Halloween in the city is plastic skeletons and candy. Halloween in the Highlands is mist, history, and the deep dark woods. There is a difference between "City Scary" and "Country Scary." In the city, fear is manufactured. It’s horror movies, haunted houses with actors, and plastic tombstones on the lawn. It’s loud and flashy. But in the Highlands, the atmosphere is real. By late October, the leaves are down. The wind howls through the bare branches. The lake is black as ink. And when the sun...

Why we stopped using chemical fertilizers, and what we do instead to protect your lawn and the lake. For decades, the standard advice for fall lawn care was simple: "Rake it all up and dump a bag of chemical fertilizer on it." But we know better now. In the Highlands, whatever you put on your grass eventually ends up in the water. Synthetic fertilizers are a primary culprit behind late-season algae blooms and deteriorating water quality. Simply put: You don't want a green lawn if it costs you...

Why the "Labour Day Closing" is a mistake, and how to transition your property from Summer Mode to Fall Comfort. For the amateur cottager, Labour Day is the finish line. The dock comes out, the water gets drained, and the traffic on Highway 35 disappears. But for the veteran owner, September and October are the "Platinum Months." The lake is quiet. The humidity breaks. The bugs vanish. And the light hits the water in a way that makes every sunset look like a painting. However, enjoying the...