Unique Muskoka Issue 52 - August 2025 : simplebooklet.com

2 UNIQUE MUSKOKA August 202519A New Perspective — Sean O'TooleArticle by Meghan Taylor Writer, editor, property manager and former teacher Sean O’Toole shares the details behind his book Like a Slow-Burning Fire. Based on incidents that happened to him in his early 20s, O’Toole spent years understanding himself before he could write his story.Features13Person of Note — Israel GinsbergArticle by J. Patrick BoyerBy the 1950s, Israel Ginsberg was widely recognized as an impressive businessman and resolute, ethical and visionary community leader. As a councillor, as mayor and as a business owner in Huntsville, Ginsberg served his community vigorously until his death.25Artists in Harmony— Inside Muskoka's New Studio TourArticle by Bronwyn BoyerA new chapter of the vibrant Muskoka arts scene is unfolding. From August 15 to 17, 14 studios and 26 artists, including painters, potters, jewellers, metalworkers, woodworkers and sculptors, will take part in the inaugural Muskoka North Studio Tour. 32The World of Vintage Outboard Motors Article and Photography by Tim Du Vernete outboard motor is an invention with well over a century of history. In Muskoka, an outboard motor mounted on a simple wooden or aluminum watercraft is often someone’s ﬁrst exposure to boating as a child. Today, boaters and collectors alike marvel at these pieces of history....telling the Muskoka story[48][13][32][25]

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40The Artful Life of a Modern GypsyArticle by Bronwyn Boyer Photography by Kelly HolinsheadJosianne Masseau is a dynamic artist whose journey spans diﬀerent lives, careers and creative pursuits. A mother, photographer, web designer, branding expert and jeweller, among other activities, Masseau draws inspiration from her surroundings and her travels.48Muskoka's Open-Air Markets — a Magnetic DrawArticle by J. Patrick BoyerIn this plein air shopping culture, farmers’ markets occupy a unique space, oﬀering a wide variety of goods for shoppers to choose from. While many boast recent start-up dates, in most cases these are contemporary revivals of weekly street markets dating from the start of homesteader farming when Muskoka ﬁrst opened for settlement in the 1860s.Opinion9Muskoka InsightsBy Meghan Taylor11From an Artist'sPerspectiveBy Lori Knowles64Muskoka MomentsBy John MillerDepartmentsOur CoverPhotograph by Tim Du Vernet Beth Guy and her grandson, August, enjoy a trip aboard her Lake Craft vessel, Marion. Guy restored the boat that was originally made in Bracebridge.AUGUST 2025Studio Tour RekindlesArtistic TraditionFULL SPEED AHEADRestored motorscontinue to roarthen and nowmuskoka markets en plein air58Cottage Country CuisineArticle by K.M. Wehrstein Photography by Tomasz Szumski When camping or cottaging, grills, ﬁres and barbecues take centre stage for meal preparation. To elevate your campﬁre cooking experience, three chefs in Muskoka have developed special recipes for ﬁreside delights.54What’s HappenedArticle by Matt DriscollRMS Segwun will not sail in 2025, new MRI suite opens at Huntsville Hospital and Red Canoe Gallery’s move to Bala proves a success. Gravenhurst snowboarder named to Team Canada and Bala dancer selected for Team Canada Dance. A new mural is coming to downtown Bracebridge, shoreline improvements are set to take place at Norway Point Park, Bracebridge approves Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT) and Baysville Arts and Crafts Festival’s tradition continues. [40]August 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 5[58]

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…telling the Muskoka story Unique Muskoka is published six times per year by Unique Publishing Inc.Meghan TaylorPublisher/EditorDonna AnsleySalesLisa BrazierMarianne DawsonDesignSusan SmithAdministrationBronwyn BoyerJ. Patrick BoyerMatt DriscollTim Du VernetKelly HolinsheadLori KnowlesJohn MillerTomasz SzumskiK.M. WehrsteinContributorsAnnual Subscription Rates: (including HST where applicable)In Ontario $30.00 All Other Provinces $36.00HST: 773172721Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement Number: 43268016Copyright © 2025Unique Publishing Inc.No content published in Unique Muskoka can be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher.Mailing AddressBox 616, Bracebridge ON P1L 1T9www.uniquemuskoka.cominfo@uniquemuskoka.com 705-637-0204 6 UNIQUE MUSKOKA August 2025• Black Angus AAA beef, Ontario lamb, pork, chicken and sustainable ﬁ sh• Assorted selection of house-made sausages• Variety of cheeses, dips, sauces and exclusive pantry items• Chef-inspired ready-to-eat meals and salads• Fine Artisan Breads Daily• Assorted Baked Goods• Made in House DessertsFOUR UNIQUE BUSINESSES UNDER ONE ROOFBUY CANADIAN, SUPPORT LOCALServing Fresh Goods DailySpecial Orders Available on RequestOPEN TUESDAY TO SATURDAY8 a.m. to 4 p.m.FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM @bigriverbakingcofor updates, daily bread lists and our weekly cheesecake special!OPEN TUESDAY TO SATURDAY11A TAYLOR ROADbigriverbakingco.comBIG RIVER BAKING COMPANY705-394-4499HIRAM ST MARKET 705-204-0857@hiramstmarket

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Muskoka InsightsAugust 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 9In our current heat wave, I’m reminded of just a few months ago when the temperatures were sub-zero. I promised during the worst of it that once summer came, I would not complain about the heat. So far, I’m being tested but I haven’t complained yet. As July becomes August, the days of Muskoka summer melt together. Kids are attending overnight and day camps, parents are using vacation time to enjoy the season, and everyone revels in the hot summer days and warm summer nights. e days are still long and sun-drenched, but there starts to be an unspoken urgency now – a collective understanding among cottagers and locals alike that the best of summer must be soaked up with gratitude. It’s family dinners on the porch or dock. It’s late-night swims under stars that seem closer than ever. It’s the ﬁnal chapters of paperback novels, dog-eared and sandy. It’s turning to the cold side of the pillow on humid nights. It’s a refreshing dip in the lake or river as temperatures soar. And it’s that perfect balance of heat and harvest – tomatoes ripening on the vine, corn husked on the porch and berries that never quite make it from being picked to being baked in a pie. Finding beauty and simplicity in each of the moments we get to experience is a must in the summer. e moments may be ﬂeeting, but the memories remain cherished. For some of us, we get to live where other people take their vacation. What is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for some, we can experience annually, monthly or even daily. is August let’s be grateful for the places, the people and the experiences of a summer in Muskoka. Farmers’ markets are a sure sign of summer in full swing and regular contributor Patrick Boyer shares the historic importance of these events while also giving a nod to their current iterations. What began out of necessity, as a way of life for homesteaders, continues today as we once again turn to local options for everything from eggs and produce to hand-crafted goods. A bustling market is another of those simple experiences to be enjoyed – wandering among the vendors, taking in the sights, smells and sounds of a community working together. If you haven’t made your way to one of Muskoka’s markets yet this season, I highly recommend you do. Usually a contributor to Unique Muskoka, this month Josianne Masseau is featured as the multi-talented creator she is. Her jewelry, e Bohemy Co, is just one avenue of many that Masseau’s creativity wanders down. As a photographer, a designer and an all-around artisan, Josianne captures nature and the ﬂow of life in her work. She has lived elsewhere in Canada and travelled internationally, which also inspires her work. But Muskoka is where she chooses to call home. e sound of an outboard motor starting up and making its way across the lake is a sure signal of summertime in Muskoka. For many, outboard motors hold memories beyond a simple boat ride, as contributor Tim Du Vernet shares with us. Vintage outboard motors are collected, revitalized and cherished by many across Muskoka, including the Maple Leaf Chapter of the Outboard Motor Club. Step into the past or even into the present, if your vessel has an outboard, and recall the enjoyment of that ﬁrst time ripping across the water. is August don’t take the month, or the weather, for granted. We have limited days left to immerse ourselves in the beauty and splendour of summer. Make each day count and make every moment, even the simple ones, your own. Happy reading!Photograph: MacKenzie TaylorYour Home and Cottage Mattress CentreTHE LARGEST SELECTION OF IN-STOCKMATTRESSES IN MUSKOKA705.646.2557www.mattressesofmuskoka.comOUR SHOWROOM HAS MOVEDVISIT US AT #7-195 WELLINGTON ST., BRACEBRIDGEMUSKOKACURATED COLLECTION by Marshall Mattress

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August 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 11Nostalgia. It’s why many of us live and cottage and create art here in Muskoka. Sure, the rocks and the trees, the lakes and the boats, the schools, the jobs, the views, those are factors too. But I’m willing to bet many of us, especially artists, are here for the nostalgia.I looked it up – the word. It’s deﬁned in lots of ways, including negatively in Merriam-Webster as an “excessively sentimental yearning” for the past, also known as “homesickness.” But I like Psychology Today’s deﬁnition better. Nostalgia: “comfort blanket.” Living and cottaging and creating art here in Muskoka is a little like being wrapped in the blanket I was given as an infant – the blue one I keep folded in a steamer trunk alongside other childhood trinkets. I pull the blanket out once in a while, give it a shake, check for moths, sniﬀ the lavender. en I drape it around my shoulders and wait for a sense of calm to return. Coming back to Muskoka to live and to work, or even to cottage summer after summer, it’s like that – the feeling. A warm blanket. It’s that kind of nostalgia. Sometimes my Muskoka nostalgia is triggered by a scent – the whiﬀ of dry leaves, a freshly made waﬄe cone, a damp lifejacket that’s been moldering in the bow of a boat too long. Sometimes it’s a sound, like a halyard dinging a mast or waves washing against a dock or transom. Sometimes it’s just the feel of the breeze, a warm bath on an August evening once the mosquitoes have vanished. We should embrace the memories that produce that rush of pleasure, advises Psychology Today: “e prize is the pleasure of the memory.”at’s it! e pleasure of the memory. I’m not alone in yearning for it, especially not as an artist. I chatted recently with Miranda Britton in her Britton Gallery on the main street of Bracebridge. Miranda makes silver jewelry – she’s a silversmith – and I suspect she’s as smitten by nostalgia as I am. Signature pieces depict wind-bent trees, rows of seed pods, lots and lots of circles – the kinds of shapes and structures she sees while on walks around her home in Windermere. “Most of my pieces,” Britton conﬁrms, “have a connection to the land.”One pendant hanging in the Britton Gallery is especially riveting: a neglected barn – or maybe it’s a lonely schoolhouse – rendered on a plate of silver. “I drive past so many barns that are falling down,” she explains, a wistful tone evident. “I’m drawn to the points where humans and the land have connected. Humans have built something but have left it, and now nature is taking it back – that’s a jumping oﬀ point for me.”It strikes me then that as an artist, Miranda Britton, silversmith, is doing what I strive to do as a writer. She’s seeking ways to turn ﬂeeting memories into something lasting. Old barns and schoolhouses, spruce trees, the circle of the moon – there they are, forever in silver. It’s nostalgia. It feels like a warm blanket – cue the rush of pleasure. For many of us, it’s why we’re here, living and cottaging and creating art in Muskoka. Lori Knowles is a journalist and author of Summers with Miss Elizabeth, a Muskoka novel. In this column Lori explores what it’s like to live and work as an artist in Muskoka. www.loriknowles.com @loriknowles_authorFrom an Artist’s PerspectiveArticle by Lori KnowlesArt as a Comfort BlanketSilversmith Miranda Britton uses her connection to the land in craing her jewelry. She’s drawn to and inspired by the places where humans and land have connected, even if it’s been le and nature is taking it back. Like the many barns in the area, le to linger and serve as reminders of the past, nostalgia plays a role in Britton’s creative inspiration.Photograph: Miranda BrittonPhotograph: Andy ZeltkalnsServing Muskoka and area for 38 yearsDIVERSE SELECTION OF PRODUCTS TRADITIONAL AND CONTEMPORARY DESIGNSKNOWLEDGEABLE STAFF TO ASSIST YOU WITH BEST SELECTIONS, WORKING ALONGSIDE YOUR ARCHITECTS, DESIGNERS AND BUILDERS ON YOUR NEW OR RENOVATION PROJECTSsales@windowworksmuskoka.net2358 HWY #11, RR#1 GRAVENHURST, ONTARIO705-687-76171-800-668-9858www.windowworksmuskoka.net~ Muskoka ~Authorized Dealer

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August 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 13During the First World War, Israel Ginsberg arrived in Huntsville with his parents Max and Pearl and brothers Morris, Abraham and Samuel, starting a new life and not for the ﬁrst time. At the Black Sea port of Odessa, Max had been a prominent grain merchant and dealer in farm tractors for the Canadian Massey Harris Company. Arriving in Ontario in 1913, they settled on a York County farm. When farming proved unsuccessful, they moved into Toronto and began a restaurant and ice cream business. In 1917, any plans the Ginsbergs had for a return to Russia collapsed when the new Bolshevik regime conﬁscated all Ginsberg properties, prompting their move to Huntsville in 1918. Instead of dealing in farm implements, trying to farm or operating an ice cream business, the Ginsbergs opened a general store on Main Street. Days after the Huntsville Trading Company Photograph: Muskoka Heritage Place Collection, Huntsville, OntarioHighly intelligent and resolute of purpose, Israel Ginsberg was formal in manner, scrupulous in matters nancial and tireless in working for the betterment of others through retailing operations, Rotary Club service and municipal aairs.Article by J. Patrick BoyerPERSON OF NOTE

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14 UNIQUE MUSKOKA August 2025opened for business in May, ﬁre consumed the building and their entire inventory. e blaze began after 8:00 p.m. when Israel and Morris closed for the night and went upstairs where they lived. Fleeing the suddenly engulfed building, Israel jumped out the front window to the street below and Morris escaped through the back door, severely burning his neck and face. In reporting the calamity, the Huntsville Forester referred to the Ginsbergs as the Gainesboro family. Despite this raw introduction to the north Muskoka community, Max told the newspaper’s editor Harmon Rice that he and his sons were “undaunted in spirit.” Gathering up capital, they bought another Main Street property for a second coming of the Huntsville Trading Company. After Max died in 1923, Israel and his three brothers catapulted the family’s business operations to the forefront of local commerce, launching a building and acquisitions spree and in June, opening a one and a-half story brick store on the north side of Main Street. “e Huntsville Trading Company has completed a new store, moved women’s wear into it, and opened an archway into the dry goods department,” reported the Huntsville Forester belatedly on December 24, 1925, this time a half-year late. at made three Huntsville stores now being run by the Ginsbergs, with a fourth serving as a storehouse. In 1926, they bought the entire Snyder block on Main Street, remodeling it with large plate glass windows. eir retail establishment now encompassed men’s and women’s wear, dry goods, furniture and groceries.e town organized an Old Home Week in August 1926 to celebrate its ﬁrst quarter-century. e reunion publicity committee published Harmon Rice’s booklet History of Huntsville while Abraham Ginsberg chaired the decoration committee to spruce up the town and oﬀered prizes up to $15 (just shy of $400 today) for the best decorated homes and businesses.With municipal elections held yearly, democratic accountability was real. Huntsville had a lot of mayors, eight of them seen here, six wearing fedoras and two bowlers because men’s hats were in style until the 1960s. From le, front: Harmon E. Rice, Bill Abraham, W.E. Hutcheson, J. Frank Kelly. On the steps, from le: Sid Avery, Israel Ginsberg, Dick Dinsmore, J.E. Fisher.The Muskoka River owing through Huntsville is held securely by an extended stone retaining wall to prevent erosion. Built in the 1930s during the Great Depression by unemployed men, the initiative was led by Mayor Israel Ginsberg.Photograph: Muskoka Heritage Place Collection, Huntsville, OntarioPhotograph: Muskoka Heritage Place Collection, Huntsville, Ontario

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August 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 15“Towards the end of the 1920s,” notes town historian Susan Pryke, “Huntsville’s founding families slowly released their grip on municipal matters as new names and new faces began to appear at the council table, chief among them that of Israel Ginsberg.” By 1930, the brothers had developed their business into one of Huntsville’s largest retail concerns. at same year, Pryke adds, Russian-born Jew Israel Ginsberg was elected Huntsville mayor, “something of a coup considering Ontario’s White Anglo-Saxon Protestant mentality.”Israel’s election punctured a foul period in local politics. Five years earlier, when Richard Dinsmore, president of Bethune Pulp and Lumber Company, became mayor at the height of the Roaring Twenties, he called in an outside auditor to review the ﬁtness of Huntsville’s treasurer Harmon Rice and town assessor Hart Proudfoot. Proudfoot resigned. Rice used his newspaper’s pages to defend his integrity. In these years Ontario municipal elections occurred annually. Ginsberg was ﬁrst elected to council in 1924, defeated in 1925, then re-elected in 1926, 1927, and 1928, but lost his bid for mayor in 1929. 100% Canadian Artists• Large Original Paintings• Turned Wood Bowls• Sculptures & Carvings3181 Muskoka Rd. 169 Bala705-765-7474www.redcanoegallery.com(open year round)CELEBRATING 32 YEARS IN MUSKOKANOW LOCATED IN BALA‘On The Cliff’ 72 x 48, acrylic (J. Horne-Cozens)Lorem ipsumPhotograph: Muskoka Heritage Place Collection, Huntsville, OntarioHuntsville’s former mayor Israel Ginsberg is seen here in prole, second person from right, at the happy opening of the new Huntsville Hospital which was vital for community health care.

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16 UNIQUE MUSKOKA August 2025During Dinsmore’s time as mayor, councillor Ginsberg submitted a resignation letter. “It is with great reluctance that I take this step,” he told the mayor, “But aﬀairs of which you must have some knowledge compel me to do so. I accepted the oﬃce with the intention of giving you the best that was in me for clean, eﬃcient, and economical administration of town aﬀairs. My resignation is a protest. I am deeply interested in the aﬀairs of the town. I promised to give you service but conditions in the council have become so intolerable that I was not in a position to protect the interest of the ratepayers unless I was sustained by the council.” Council, refusing to accept Ginsberg’s resignation, kept the pot simmering. At the end of 1926, Rice resigned as treasurer and ran for the mayor’s job, which he had previously held and now won again, a political gambit to clear the air.By 1930, with Ginsberg now elected mayor, the Great Depression descended and Huntsville’s most pressing issue was unemployment. He convened a special council meeting on joblessness, leading to many make-work projects for unemployed men – building a rock wall along the Muskoka River to protect the riverbank from erosion, building a new arena in the Memorial Park, doing roadwork improvements. In the days before unemployment insurance and a UI placement oﬃce, Mayor Ginsberg kept a list of unemployed men in his oﬃce and urged citizens to co-operate in providing work for the unemployed.e stagnating decade continued, yet Ginsberg brothers expanded business operations beyond their new stores and the Snyder block, buying the Johnson block on Main Street, and in 1931 selling the Snyder premises to Bracebridge businessman George W. Ecclestone who opened a hardware store on the premises.When World War II erupted against Hitler’s Nazi Germany in 1939, Israel was the ﬁrst in Huntsville to enlist, joining the 48th Highlander’s regiment in Toronto. In April 1942, Morris, who had not enlisted, remodeled the front of their dry goods store. A ﬁre in February 1944 destroyed both it and Ecclestone Hardware. After Israel returned from war service, on the business side in 1949 he and Morris sold most of the Huntsville Trading Company to Harry Silvert and on the political front he was again elected mayor, launching a comprehensive eﬀort to improve Huntsville for the long term, so eﬀective he was re-elected the next year.Israel Ginsberg by the 1950s was widely The Ginsberg family’s business anchored retail operations along Huntsville’s main street with diverse oerings, many on view through large plate glass windows. In 1940, when this photo of the Huntsville Trading Company store was taken, Israel Ginsberg was in the Canadian Army ghting in Europe while his brothers handled home-front business.Photograph: Muskoka Heritage Place Collection, Huntsville, Ontario

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August 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 17recognized as an impressive businessman and resolute, ethical, and visionary community leader. Approached by Hugh Latimer, organizer for Premier Leslie Frost and the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, he agreed to run for election as Muskoka’s MPP in the upcoming 1955 general election. When the party nominating convention took place a number of others were also nominated and balloting proceeded through the evening until editor of the Muskoka Herald newspaper, Robert Boyer, won by four ballots. He then went on to win the general election and showed up at Queen’s Park where puzzled Premier Frost, looking at him, inquired “Who are you?” “I’m the new MPP for Muskoka.” “at can’t be. I wanted Israel Ginsberg!” Premier Frost pivoted, naming Allan Grossman, also elected for the ﬁrst time that June in the Toronto riding of St. Andrews, Ontario’s ﬁrst Progressive Conservative Jewish cabinet minister, while in Huntsville the brothers continued, as they so often had, “undaunted in spirit.” A founding member of the town’s Rotary Club, Israel Ginsberg became its president, serving the community as he had always vigorously until his death.INTRODUCING KIATHE21 Robert Dollar Dr, Bracebridge, ON P1L 1P9705-645-6575muskokakia.caMUSKOKA KIAEV9GENERATORSSMART HOME SYSTEMSNEW CONSTRUCTIONLIGHTINGECRA/ESA #7010474RESIDENTIAL / COMMERCIAL / INDUSTRIAL519.805.3200ARKLTD.CAinfo@arkltd.caThe photo montage included in a 1926 Old Home Week pamphlet shows Huntsville councillor Israel Ginsberg, upper le, with ve fellow members of council and Mayor R.G. Dinsmore, centre. Ginsberg would himself be mayor in 1930 and again in 1950.Photograph: Muskoka Heritage Place Collection, Huntsville, Ontario

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OUR CODE OF ETHICS ARE:• Members shall comply with the Ontario Building Code and the National Building Code of Canada and/or all additional recognized standards applicable to the individual member as a minimum standard for that Member’s services and shall work towards industry improvement in the interests of sufficiency, safety and health.• Members shall perform their services to conform to the principles of good community development.• Members shall be fair and honest with their customers, employees, sub-contractors and suppliers in the interests of sufficiency, safety and health.• Members shall co-operate, interchange information and experience, and encourage research on materials and techniques in order to provide the best value for their customers.• Members shall uphold the principle of reasonable and adequate compensation for the services which they render.• Members shall avoid advertising which tends to mislead customers, deprecate competitors, or generally bring the reputation of the industry into disrepute.• Members shall display and encourage a sense of pride in belonging to the Muskoka Builders’ Association.• Members shall perform and co-operate in the completion of their services in a manner which demonstrates the utmost competence.• Members shall actively encourage fellow members to uphold the professional image and reputation of the Muskoka Builders’ Association.• Members shall avoid all conduct or practice detrimental to the house building industry, to the Association, to the good name or reputation of any of its Members, or to customers.Looking for help with your next project? Put your conﬁ dence in an MBA MemberFind an MBA Member to help with Your Project TODAY by scanning the QR codeCONTRACTINGVISIONESTD.2007.Thank you to our Premium SponsorsVISIT US ONLINE TODAY: WWW.MUSKOKABUILDERS.COMExperience you can trust — Knowledge you can rely onOver the past 38 years, our esteemed Association has expanded to include over 150 Member companies, representing Muskoka’s foremost builders, renovators, service professionals, suppliers, and specialty trade contractors. No matter what your next project is, our Members are fully equipped and committed to providing you with the highest level of professionalism and dedication.All of our Members must abide by or exceed our Code of Ethics. When you hire one of our members, you can be at ease knowing they agree to this code when they apply and renew their membership.Photo provided by: Tamarack North Ltd.

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20 UNIQUE MUSKOKA August 2025e culture of the school was a perfect ﬁt for me. It was extremely diﬃcult for me to give that up three years ago. It was so fun and so fulﬁlling.”O’Toole’s beginning as a teacher in Bracebridge all came down to timing and instinct. As he was ﬁnishing his teaching degree in Newfoundland in 1991, trying to determine his next steps, he came across an ad for a position as a high school English teacher at Bracebridge and Muskoka Lakes Secondary School in the Globe and Mail. He secured an interview and made the trip to Bracebridge with a friend as company. “As soon as I got to Bracebridge, I fell in love with it,” he shares. “It was in January 1992, so it was winter, and it was beautiful. My friend and I walked around downtown and by the falls. So, I made it clear in the interview that this was my dream. I wanted to come in for the long haul and commit. at was very much a gut reaction to a brand-new place, and it was the right reaction.”roughout his years as a teacher, O’Toole drew on his own experiences to share stories and teach concepts to students. One story he didn’t speak about often but had shared occasionally during a section of Grade 11 classes on short stories, was a road rage incident he was involved in at 23-years-old while completing his university degree in Ottawa. at event was a taking oﬀ point for a number of early adulthood life events for O’Toole and the basis for his book Like a Slow-Burning Fire. “e story is book-ended by two somewhat violent incidents I went through,” shares O’Toole. “e events happened over a two-year period, and I condensed that to six months for narrative purposes. One was a road rage incident, the other was a late-night McDonalds dumb guy kind of incident – a couple of guys tried to pick a ﬁght with my friend and myself. ey were both traumatizing events.”e events of O’Toole’s life during the two-year period were challenging and navigating them had quite an eﬀect on him. Reordered and condensed into six months for the book, O’Toole uses self-reﬂection and experience to share his personal journey. “I was in a relationship, and we were discussing getting married, but it was also falling apart,” he explains. “I was ﬁnishing my degree and trying to get into teacher’s college when it was very diﬃcult to get Incidents and life events that occurred around 1988 while Sean O’Toole attended Carleton University in Ottawa had a signicant impact on him. His recently published book Like a Slow-Burning Fire is set during these years.Photograph: Sean O’Toole

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August 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 21A lifelong fan of Bruce Springsteen, Sean O’Toole, centre, has attended over 60 Springsteen concerts. This one in Cleveland, Ohio in the ‘80s he attended with friends.accepted; they’d have 1,000 applications and take 40 people. I was trying to launch my life, personally and professionally, and it wasn’t going all that well and then this road rage incident happened.”In a crisis or a dramatic moment, our reactions can be connected to so many factors – our ancestry, our upbringing, our genetics. And as young adults, navigating emotionally charged situations can feel overwhelming. Every experience feels new and weighted by what could be. “I wanted to take a look at how we handle not just adversity but also emotional pain – when something happens and it hurts you, what do you do, how do you handle that,” he says. “e series of incidents all have to do with perspective – the idea of getting to know who you really are and ﬁnding a way to be ok with that, working through it with the people in your life.”With time and perspective, O’Toole has been able to understand that his reactions to the events of his young adulthood were connected to who he is as a human being. While he’d talked about the incidents, he still SERVING MUSKOKA / GEORGIAN BAY / HALIBURTON1-888-417-8761 www.techhomeltd.comBUILDING CUSTOM HOMES & COTTAGES FOR 50 YEARSGREATER TORONTO AREA DESIGN CENTRE130 Konrad Cres, Unit #18 Markham, ON | L3R 0G5905.479.9013 • 1.888.417.8761Visit our Toronto Design Centre, & we’ll bring your dream to lifePhotograph: Sean O’Toole

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22 UNIQUE MUSKOKA August 2025hadn’t fully dealt with them. “I wished I had handled it diﬀerently in that moment of crisis, but I responded instinctually,” he explains. “It may not have been perfect but it’s who I am. It took me so long to write about it because I needed decades to make sense of it. I didn’t understand why I did what I did until 30 more years of going through life as me. I was ﬁnally able to make sense of it. In my 20s when people would ask, I didn’t know what to say.”During COVID, a student asked O’Toole if he had ever experienced a random act of violence. He said yes and shared the story of the road rage incident that now comes to life again in Like a Slow-Burning Fire. Within a few days of being asked that question, O’Toole sat down at his computer and ﬁnally began writing his story. “When I was younger, I was embarrassed about the whole incident,” he shares. “It was an attack on my masculinity and as I’ve gotten older, I know it’s not that simple.”Revisiting events that happened over 30 years ago allowed O’Toole to experience them from a diﬀerent perspective – remembering the newness of the situations he found himself in during that time while also better understanding himself, then and now. “As a 57-year-old person writing a story about when you were 23, you’re writing about a person you used to know,” he says. “at guy wasn’t so bad. He wasn’t perfect and he was a bit of an idiot, but he wasn’t so bad. We have a sense of forgiveness for our past selves – I didn’t really have that until my 50s.” Coming to terms with himself and making peace with the events of his past life make Like a Slow-Burning Fire a memoir-like account of his personal journey. Introspection, self-reﬂection and people, both known and random, have helped O’Toole over the years, as has the understanding he’s developed that life is ﬁlled with choices – good and bad – and we don’t always get it right.“ere are moments where we screw up, times we’re victimized or heartbroken or things don’t go our way – it’s part of the fullness of life,” says O’Toole. Now, post-teaching career, O’Toole ﬁlls much of his retirement time as a property manager. What started as a few people asking if he could maintain their lawns while they were away escalated to painting, power washing and even to minor home renovations. “My wife is determined to travel a lot and that’s expensive,” he chuckles. “is allows me to make a few bucks, so we can travel. Plus, I learn skills, get out around Muskoka and keep active. I love it.”What else? O’Toole does enjoy travelling Photograph: Sean O’TooleEnjoying life post-retirement, Sean O’Toole recently took a family trip to Italy with his daughters, Molly and Emma, and his wife, Heather.

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August 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 23EXPERIENCEYOU CAN TRUSTExperienced drilling & blasting for roads, ditches, foundations and septic systems. Exceptional service and top-quality results.FREE ESTIMATESwith his wife and two daughters. He’s also spent time editing and writing, when he’s not on property-maintenance duty. “I’ve edited a few books for people and I’m thinking about writing another book in the next year or so,” he shares. “ere’s so much newness when I think about that 18-to-22-year age range. It’s the college or university years where you’re legitimately discovering new things about yourself and the world daily. I’ve always thought, and I talked to my students about this a lot, that ages 12 to 25 are like dog years; one year is like seven years. It’s so action-packed and so much happens in one year.”In writing his ﬁrst book Like a Slow-Burning Fire, self-published in January 2024, and as he begins to ponder his next, O’Toole likes the idea of exploring that critical life period between teenage-hood and adulthood. “It's the excitement of people who are trying to ﬁnd their place in the world, to ﬁnd their home,” he says. “Everybody wants a home, and not just a physical one; A professional one – the career you’re looking for, a personal one – the people you’re hanging onto from high school and new people you meet through school and work, romantic relationships and building those. at time in your life is very charged.” After years of teaching writing skills and supporting students in sharing their voice and stories, O’Toole ﬁnally did the same. e process was cathartic and now he enjoys hearing from friends, students and community members who have taken time to read his book. “I’m happy with how the book has gotten out there,” he says. “It’s been neat running into random people at the grocery store who say they’ve read it, and they gave it to somebody else to read too.” Like a Slow-Burning Fire can be found online on Amazon and is also available at Rich Hill Candles in Bracebridge. O’Toole is also scheduled to deliver a talk about his book at Muskoka Chautauqua on August 5. “A former student called me and asked if I’d do this talk and I’m looking forward to it,” he shares. “I don’t think I would have said yes to that kind of thing unless it was in Muskoka.”

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24 UNIQUE MUSKOKA August 2025YUKS YUK’S ON TOUR Stand up Comedy at Canvas BreweryAUG 01MOVIE ON THE DOCKS Free Screening of a Classic Film - MOANAAUG 02STORY TIME AND SONG Bring the Little Ones for a Story in the Park & a Free ConcertAUG 07AN EVENING WITH TERRY O’REILLY Podcaster and Well Known CBC Radio HostAUG 07MICHAEL KAESHAMMER Virtuosic Piano Performances Blending Jazz, Classical and PopAUG 08CHOIR! CHOIR! CHOIR! (MATINEE) Featuring the Songs of Taylor SwiftAUG 09CHOIR! CHOIR! CHOIR! An Epic Sing-A-Long to the Music of QueenAUG 09THE LIGHTFOOT BAND The Original Band That Toured with Gordon LightfootAUG 16THE TORONTO ALL STAR BIG BAND Relive the Big Band Era with a Vibrant, Energetic PerformanceAUG 17YUKS YUK’S ON TOUR Stand up Comedy at Canvas BreweryAUG 29SAVOUR THE SUMMER HfA’s Annual Fun’Raiser at Sandhill NurseryAUG 30OLD MAN LUEDECKE Irreverent Folk, Part of the Nursery Nights Concert SeriesSEPT 13A GARDEN VARIETY IMPROV SHOW Improv Comedy at Sandhill NurserySEPT 19HOWIE MANDEL Canadian Comedy Legend comes to Deerhurst ResortSEPT 26DAVID FRANCEY Canadian Folk Legend, part of the Nursery Nights Concert SeriesSEPT 27IRISH MYTHEN Soaring Voice and Engaging SongwritingOCT 03YUKS YUK’S ON TOUR Stand up Comedy at Sandhill NurseryOCT 18JAMES BARKER BAND Platinum Country Artists Rock Deerhurst ResortOCT 24MADISON VIOLET Folk Duo on their Farewell TourOCT 26COLIN JAMES TRIO Blues-Rock Icon, Captivating Audiences for over 35 YearsNOV 28HAWKSLEY WORKMAN: ALMOST A FULL MOON An Acoustic Performance DEC 5/6DALLAS SMITH Amp Up the Party with this Platinum Selling Country SuperstarDEC 06JANN ARDEN CHRISTMAS Celebrate the Holidays with a Beloved Canadian IconDEC 13RED HOT CHILI PIPERS Bagpipes with Attitude, Drums with a Scottish accent - A Hot Show!FEB 21MAPLE BLUES REVUE Canadian Blues Show Featuring three Dynamic Vocalists & a 8-Piece BandFEB 22WHAT YOU WON’T DO FOR LOVE An Environmental Play starring David Suzuki and his wife Tara CullisMAR 03THE SOUND OF MUSIC Classic Musical performed by the Salzburg Marionette TheaterMAR 14JUST FOR LAUGHS ROADSHOW Top Tier Stand-Up Comedy at Algonquin TheatreAPR 25MEN OF THE DEEPS Celebrate 60 Years of Story, Song & TraditionAPR 26JESSE COOK A Huntsville Favourite! Jesse Returns for a Night of Virtuosic GuitarMAY 07

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August 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 25A new chapter of the vibrant Muskoka arts scene is unfolding, as 2025 marks the inaugural Muskoka North Studio Tour. Taking place August 15 to 17, the event features 14 studios and 26 artists including painters, potters, jewellers, metalworkers, woodworkers and sculptors. For decades, art lovers looked forward to the iconic studio tours that put Muskoka on the map. To connect with artists in their home studios and get a special behind-the-scenes view into their worlds, their processes, and the environments that inspire them, is truly special. Spearheaded by a dedicated group of artists, the Muskoka North Studio Tour will rekindle Muskoka’s long-standing tradition of these unique experiences. e story begins with Huntsville painter Nancy McKinnon. After the beloved Artists of the Limberlost had its last tour in 2024, McKinnon recognized the void it Article by Bronwyn Boyer Caroline Pattison paints from her studio in Port Sydney and looks forward to hosting guest artist Sharon Wagner-Chazalon. Wagner-Chazalon’s pottery will be on display with Pattison’s paintings during the Muskoka North Studio Tour.Photograph: Caroline Pattison

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26 UNIQUE MUSKOKA August 2025would leave. She envisioned a new tour that would showcase the region’s diverse arts community while expanding beyond the conﬁnes of Limberlost Road. In the fall of 2024, McKinnon put the feelers out to gauge interest and the response was enthusiastic. Artists quickly signed on, eager to participate. “Nancy’s enthusiasm was contagious,” says Port Sydney painter Caroline Pattison. “She just put out a call and we all came together with a shared goal to create something new.” Within months, this collective eﬀort materialized into the Muskoka North Studio Tour. e choice of dates was strategic, aligning with those of the Limberlost tour. “People already associate that weekend with Muskoka art,” Raymond painter Terri Howell explains. “It made sense to keep the same timing to attract both returning visitors and new audiences.”e tour covers Utterson, Raymond, Port Sydney, Huntsville, Dwight and Burk’s Falls. “We wanted to include more artists in the north Muskoka region,” explains Burk’s Falls painter Stephanie Aykroyd. “e region is so inspiring and it’s only fair that visitors get to experience more of it.”In a singing duet, it’s more interesting to hear harmony than unison. With that in mind, there are two artists featured at each studio. e host and guest artists work in diﬀerent mediums to keep things fresh. is enriches the visitor experience, oﬀering a wide spectrum of artistic expression. “Having diﬀerent mediums at each stop makes it so much more engaging,” notes Aykroyd. “Not only can visitors take in two artists at once, but also two very diﬀerent art forms.” Organizing such a large event is no small feat. e artists have been holding regular meetings since September 2024 to make sure everything would come together. “A lot of the ideas we had are experimental,” Pattison shares. “We’re going to see what works and what doesn’t on this ﬁrst tour and make adjustments as needed.” Stephanie Aykroyd’s paintings capture the everyday serenity of Muskoka’s landscapes, from glowing trees at sunset to the stillness of a local bay. Aykroyd is excited to collaborate with other artists on a large show and connect with people who appreciate art and the stories behind it.BATH & KITCHEN SHOWROOMDESIGN. INSTALLATION. REPAIRSERVING ALL OF MUSKOKA279 MANITOBA ST, BRACEBRIDGE705.645.2671KNOWLESPLUMBING.COM @MUSKOKABATHTHE RIOBEL MOMENTI™ COLLECTION AVAILABLE AT KNOWLES PLUMBING!279 Manitoba Street, Bracebridge 705.645.2671 @knowlesplumbing @knowlesplumbing @knowlesplumbingBATH & KITCHEN SHOWROOMSALES•INSTALLATION•REPAIRSERVING ALL OF MUSKOKAknowlesplumbing.comMuskoka’s Bath & Plumbing CentrePhotograph: Stephanie Aykroyd

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28 UNIQUE MUSKOKA August 2025Luckily, with so much talent in one room, there’s no need for out-sourcing for marketing, sponsorships, graphic design and other logistics. e promotional materials were crafted by talented local professionals, including Huntsville painter Mark Kulas, whose work has become synonymous with Muskoka’s arts branding, including the Limberlost Tour. “Everyone stepped up,” says Pattison. “It’s a real community eﬀort, and that’s what makes it special.”For the artists involved, the region’s natural beauty is a constant muse. Pattison’s work reﬂects the tranquil lakes and forests that surround her, while Aykroyd’s paintings capture the everyday serenity of Muskoka’s landscapes, from glowing trees at sunset to the stillness of a local bay. Howell, a longtime Muskoka resident, draws inspiration from her surroundings in Raymond, where farm ﬁelds and bushland come alive at dusk.“Living here fuels my creativity,” Howell says. “Everywhere I look, I see something to inspire me. I’m surrounded by classic old farmhouses, rolling ﬁelds backlit by the golden light of dusk. ere is so much variety in Muskoka to be inspired by.”While Howell doesn’t operate a full-time studio, she’s opened her cozy cabin for the A retired teacher, Caroline Pattison’s paintings celebrate the many faces and colours of the seasons. From the vibrant oranges of fall leaves to the endless blue of the sky over a lake, she paints using oil, acrylic, watercolour, pastel, charcoal and graphite.Heidi Clausen is the guest artist slated to join Bobbi Haviland at her studio in Burk’s Falls for the Muskoka North Studio Tour. Clausen takes time and care in craing her work, enjoying the process and incorporating fun into her designs.705.645.4294 TF: 866.645.4294STORE: 228 TAYLOR RD., BRACEBRIDGEOFFICE: 1646 WINHARA RD., GRAVENHURSTSales & Service of MajorPropane Appliances(refrigerators, ranges, fireplaces, furnaces & more)Safe & reliableNo electricity requiredBulk propane deliveryto your home or cottageAppliancesSERVING MUSKOKA &PARRY SOUND FOROVER 70 YEARSPhotograph: Caroline PattisonPhotograph: Muskoka North Studio Tour

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August 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 29At each studio on the tour, there are two artists featured. The host and guest artists work in dierent mediums to keep things fresh and enrich the visitor experience, oering a wide spectrum of artistic expression.tour, transforming it into a temporary gallery. “I don’t have regular studio hours, but I love sharing my work during events like this,” she says. “It’s so rewarding to connect with visitors one-on-one and discuss what I do.”Aykroyd echoes this sentiment. “It’s wonderful to collaborate with other artists to put together a large show, instead of trying to do it all on our own,” she explains. “And to connect with people who appreciate art and the stories behind my work. e tour isn’t just about showing art but also building lasting relationships and celebrating Muskoka’s beauty. I’m really looking forward to it.” Pattison sees the tour’s potential to become an annual tradition that grows each year. “COVID made us realize how much we need community and shared experiences,” she reﬂects. “Getting out, seeing art and connecting with artists are the things that truly enrich our lives.”With the ﬁrst Muskoka North Studio Tour set to launch, anticipation is high. e artists hope that visitors will embrace the new tour as a chance to explore Muskoka’s diverse landscapes and artistic talents. As Pattison puts it, “is is just the beginning. We want it to grow and become a treasured part of Muskoka’s cultural fabric.”Given the diﬃculty artists typically have when it comes to marketing and selling their pieces, there are many advantages to the strength-in-numbers approach. Many hands make light work, and for many, it’s easier to promote another artist than their own work. Exchanging tricks of the trade and sharing gallery space is helpful, especially for artists that don’t have their own studios or galleries. But the tour signiﬁes more than just an event rooted in practical advantages. It’s also a reaﬃrmation of the region’s creative spirit. “Being surrounded by nature is a constant source of inspiration,” Aykroyd says. “And sharing that through art brings us all closer together.”Aykroyd’s striking oil paintings celebrate the wonder of the natural world and the beauty of everyday life. She has mastered the marriage of colour and texture of moving water and stormy, clouded skies to create an almost-photo-realistic eﬀect. Her paintings would ﬁt in any décor but are unquestionably one-of-a-kind. ey will be complemented by works by wood-burning artist and jeweller Keri-Lyn Butts at Aykroyd’s Woodland Studio in Almaguin Highlands, just outside Burk’s Falls. Pattison paints using oil, acrylic, watercolour, pastel, charcoal and graphite. A retired teacher, she always had a talent for drawing and painting. Later on, she explored various mediums through courses at Fleming College and classes at Let the Cat Go at the Annex in Bracebridge. Her paintings celebrate the many faces and colours of the seasons. From the vibrant oranges of the fall leaves, a sunset over a placid evening lake lapping lazily over rocks, to a bright sunny day out on the lake with an endless blue sky, with noble pines standing proudly on their rocky pedestals. Her paintings will be displayed at her studio in Port Sydney alongside the pottery of Sharon Wagner-Chazalon. Terri Howell is also a retired teacher and explains that art is a common “second career” for many educators. “I think teachers are extremely creative, because you have to be to be a teacher,” she explains. “You have to come Photographs: Muskoka North Studio Tour

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30 UNIQUE MUSKOKA August 2025up with lessons each day that will engage children, and I think that’s the hole that’s left after you leave teaching. You want to keep being creative, so learning to paint or sculpt, or do something along those lines, helps to ﬁll that void. I know a lot of artists in general, including a few on this tour, who are former teachers.”Howell’s paintings are impressionist snapshots taken by a viewer peeking through golden trees at a secluded lake or a frosty fall morning at Algonquin Park. She paints sunsets on Skeleton Lake, lazy river bends shrouded in mist, and sunny points of land blanketed in snow. Many are evocative of settings for mysterious stories that one could get engrossed in on a rainy day. “From the moment I arrived in 1978 I was awed by the ever-changing light and beauty of the sparkling lakes and diverse forests,” Howell states. “I try to capture the feeling I get on each day I paint, from those warm summer breezes to the cool days of fall.” Highlighting Howell’s paintings will be the work of Pam Carnochan, who stands out as the only textile artist on the tour. Carnochan has pioneered an innovative art form she terms “watercolour with wool.” Using wool sourced from her own sheep as her medium, her process is deeply connected to caring for her ﬂock from start to ﬁnish. Her approach is highly intuitive and organic, following the natural rhythms of the seasons. Spring marks the beginning with shearing, then progresses through cleaning and dyeing the wool during late summer and fall. rough two felting techniques, she transforms ﬁbres into landscape scenes, resulting in a creation process that is inherently natural and rooted in the organic cycle of her environment.As the picturesque backdrop of Muskoka continues to inspire, the Muskoka North Studio Tour stands as a testament to the power of community, creativity, and the enduring human connection to nature. rough their shared eﬀorts, these artists have created a new chapter in Muskoka’s rich artistic legacy that promises to ﬂourish for years to come.To see the full list of studios and artists, visit muskokanorthstudiotour.ca Huntsville-based artist Janine Marson uses watercolour, acrylic, oils and pastels in her works. Her art showcases the importance of nature and the need to honour and protect it – today and for future generations.Artists involved in the Muskoka North Studio Tour hope that visitors will embrace the new tour as a chance to explore Muskoka’s diverse landscapes and artistic talents.SERVING MUSKOKA, PARRY SOUND & H ALIBURTON REGIONS SINCE 1976Embrace Your Exterior! Supply • Install • Cash & Carry800.732.0158 • 705.645.8404 • www.norstarexteriors.comSizzlingSUMMERSeNorStar: Muskoka’s best-kept secret is out —and now everyone can save like a contrac tor.Ask us about HUGE SAVINGS on Aluminum Soft, too!Just like summer these deals won’t last forever stop in today to talk to one of our experts about your home or cottage needs.WHERE THE PROS SHOP  AND YOU CAN TOOPhotograph: Muskoka North Studio TourPhotograph: Stephanie Aykroyd

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Article and Photography by Tim Du Vernet“When I was a kid…” is a refrain picked up by many as the years march on. As the generations slip by, simple summer activities can be deeply meaningful. e vintage outboard, mounted on the stern of a simple wooden craft or aluminum hull, has represented that summer experience for decades. Chris Taylor of Muskoka Seaﬂea along with members of the Outboard Motor Club, in particular, see and personally enjoy that power of nostalgia every time they pull the hand crank to start up an outboard.e outboard motor is an invention with well over a century of history behind it now. e simple Waterman Porto-Motor is considered to be among the ﬁrst practical applications of the outboard motor concept, noted around 1906 or 1907. Racing powered boats of any kind were yet to be much of a concept. In 1916, the Muskoka Lakes Association (MLA) yearbook reported that “the cruiser class and the put-puts will this year be run under the Bang-and-go-back rules.” ere was also a special class for steamboats that year.Life was always simpler in the days of our youth, and the artifacts of our childhood remind of those fun times. e outboard motor, believes Chris Taylor, connects people of all ages, with that special time. e small outboard motor was and continues to be, among the most accessible ways to experience power boating. Kids from the age of ﬁve can learn to operate a sea ﬂea, that requires only some plywood to create. At one point, plans were readily available from August 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 33

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34 UNIQUE MUSKOKA August 2025Science and Mechanics Magazine, says Taylor. e sea ﬂea is a boat a parent and child can build together over a weekend. As soon as your hand touches that throttle, you feel the vibration and connect with the distinctive sound of an outboard motor, the experience is embedded for life. For this writer, that formative experience occurred with a white six horsepower Mercury outboard – it rattled and rattled but never quit. Other motors in our collection during my childhood were an Evinrude Lark, which was a much smoother operating engine, and a 135 horsepower Mercury that ultimately powered our heavily abused “ski boat.” When newspapers were common and readily available, the sound of the outboard-powered boat, loaded with the Toronto Star or Globe and Mail, would zoom past the dock at 7 a.m. as the paper was hurled from the boat. is was a summer job that employed young teens annually. The passion for outboard motors is kept alive in the group dedicated to its history, the Maple Leaf Chapter of the Outboard Motor Club. Ron Stevenson, who was president for many years, has pretty much devoted his life to the outboard. Known as “Mr. Motor” of Muskoka Classic Marine, he has restored countless engines. In general, he believes the vintage outboard can be rewarding and reliable, once properly serviced, and there is such a huge variety to choose from. As a teenager, Stevenson worked at an Outboard Motor Club dealership, while summering at the family cottage on Browning Island. One of his earliest engines is a 1913 brass rowboat motor that generates maybe all of two horsepower. Steveson explains that during the 1950s, the Viking introductory model of outboard motor could be bought at the big department stores, like Eaton’s.At the collector level, passion runs very deep for all aspects connected with the outboard motor. e crates they were shipped in, the vintage oil cans, the brand signage, posters and logos along with authentic paints for restorations are all sought after. e aesthetic of the motors themselves speaks to a pre-digital, handcrafted era of craftsmanship. Sandy Kennedy, who has been collecting outboard motors and memorabilia for many OPEN STUDIO WEEKENDAugust 15, 16 and 17, 2025  10 am to 5 pmmuskokanorthstudiotour.caWelcome to an exciting, new studio tour for Huntsville and the Muskoka region. Visit unique artists working in a variety of media inspired by this rugged, northern landscape.14 STUDIOS. 26 ARTISTS.Painting • Pottery • Jewellery • Metalwork • Woodwork • SculptureThis four cylinder, twin opposed, 60CUI Evinrude racing engine originated in the 1930s. They were commonly modied aer the Second World War.

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August 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 35years, just loves the way they look. He ﬁnds the chromes, colours, shapes and graphics along with the technological advances over the years endlessly enticing. e varied applications, from tiny sea ﬂeas, utility tin boats, Boston Whalers, ﬁshing boats, freighter canoes, steel hulls for industry and construction, larger lake boats built by Grew, ski boats and numerous classes of race boats, both vintage and modern, keep the outboard very much alive. In Huntsville, the Allman family has been restoring wooden boats, giving special attention to cedar strip craft for three generations. ese modest boats can give a lot of pleasure and access to so many of the small hidden lakes of Muskoka. In northern, remote regions of Canada, a large outboard could be found on the transom The Kennedy Marine Motor Museum houses a wide variety of vintage outboards including these early Mercury outboards, as well as hundreds of period items, from motor oil cans to advertisements.MODERN HOME CARPET ONE350 Ecclestone Drive • Bracebridgemodernhomecarpetonebracebridge.comTAYLOR CARPET ONE30 Cairns Crescent • Huntsvilletaylorcarpetonehuntsville.com705.645.2443705.789.9259HARDWOOD • LAMINATE • VINYL PLANK & TILE • VINYL ROLLS CARPET • CERAMIC • NATURAL STONE & MOREFloors for Home & Cottage

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36 UNIQUE MUSKOKA August 2025of a large freighter canoe. In cottage lands, a commonly held vision of the outboard is one that is mounted on the stern of a 16-foot cedar strip runabout. Peterborough, Lakeﬁeld, Lake Craft and Geisler are among the familiar names of companies building modest cedar strip boats that could accommodate an outboard motor. Lake Craft, also known as the Muskoka Canoe Company, built cedar strips from 1946 to 1960 in Bracebridge. Several examples have survived. Beth Guy tells the story of her boat, Marion, named after the original owner’s wife. All it took was a raspberry-rhubarb pie to become Marion’s new owner, having been rescued from a woodﬁre pile. Reports were that the motor wasn’t working well and she leaked. But with a bit of freshening and exploration, at least the engine issue was solved. Guy explains that with the choke cover removed, 36 acorns were discovered and removed. She saved them for posterity!Guy ﬁgures the boat will go upwards of 20mph with her current power and just two people on board. Since her restoration, Marion has taken part in many adventures with Guy and friends, such as boating from Lake Joseph to Bala for an evening event and nearly getting lost on the return at night.John Collins has particularly fond family memories of a 1950s-era, 14-foot cedar strip, with Canadian Canoe Company “Rocket” model decals. It was powered by a heavily modiﬁed 33 horsepower Johnson outboard motor. Her layout was unique with a “centre deck” on which the steering column and controls were mounted. Collins eventually became the A home-built sea ea races across the water in the Kids and Dogs race at the bi-annual Sea Flea Fest.Fast 180kWReliableZero DowntimeLocalBracebridgeLakeland Electric VehicleCharging Networkacross Muskoka/Parry Sound705-764-0765 | muskokabarging.com | 1163 Milford Bay Rd, Milford Bay ONBARGING STEEL & CRIB DOCKS SEPTIC SYSTEMS LANDSCAPING ● ●Muskoka Barging●Family run construction company with over 35 years experience operating in the Muskoka Lakes area. No job is too small or too big.

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Don Allman of Allman Boatworks, gives this 1950s Peterborough Aqua Cra, owned by John Collins, a test drive.family custodian of the boat and had her restored. Prior Smith, well-known for his knowledge on cedar strips, took on the cause of her restoration. He identiﬁed her as a Peterborough Aqua Craft, despite the decals. She was on display at the 2025 Gravenhurst Boat Show, with Collins polishing her 35 horsepower Johnson engine, restored by Ron Stevenson. Allman Boatworks, near Huntsville, had given her hull further attention as well. As outboards grew more powerful and ﬁbreglass was common, hull designs took on a period speciﬁc character, in harmony with automobiles of the time. Big ﬁns and bold colours took centre stage. Ron Stevenson’s 16-foot, 1961 Power Cat tunnel hull is about as outrageous as it gets. With twin matching Mercury 80 horsepower, six-cylinder engines, with props that spin in opposite directions, she ﬂies, especially for the 1960s. ese were popular boats in the 1960s, but with no reverse, Stevenson refers to it as a “dock crasher!”e 1950s also saw Larson come out with the underhawk. is bright red and white 15-foot boat has tail ﬁns like the Cadillac of its day. With bug-eyed front riding lights and a unique glowing stern light, it is a boat full of character. Owner August 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 37

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38 UNIQUE MUSKOKA August 2025Wayne Dunbar won several awards at the ACBS show in Gravenhurst for the restoration of his special boat. James Bond movie fans will remember the record flight of the Glastron outboard, sailing over 100 feet for the move Live and Let Die. e sparkly metallic ﬁnish of this era has made them very collectible. For many the need for speed goes well beyond the mini sea ﬂeas. e Toronto Outboard Racing Club has taken the outboard experience to the fastest levels with several diﬀerent classes of boats. Each year their circuit brings the boats to Gull Lake on Gravenhurst. Some of the vintage engines include the 1950s “corn popper” modiﬁed ﬁshing engines. ey run fast and loose, explained one driver.Among the racers were a group of young women who have achieved outstanding results in a world mostly dominated by men. Tammy Everitt, from Haliburton, races in the “OSY” and the “20 super stock hydro” categories. OSY-400 is an international class raced throughout the United States and Europe. at makes for big, highly competitive ﬁelds vying for world championships, national titles and speed records. e boat must be a hydroplane type, without weight restrictions. Everitt’s little boat, weight restricted to around 300 pounds, can reach speeds well in excess of 60mph. Over the last seven years she has been racing, Everitt has competed against some of the biggest names in the Ontario circuit, such as Andrew Frallick. Compared to days gone by, one can instantly tell how serious and sophisticated the competition has become by the safety gear each racer wears: from helmet to a tear-proof Kevlar body suit.Stevenson believes part of the reason for the rich history of use of vintage outboards in Muskoka is because so many boathouses have one. “I get calls all the time about another discovery of an outboard,” explains Stevenson, who has been working on or restoring engines for well over 50 years now. Stevenson believes there are a lot of motors still in sheds, under porches and other hidden places. e progression of technology is such that motors considered “vintage” today include impressive technology, such as the likes of the six-cylinder stack, with electronic ignition that revolutionized the industry. ere is something for everyone in the world of vintage and historic outboards. From quirky little ﬁshing and rowboat motors that are over a century old, to the brightly coloured art deco models of the 1950s and the “tower of power” sixes of the 1970s and ‘80s. Nostalgia burns bright, says Chris Taylor. at 20-year cycle takes us back to “Bonanza Land.” All it takes is another smile from a youngster at the helm of a boat to see another seed of passion for the outboard take root. Mercury Kiekhaefer-era outboards of the 1950s were stylish and powerful, like this set up of twins on a classic launch.Past president of the Maple Leaf Chapter of the Outboard Motor Club, Ron Stevenson has had a lifelong passion for outboards.Ron Stevenson at the wheel of a 1961 tunnel hull powered by matching 80 horsepower Mercury outboards. With no ability to reverse the boat, due to the set up of the outboard, Stevenson refers to this model as a “dock crasher.”

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August 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 41Article by Bronwyn Boyer / Photography by Kelly HolinsheadIn a world driven by fast-paced routines and digital distractions, stories of authentic alternative lifestyles stand out like beacons of inspiration. One such story belongs to Josianne Masseau, a dynamic artist whose journey spans diﬀerent lives, careers and creative pursuits. Born and raised in Quebec, Masseau always had a restless desire to explore and express her creative spirit. “I was always doing something creative,” she recalls. “Gymnastics was also a big part of my life. I think having to become comfortable with movement is how I developed my gypsy soul.” Indeed, this explains her ability to take leaps of faith and land with grace. Masseau’s upbringing gave her a sense of independence and resilience. “I learned early on to be self-reliant, and I was always seeking new experiences,” she shares. “I felt comfortable with change.” That independence and love for exploration would later inﬂuence her approach to life.Drawn by a desire to experience new landscapes and cultures in her youth, Masseau set out for the west coast of Canada on a journey that would become a deﬁning chapter in her life. “I hitchhiked from Quebec City all the way to Toﬁno,” she shares. “I dove into the hippie life, camping on beaches and protecting waterfalls from loggers.” Her adventures weren’t just about escape, but were also acts of activism, expressions of her deep connection to the environment and her desire to make a diﬀerence.During this period, Masseau immersed herself in the arts while living oﬀ the land. Her days were spent camping, hiking and forging a profound bond with nature. “I loved being out there, living simply,” she reminisces. “It was about connecting with the earth and expressing myself freely.”Masseau’s travels led her to study photography in Quebec, but her restless spirit soon prompted her to explore further. She journeyed extensively through Yukon, Alaska and along the legendary West Coast Trail, capturing landscapes that took her breath away. Her camera was her constant companion, a tool to preserve moments of raw beauty and to deepen her artistic vision. “Travelling and photography really opened my eyes,” she reﬂects. “It’s like I was collecting pieces of the world that I could turn into art later.”In 2000, Masseau found herself drawn to Muskoka, which has often been characterized as the ultimate resting place for the creative soul.

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42 UNIQUE MUSKOKA August 2025Josianne Masseau renovated a camper into her summer home, allowing her to rent her house out in the summer months as well as creating jewelry and travelling to various festivals, markets and cra shows to sell her work.The wild beauty of the lakes and forests resonated deeply with her love for nature. She and her partner embarked on the monumental project of building a log home from scratch over 12 years. e experience was a testament to her dedication and craftsmanship. “It was diﬃcult, but it was worth every second,” she says. “To make a space that was truly ours and a reﬂection of our connection to the land.”Masseau’s entrepreneurial spirit ﬂourished in Muskoka. She launched Flaunt It Creative, a business oﬀering graphic and web design, photography and branding services. Self-taught in these skills, she embraced the challenge of mastering them through trial and error. “I’ve always been a do-it-yourself-er,” she says. “Whether it was coding websites or designing logos, I just ﬁgured it out as I went along.” Her ability to learn independently and adapt rapidly became her greatest asset.e birth of her daughter in 2007 marked a pivotal moment in Masseau’s life. Parenthood shifted her priorities, prompting her to re-evaluate her career and lifestyle. “When I had my daughter, I realized I needed to ﬁnd a way to make money doing what I love,” she reflects. “I wanted to be present for her, but I also needed to support us.”Balancing motherhood with her creative pursuits, Masseau took on roles in kitchen design, graphic arts and photography. Her work was ﬂexible, allowing her to spend more time with her daughter while still nurturing her artistic side. “It was a juggling act,” she admits. “But I was determined to find a way to make it work.”And she did, until the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted her business. But it led to the meteoric rise of Masseau’s new jewelry business, e Bohemy Co. Like many, she faced the unprecedented challenges of cancelled clients, halted projects and a disrupted sense of stability. But instead of despair, she saw opportunity. “COVID forced me to slow down and rethink everything,” she explains. “I realized I needed to embrace a lifestyle that truly made me happy.”Although Masseau had wanted to make jewelry since she was a child, what started the ball rolling was helping a friend make beaded bracelets. “I just started doing it for fun while we were visiting,” she recalls. “She needed to make a bunch of bracelets for large orders, so I gave her a hand. We would sit and hang out, making bracelets for hours, and I just loved it. I started to ﬁgure out that I could make money at it, so I put in an order for beads for my own designs. And then once I started, I couldn’t stop. I hardly slept because I would do my regular job during the day and then make bracelets in the evening. One idea would lead to another, and then I’d look up and realize it was six a.m.” As a professional photographer and graphic designer, Masseau had the advantage of presenting her work in a way that reached a large audience of admirers online. Suddenly,

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August 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 43During the COVID-19 pandemic, Josianne Masseau was helping a friend create beaded bracelets, which sparked her childhood desire to make her own jewelry. Once she started, designs owed, a name and logo came together and The Bohemy Co came into being.it seemed like everyone wanted her creations. She signed up for the Christmas market at Muskoka Foundry, which required a name and a logo, and e Bohemy Co was born. Based on the enthusiastic reception she received, she decided to sign up for the Mariposa Music Festival. And to her surprise, she got in.“I thought it was funny because I didn't even have a business,” Masseau laughs. “But everything was just ﬂowing and coming together so naturally, I just went with it. I started making stuﬀ like crazy for a few months. And then I had to get a tent and build displays.”For an adept DIY-er like Masseau, the design, carpentry, woodworking and sewing for the displays came together quickly. “e day before Mariposa, I was building my displays,” she shares. “I brought all my tools with me where I was camped out and was working down to the wire. It was a bit stressful, but fun too.” “I had no idea if I had any business doing it,” she continues. “But people were really impressed with my stuff and it was really successful. en the following weekend, I did the Muskoka Arts and Crafts show, which also did really well. It just felt like it had a momentum Muskoka's Largest Home Service Company!No job is too big or too small! www.GBScontracting.com 705.687.9143 1082 Beaumont Farm Rd., Bracebridge

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44 UNIQUE MUSKOKA August 2025all on its own and I just had to catch up.” When she caught up, Masseau decided to rent her house out through Air BnB and buy a camper, which she renovated into her summer home. is allowed her to travel from festival to festival, creating jewelry amid stunning natural backdrops. “It was terrifying but exciting,” she recalls. “I was going all in on my passion.”Masseau started touring the festivals and craft markets of Ontario, selling her jewelry with great success. “Creating in these beautiful settings was incredible,” she says. “It’s like I was back in my youth, living simply and authentically.”Masseau’s jewelry is inspired by river reﬂections, mountain vistas and shimmering water – a true reﬂection of her connection to nature. Each piece was imbued with her personal story and the landscapes she explored. “I love making jewelry that’s inspired by the world around me,” she says. “It’s a way to carry that beauty with me, to share it with others.”For Masseau, jewelry-making isn’t just a business, but also a form of therapy. “When I create without constraints, I feel in the ﬂow,” she explains. “It’s eﬀortless, and my best ideas come when I’m just in the moment, not overthinking.” Her process is spontaneous – she often gets inspired by her surroundings or her travels abroad. Masseau describes her creative process as channelling her environment directly into her work. “Sometimes I realize I’ve created a collection without even planning it,” she says. “Like my river collection – those colours and textures just appeared naturally, inspired by the water and trees. It feels like nature itself is guiding me.”Fitting The Bohemy Co into her other pursuits required Masseau to make an important adjustment. Masseau’s creativity is complemented by her openness to new tools, such as AI-assisted editing. “It saves me so much time,” she says. “Editing is tedious and AI helps streamline that, freeing me to focus on designing and creating.” She believes technology should serve as a tool, not a replacement, for human creativity. Anne-Marie Chagnon Zosma necklace Stinson Studios wood bowlsKaren Klee-Atlin Campﬁ re #2, reductive woodcutOpen Daily in Summer • 1073 Fox Point Road, Dwight • 705.635.1602 oxtonguecraftcabin.com All Canadian. All the Time.100+ Canadian Artists, Artisans & Studio JewellersAnne-Marie Chagnon Zosma necklace All Canadian. Artisans & Studio Jewellers HUNTERS | JUMPERS LESSONS | SALES 4171 Line 11 N Coldwater, ON(705) 641-0754muskokahorseco.com...telling the Muskoka storywww.uniquemuskoka.com

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Inspired by the world around her and her many travels, Josianne Masseau’s process is spontaneous – she creates by channelling the environment into her work.Josianne Masseau’s jewelry is inspired by river reections, mountain vistas and shimmering water. Each piece is a reection of her connection to nature, imbued with her personal story and the landscapes she has explored.Masseau’s journey has culminated in a celebration of independence and authenticity. Her natural aptitude for problem-solving and self-suﬃciency allows her to balance her creativity with her love for adventure in a way that sustains her and her daughter. Every creative person will attest this can be a major challenge, but Masseau faces adversity with stubborn tenacity. A shake-up that was disastrous for many became the stepping stone Masseau needed to follow her dreams. Using a camper as a jewelry-making studio has allowed Masseau the solitude and portability to explore her creativity in various beautiful natural hideaways, which is how she comes up with the wearable works of art that people must have. Her pieces are earthy and beautiful in an understated way. Many of the styles are vintage with a modern twist, drawing the eye without being ﬂashy or over-sized. Minimalist yet sophisticated, they oﬀer practical adornment for free spirits who are always on the move. Many of Masseau’s designs are also inspired by her travels to Nicaragua. Creating by the ocean on long sandy beaches and taking in the indescribable sunsets, her immersion in the vibrant culture of the area also ﬂows into her work. Living simply feels authentic to Masseau, as it reminds her that she’s a gypsy at heart. Having her bike with her allows her to explore the places she visits while touring her wares.

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46 UNIQUE MUSKOKA August 2025“I don’t need much,” she says. “I love hanging out alone in nature, making jewelry, or hanging out with my cat and my daughter. Living with less brings me peace and makes me happier because it helps me stay connected to what truly matters.”Masseau’s philosophy is simple: follow your passion, embrace change and trust the ﬂow. She encourages others to pursue their dreams, even if it means stepping outside conventional boundaries. “You have to be brave and take risks,” she asserts. “at’s how you grow and truly live.”Masseau’s story is a blueprint for anyone seeking to live authentically and creatively. Her path demonstrates that resilience, self-education and a willingness to take risks is a recipe for fulﬁllment. e fear of the unknown can be debilitating, but much can be gained from taking leaps of faith. Either growth occurs, or unexpected miracles. With an impressive list of festivals and markets already under her belt, Masseau has her sights set on the One-of-a-Kind show in Toronto, which will expand her reach to larger audiences. So far, her jewelry can be found in retail stores and galleries such as MAC on Main in Bracebridge, the Artisan Trading Post in Port Carling, and Moon River Apothecary in Parry Sound. Josianne Masseau signed up rst for a Christmas market at the Muskoka Foundry, followed by Mariposa Folk Festival and the Muskoka Arts & Cras Summer Show. Now, she has an impressive list of festivals and markets on her docket for this year with her sights aimed at attending the One-of-a-Kind show in Toronto.

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Photograph: Photograph: Gravenhurst Town Archivesand accurate. Today, the mixture of goods for sale is wide-ranging, although more items may be considered made, rather than farmed. Settlers brought the street market with them to Ontario and each market has its own particular nature. ere’s a sense that farmers’ markets in Muskoka are an even newer development because most claim recent start-up dates. e Gravenhurst market “began in 1992.” Huntsville’s current market is said to date from 1987, Bracebridge’s from the 1970s. Rosseau’s market launched in 2000. Gravenhurst’s Community Market just started ﬁve years ago. And so on, across the district. However, in most cases these are contemporary revivals of weekly street markets dating from the start of homesteader farming when Muskoka ﬁrst opened for settlement in the 1860s. How else could pioneer Muskokans make a living from their farms if they didn’t bring produce into the settlements and sell it? “We have had a long-standing tradition of a farmers’ market dating back into the 1800s,” notes Gravenhurst’s archivist and historian Judy Humphries. In 1896, to replace what had served for a marketplace in Gravenhurst until then, a large farmers’ market building, including weigh scales adjacent to the town clerk’s building, was constructed near the northeast corner of John Street and Victoria (now Sharpe) Street – a site behind the present-day Opera House now occupied by the public library and its parking lot. Joe Stratford’s history of the Opera House, e Many Stages of Our Lives, shows Canada’s Governor General Lord Aberdeen descended from his coach, during a Gravenhurst visit with Lady Aberdeen, inspecting this farmers’ market in August 1898. Both the original photograph of his market tour, and a marked version of it indicating local features, record the event. A subsequent 1914 photograph shows how the weigh scale for large items such as a burlap bag of potatoes, box of beets or side of beef was embedded in the building’s brick wall. e scales where the transaction was taking place on the outside, the register in the interior where on market day clerk W.H. Butterworth took the oﬃcial reading and his secretary, Alma Perkins Borneman, typed it and passed a note with the number to the parties outside. A Bracebridge roadway became known as Market Street in early settlement days because it was the prime venue for open-air Saturday commerce. After the Boer War ended in 1902, townsfolk created a Memorial Park for two young soldiers killed in that distant war helping the British add South Africa’s lucrative diamond mines to its imperial holdings. Volcanic rocks known as kimberlites, the primary source for diamonds, were so productive in South Africa that the Dutch homesteaders named their major town emerging as the diamond-mining capital of the world “Kimberley.” To make the connection to South Africa, Market Street running along the west side of the triangular park was renamed Kimberley Avenue. Locals along this route digging gardens even into the 1960s came across various evidence of market days, such as sawn bones from meat cuts. Today the Bracebridge Farmers’ Market in Sisters Zonia Slyeld and Phema Isaacs have been making the long drive to Gravenhurst’s Farmers’ Market every summer Wednesday and back to Scarborough at day’s end for 25 years to smile with familiar customers and sell Zonia’s Caribbean food sauces.August 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 49In summer 1898, Canada’s Governor General Lord Aberdeen stepped from his carriage to inspect Gravenhurst’s farmers’ market at its new location. Photographed from Sullivan’s upstairs window, to the band stand’s le is the town clerk’s brick oce building and weigh scale extension, and to its right the new market hall erected in 1896.

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50 UNIQUE MUSKOKA August 2025Memorial Park, still held on Saturday, continues operating along Market Street in all but name. For sellers and buyers alike, market day is a retailing experience that can please or disappoint, yet both parties keep turning out because they enjoy the adventure. Vendors get to know repeat customers and buyers know the only place to get a rare food or seductive fragrance. Fresh farm produce is still the centre around which satellite vendors orbit, and most Muskoka farmers’ markets tout their role in district agriculture. e Huntsville market promotes its location at the town’s fairgrounds as “ideal for promoting North Muskoka agriculture.” Rosseau’s market is committed “to provide people of both Parry Sound and Muskoka fresh Ontario produce with an emphasis on locally grown and produced items.” Gravenhurst’s market, having been the object of a picketing protester, whose sign condemned trucks arriving from the Ontario Food Terminal, is today on “a mission to promote fresh Ontario produce with a special emphasis on locally grown products.” Yet the decreasing presence of local farmers with stalls at most Muskoka farmers’ markets has been matched by the rising dominance of single source produce supply. Today’s mashup of farm products with arts and crafts, scented candles and ﬁshermen’s lures with guitar strumming singers and serious environmental issues and social causes creates so diversiﬁed an event that it is a unique hybrid. Operating with a short season amid local commercial ventures that also oﬀer a wide array of farm-style goods, organizers of Muskoka farmers’ markets seek to balance the menu. When January snow still covers our district, applications ﬂood in from vendors wanting ground space in the upcoming season’s market. Even stalwart sellers for decades must reapply every year, sending samples of their products, because market organizers strive for a well-balanced mix from year to year and use their power to do so. One constant is that a farmers’ market is held at the same venue on the same day during the same hours between mid-May and Labour Day. Within that ﬁxed framework, vendors rotate around a personal circuit of markets they applied to and have been authorized for either as “seasonal” or “guest” vendors, the former with a full-season gig from spring to fall, the latter entitled to make spot appearances. It is a demanding feat on the part of sellers, requiring early morning arrival and set up, engaging members of the public throughout market hours, packing up and going home at day’s end to resupply and be ready to hit the road next morning. “People look forward to the markets,” emphasizes Al Burley of Port Carling, who began creating wood products after retiring from the RCAF. “I see many of the same people every week, doing their grocery shopping and looking around to see what’s new.” One vendor’s “every day” circuit takes in the ﬁve markets at Huntsville, Sundridge, Parry Sound, Bracebridge and Gravenhurst. Another’s requires appearances at Orillia, Bala, Gravenhurst, Rosseau and Bracebridge. In all, the farmers’ markets are an ever-changing kaleidoscope, never twice repeating the same arrangement of all their moving parts. A common feature of farmers’ markets is a live performance by a local music maker who is both a participant and observer. Neil Hutchinson of Bracebridge, whether singing his own songs or working through his repertoire of Gordon Lightfoot classics, is among this cast of regularly performing musicians. “ere is much more interest this year,” Hutchinson says of the 2025 Bracebridge Farmers’ Market. “e place is busier, with more things people want, like a coﬀee or something to eat. ere are more vendors.” Another integral feature of open-air markets is contending with weather, which is the same challenge for outdoor weddings and graduation ceremonies. However, farmers accustomed to working through rain did not pivot to an alternative plan; they just shrugged and carried on. Muskoka farmers’ markets adhere to this ancestral work ethic, declaring themselves open for business “rain or shine.” e advent of versatile kiosks has increased ability to continue through all manner of weather. In Huntsville, where market day is ursday, one wiseacre commented, “If it’s raining, this must be ursday.”Despite similarities, no monolithic pattern holds for markets across the district because Muskoka’s uniqueness springs from vital diﬀerences between areas and communities with few remaining static, as Gravenhurst makes clear. Over the past quarter century, according to constant exhibitor Zonia Slyﬁeld who began the days Patricia Luellen ran the town farmers’ market, the weekly event’s venue has been the wharf area by Muskoka Bay, near the main street behind the library, in a municipal sports ﬁeld and, since 2024, in Gull Lake Park to sidestep traﬃc blockages caused by road and waterworks reconstruction. Locals “like the vibe of being in town and beside the lake,” reports a staﬀ member of the town library on duty at the market’s information desk, though Lake Muskoka cottagers boating to market understandably preferred the wharf area. e current set up, with a map of vendor kiosks at the entrance like a city shopping mall, runs like a winding street through the clustering pines with stalls along both sides. en, ﬁve years ago, Sherrie Pilger launched another open-air weekly market in town at the local drive-in theatre. e Gravenhurst Tent-like kiosks have become common at Muskoka’s many summer markets in villages and towns alike, arranged to create a market street of widely varying products perused at leisure and purchased with easy conversation by an equally varied public of shoppers.Photograph: J. Patrick Boyer

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August 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 51Community Market, operating during sunlight hours when no movie could be screened and the lot stands empty, promotes itself as “local people selling local things.” is community-centric market operates a log-in website for folks to connect with “family, friends and people you know.” Now a third Gravenhurst market venue is taking shape along Bethune Drive north, across from Muskoka Rock Company’s granite sawmill near Highway 11. e site, where Hale Muskoka is slated to open this month, was once the Simpson family’s homestead, accounting for the heritage barn, several remnant ﬁelds being reclaimed by nature, and a nearby street called Simpson Road. Senior consultant on the project, Debra Goldblatt Sadowski, explains that “Hale represents to us the meditative act of ‘inhaling’ and ‘exhaling.’ Every breath is a fresh start, a new beginning. It allows a chance to renew, reconnect and rediscover your nature. It’s about slowing down, taking in the richness of your environment, and truly living in the moment. A decreasing presence of local farmers with stalls at district farmers’ markets has been matched by the rising dominance of single-source produce supply. Over the past four decades, Barry and Laura Anderson of Coldwater have made Anderson Produce a mainstay of Muskoka’s markets with their extensive displays of “the freshest, best tasting produce from select Ontario farms.”LEAD SPONSORFRIENDS OF HOSPICE SPONSORSUPPORTING SPONSORShospicemuskoka.com/hike-for-hospiceMUSKOKA LAKES FARM & WINERYSUNDAY SEPTEMBER 7 12-3PMTo learn more and to registerBecause money did not change hands in Muskoka as readily a century ago as it does today, purchases at farmers’ markets required the precise reading of weigh scales. This 1914 photograph shows Gravenhurst clerk-treasurer W.H. Butterworth taking the reading in his oce. His secretary Alma Perkins Borneman would deliver the accurate number to the parties to the parties involved.Photograph: J. Patrick BoyerPhotograph: Gravenhurst Town Archives

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52 UNIQUE MUSKOKA August 2025With Hale Muskoka, we want to create a natural gathering space that celebrates the present, the seasonal changes, and stimulates the senses through food, art, craftsmanship and a serene natural setting. We’re creating a space to allow the best of Muskoka to shine through.”Huntsville’s Farmers’ Market has also relocated over time, most recently completing a three-decade run in the local Canadian Tire parking lot. In 2019 the store’s expansion forced a move to the Huntsville Fair Grounds where the atmosphere is more suited to the purpose than an asphalt parking lot, with additional space for the weekly market’s increasing number of vendors, ample safe parking or public transit with the fairgrounds on the town’s bus route. Port Sydney’s Farmers’ Market, held Saturdays beside Highway 11 oﬀ Mary Lake Road outside the Ultramar gas station, oﬀers the contemporary mixture of produce from local growers and handcrafted products by area artisans. So does the Rosseau Market, but on a grand scale in a magniﬁcent setting. A Bracebridge woman who attended it early this season found the village “packed, with cars parked up and down every street.” at’s another way to say Rosseau’s glorious mashup of the community-based variety of open-air shopping-centred markets is enjoying tremendous success. ere’s a sand beach at water’s edge, a dock pavilion just oﬀshore where lively musical groups draw crowds and heighten the festive atmosphere. Youths in highly visible light green T-shirts emblazoned with the Rosseau Market logo wait ready to assist buyers move their voluminous purchases to their vehicles or boats or seaplanes with sturdy wagons in the same green and signs designating them as a Rosseau Market helper.In addition to a spectacular locale, Rosseau Farmers’ Market succeeds by the clarity of purpose of those organizing and operating it to provide people of both Parry Sound and Muskoka fresh Ontario produce with an emphasis on locally grown and produced items and a chance to encounter local artists, artisans, and crafters and their works, to promote co-operation between vendors and customers, in the bargain fostering “a strong sense of community” and “preservation of small farms and farmland.” e understandable popularity and all the cars have not escaped attention; the organizers have a shuttle bus service from village parking areas down to the waterside market. When farmers’ markets began in Muskoka’s pioneer era, many fresh fruits and vegetables commonly enjoyed today thanks to air transport and refrigeration were beyond imagining, and no homesteader ever slipped on a banana peel. Today, apart from produce in Muskoka coming from Mexico, Central America, Africa, and the Middle East, those living in harmony with local farms and gardens enjoy the march of seasons advancing from fresh strawberries, blueberries, peaches, beans and corn to harvests of apples, cranberries, squash, and pumpkins. Tomorrow is market day, somewhere in Muskoka! Fishing lures, craed handbags and dozens of other vendor oerings are on display in the rows of kiosks around the bandshell at Bracebridge’s Saturday morning farmers’ market in Memorial Park. Across Muskoka, as in the rest of our country, rising national awareness is on display in the face of U.S. political and economic aggression. On the right is Muskoka maple syrup displayed on a Canadian ag.Photograph: J. Patrick BoyerPhotograph: J. Patrick BoyerNeil Hutchinson of Bracebridge, performing his Canadian folk songs at the town’s Saturday market, notes increased attendance this year and a stronger emphasis on products that are made in Canada and locally grown.

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54 UNIQUE MUSKOKA August 2025New MRI suite opened at Huntsville Hospital Huntsville District Memorial Hospital has opened a new Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) suite, representing a significant development for the Muskoka community. is project was made possible through a $10 million fundraising campaign organized by the Huntsville Hospital Foundation, aimed at enhancing local healthcare services.Cheryl Harrison, president and CEO of Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC) said the service will improve healthcare access for local residents. She commended the teamwork and community support that brought this project to fruition, stating, “Our clinical teams now have access to an exceptional diagnostic tool. is MRI service is a game changer.”e addition of the MRI suite is expected to save patients over 7,000 hours of travel time and eliminate more than 700,000 kilometres of trips to far-oﬀ facilities. With the ability to perform around 5,000 MRI scans each year, MAHC says patients will now receive timely care within Muskoka.Katherine Craine, CEO of the Huntsville Hospital Foundation, acknowledged the contributions of 2,460 donors from the region. eir support has enabled this project to be completed in three years, reﬂecting a strong community commitment to improving local healthcare, she said.Gravenhurst snowboarder named to Team CanadaAs the countdown to the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy begins – just seven months away – Canada has oﬃcially unveiled its roster of over 40 snowboarders ready to hit the slopes in ﬁve disciplines. Among the standout athletes is Gravenhurst’s Liam Brearley.e 2025/26 Canadian National Snowboard Team showcases a mix of experienced Olympians, Paralympic athletes, established team members, and spirited newcomers eager to shine on the world stage. is roster encompasses all ﬁve snowboarding disciplines: slopestyle and big air, halfpipe, snowboard cross, alpine, and para snowboarding.Competing under the Canadian ﬂag, Brearley alongside his teammates, will participate in World Cup events and international competitions leading up to the Games. Brearley rose to fame last year when he became Canada’s ﬁrst-ever men’s Slopestyle World Champion, marking a pivotal achievement for the nation. Shoreline improvements at Norway PointNorway Point Park in Lake of Bays Township is set to undergo a revitalization project, informed by feedback collected from local residents during public consultations held throughout 2023. e objective is to enhance the park experience by upgrading the beach, increasing seating options, and protecting the natural shoreline.The Township collaborated with the community to develop the Parks, Open Space, and Recreation Strategy, focusing on improving waterfront access and swimming conditions. is project aims to meet community needs while emphasizing shoreline conservation.e revitalization aims to achieve several key objectives. One important goal is to preserve the shoreline by maintaining native plants. Additionally, there are plans to enhance the swimming area located on the west side of the park. e eﬀort also includes expanding seating options throughout the park to make it more inviting. Improving the visibility of the lake from various spots within the park is a signiﬁcant focus.Whats HappenedPhotograph: Muskoka Algonquin HealthcareHuntsville District Memorial Hospital has opened a new Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) suite. The project was made possible through a $10 million fundraising campaign organized by the Huntsville Hospital Foundation, aimed at enhancing local healthcare services.Photograph: Canadian National Snowboarding TeamGravenhurst’s Liam Brearley has been named to the Canadian National Snowboarding Team for the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy.

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August 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 55Norway Point Park will remain open during the revitalization, which is expected to be completed by late summer. e Township is set to implement a new planting strategy and will conduct regular maintenance to ensure accessibility for visitors.New mural coming to downtown Bracebridgee Town of Bracebridge has taken an exciting step by approving a new mural for downtown. Created by Toronto artist Jacquie Comrie, the artwork is titled “We All Come From Water.”A survey on EngageBracebridge.ca gave property owners in the Business Improvement Area the opportunity to express interest in hosting a mural on their buildings. This initiative prompted four submissions, leading the Public Art Advisory Committee to select 19 Taylor Road. e committee said the location stands out due to its high visibility as visitors enter downtown Bracebridge and its proximity to the future Northlander train station, slated to open in 2026.In December 2024, the community participated in another survey on EngageBracebridge.ca to help decide the theme for the mural. Additionally, a social media poll on the Town’s Facebook page received 150 votes, with the winning theme focused on celebrating the beautiful natural landscape of Bracebridge.Muskoka Conservancy reviewed the proposed design, conﬁrming it features silhouettes of native ﬁsh species like rainbow trout and brook trout. While these elements are artistic representations, they aim to capture the spirit of the region.e mural will adorn the east-facing wall of 19 Taylor Road, which will undergo necessary preparations to enhance its longevity. To support the project, the 2025 Municipal Budget includes a $19,000 allocation for Public Art.Photograph: Township of Lake of BaysA new mural titled “We All Come From Water,” created by Toronto artist Jacquie Comrie, will soon grace the east-facing wall of 19 Taylor Road, Bracebridge, according to the Town's Public Art Advisory Committee.Photograph: Town of BracebridgeNorway Point Park in Lake of Bays Township is set to undergo a revitalization project to enhance the park experience by upgrading the beach, increasing seating options, and protecting the natural shoreline.

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56 UNIQUE MUSKOKA August 2025Baysville Arts and Cras Festival set for August 9 and 10For over 30 years, Baysville has celebrated a tradition that is central to the community's spirit: the Baysville Arts and Crafts Festival. Launched in 1987 by local artist Richard Robinson and his wife Marlene, this event has blossomed from a quaint gathering of six exhibitors into a vibrant festival that ﬁlls the local park each year.August 9 and 10, artisans from around the province converge along the Muskoka River, showcasing a remarkable variety of handcrafted goods. The festival's selective juried process ensures a diverse array of talent, featuring painters, soap-makers, potters, illustrators, woodworkers and textile artists.is annual celebration encourages visitors to venture out of their cottages and soak up the creative atmosphere. Festival attendees can wander through winding paths, discovering 80 unique booths ﬁlled with one-of-a-kind creations. If inspiration strikes, they can inquire about commissioning original artwork.Beyond the exhibits, festivalgoers can unwind to live music while enjoying a barbecue hosted by the Lions Club. With over 2,000 attendees expected, organizers say the festival signiﬁcantly uplifts the local economy, with proceeds beneﬁting community organizations and scholarship programs.Bala dancer selected for Team Canada DanceEmma McLellan, a talented dancer from Bala, is set to pursue an incredible opportunity as she joins Team Canada Dance for their fall 2025 season. is prestigious team will allow McLellan to showcase her skills across five genres: jazz, show dance, modern/contemporary, ballet and acro.“I can’t believe I get the chance of a lifetime to perform on stage in another country,” McLellan shared, expressing her excitement. She plans to bring her supportive parents along, as their encouragement has been crucial to her journey.Starting her dance training at the age of nine in Huntsville, McLellan pursued her dream with relentless dedication, honing her skills at J Dance Performing Arts Studio. Her commitment led her to professional training programs in Toronto and Belleville, with notable experiences at Cadence School of Ballet and the Quinte Ballet School of Canada.Her mother, Erica McLellan, says she’s extremely proud of Emma’s accomplishments. “Her acceptance to compete with Team Canada Dance speaks volumes about her talent. We hope our community will support her along this journey.”However, with an estimated cost of $20,000 for travel and competition expenses, Emma has launched a GoFundMe campaign. “The arts mean everything to me, and I appreciate any support,” Emma stated. For more details or to donate, visit https://gofund.me/334178df.Bracebridge approves MATThe Town Council of Bracebridge has officially approved the introduction of a Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT) to enhance tourism efforts and improve local amenities. is new initiative will be in eﬀect starting October 1, 2025.Set at a four per cent rate per room night, the MAT aligns Bracebridge with neighbouring towns like Huntsville and Gravenhurst. In anticipation of this tax, the Town held a community engagement initiative last summer to collect feedback from local businesses and the tourism industry. To eﬀectively manage the funds generated by the MAT, the Town plans to establish a municipal service corporation (MSC). is MSC will oversee the allocation of 50 per cent of the tax revenue speciﬁcally for promoting tourism in Bracebridge. e board will primarily consist of members from the local accommodation sector, ensuring their interests are represented in tourism investments. The other half of the MAT revenue will be utilized by the Town for essential community services and infrastructure projects, notably those enhancing visitor experiences. Photograph: Baysville Arts and Crafts FestivalPhotograph: Erica McLellanThe Baysville Arts and Cras Festival, a community tradition for 30 years, will return August 9 and 10 with over 80 unique vendors.A talented dancer from Bala, Emma McLellan, has been selected to join Team Canada Dance for their fall 2025 season. Joining the prestigious team will allow her to showcase her skills across ve genres: jazz, show dance, modern/contemporary, ballet and acro.

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August 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 57In Gravenhurst and Huntsville, a four per cent MAT already exists, while in Lake of Bays Township a MAT is proposed to go into eﬀect at the start of 2026. RMS Segwun will not sail in 2025 due to mechanical issuesIn a recent announcement, the engineering crew conducting routine inspections on the RMS Segwun revealed a serious mechanical problem that cannot be resolved in time for the upcoming sailing season. As a result, the historic vessel will not be operational in 2025.According to Muskoka Steamships & Discovery Centre, who operate the vessel, they are proactively contacting all ticket holders for the season to oﬀer alternative arrangements aboard her sister ship, Wenonah II. John Miller, president of Muskoka Steamships, addressed the situation stating, “e mechanical issue was unexpected. Our team has been thorough in testing all components of Segwun’s mechanical system and there were no prior indications of diﬃculties, despite the ship’s age. Safety is our highest concern, which made the tough decision to cancel this season necessary in order to carry out required repairs.”Looking ahead, plans have been announced for a major restoration of the RMS Segwun, scheduled to commence in the fall of 2025, pending funding conﬁrmation. is project aims to ensure the historic vessel can continue to operate for another 25 years or more.Gallery’s move to Bala proves a recipe for success For more than three decades Red Canoe Gallery has brought the best in Canadian artwork to Muskoka, and for nearly two years they’ve been bringing it to a new location in Bala. “We moved to Bala in the fall of 2023 and had an amazing ﬁrst year and now halfway into the second 2025 looks to be even better,” says gallery owner Carola Grimm from her location at 3181 Muskoka Rd. 169 in the north end of Bala. “Bala has a lovely village feel to it. e shops are all diﬀerent, such as the handmade chocolate shop Cacao Boys. Bala is now a more year-round town, and the majority of businesses stay open year-round as does Red Canoe Gallery.”Grimm says she waited to make sure she had the ideal location for her new gallery. “I knew the building would be perfect for Red Canoe Gallery with its high ceilings and large display windows. The light inside is fabulous for showcasing art,” she says. “e building also has its own large level parking lot including accessible spots and easy level loading area. I used to drive by every morning and hope to see a for rent sign and eventually, after being connected with the new building owners, I was oﬀered this location.”Currently the gallery features the work of about 30 painters, sculptors and carvers and as well a wood bowl maker and three people creating in ceramics. e focus of Red Canoe Gallery is ﬁne art and carving and, as always in the 32 years they have been in business, they show only the work of Canadian artists with the majority being from Ontario. Photograph: Muskoka Steamship & Discovery CentreRMS Segwun will not sail in 2025 due to the recent discovery of a serious mechanical problem. Plans have been announced for a major restoration of the steamship, scheduled to commence in the fall of 2025, pending funding conrmation.Red Canoe Gallery, now located in Bala on Muskoka Road 169, features ne art and carving solely from Canadian artists, as it has for 32 years.Photograph: Carola GrimmFeature by Matt Driscoll

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58 UNIQUE MUSKOKA August 2025Planning food to cook over the campﬁre this summer? Tired of the same old Potatoes in Foil Roasted into Rocks, Hot Dog à la Bits of Ash and Marshmallows Flambé? Okay, the kids will never get tired of Marshmallows Flambé, but that has nothing to do with eating them. Here from some of Muskoka’s best culinary pros are several recipes that will elevate your bonﬁre cuisine. Probably we’ve set a record here, with all three oﬀerings created for you – originated exclusively for Cottage Country Cuisine.You wouldn’t think that the attributes of a gourmet dish – an aggregation or fusion of ﬂavours and textures that enhance each other by their contrasts and harmonies – could be built from a humble hot dog. But you’d be wrong, as proven by Shelby’s Chipwagon of Gravenhurst.Possibly the most venerable food truck in Muskoka, founded in 1998, Shelby’s has won numerous awards locally and lauds nationally in such publications as the Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star. Born in Scarborough to a father who operated hot dog carts and a family that moved to Gravenhurst when she was six, owner Sherry Article by K.M. Wehrstein Photography by Tomasz SzumskiAdding Flair to Your Fireside FoodsWill Nash shows o the Canadian Crunch Dog he and Shelby’s Chipwagon owner, Shelby Martin, put together exclusively for Unique Muskoka. It’s so good, it’s getting added to the menu.

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August 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 59Canadian Crunch Dog- Will Nash & Sherry MartinIngredients4 hot dogs ("we use European")4 bakery-fresh hot dog bunsDiana Sauce of your choiceTopping Combine:Half an onion, dicedHalf a tomato, diced2 full fresh jalapenos, de-seeded and dicedMaple Sauce Combine:1 cup Hellman's Mayonnaise100 ml (or 1/2 cup) maple syrup (or to taste)Method 1. Roast hot dogs over the ﬁre. 2. Place them in buns, spread a quarter of the topping over each dog. Sprinkle one handful per portion of broken-up light salt ripple potato chips (or to taste). 3. Drizzle with Maple Sauce and Diana Sauce, to taste.4. “Doctor it up as you choose,” Martin suggests – mustard, relish, ketchup, whatever.Yield: 4 portions.Martin bought the chip truck after losing a managing job and buying a house at the same time. “We decided to make the leap,” she recalls. She never looked back.Shelby’s fryer and grill cook, Gravenhurst native Will Nash, grew up watching his mother cook. “Same concept, tiny little places, mom and pop, nothing fancy,” he says. He has worked for other restaurants including in Nova Scotia but returned to Gravenhurst ﬁve years ago to aid his mom after she was struck by illness. Working at Shelby’s, as he has for two years now, is a childhood dream come true. “I always wanted to work here,” he says. “When I was in high school, I was thinking of applying. I was here all the time as a kid, and now I’m working here.”Challenged to create a campﬁre food that is truly unique, Nash recounts: “We were messing around with red and white, tomato and onion, and I made a maple-mayo sauce. en Sherry mentioned potato chips.” An American idea, Martin avows, a staple, especially in Vegas. “Diana Sauce was founded in Gravenhurst, so I added that,” Nash continues. “A little bit of ﬂavour, a little extra heat: I added some jalapeno. You have hot, sweet and crunchy all in one. It has a bit of an intense ﬂavour proﬁle.”Readers might recall Chef Aaron Clyne’s teachings on ﬂavour layers; this helping has three layers of heat, three layers of sweetness and three layers of tang. e potato chips totally remedy the overall softness of a typical hot dog. Nash’s combining the foiling ingredients mayonnaise and maple syrup is a ridiculously simple bit of genius. You’ve got to try this, and if you don’t feel like cooking it, visit Shelby’s. ey’re putting it on the menu.Next, we haul our camp spits and grills

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60 UNIQUE MUSKOKA August 2025Fire-Grilled Lamb Lollipops with Chimichurri - John CooperIngredients Chimichurri2 bunches ﬂat leaf parsley2 Tbsp red wine vinegar3 Tbsp olive oil5 garlic cloves, minced½ tsp fresh ground black pepper½ tsp chili ﬂakesLamb1 rack of lamb, Frenched and cut into chops for every 2 guestsMethodChimichurri1. Wash, trim and chiﬀonade parsley2. Combine all ingredientsLamb1. Season lamb with a pinch per side of kosher salt at least one hour before cooking2. Dry chops, and cook over hot coals or barbecue to desired level of doneness; approximately 90 seconds per side.3. Serve with chimichurri for dipping.Chef's Tip• “Chops should be dabbed dry before you cook them to ensure a good sear.”Kitchen denitionsChionade: to cut a vegetable into strips by rolling it up ﬁrst; search “chiﬀonade” on YouTube for demonstrations.French: to remove the fat cap and meat between each rib, generally for presentation, and the fact that the resulting “lollipop” is easier to hold.Strawberry Limoncello Spritz- Kirsten EmmsIngredients1½ oz. Limoncello1 oz. strawberry syrup½ oz. lemon juiceProsecco and sodaMethodCombine measured ingredients, add strawberry and lemon slices if desired for presentation, and top with prosecco and soda. If you like a sweeter mixer, use 7Up or Sprite.A summery meal of re-roasted lamb topped with chimichurri and a cool strawberry Limoncello spritz, brought to you by Basilico’s executive chef John Cooper and bartender Kristen Emms, provides cool avours with reside cooking.

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August 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 61oﬀ to Basilico, the Italian-themed restaurant that shares building space with the Inn at the Falls in Bracebridge, and its executive chef John Cooper. Born in Bracebridge, he originally wanted to be a philosopher, studying at the University of Toronto and funding his tuition by working in a restaurant kitchen. In time, he says, “It occurred to me that I was making a lot more money cooking than philosophizing.” He left the hectic 100-hour-per-week Toronto restaurant scene to return with his wife to Muskoka after she became pregnant.Cooper worked at the Inn’s restaurant in 2009 and 2010, then after many years at e Old Station and other eateries he returned in February 2024. Invited to invent a campﬁre dish, Cooper invoked a very lovable meat – lamb – and a ﬂavour staple of his own dietary preferences: chimichurri, which originated in Argentina and is more frequently served on steak. “I just like putting chimichurri sauce on absolutely everything,” he says. “It’s super summery, and for something as rich as lamb, its acidity counterbalances. It’s not wintery. It’s one of my fave things for meat in the summer; I keep a stash in the fridge at home.”Like many chefs, Cooper doesn’t stick strictly to the rules. “I wing it every time I do it. As long as you’ve got garlic, something acidic, salt and pepper, oil and parsley, it’s chimichurri.” Sometimes he uses red wine vinegar, sometimes lemon for the acidic ingredient.e version of the dish we tasted was served on a bed of arugula with broccolini and grape tomatoes, plus lemon wedges sprinkled with a very ﬁnely-chopped herb mix of equal parts oregano, parsley and sage – a great presentation and it all went very nicely with the lamb and the chimichurri. e sauce is indeed very summery as it has a lovely waterish coolness due mostly to the parsley, combined with the heat of pepper and – well, how do you describe the taste of garlic except “garlicky?” – all of which nicely foils the saltiness of lamb. Everyone is going to want to come to your ﬁre.As a teetotaler, Cooper has no wine Campre Charcuterie- Glenn KitchenIngredients1 French stick1 pound sliced prosciutto 1 small wheel Brie, sliced8-10 fresh ﬁgs, sliced1 cup cream cheese ¼ cup dried cranberries, ﬁnely chopped¼ cup shelled pistachios, ﬁnelychoppedZest of 1 orangeMethod1. Mix chopped cranberries, chopped pistachios and orange zest with cream cheese till cream cheese is soft.2. Slice French stick in half down its full length.3. Spread the cream cheese mix over inner surfaces of both halves.4. Layer the prosciutto, Brie slices and ﬁg slices evenly on one half. Place the other half on top. 5. Carefully wrap the sandwich with heavy tinfoil. Attach as tightly as possible to a toasting rod with string or wire.6. Hold over the campﬁre for 10 to 15 minutes until sandwich is hot and ﬁlling is melted.Chef ’s Tips• is dish – like all dishes in this article – can also be done on a grill, a camp stove or in a home oven. Oven version: bake at 400° F for 15 minutes, then check and bake longer if needed. “If the temperature is too hot the bread will burn. If it isn’t hot enough, the Brie won’t melt.”• Flames or coals? Use your judgment. “I’ve done sandwiches like this on a rock on the side of the ﬁre,” Kitchen says.Chef Glenn Kitchen has created a sweet and savoury campre sandwich, lled with cheese, prosciutto and avours complemented by a variety of textures. No matter where you choose to make it – reside, on the grill or on the stove – don’t forget the napkins.

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62 UNIQUE MUSKOKA August 2025pairing suggestion, and so turned to the bar staﬀ of Basilico, primarily bartender Kirsten Emms.“John said it was a camping theme for this issue, so I tried a s’mores espresso martini, and John said no,” Emms says. “So, then I thought of the easiest thing to make that’s light and refreshing, and things that are easy to pre-make and pre-package.”Apropos for a person who works in an Italian restaurant, Emms’s personal favourite liqueur is Limoncello, and her go-to in summer is a spritz, for its lightness and fruitiness. “And you can put sparkles into it to make it cute – it’s a great gift with a bow.” She showed oﬀ a bottle of spritz mixture which, when placed in direct sunlight, had a rather spectacular rippling satiny sheen of minute fuchsia sparkles all through it.e campﬁre version is simpler, though, with three basic ingredients that meld nicely together into a sweet, tangy, light, cooling, cute drink.Finally, we will visit a gourmet take on the common campﬁre technique of foil-wrapped cooking. is oﬀering by chef Glenn Kitchen, culinary manager of the Muskoka Landing Retirement Lodge in Huntsville, starts with a simple French stick but goes delectably beyond that.Kitchen was born and raised in Coldwater and credits his grandmother for starting his culinary training. “We used to stay with her when we were kids and she taught us to do a lot of cooking,” he reminisces. After a high school hospitality teacher presented him with a half-ﬁlled-out application to George Brown College’s culinary program as a subtle hint, he took the hint and the program.Kitchen went on to work for some 20 employers including Casino Rama, Pinelands Lodge and Windermere House, spending all of his career in Ontario except a six-month stint in Australia with his wife, Diane, who is best known locally for having run Kitchen’s Buttertarts in Bracebridge.On June 8 of this year, Kitchen started his current job at the Muskoka Landing Retirement Lodge, a rather diﬀerent milieu from the high-stress upscale restaurant world. “People are a lot more laid back,” he says. YOUR GUIDE TO SERVICES AND RESOURCESDIRECTORYYOUR FURNITURE, CUSTOM UPHOLSTERY & DRAPERY SPECIALISTS705.784.0906705.784.0906muskokauph@gmail.com • MuskokaUpholstery.comCall Curt and Paula Today!JOHNSON LOG HOMERESTORATIONS705-738-7831 jcd.johnson@hotmail.com Staining Chinking Log Repairs Sandblasting Timber Frames Renovation Log Wash Custom BuildsLogHomeRestore.ca...telling the Muskoka storywww.uniquemuskoka.com

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August 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 63www.budgetpropaneontario.com Budget Propane Sales & Service705.687.5608 Toll Free 1.888.405.7777Serving: Muskoka • Gravenhurst • Haliburton • Barrie • Simcoe CountyWe’ll take care of your propane needs for your home, coage, or business.“ere isn’t the pressure. I’m more of a supervisor here; the only time I have to get behind a stove is when someone isn’t able to.” His favourite part: “I get to come up and speak to the residents. at’s a bigger part of my job than before.”e Lodge is a state-of-the-art facility for seniors in the Huntsville area that had its grand opening in June of last year. It boasts 100 premier suites and 14 lakeside townhouses, and has its own theatre, games room, library, gym, greenhouse, bar and bistro. e whole place is bright, airy and elegant.e Lodge’s residents, currently numbering 75, enjoy gourmet home-style breakfast, lunch and dinner, changed every six months and created in consultation with the residents. Foodies everywhere, note this wisdom from Kitchen: “You can’t please everybody. You can please 80 per cent of the people 80 per cent of the time.”But what happens when we take Kitchen out of the kitchen and to the campﬁre? “It’s a challenge to come up with something that suits the idea you’re looking at,” he says. “People want something interesting.” No lack of that here! Usually when you look at a recipe, you can roughly imagine how the dish will taste. However, favourites are often those that one can’t begin to imagine, and this is one of those recipes. Cream cheese ﬂavoured by cranberries, pistachios and orange zest, topped with Brie, prosciutto and ﬁgs? It’s baﬄing. You just have to try it.It is extremely rich, and cannot be eaten neatly – but you’re not at a white-tie gala, you’re at a campﬁre, so who cares? Is it savoury or sweet? e meat is quite salty, of course, but the ﬁgs are intensely sweet. “Prosciutto calls for that kind of thing,” Kitchen opines. “It’s like a European-y sort of ﬂavour.”It’s a a sublime example of sweet and savoury fusion, complete with literal fusion. It dances on the edge between, with a pine-like tanginess that attacks the base of your tongue wonderfully, and of course the toasted crunch of the bread to foil the soft and blended cheese textures. Camp food doesn’t get better than this!...telling the Muskoka storywww.uniquemuskoka.comMissed an issue?Read our archives onlineWho sayscottagingmeans goingoffline?Stream, scroll, andstay in touchSeasonal Packages Available

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64 UNIQUE MUSKOKA August 2025I have lived in Muskoka for most of my life. Born in Toronto, I was raised here from a young age, leaving brieﬂy in my 20s before returning and starting a family with my wife Sue.Memories of growing up in Muskoka come easily. My childhood was ﬁlled with moonlit winter nights playing pond hockey, hot summer evenings with friends until my dad came looking for me (always best to call it a night before that happened), watching ﬁreﬂies, catching frogs, picking raspberries and endless afternoons exploring lakes and forests. Muskoka is the perfect place to spend your childhood outdoors.At the same time, I was travelling across Ontario with various hockey, baseball and soccer teams – and later doing the same as a parent and coach. Visiting teams in summer would often grumble about the blackﬂies and mosquitoes, but they would also comment on how lucky we were to live in such a beautiful place. And they were right.High school years were spent ﬁshing, camping, and playing sports – forging friendships that have lasted a lifetime. A course called Food Technology taught by John Hudswell set me on a path I hadn’t expected. I trained to be a chef at several properties, before discovering that I belonged at the front of the house. I spent years in hotel and resort management before ﬁnding my home at Muskoka Steamships & Discovery Centre (MSDC), where I’ve served as president and general manager for the past 24 years.Working at MSDC has been a continuous learning experience. I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with passionate volunteers, donors, board members and community leaders who value Muskoka’s natural beauty and rich history. Together, we’ve expanded our mission as a charitable organization – most notably with environmental and Indigenous themes at Muskoka Discovery Centre (MDC).We ask visitors to consider: Who lived here before settlers arrived? How did those early settlers impact the environment? What was it like to arrive in Muskoka by train and board a steamship bound for a lakeside resort? Why is water management still so complex today? We’ve sought to answer these questions – and many more – in our recent $10 million expansion completed last year.In 2026, we’ll unveil a new permanent exhibit called Love Muskoka - Sustain Muskoka. Developed with strong relationships with groups like Friends of Muskoka Watershed, Muskoka Watershed Council, Muskoka Conservancy, District of Muskoka and our Indigenous Ally and Advisory Circle, the exhibit will showcase their expertise, tell the story of our region’s environmental challenges and identify how we can all help.e success of our organization has long been tied to the Royal Mail Ship Segwun, the ﬁfth oldest (1887) operating steamship in the world. I’ve had the privilege of overseeing her stewardship for over half of her second life as a tourism icon. Along with her sister ship, Wenonah II, they both grace the cover of our summer magazine, Muskoka Reﬂections. Our company has operated ships from Muskoka Wharf since 1866, making us one of Canada’s oldest companies. is year, we’ll also celebrate the return of Wanda III to commercial service – now converted to electric power after a four-year transformational project, making her the second oldest electric yacht conversion in the world and a symbol of sustainable heritage.I feel deeply fortunate to work alongside the most amazing staﬀ and crew at a company that educates, entertains, and celebrates life in Muskoka. We are led by a strong volunteer board of directors and supported by a generous community of volunteers and donors who have preserved our region’s heritage stories and championed environmental literacy.Sue and I have three sons and we all cherish our time on the dock and in the water in one of the most naturally beautiful places on Earth. We recently celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary and our sons are all graduating university this year – ready for new adventures but eager to return when holidays come around.If we want our grandchildren’s children to enjoy Muskoka as we have, we must act now. Together, we can help protect Muskoka from the environmental and development threats ahead and continue to tell the world about the challenges our region faces. We all love Muskoka – let’s learn to live a little lighter, to sustain it.Muskoka MomentsArticle by John MillerLove Muskoka, Sustain MuskokaPhotograph: Linda StokesPhotograph: Shawn RuhlA group of dedicated volunteers enjoyed the rst cruise aboard the renovated Wanda III this summer.

Unique Muskoka Issue 52 - August 2025

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