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Rhonda's Report, 8364 Mule Team Trail, Atlanta, FL (2026)

06/04/2026

Northern Michigan has a lot to offer, and if you go to other states, you start to realize just how fortunate we are. From viewing northern lights to discovering newly birthed fawns in our backyard, the wonders never cease.

If you do find a fawn by itself in the woods, leave it be. The mother is probably nearby somewhere and will come back to nurse it. Do not try to pet or feed the fawn. Do not move it, unless it is in a life-threatening location. If you feel like the fawn is in some sort of distress, because it keeps calling or is entangled in anyway, call the local DNR.

For the most part, nature has a way of taking care of itself, even after rough winters like the one we had this year. So much snow made it difficult for deer to forage at all, and yet here they are renewing themselves on all of the new vegetation.

We are especially relieved and also renewed with spring and summer weather. Lawn furniture is being cleaned off and put out, kids are enjoying our beaches, and CCR is once again lively outdoors.

Along with all the liveliness are upcoming events at the ranch. June 9 at 7 PM the book club will meet in the boardroom and bring reviews of books they chose for the month. Also, June 16 is our next wine tasting event. The theme is to bring wine from a Pinot grape, from noirs to Grigio.

Co****le continues on Friday evenings at 7 PM. Those who don’t play enjoy social interaction while cheering on competing teams. This past week winners were Huntin’ Buddies first place, PBR second place, and R & L in third.

Though June isn’t over yet, there are several July events that members may want to include in their plans. The annual Beach Bash will take place on the actual Fourth of July. The recreation committee again will offer its Strawberry Shortcake Festival the day before on Friday the third from 3 to 5 PM at the beach pavilion. The cost is $5 for some berry goodness.

Also in July, the Ladies Auxiliary-sponsored gun safety class will take place from July 28-30 at the Ranch. Seating is limited and registration must be made by July 22. This course is one of the most respected courses in our area. We thank CCR member Jane Gordon for all of her efforts and expertise.

If you’d rather be safe than sorry, wear those safety glasses. Because then it’s only “eyeronic” if you poke yourself in the eye. However, if you want to hear the OSHA, just put a hardhat up to your ear. Anyway, be safe, and peace and happiness.

05/28/2026

May has brought many beginnings to the Ranch – blooming daffodils and lilacs, newly-birthed fawns, the start up of Ranch activities, morel mushrooms, and even the gnats are May’s warmer weather signs. As May ends, we are glad gnats are waning and pleasant mornings can be enjoyed without their company!

To take their place, we’ve had pine pollen overtake our cars and noses. The growing pains that Mother Nature throws at us reminds us not to get too comfortable. To every thing there is a season. In contrast, our blue skies at the end of this month are brilliant, and Lake Geneva glistens like diamonds in the morning.

Memorial Day weekend proved loaded with fun – co****le, pickleball, and the Beach Treasure Hunt for the kiddos. M***a Shuckers took first in the competitive co****le, with Tom and Mary not far behind in second. Nap & Sack took first place in the recreational category, with GTO coming in second. Larry Jones was the lucky winner of the drawing and got his $5 back. It was a great start to a summer season!

Kids crawled all over piles of sand on Sunday to unbury the coins and painted memorial rocks. Even though it started to rain, 71 hardy youngsters hung in there for their piece of the over $700 bonanza. Each received a complimentary bucket and shovel. There were also additional prizes for rock-finders. The event is just one of many that the Recreation Committee sponsors over the course of the year.

Other upcoming committee events include Ladies Auxiliary meeting at 10:30 on Wednesday, June 3. All women of the ranch are invited. The conservation committee also meets the first Saturday of the month – June 6 this month – at 8 a.m.

The Ranch House Grille is open Fridays from 4 to 8 p.m., Saturdays from 8 to 8 p.m., and Sundays until noon. Come in and enjoy pancakes, omelets, a Michigan cherry salad, burgers, Reubens, ribs, salmon, and chicken parmesan. Lots of offerings that members and their guests can enjoy!

If you do have guests, make sure they know the speed limit, common property, and sound rules. We would like everyone to have a meaningful time at the Ranch. They should also have a sticker on their vehicle if visiting more than a day (48 hours). Guests are allowed out back if accompanied by a member.

Sitting around a campfire with friends and s'mores is the best, if we are not in the danger zone of a dry spell. Please extinguish fires with water until the embers are gone afterwards. In regard to that, the fire department would like to remind members to put out a reflective address sign by their cabin/house. Reflective is the key word, for easy visibility through storms, smoke, and night.

Though some storms bring rain-deer, drizzly bears, and, according to beach treasure hunters, climate change, we anticipate clear skies and a great summer! Peace and happiness!

05/21/2026

Happy Spring! Is it finally here? Trees are in leaf, lake waters glisten, and birds are back at the Ranch. Kayaks are patiently waiting on the racks in a colorful soldier formation. We have had a few days of rain to soften the dust on the trails and change the fire danger meter. Temperatures are more moderate, and some days are actually hot.

Continue to be aware of ticks when walking the trails or around the lake, as they are making their appearance and sending people to emergency rooms with Lyme infections. Also, clouds of gnats are bothering us, as per usual in May. There’s not a lot you can do except prevent wet areas. Sprays barely work because they multiply so fast. They usually disappear by the end of the month.

Fawns have now been seen prancing after their mothers, even though deer coats in general are still patchy. Bears are on the prowl looking for nighttime goodies, so bring in those bird feeders to prevent damage around your cabin.

Hunters have been informed of a new one-buck rule starting in 2027 for the lower peninsula. Bucks also must have 3 points on one side if hunters use a single license. The combo license restricts harvest to one buck and one doe, or two does. There is a two-buck limit in the Upper Peninsula, regardless of where you are registered in Michigan. Muzzle loader season has been reduced to 3 days, and there is an elimination of the extended late antlerless season. All deer hunting ends January 1.

Ladies Auxiliary started the monthly wine tastings on May 19 with outstanding attendance. Floral wines, either labeled or in notes, were the fare, along with cheeses, sweets, and fruit pairings. Lindsay Miller offered her expertise about Michigan-made wines as our sommelier.

Recently CCR recognized high school seniors Aiden Kaminske and Hannah Offerman with Leo Drewett Scholarships due to their hard work, character, and commitment. Congratulations to these fine students.

Archery and s***t shoots have begun at the ranges. The CCR food plot program is taking returnable bottles and cans in the wagons near the ranch house and campground.

Memorial Day weekend promises to be lots of fun for everyone! Co****le is on Friday at 7 p.m. on the ranch house lawn (players should come by 6:45), and a Beach Sand Treasure hunt for kids is on Sunday at 1 p.m. (please register by 12:45) at the beach. Garage sales galore are also happening for members and their guests on the ranch this weekend. Go pick up the list at the Ranch House.

The e-bike committee is maintaining that Class 1 e-bikes with pedals be allowed at the ranch, along with electric scooters and skateboards. Drivers should continue to be watchful and drive slowly due to our variety of electric and foot traffic, especially during busy weekends.

Though the speed limit is 20, and 10 in some areas, by slowing down even more you can enjoy the scenery! One member kept putting up “Slow Down” and “Children Playing” signs to no avail. Then she decided to put up a sign that said “Elk” with an arrow pointed to the nearby woods. Now everyone crawls by her house. After all, who wants to be in a hurry at the ranch? Peace and happiness!

05/15/2026

The big news this week was the Tomahawk fire that happened so close to us. Many members were able to see billowing black smoke across M-33 from the Ranch, which was burning 190-plus acres. Firefighting planes scooped and dropped water from the Tomahawk Creek Flooding area. We were thankful when it turned to white steam, but embers were smoldering for two days.

This is more evidence that we should be diligent about clearing the brush on our properties. If you haven’t been up here for a while, or can’t get up north, there are several services that can help you clear. Our brush piles near the green boxes are still accessible for dumping this brush and tree limbs.

Not doing so creates a pathway for hungry flames. And as we saw on Mother’s Day, it all happens extremely quickly. We were so blessed that the planes were at the ready. We could hear them drone by for hours, doing battle with Mother Nature’s enemy - fire.

We have also been blessed with some rain and beautiful sunsets to remind us of silver linings. Speaking of silver- remember to bring the kiddos to the beach on Sunday, May 24 at 1 pm for the Beach Sand Treasure Hunt. Nearly a hundred kids came last year, digging through piles of sand for coins. Sign up is at 12:45.

Corn hole begins on Friday, May 22, at 7 pm on the Ranch House lawn. Come by 6:45 to sign up. Cost is $5 per person. The Ranch House Grille is also open Friday evening, Saturday all day, and Sunday until noon.

Volunteers gathered recently to clean up M-33 in front of Ranch property. What a great effort, even in the gloomy weather. Many bags of collected litter could be seen scattered along the highway.

Volunteer work continues for the fence line. Contact Ted Piechota, Chuck Miller, or Gil Olds to help out in any way you can.

The CCR Book Club met to discuss “My Husband’s Wife” by Alice Feeney. This twisting mystery “gaslights” a woman with an imposter that takes her place. A story of jealousy, murder, and a strange new science combine to reveal a convoluted ending. The group gave the book a score of 3.7 out of 5. Next month is “Reader’s Choice,” with members picking their own book and coming back to report on them at the Tuesday, June 9 meeting.

The Ladies Auxiliary is actively meeting the first Wednesday of each month at 10:30 in the Ranch House. All women members are invited to attend the next one on June 3. We support memorial dinners, community closets, and high school scholarships among other items. Our gift shop will now be headed by Kelly Mariuz. Come in and see the great shirts and souvenirs!

Though all grandma got you was a CCR t-shirt because she didn’t want you to go topless, children and families treasure so many good memories from our natural paradise. Enjoy and peace and happiness.

05/07/2026

Volunteers are the heart of Canada Creek Ranch and many projects wouldn’t run or exist without them. Recently our archery range is evidence of that, with new targets and a cleaned-up range. The first shoot is May 24 at 9 a.m. with a shotgun start.

Conservation committee members are volunteering their efforts with bottle and can collections to supplement the food plot funding. They are also rebuilding the fence line and painting posts in the shed by the green box. Eventually, posts and wires will be replaced. They are looking for many volunteers, as many hands make for lighter work! Call Ted Piechota or Gil Olds if you can help!

The conservation committee is also clearing downed trees around the fence line, so come with a chainsaw. Out back still looks sad, with its bent and broken trees and no leaves yet on the trees. Buds have appeared though, and wildlife is poking through the brush. Fox kittens have been spotted in a few places around the residential area.

Buoys have been placed surrounding the loons’ nest on Lake Geneva, so please keep your distance. They are under camera surveillance, and we hope we get more loonlets this year!

Sandhill cranes are doing the mating dance around rye field three. Did you know these are prehistoric creatures? Their long neck creates strange, loud, squawking noises, and they ward off danger with their expansive wingspan. They migrate back here when spring breaks, but go down south in the winter – another snowbird!

We are still waiting for the golden color to appear on the deer, and they look grayish in their molting patches of fur. Some have reported seeing naked deer! There are also those that are piebald, including the yearly-appearing, friendly doe affectionately referred to as “Cotton Ball.” She seems to have a white-mottled, older fawn hanging around.

Recently last month, Linda Juergens, a CCR and Atlanta Eagles member, passed after her struggle with cancer. She had a great sense of humor and enjoyed getting together with friends and family for a good time. Her celebration of life was at the Eagles on April 18. She is survived by her husband Earl, two sons, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Wine tasting is resuming on Tuesday, May 19 at 7 p.m. Attendees can sign up at the Ranch House, and the cost is $10. The theme this month is “May Flowers.” Bring a bottle of wine per two people that has a reference to flowers on the label, either in name or notes.

Memorial weekend activities will include the garage sales (sign up at the Ranch House), corn hole on the Ranch House lawn at 7 p.m. Friday, and the kids’ Beach Sand Treasure Hunt at 1 p.m. on Sunday.

So don’t be a crane and bury your head in the sand (woops - that was an ostrich). Join us for buckets of fun! We’re not sandbagging (unless you're still bailing water) – it’s going to be a sandtastic weekend! Peace and happiness!

05/01/2026

Little Joe Lake is stocked and ready to go for CCR hopeful fishers! Most are catching their limit of two trout per person per day, and they are 14 to 20 inches long. The season limit is 10 per person.

Rainbow and brook trout are easy to snag with mini marshmallows and sweet corn kernels. These are great for those who are squeamish jabbing a worm on their hook.

Whole trout can be pan fried or oven baked stuffed with herbs, garlic, and butter on the inside and a rub on the skin. It is a soft white flesh with skeletal bones easy to remove intact and whole. The whole fish looks gourmet on a plate with fresh veggies!

Another place to get a great plate of food is at the Ranch House Grille. Specialties include appetizers of Asian glazed pork wings and buttery garlic shrimp “cargo.” Chicken pot pie, St. Louis ribs, and grilled salmon with dill hollandaise round out a brand new menu. And yes- the pizza ovens are open!

Snowbirds begin returning to CCR in May, and so does the yearning to spend more time outside. Members are raking and blowing debris from their properties and the grass is now green. Please remember to pick up tree brush and haul to the piles next to the green box area. This will help prevent the rampant ground fires that some are experiencing.

Members who would like to financially support the conservation and education activities at CCR can make a tax advantaged donation to the Canada Creek Regional Foundation (CCRF) - a registered 501c(3) public charity. The Foundation has raised money for the Historical Museum, ice storm damage cleanup, beehives, and stream maintenance; as well as educational scholarships to students in the regional high schools and Vocational schools. Go to http://www.ccrf501.com/ to make a general donation or specify what you would like your donation to support. Fish planting, field planting, and more can be tagged on your donation. And there are no administrative fees!

Though in Kentucky they wait until the horses run at the Derby to plant flowers, Memorial Day weekend is the start date up here to avoid frost. We will also have an event then that has become annual - the Beach Sand Treasure Hunt. At 1 pm on Sunday, May 24, mounds of sand with coins and treasure planted inside will appear on Lake Geneva’s beach for kids to scramble and find. Registration is at 12:45 for prospective treasure prospectors.

While at Little Joe’s beach you may come across some blushing fish, which may be mistaken for rainbow trout. But really they’re just embarrassed because they’ve seen the lake’s bottom. Not as smart as you’d think for creatures who swim in schools! Even the book trout can be fooled. Have a great week with peace and happiness!

04/23/2026

Blue skies are reflecting in the lakes, while sunshine warms the Ranch, causing wildlife to become more active. Deer have not yet returned to their golden color, though. Occasionally a joyful dragonfly flits by, and hopefully the spring weather clears the fugue from such a long winter. Snow has been on the ground since early November, and even with temperatures sometimes in the 70s, small piles of white stuff still hide in the shadows.

Canada geese have flown back to our lakes. They are also strutting around our beaches. Ranch mitigation to keep our beaches clean and swimmer’s itch in check has begun. Strings tied across the banks discourage geese from building nests nearby, thereby leaving their p**p. Also, waving flags bother them enough so they look elsewhere. The strings will be removed after a few weeks, when they have nested elsewhere, in time for everyone to play without having to scoop.

Hunters had great success tagging another fowl on the Ranch – turkeys! If you’ve ever wanted to go on the hunt for these glorious birds, which also are great eating, contact conquering trackers like Ralph Mayer, Bill Sportsman, Ted Piechota, and Dennis Swartz for tips!

Out back has dried up considerably and is safe riding except for a few swampy areas, so bring your four-wheel drive. South Gate Road’s bridge is quite a puddle, and near Emerald Lake is boggy. Abitibi Trail and West Fence Road were dry. It looks like a few more trees have fallen this past winter, and we’re still waiting for the woods to green.

As members return to uncovered lots, please remember to remove the brush, even if you don’t have a cabin on it. This will prevent rampant fires from happening. Even with all the wetness, we are under a “caution” from Smokey the Bear. If you need help clearing, several services are available. Or maybe some can show their neighborliness by helping someone in need. By the way, our awesome maintenance crew has been working tirelessly to prepare the campground for your return!

Soon we’ll be looking for trillium and morel mushrooms in the woods. With continued warmth, though, will come our nemesis, black-legged ticks, a.k.a. deer ticks. They have been dormant in the leaves, just waiting for warm and wet weather. With their arrival comes the emergence of Lyme disease. Right now, Montmorency County is just potential risk, but those who walk the woods know ticks are around.

Keeping your dogs on tick prevention helps keep them safe, but comb through your pet’s hair for passengers when you bring them in. Ticks love weedy and leafy areas to hide in. This is not just an “up north issue,” either. Downstate gets them first, because it has been warmer.

We wooden want to steer you wrong, though – the woods are the place for quiet reflection, even in the mud puddles, and I’m knot kidding. Members have said this is their paradise, and I cedar point. Peace and happiness to you!

04/16/2026

Finally peepers are peeping, loons are calling, and daffodils are sprouting. Spring is here, and though many surrounding communities are devastated with water, mud, and backed up plumbing, Canada Creek Ranch has been mostly spared.

The creek is high and flooded up to park benches by Wilson Bridge. Tibbit’s Landing is flooded. But we are hoping for drier weather to bring back Tibbit’s beach area. The lagoon still has some ice on it! Also, there are still small mounds of snow where it was plowed, but not much.

Someone mentioned they saw a few otters; there is so much watery playground for them right now. Eagles are flying over, and Lake Geneva and Wild Fowl Lake are totally open water now. Robins are chasing each other to form families.

Out back is open for wheeled vehicles, but it is still precarious, so it is wise to just use four wheel drives. Residential trails are hit and miss, as our crews continue to grade them. There is still some frost coming out, making it difficult.

Trout planting is taking place to get ready for the trout opener on April 25. There is a reduction in the amount planted, so the creel limit is two per person per day and 10 trout for the season this year.

Ranch House Grill is preparing to open on April 24 for the evening meal. They will also be open all day on Saturday, the 25th and until noon on Sunday.

CCR Book Club’s next read is "My Husband's Wife," by Alice Feeney. A woman returns home to find another woman claiming to be her husband's wife in this thriller. A clinic which predicts death dates is also part of the web of deception in this newly released novel. Our next meeting is Tuesday, May 12, 7 p.m. in the boardroom or on Zoom.

For those looking ahead to our next holiday, corn hole begins again on Friday, May 22 on the Ranch front lawn. Also the recreation committee will be sponsoring a beach sand treasure hunt again for kids on Sunday, May 24th at 1 pm.

A few reminders about ongoing activities at the ranch house: exercise class happens on Mondays and Fridays from 8:30 to 10 AM. Men’s poker meets on Tuesdays at 9:30 in the Bickley room. Tai chi happens on Wednesdays at 10 AM.

Canada Creek Ranch has an app that you can download onto your phone; all of the events are listed in case you need any reminders.

New e-vehicle guidelines and rules are in the works as the board considers all that is now available to members. One standard that is definite is the speed limit of 20 mph no matter what you are driving. Please be careful of our wild life crossing the trails - they are very active right now.

I recently saw a frog limping along with a broken leg, and he looked very unhoppy. He was eating everything else that was bugging him though. Hope your week has no bugs. Peace and happiness.

Rhonda's Report

06/04/2026

05/28/2026

05/21/2026

05/15/2026

05/07/2026

05/01/2026

04/23/2026

04/16/2026

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