MacGregor’s Curse! New Release by Muskoka Author Wendy Truscott
“MacGregor’s Curse” is a gripping and adventurous coming-of-age YA story written by Muskoka author Wendy B. Truscott that tackles themes of revenge, family, and grief.
Kaitlyn Sutey, Books Editor
How to Make a Beaver Tail
Hungry for a Beaver Tail? No Canadian winter can pass without eating at least one. These sweet, flat, donut-like pastries were a staple among early settlers, who stretched dough into the shape of a beaver’s tail in order to bake them easily over an open fire. Zoom forward to 1978 when BeaverTails Canada Inc. trademarked the treat and began selling them to skaters on Ottawa’s Rideau Canal. They’re now a sold in iconic outdoor stalls at winter destinations across the country, including Muskoka. But you can make your own, too. We’ve got a recipe right here:
Winter Reads: Books You Can Cozy Up To
MEET ME IN MONACO, by Hazel Gaynor & Heather Webb Beautiful in its simplicity, Meet Me in Monaco, is a light read, full of everything you want in a winter curl-up-on-the-couch read. I was captivated from the first page to the last, loved the main characters, Sophie and James, and even the “baddies” Lucian and …
The Time to Shop Local is Now
This is a different kind of holiday season for everyone. Online shopping has soared in popularity with the ease of buying and shipping offered all in one place. However, if you’ve been relying on the big selling engines like AMAZON, please remember that your local businesses are also turning to online selling or phone-in orders with curbside pick up and delivery. Check out what’s available in your own neighbourhood and support those small business operators who’ve relied on walk-in traffic in the past.
When the Rubber meets the Snow
Winter driving in Muskoka isn’t like points south. We’ve got snow and ice for long stretches of time, and that brings special challenges for drivers. Here are a few winter driving hacks that might just keep you keep the smooth side up and the rough side down this snowy season. Wear winter tires Just because …
Her Hero Swim on Lake Muskoka
Swimming around historic Tondern Island on Lake Muskoka turned into an epic challenge last summer for 17-year-old Caroline Lewitt, a young hero whose stamina and sense of purpose raised more than $5,000 for the local Covid-19 Emergency Fund administered by the South Muskoka Hospital Foundation.
Housekeeping, A Book Review
The Christmas season is all about bringing people together and spending time with loved ones, which makes Housekeeping by American author Marilynne Robinson a perfect must-read modern classic for the season. Written in beautiful poetic-prose, Robinson’s novel takes place in the small, isolated town of Fingerbone where two young orphans, Ruth and Lucille, live with their strange, …
Skip the Holi-daze, Simplify Christmas
Making time to reconnect with loved ones is a wish topping many lists this holiday season, so set aside the chaos and commit to doing more this year. More of what you truly enjoy, that is. These time-saving holiday hacks can help curb your time commitments so you can focus on personal connections and celebrating good cheer with loved ones instead.
A Christmas Ginger Snap Cocktail
A heart- and belly-warming Christmas cocktail based on the wonders of gingerbread.
Books You Can Give
Two new books by Muskoka writers have arrived in time for the holiday gift giving season: Paul Feist’s Broken Anchor and Square Wheels by David Bruce Patterson. Both historical, both set in Canada, these funny, tragic, coming-of-age novels offer readers poignant takes on the struggles we all face in striving to do the right thing.
