Is It Time To Close The Cottage?

As I watch the falling leaves gather in my backyard in the city, I am reminded all too well that it is that time of year, the time to start shutting down the cottage for winter. I can honestly say I hate that.....I used to enjoy Autumn, and on some level I still do, because I enjoy going for a walk in the woods hunting for a partridge or a deer, but it isn't the same, not at all. I much prefer the Spring and thoughts of boating and fishing, campfires with friends and the like.

We stayed home from the cottage this weekend because of a family commitment, but might go tonight, depending on the weather report, which to be honest, doesn't sound too promising. However, this morning is a good time to start thinking about what has to be done at the cottage to get ready for winter. It's time for disconnecting the water, winterizing the boats and outboard motors, closing up the windows that need to be closed, packing stuff away, putting some moth balls in the camp to discourage critters....speaking of that, I wonder what my beaver is doing? I bet he was there last night taking down my last aspen tree....little bugger....oh well, I suppose I can grow more, they only take 10 or 20 years.....

I've posted before on a few occasions about Autumn closing the cottage, so I am not going to reinvent the wheel but I always find that this becomes a bit of a gamble. Do we close up early, better safe than sorry, or do we wait a little while, play it by ear and see what the weather brings, allowing us some additional weekends at the camp? That's the direction I want to go, but when the temperature drops like it did this weekend, and we see snow flurries in the forecast, I get a little antsy. However, I am in a holding pattern right now, going to chance another few weekends.

But if you are closing your cottage now, here are some links to my previous posts in that regard:

Getting The Water Out of The Toilet

Storing Floating Wharves

Raking Leaves

Shutting Off The Water

Disconnecting the Water Pump

Preparing The Cottage For A Storm

Protecting Your Cottage From Thieves

Closing The Cottage For Winter - A Checklist

Preparing Your Outboard For Winter

Of course our trips to the cottage are not over for the year, even if I do sound kind of despondent. Winter can be fun at the camp, and we usually still go several times a year if the snow doesn't get to deep. But I am getting a little premature, the water is currently still hooked up, and we are planning several more weekends before it comes off, hoping to stretch it out into November if the weather holds. Keep your fingers crossed.....we might make it to December. Brrrrrr!!