“You’ve got to be kidding,” states my teenage daughter. “I thought we were going to watch a cool movie tonight ... who are these old farts?”  She is holding up the DVD case, on which is a s... read more

I sometimes wonder how certain traditions come to be. I am, in fact, wondering now, as I hang precariously off the roof of my Muskoka home. My upper torso is suspended in space beyond the eaves... read more

A friend of mine was attacked by a beaver.  Now, don’t laugh, it’s true.  He told us so himself.  We were at the cottage and there were a few of us, outdoor types, sitting around the campfire e... read more

My sixteen year old son has started driving.  Now, I don’t mean to scare my readers by telling you this.  I do not in any way mean to infer that the roads of Cottage Country have become less safe.... read more

Cottage Prepping It has been a long winter and my wife and I are getting restless.  It is the drawback of the island cottage, there is a period of forced absence.  We have to wait until the l... read more

Men never grow up.  They think and act like children.  That is my conclusion, having conducted recent research. The Spring Cottage Life show at the end of March is the stage for my investigations... read more

They call me “The James Ross.” “What do you think of theJamesRoss.ca for your domain,” asked my web guru in all seriousness.  I had hired him to help me put together a personal writer’s ... read more