic devices; slot and Phillips drivers for eyeglasses and battery covers. Sometimes, you can jam a tiny slot screwdriver in to turn Phillips and Torx screws, but that risks stripping the head. You stripped the head and the screw’s stuck? Try sheathing your tiny screwdriver…

How to work with really tiny screws

5 tips for sawdust control

1 THE OUTDOORS IS THE BEST SAWDUST COLLECTOR If you only work with wood now and then, choose a nice day—then sand, saw, and rout outside. A folding work station offers a great outdoor bench, with no need to sweep up when you’re done. 2 YOUR HEALTH NEEDS PROTECTION Unless you’ve got an effective dust collector protecting your lungs, wear a dust mask, especially when sanding. This applies even if you’re working outside, and is especially important if you’re sanding cedar or pressure-treated lumber: repeated exposure to some wood dust can trigger permanent allergic sensitivities. 3 A SHOP VACUUM NEEDS TO BE BIG When you’re using a table saw or chop saw in your workspace, you’ll get decent dust collection with a wet/dry vacuum connected to the dust port, but I find the vac needs…

5 tips for sawdust control

How to replace an on-off switch

WHEN MY SHOP VACUUM wouldn’t turn on, I started by investigating the switch. On many portable tools and small appliances, mechanical on-off switches—the ones with a satisfying click—can wear out, and they’re usually easy to replace. Before sleuthing, unplug the tool so it isn’t energized. Next, you’ll need to access the switch. Owners’ manuals with exploded views can assist with disassembly; otherwise, start with the fasteners that appear to hold the chassis together. Work carefully, check for hidden screws under labels, and record your steps with your smartphone camera (for reference when you’re putting it together again). Look for melted or darkened insulation, oxidation, or corrosion on and around the terminals. Sometimes, cleaning the switch terminals with a brass brush and replacing the wire clips can get you back in the game.…

How to replace an on-off switch

5 tools to help you magnify details, explore hidden spaces, and scan behind walls

5 tools to help you magnify details, explore hidden spaces, and scan behind walls

Replace a squeaky bearing

NEW SQUEAKING OR grinding sounds from an electric motor often indicate that a bearing needs to be replaced. Bearings are mechanical devices that reduce friction to help keep motor shafts spinning smoothly. With the power off, rotate the motor shaft by hand while listening for sounds from inside the housing where the bearings live. The movement should feel and sound smooth, not gritty. To get to the bearings, you may first have to remove a pulley or a gear from the shaft, which may be secured with set screws. Loosen the screws, and give the part a tug. If it doesn’t move easily, reach for a gear puller (see left). Holding the greased tip of the forcing screw in the dimple on the motor shaft end, place the jaws on the…

Replace a squeaky bearing

Helpful tools: a gear-puller

IF YOU NEED to remove a bearing (or a gear or pulley) from a shaft, a gear puller can grab it and pull, while keeping it aligned with the shaft so nothing jams or bends. These tools have a yoke with two or three jaws—I prefer three for even pull on all sides—and a central forcing screw. The jaws can also be flipped to reach inside a ring-shaped piece. Gear pullers come in a range of sizes: measure the distance from the shaft end to the opposite face of the bearing to determine which one you need.…

Helpful tools: a gear-puller

Cottage Q&A: Gutters with a flat roof; cottage burial options; lead-free fishing tackle; what kind of spider is this?; owls and mouse poison

Q: I have a cabin with a flat roof. We don’t have gutters because the snow and ice would rip them off. But not having gutters to divert the water is damaging the exterior of the building. What are my alternatives? —Matthew Schwab, via email A: First of all, your roof probably isn’t entirely flat. “In the roofing world, we recognize a flat roof to mean that there’s still at least a two per cent slope,” says Russell Richman, a professor at Toronto Metropolitan University and a building science consultant. And you can use gutters (a.k.a. eavestroughs) with such a roof. People do. Plus, the kind of eavestrough busting damage that you’re concerned about could happen even if the roof wasn’t flat. In fact, “a sloped roof could be more problematic…

Cottage Q&A: Gutters with a flat roof; cottage burial options; lead-free fishing tackle; what kind of spider is this?; owls and mouse poison

A healthy woodlot, no matter the size, can fight climate change and might even help your bank account

ONE YEAR, WITH the kind of gusto for tidying up that’s endemic across cottage country in early July, my husband, Steve, and I set out to clean up an abandoned woodpile. It had been festering in an overgrown tangle of trees by the shore. I lifted up one of the rotting logs and jumped—there, looking at me, sat an equally startled Eastern red-backed salamander. The small, dark, rust-coloured creature darted away. Steve and I looked at each other, and shifted more pieces of wood, catching glimpses of another, and another. We could hardly believe that inside this eyesore, just steps from the cottage, there was a secret world under our rotting logs. So we left it and its neighbouring firepit to fall apart in peace. In life, it’s a natural desire…

A healthy woodlot, no matter the size, can fight climate change and might even help your bank account

When prime waterfront property wasn’t an option, this clever couple built up so they could look out

CALL IT A real estate light bulb moment. When Peter Mogl-Maclean and Paula Washington began looking for land on which to build a cottage in Nova Scotia in 2020, Peter realized many otherwise prime coastline views were blocked by hills or trees. “I said to Paula, ‘There’s a lot of undervalued real estate if we recognize that our first floor should be 30 feet in the air,’ ” he says, with a laugh. The joke soon evolved into an exploration of, “What if?” After a year-long search, the couple found a narrow, 15-acre property that fit their budget near Broad Cove, a small community about 45 minutes south of Lunenburg. The land was littered with blown-down trees, but Peter and Paula could see the property’s potential. To know for sure, they…

When prime waterfront property wasn’t an option, this clever couple built up so they could look out

From trash to treasured: how one clever cottager upcycled his way to a perfect little escape

A VISIT TO Crystal Palace begins with a paddle. Or, as the case may be, a brush with shoreline authorities. “Area patrolled by Black Lab Security Co.,” warns the sign affixed to a red pine at the boat launch. I’m admiring this bright metal placard, complete with a canine silhouette, when I realize my own stocky shadow has snuck off. Great. We haven’t yet slid our canoe into Ragged Lake, a secret-feeling spot in the Shield country south of Bancroft, Ont., and already we are making waves. I find the trespasser on the deck of a nearby cottage, pestering the owner. “Not a problem,” he insists. My dog proceeds to sniff around the base of his barbecue, licking a few planks. Peering at us through a screen door, meanwhile, is the…

From trash to treasured: how one clever cottager upcycled his way to a perfect little escape

Insects and other tiny creatures you can't see play a huge role in the cottage-country ecosystem

SPENDING TIME AT the cottage involves spending time with creepy-crawlies, whether you love them or you hate them. Dock spiders and mosquitoes and water striders and bees…it’s a never-ending list. And those are only the ones that you actually see on a regular basis. Insects alone make up about 80 per cent of the world’s species, and they all play a huge role in the ecosystem. “Ants are often under-appreciated for all that they do,” says Bob Anderson, an entomologist at the Canadian Museum of Nature and a long-time CL source for all things buggy. “Tiny parasitoid wasps that people will never notice keep insect populations in check. Fly maggots, meanwhile, aid in decomposition of animal and plant material.” And some of the most miniscule of our cottage-country beasts—including minute…

Insects and other tiny creatures you can't see play a huge role in the cottage-country ecosystem

There are a million reasons to love the lake. Here, five of our writers tell us theirs

reflecting on the back deck—and the quiet whisper of memories FORTY-TWO YEARS ago, I landed on the island as a visitor and passed the pre-spousal cottage test. That meant simply to survive a weekend off-grid and show boundless enthusiasm. Mary and Jack, matriarch and patriarch, did their own thing. And, over the years, they showed me how to do the cottage thing, especially Mary, who was the beating heart of the cottage. When they weren’t down on the dock, my in-laws preferred the back deck. They got up early and drank coffee from bone China cups (after the war, Jack refused to drink from a mug). They folded their lean bodies into creaky metal chairs that faced toward the forest. They watched the morning sun start its grand arc toward the cottage’s…

There are a million reasons to love the lake. Here, five of our writers tell us theirs

How to fix three commonly found tiny leaks before they become big trouble

THE PROBLEM WITH cottage country? Too many drips. “Despite our best engineering, leaks still happen,” says Sean Peterson, a professor of mechanical and mechatronics engineering at the University of Waterloo. “Any sort of system or device we have, no matter what it is, eventually corrodes, wears down, or fails.” Don’t take it personally, it’s just physics. Peterson explains that high-pressure substances will always escape to low-pressure areas if they can. “Any pathway that emerges in the membrane separating the two provides a release,” Peterson says. Take a blow-up mattress, for example. When your cat—inevitably—claws a hole in it, the barrier containing the high-pressure air becomes compromised and the air just takes the path of least resistance out. Same goes for water escaping a pipe through a pinhole or blown connection. And…

How to fix three commonly found tiny leaks before they become big trouble

5 recipes that are quick bites for the beach, dock, or deck

ONE THING I learned as I got older and less cynical: summer is not actually endless. It’s always over far too soon, so when you can spend time on the dock with your friends, having a few snacks and drinks, that’s exactly where you must be. And these dishes—fresh, quick, and each with a little wow factor—are what you must be eating. I hope that you’ll treat these recipes as a vague set of loose recommendations: swap in the ingredients you have in the cupboard and don’t fuss if something is missing. Because if you’re in the kitchen worrying about following a recipe to the letter, you’re not down on the dock having fun and enjoying the non-eternal sunshine. LET’S GET CREATIVE. Two Middle Eastern mixes Falling somewhere between spice mixes and…

5 recipes that are quick bites for the beach, dock, or deck

The male pumpkinseed sunfish builds the nest and tends to the babies

The brightly hued, easy-to-catch pumpkinseed sunfish is commonly the most abundant set of fins in warm, weedy shallows from New Brunswick to Manitoba. There are also introduced populations in B.C.; they arrived from the U.S. via the Columbia River system. With powerful jaws and molar-like teeth, the squat, flat fish crush snail shells, mussels, and aquatic insect larvae after sucking them up from submerged plant beds and muddy water bottoms. Some lakes have subpopulations of more streamlined pumpkinseeds. They have smaller jaws and longer, denser gill rakers (internal spiny rows at the base of the gills) to better strain plankton above rocky offshore shoals. Between late May and mid-July, male sun-fish use their tail fins to sweep out circular nests in water that’s as shallow as 15 cm. The nests are as…

The male pumpkinseed sunfish builds the nest and tends to the babies

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