The cabin was closed on Sunday. The leaves on the lone maple in our bay have just begun to turn vibrant red. The white birch near our deck that turns golden in late august is just beginning its transformation. The floor of the island is now a warm brown colour. The white and red pine are shedding their needles and the island floor has been blessed with their colour. Along the shore of Rocky Inlet, the leaves are just beginning to change. The late spring thaw and the flooding has delayed fall colours.
My garden is still providing Swiss Chard and Kale for our evening meals. My birch trees are just turning to the brilliant gold. The leaves on the flowering crab in my back yard are now a deep red color. We have reinstalled a netting around our cedar hedge and shrubbery. The cedars are topped with thousands of cones and seeds. A cat has found its way under the netting and daily hunts birds in the hedge.
Across the street, a crown of the tree on the boulevard is now a wonderful orange yellow colour. Thanksgiving colors are in full bloom.
It is time to put away hoses and sprinklers for winter. The lawn will have one final cut later this month. The mower’s position in the garage will be exchanged for the snow blower as I begin preparations for winter.
We are in a changing season just as in Fort Frances we are in a changing season for governance.
Along with the changing leaves, we are also into electioneering. Pamphlets are being distributed to homes by many candidates. As you drive along Second Street, one cannot miss the colourful lawn signs encouraging people to make decisions. Two shades of red, two colours of green, blue, yellow, and black lawn signs dot various lawns along the street. It is exciting the interest in this municipal election. It demonstrates the passion that candidates have for being representatives of Fort Frances.
We’ll have a new mayor, a minimum of three new councillors following the election. The new councillors will bring a new diversity of ideas and strengths to the table. They will have to depend on the experience of incumbent councillors as they learn their new roles. As a former councillor, I know how steep the learning curve is. I wish all the candidates the best of luck in this election. Every candidate deserves a great deal of praise for running and seeking to lead Fort Frances.
Former Publisher
Fort Frances Times
