In case you missed the article, Retire to the Cottage, in the March/April edition of Cottage Magazine (page 46-47), and you’re considering retiring to your vacation property, it might be worth picking up a copy. OK, so I’m the author, but all that aside writing this article made me stop and think about where and how I planned to spend my retirement years.

Thanks in part to the B.C. government’s new “green” budget, hefty taxes are being slapped on gasoline. This makes owning and maintaining a cottage on Vancouver Island increasingly expensive. The cost to take the ferry is up 28% over last year as a result of fleet upgrades and with rising gas prices. We currently pay $200 round trip. Assuming the cost to take the ferry rises 10% annually, in 15 years I can expect to pay $835 round trip.

And then there are the property taxes. Escalating property values continue to drive up my annual assessments. In 2007 our property was assessed at $292,500. Our tax bill was $1,284. This year our property is assessed at $365,200. I estimate our 2008 tax bill will likely be $1,600. Our taxes increased 25% in this year alone. Assuming a conservative increase of 10% a year, in 15 years our tax bill will be over $6,000. These inflated tax bills are are forcing many long-term cottagers out of their waterfront properties.

While most of the article tends to focus on the social issues of living at the cabin year round, building a new social network and adjusting to reduced amenities, it was Ralph Hahmann, a financial adviser with Dundee Wealth Management, who made me realize the financial implications are just as important. Hahmann recommends people talk to a tax planner, not an income tax prepared but a tax planner.

When it comes to retiring to the cabin, most people, myself included tend to think more about the lifestyle and the physical dwelling rather than financial sustainability. I now realize it’s equally important to have my financial house in order too.

Cheers,

Julie

It’s snowing in Ottawa and most of eastern Canada, the prairies, and Alberta are buried under a blanket of snow. The May long weekend is 12 weeks away. On Vancouver Island, B.C, Horne Lake doesn’t get warm up until July. So why am I out shopping for swim suits now and telling everyone to do the same?

Selection. The swim suits are just hitting the shelves and now is the best time to get them. The Lands End Kid’s catalog arrived on our doorstep yesterday loaded with colourful swim wear. My kids usually swim in a rash guard shirt to protect them against the sun. This catalog is brimming with vibrant short and long-sleeve rash guard shirts that offer 50 UPF.

I did a quick online survey to comparing Old Navy, Gap and Lands End to see who had the best selection and prices. Old Navy emerged the clear winner on price, but their shirts aren’t as colourful as Gaps or Lands’ End. A boy’s surf shirt sells for $14.50 compared to Lands End and Gap whose both sell for $19.50.

I like Old Navy’s selection for boys, but for girls, the Gap’s colours and designs are fun and very girly (see above photo), especially if you’re not into catalog shopping. Lands’ End swim wear is definitely more expensive but when it comes to co-ordinating and accessorizing they beat everyone else hands down. Their white bathing suit cover-ups with bright fuchsia hibiscus are gorgeous. If you like things that match, Lands’ End’s lime green and blue beach towels are colour co-ordinated with kids shorts and tops. They will even monogram them for you. Too much.

I am off to load up on this year’s swim trunks, well ahead of the March break crowd. As for myself, I think I will hold off, at least for now. Bathing suit shopping for me is an entirely different experience.

Cheers,

Julie

There’s only one thing better than hot buttered popcorn - sweet caramelized maple popcorn. Taken from The Sapsucker, the local Vancouver Island maple syrup producers bi-annual newsletter, this sticky crunchy treat is a winner.

I must admit, I don’t eat sugar, but a lone kernel found it’s way into my mouth - and was it ever good. This is a fun snack to make with the kids.

Caramelized Maple Popcorn

• 1/2 cup popping corn
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup bigleaf maple syrup ( I used Canada No.1 medium maple syrup - store grade)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pop enough corn to make 10 - 12 cups. Place in a large roasting pan and set aside. In a small saucepan melt butter then mix in syrup, brown sugar and salt. Boil for five minutes without stirring. Don’t let it get to hot, I burned my first batch. Remove from heat then stir in baking soda and vanilla extract. Pour mixture over popcorn and mix well. Bake for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Looking for a good all-round barbecue sauce? The Ontario Maple Syrup Producers have a terrific website loaded with maple based recipes. Maple Syrup Barbecue Sauce is one that I have had great success with. It works well in a slow cooker with 3 lbs of ribs cut into 2 inch length pieces.

Maple Syrup Barbecue Sauce

• 3/4 cup (175 ml) pure maple syrup
• 1 cup (250 ml) ketchup
• 2 tsp (10 ml) grated lemon rind, optional
• 1 cup (250 ml) onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup (50 ml) brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/4 cup (50 ml) lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup (50 ml) water
• 1/2 tsp (2 ml) salt
• 2 Tbsp (30 ml) garlic, finely chopped or crushed
• 1/2 tsp (2 ml) coriander, optional

Combine all ingredients in medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, uncovered, in refrigerator for up to 1 month. Yield: about 4 cups (1 L).

Cheers,

Julie

The gray plastic spigot is placed in the newly drilled angled hole, just inside the thick greyish-brown tree bark. A plastic pail is hung to catch the sap that will slowly pour from the trunk. Over the next 36 hours, 100 litres of sap will be collected from this tree and boiled down to make 1.5 litres of maple syrup. Remarkable considering an average sugar maple tree in eastern Canada only produces 35 to 50 litres of sap, and that’s over six weeks.

These are no ordinary maple trees. The Big Leaf Maple is the largest maple tree grown in Canada. Indigenous to B.C’s coastal forests, its sap has less sugar content the traditional Sugar Maple or the Hard Maple, but what it lacks in sweetness, it makes up for in volume.

Tapping for Gold

Locals on Vancouver Island have been making maple syrup for their own use for years. Commercial production began in 2005. It’s estimated there are over 600 tappers throughout the Island. Last year over 60,000 litres of sap was collected or the equivalent of 1,000 litres of syrup.

While the industry is small, the demand for the liquid gold is great. According to Gary Backlund, owner of a small managed forest on the north side of Ladysmith harbour, the syrup sells for up to $100 a litre. “We can’t keep it in stock. It sells out,” he explains. Most people are not putting it on their pancakes, but treating it as a specialty cooking product like saffron.

More Flavourful Taste

The Big Leaf Maple syrup is constantly being compared to its eastern cousins, and while some samplers say it tastes the same, others find it less sweet, more aromatic. Backlund states there is a huge difference between the Island syrup and what you buy at Costco, “It has lots of flavour: maple, coffee, vanilla, licorice, carmel blended with butterscotch.”

Unfortunately this year’s season which starts in November is coming to an end. Next year I will be making a trip over to Vancouver Island to attend the Maple Syrup Festival held in Duncan’s B.C. Forest Discover Centre. Judging by this year’s crowds, I had better get there early. For highlights of the Festival visit Don Genova’s Blog and download the audio file.

Tomorrow a treat for the kids - Caramelized Maple Popcorn

Cheers,

Julie

Yes for those lucky folks in Eastern Canada, the arrival of spring heralds the start of the maple syrup festivals. From Warkworth to Sunderland, the sap is running and the golden fluffy pancakes are dripping in the sweet amber liquid.

Canada produces about 85% of the world’s maple syrup, selling more than 32,500 tonnes to over 45 different countries. As a child I would go with my parents to the sugar bush and wait while the hot syrup was poured onto the snow then carefully wrapped around a popsicle stick. The golden toffee literally melted in my mouth.

The festivals taking place throughout southern Ontario during the month of March are a great opportunity to see and hear all about the production process. For example, an average tree will yield between 35 to 50 litres of sap to produce 1 to 1.5 litres of syrup. All maple syrup is graded by colour and number. Canada #1 Extra Light is the creme de la creme and is made from the first run of the season. It’s also the most expensive. Canada No.2 is an amber syrup and arrives near the end of the cycle. Canada No.3 is dark. A 50 ml serving of maple syrup contains 167 calories, 43 grams of sugar, 117 mg of potassium and 7 mg of sodium.

To find a festival in your area, click on Ontario Maple Syrup Festivals 2008 for more information. If you don’t happen to live in Ontario, you can join our online celebration at CottageDaily.com where all this week we will be featuring maple syrup recipes like Maple Syrup Barbecue and how the folks on Vancouver Island are producing a maple syrup that sells for over $100 a litre.

Cheers,

Julie

In honour of Sunday night’s Academy Awards, and my upcoming GIRLS weekend, I thought it only fitting to devote today’s blog to movies. There is nothing more satisfying, other than waterskiing on a calm lake, than watching a good chick flick.

Saturday nights at the cottage are an ideal time to curl up with a big bowl of popcorn (see Hell’za poppin for how-to make popcorn the old fashion way) and an entertaining film. Below, in no particular order, are the best guy flicks followed by the best chick flicks.

Best Guy Flicks

• Matrix
• The Bourne Identity/Supremacy/Ultimatum
• Casino Royale
• Gone in 60 Seconds
• Terminator & Terminator 2
• Braveheart
• Bladerunner
• The Wedding Crashers
• Old School
• The Fast and the Furious
• Oceans 11
• Enter the Dragon
• Die Harder
• Highlander
• The Last Boy Scout
• Full Metal Jacket

Best Chick Flicks

• The Devil Wears Prada (love the soundtrack too)
• Love Actually
• Bridget Jones Diary
• Something’s Gotta Give (my dream house)
• How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
• Little Miss Sunshine
• Juno (sorry, I know it’s not out in video - but this one is destined for greatness)
• The Notebook
• Pretty Woman (it’s the shopping scenes that get me)
• Serendipity (John Cussack is pure eye candy)
• 13 Going on 30
• Murriel’s Wedding (who doesn’t love ABBA????)

Have I missed one? Leave me a comment and tell me your favourite.

Cheers,

Julie

While the guys are fine with chowing down on nachos and cold pizza, the girls are a little more particular about what they eat. The key to a good weekend is not to fuss, but still manage to provide good food. Nobody wants to be stuck in the kitchen and miss the opportunity to pour through the latest editions of People or In Style magazines.

As hostess, I have the challenge of providing a menu that can accommodate a wide range of tastes, diets and allergies. When in doubt keep it simple. So here are some breakfast and snack ideas for keeping my guests well fed this weekend.

Breakfast - Buffet Style

• Liberte Yogurt - lemon is my favourite, but I buy their small containers in a variety of flavours
• Home made granola - see Horne Lake Granola -not to sweet, but lots of crunch
• Fresh Squeezed orange juice (available at my grocery store)
• Strawberries and bananas
• Coffee - Starbucks (Vancouverites love their “buckers”)

Apres Ski

• French loaf (pre-baked - just heat for 10 minutes)
• Double Cream Pepper Brie
• Sliced granny smith apples & green grapes
• Smoked almonds
• Gray Monk’s Pinot Gris or Niersteiner Kabinett (light fruity inexpensive German wine)

I must admit this is the first time I’ve done an all girls ski weekend. I’m not sure how much enthusiasm there will be for late night partying. I As an alternative to the crowded bars and 20 somethings, I’ve decided to pack our poker kit complete with cheat sheets. After all, if it works for the guys…

Cheers,

Julie

It’s only Tuesday, but all I can think about is my upcoming girls ski weekend. Surprisingly, only four in ten Canadians have vacationed without their partners.  Even more staggering is that a mere six percent regularly take separate holidays (I’m among the six percent), according to a survey done by Expedia.ca/Ipsos Reid.

It’s not that I don’t love traveling with my husband - we have a blast together, but a girls weekend is an entirely different experience then say a weekend getaway with my spouse.

For starters, a girls get together is kinda like a love-in. It’s a healthy, nurturing kind of fun; the exact opposite of an all male testosterone filled golf weekend; the kind my husband goes on every year.  While we both look forward to our annual jaunts, there is a marked difference in our experiences. Here are just are just a few of my observations between his versus hers holidays.

For starters girls value their food.  The menu decided on well in advance. Groceries are purchased and reservations confirmed. When the girls go out for dinner, outfits are carefully selected and we arrive at the restaurant looking drop-dead gorgeous.

With the guys “food” is usually purchased at a 7-11 and liquor store. The men tend to snack on junk food most of the day. Somewhere around 10 p.m. they’ll realize they haven’t eaten and will commence searching for a restaurant that’s open. They usually end up at a steak house or burger joint that serves good wings and has TVs in every corner.  When it comes to appearance if there are no visible stains and it passes the underarm sniff test, then they’re good to go.

Girls - Ask to see a wine list

Guys - Ask what’s on tap?

Girls - Ask for a dessert menu

Guys - Ask for another draft.

Girls prefer to sleep in, do some yoga or gentle stretching, eat a healthy breakfast and then set out on the day’s activities: usually shopping, golf or skiing (depends where we are) maybe some kayaking.

Guys This is the only time they are eager to rise at the crack of dawn.  They’ll  stumble out of bed, drink some coffee and start the first of two rounds of back to back golf. Around noon they’ll eat a tube steak and wash it down with several beer. Over the course of the day they will proceed to lose money betting on various holes. They’ll likely cap off the afternoon with a cigar and more beer. Goal is to play as many rounds of golf in a single day.

Girls like to stay up late talking and drinking wine

Guys like to stay up late playing Texas Hold’em and drinking beer

Girls - Get tired go to bed

Guys - Get tired start doing shooters

Girls - Arrive home happy, full of energy and feeling a tad guilty for having shopped so much.

Guys - Arrive home tired, hung-over and a tad guilty for having gambled so much.

Did I miss anything? I would love to hear about your gals or guys weekend!

Cheers,

Julie

It’s Saturday night, and after a good four hour snowmobile ride throughout the Qu’Appelle Valley region of Saskatchewan, the Nelson’s are curled up in front of the fire watching a movie. Earlier in the evening, Noray Nelson, age 20, decided to clean out the embers from the fireplace in order to lite a new one. Using a plastic bucket, he scoops the ashes into the pail, and places it outside the front door.

A little while later, Noray’s dad hears banging. Thinking it’s nothing, Noray gets up, and casually ambles over to the front door to investigate. He opens it, and is greeted by flames shooting up the outside wall of the cabin. The cottage is on fire. Fortunately, neighbors out for a walk see the flames and are able to bring it quickly under control by throwing snow on it.

There is a good lesson in here for all of us cottagers. Just because a fire is out, doesn’t mean the coals are not still active. In Noray’s case, he saw a couple of ambers when he was cleaning out the ashes, but didn’t think anything of it. It’s also not a good idea to use a plastic bucket to store ashes. The live coals melted the bucket, and then started a fire on the wooden deck beneath it. From there it quickly spread up the side of the cabin wall.

The cabin sustained some scorch marks but nothing significant. It just goes to show that fires can happen at any time of day, and now with so many folks spending the weekends at their cabins and using their fireplaces, people need to be exercise caution.

Cheers,

Julie

This weekend kicks off the great backyard bird count - see Backyard Bird Count story for more details. I have put out extra seeds hoping to entice more birds into my yard. Is this considered cheating?

The Black Capped Chickadees and Dark eyed Junco’s come to the backyard feeder between 8 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. for breakfast, while the front yard feeder gets the most action between 2 - 3 p.m, with sparrows.

Several days ago, our backyard was filled with American Robins. They were feasting on an orange berry we had on our bushes.

Last year, only 24 people in B.C. participated in the Great Backyard Bird Count. I’m hoping we’ll have more participants this year. Click here to download a tally sheet and start counting.

Cheers,

Julie