A Cottage Thanksgiving

The young maple at Shaman's Rock
 is an example of the outstanding
fall colours seen in the Dorset area

Notes from Canadian Thanksgiving at Shaman's Rock:

It was the finest Thanksgiving weekend in memory. Cloudless skies with temperatures double the average for mid-October. In some cottage country spots the thermometer hit 26 degrees Celsius.

Missing was the usual panic to get cottages on winter footing. People kicked back, soaked up the sunshine. Some even went swimming.

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The lineup of cars wanting to get up the hill to the Dorset Lookout was so long, two police patrols were called in to direct traffic. The wait was worth it. The leaves are brilliant this year. No matter where you might travel in October, there's probably no place that has better fall colour than the Dorset area. The bright sunshine and absence of wind left the lakes like mirrors, reflecting the shoreline foliage of the maples, oaks and birches for double the pleasure.
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The weather was perfect for a final spin in the boat. We checked the winter dock storage area--a protected little bay at the end of the lake. We found our main dock taken over by a family of beavers. They have piled sticks and mud over part of it to make a winter lodge.

It's a mess, but there was no use trying to pull apart their construction. They'll only rebuilt it. We're hoping that when the lake level rises in spring the dock will float free.


The beaver piled sticks and mud
against our dock to make a warm
and cozy winter house

Beaver have used fresh cedar
branches to conceal entrance
to their new house beneath the dock