The world has changed, and not for the better, since the last issue of CottageLink Magazine.
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The events of September 11 have touched all our lives in one way or another. Those fortunate enough to have been spared the loss of a loved one in a plane or at the World Trade Centre or the Pentagon are still confronted with a stalling economy and an atmosphere of dread as the events of a war no one expected unfolds daily. A number of my good friends have lost their jobs as a result of the recession that followed on the heels of 9/11 - in the media, automotive and travel industries.
We’ve become afraid to leave our safe cocoons, to book a ticket on a plane or leave our shores. That’s a natural reaction, I suppose, but one that we must overcome in the months ahead of us. Because the only tactic the enemy has is inflicting fear, and to cower gives them a victory they do not deserve.
Obviously, it’s in my best interest to encourage travel and perhaps this will be a boon for cottagers and renters, who will elect to stay closer to home next year where we are more certain of protection. But while I’m a big proponent of the value of the cottage experience, I also believe in seeing the world and travelling to the corners of the globe that compel and fascinate us on television, film and literature, to see it for yourself. It’s sad that doing so may become an act of bravery, but I also think of it as a demonstration of patriotism. Travel is an important part of personal growth and the main ingredient of adventure and developing perspective on the human condition.
That doesn’t mean you can’t locate the meaning of life from the end of your dock - indeed, if your children are splashing around in the water below you, that’s exactly where you’ll find it. But the world - with all its problems - still beckons. And we mustn’t be afraid to explore it - for our own sake.
Glenn Garnett/Editor, CottageLink Magazine
For nearly a century now, cottagers have been extolling the virtues of the Adirondack chair. Of course, on this side of the border, we refer to them as Muskoka chairs. Whatever you call them, their unique design and surprising comfort have made them a mainstay of cottages across the continent. And it all began on a summer holiday in upstate New York. See story 1.
Medieval villages surrounded by ancient walls and moats. Grand castles built by mad monarchs, gingerbread houses lining cobblestone streets. Add Bavarian cuisine and amazing scenery and you’ve got a vacation journey that’s the stuff of romance - a Romantic Road we’ll travel in story 2.
The much-maligned wolf can’t catch a break. There are few laws protecting its dwindling population they’re burdened by ancient myths that threaten them with eventual extinction on the continent, much as they’ve disappeared from countries like England, France and Japan. What they need is a good public relations campaign, and we’re glad to assist in that effort . Check out story 3.
If my office is any indication, the country’s mad preoccupation with getting away from it all between Canada Day and Labour Day is beginning to ease somewhat, with the realization that a warm and sunny cottage adventure can also be had in June and September. Islands of vacation opportunity are opening in the snowy months as well, as families take to snowmobiling, cross-country and downhill skiing. As the so-called “shoulder seasons” are broadening, it’s a good time to take a look at widening the year-round rental appeal of your cottage. CottageLink’s own Craig White considers the possibilities and offers some timely tips in story 4.
In our spring issue, we’ll talk to landscaper/master woodworker Ian MacDonald about some interesting ideas for sprucing up your cottage property. And perhaps the first thing you’ll want to do is take care of that poison ivy - we’ll take a look at that age-old biological hazard. We’ll also look into hazards facing your pet at the cottage, and how you can protect them. All that and more in our March/April 2002 issue.
If you have any comments or suggestions on articles you’d like to see in CottageLink Magazine, just drop me a line at cggarnett@telus.net. Remember - this is your magazine!
Cover photo: Sunset on St. Margaret’s Bay, Nova Scotia, by Mike Savoy
