Latest Muskoka Podcast Episodes
Why we have trouble admitting we need help with Marianne Deeks
Beyond the Woods - March 17, 2021 05:00 - 42 minutesWe live in a culture of perfection and there is a pressure to present ourselves as always in control. Muskoka Woods alumnus, Marianne Deeks, speaks with John about how should approach this reality and when we need to take off the "good face" and share our burdens.
Friends, confidence and business acumen - Duncan McGregor Jr and what he learned at Muskoka Woods
Beyond the Woods - March 03, 2021 06:00 - 43 minutesDuncan McGregor Jr. was a Muskoka Woods guest and staff member but today he is the president of a successful business. On this episode, he discusses how Muskoka Woods gave him the three key ingredients to grow into a successful career.
Making a career shift with Meredith White
Beyond the Woods - February 17, 2021 06:00 - 55 minutesYou're in school but you realize the program you're in is the wrong one. Meredith White, Muskoka Woods alumni, was in that exact situation. She switched and is now an accomplished artist with work in the Art Gallery of Canada. John finds out how she did it and some tips for making the same trans...
Being a Content Creator with Jorden Tually
Beyond the Woods - February 03, 2021 06:00 - 46 minutesHe's travelled the world over but points to his time at Muskoka Woods as one of the most impactful experiences. Jorden has carved out a successful career as a content creator. His travel channel on YouTube boasts over 60,000 subscribers and allows him to travel full-time. John explores what it's...
Trying a New Thing with Dallas and Doug James
Beyond the Woods - January 20, 2021 06:00 - 1 hourTaking the kids out of school and sailing in the Caribbean, buying a farm and buying farm animals where you least expect and keeping bees. Trying new things is almost habitual for Dallas and Doug James, two Muskoka Woods Alumni. On this episode, John finds out what they have learned by charging ...
Rob Conroy discusses how Muskoka Woods inspires kids without hope
Beyond the Woods - December 16, 2020 07:00 - 52 minutesRob Conroy is a high school gym teacher. Several years ago the board asked if he would teach a class of students who had a high likelihood of dropping out and never graduating. After a few weeks, attendance levels began to increase. The local board of education invested and Muskoka Woods came...
The benefits of not being afraid of being critical with Bob Fukumoto
Beyond the Woods - December 02, 2020 06:00 - 57 minutesBob Fukumoto has been a big part of Muskoka Woods for many years. He and his family have influenced the camp and they have been influenced by it as well. Today he discusses how his journey has taught him not to fear criticism.
Episode 93: Snowshoes and Uproarious Applause.
Kottage-tek - MP3 Edition - May 31, 2020 20:47We finally get a live audience and boy do they ever like us. Ok, so it helps that they are family and well bribed with food and liquor. My applause sign probably didn’t hurt either. Everyone went snowshoeing today and it was nice to just go for a quiet walk in the woods and enjo...
Mike and Tina Barlow and how Muskoka Woods support their staff and alumni
Beyond the Woods - May 29, 2020 04:00 - 40 minutesMike and Tina Barlow came to Muskoka Woods in 1990 and have grown into roles supporting full-time staff, seasonal staff and alumni. Living in community has unique benefits and challenges so the question is, how do you maximize the benefits and minimize the hard parts? John, Mike and Tina talk ab...
Jackie Carmichael, from homesick to Managing Director, Programs at Muskoka Woods
Beyond the Woods - May 29, 2020 04:00 - 41 minutes"I never would have thought I would end up in this job at Muskoka Woods." Jackie Carmichael came to Muskoka Woods kicking and screaming but on the road she found a place that allowed her to be who she was and valued her for who she was. On this episode Jackie and John speak about how she was cal...
Sandra Groves and how she sees a short time at Muskoka Woods have a long impact
Beyond the Woods - May 29, 2020 04:00 - 41 minutesThe number 15 is ubiquitous with Muskoka Woods. It's the hockey number of guest come staff member, Jamie Groves. Jamie tragically passed away at a young age but his short time at camp has had a lasting impact. Sandra and John discuss what it is about even spending a short time at Muskoka Woods c...
Episode 92: Rain chains and roasting coffee.
Kottage-tek - MP3 Edition - May 20, 2020 19:17I solved the sagging rain gutter problem by installing a rain chain. This is a concept from ancient Japan that became popular in North America during the Victorian and Craftsman eras. I did a Kottage Knowhow video on our YouTube channel. I experiment with roasting my own coffee beans using a hot...
Episode 91: Tornados on Six Mile lake?
Kottage-tek - MP3 Edition - May 19, 2020 22:19We had some serious storms with high winds come through the north end of the lake. Everyone thought it was a tornado that cut a path through the forest, but it was actually a “downburst” that flattened all the trees. Everyone had to literally cut their way down the cottage road but at least there...
Making a new way: how Ben and Chris inspired new thinking about accessibility at Muskoka Woods
Beyond the Woods - May 19, 2020 03:01 - 43 minutesWhen Chris and Ben showed up at Muskoka Woods their impact was so immediate John set in motion a plan to make Muskoka Woods accessible for people of all abilities. Chris and Ben, both rely on their wheelchairs for getting around. They have worked with Muskoka Woods to discover both the physical ...
Actions are what give words meaning: Antoinette Taranets on direction
Beyond the Woods - May 19, 2020 02:59 - 47 minutesAntoinette Taranets came to Muskoka Woods as a young girl and came to camp every summer before completing CEO and then working in various roles. Now she's Muskoka Woods Product Marketing Manager and points to her time at camp as being definitive in helping her set direction for herself and putti...
What happens when you stretch yourself with Summer Camp Director Paul Cade
Beyond the Woods - May 19, 2020 02:48 - 46 minutesFirst a camper, then summer staff and now Muskoka Woods Summer Camp Director, Paul Cade talks with John McAuley about stretching your boundaries in a safe environment builds into your life for years.
Episode 90: The scourge of Invasive Eurasian Milfoil.
Kottage-tek - MP3 Edition - May 18, 2020 17:48We start out with a whole wheel of Oka cheese and nobody likes to cut the cheese more than Walter, Bruce , and I. Nothing beats Charcuterie at the cottage. We mostly talked about one of the latest invasions in Muskoka. Its not party animals from southern Ontario, Its Eurasia Milfoil. A water pla...
Episode 89: From canoes to steampunk?
Kottage-tek - MP3 Edition - May 18, 2020 17:45Boy when Bruce said Deb dragged her canoe from out east, he wasn’t kidding. There were some serious holes worn all the way through the fiberglass. Luckily, Walter has lots of experience repairing fiberglass boats, so we put him to work. . After most of the prep work was done, we headed into Hon...
Episode 88: The vanity is not in vain.
Kottage-tek - MP3 Edition - May 12, 2020 19:46We started the weekend by visiting Christie's Mill in Port Severn for a nice dinner together. There was a wonderful musician named R. G. Peever playing guitar that we thoroughly enjoyed. He seems to go by the name "JazzTEX". wonder what "JazzTex is up to now?. We finally got around to installi...
Episode 87: Ten pounds of rotting flesh.
Kottage-tek - MP3 Edition - May 10, 2020 20:07Well I think Bruce and I were in fine form this time. Our segment on Cottage Cheese finally aired on Cottage Life TV so that's our seven minutes of fame. We are going to have to do one more show and a commercial if we are going to get to 15 minutes. The snow has been so heavy this winter that i...
Episode 86: “Someone get me a hoe”
Kottage-tek - MP3 Edition - May 10, 2020 20:02It became blatantly obvious that beer belongs in glasses and not potato chips. And just to ice the cake, mother nature is keeping us snowed in well into the spring. Even the cottage road looks like it belongs in the winter Olympics. Thanks to the heavy snow pack the spring runoff is flooding the...
Episode 85: What the heck is a growler?
Kottage-tek - MP3 Edition - May 10, 2020 19:59We started out with a project that we thought was going to be at least a three or four beer job. It turns out we were in and out in under an hour. Bruce has a “Greenway” UV light as part of the water filtration system and it fell apart and started leaking shortly after the warranty expired. Fortu...
Episode 84: The Ugliest Bird In The Woods!
Kottage-tek - MP3 Edition - May 10, 2020 19:52Well this time we had to deal with a leaking hot water heater. Somehow the pressure release valve failed and sprung a leak. We also discovered that not all presure release valves are the same so you may want to take the bad one with you when you go to town to get a new one.. We also talked about...
From camp to Cirque du Soleil, how Muskoka Woods gave Ryan Stephenson the discipline to succeed
Beyond the Woods - April 24, 2020 10:00 - 39 minutesIt wasn't easy growing up as a young man with gymnastics as your chosen sport of excellence. But Ryan Stephenson, Muskoka Woods alumni come Cirque du Soleil Acrobatic Artist points to his time on staff as a big impact on his confidence, discipline and will to be successful. Ryan also choreograph...
How seeing integrity in leaders at Muskoka Woods is important to Marc Neil, former CEO counsellor
Beyond the Woods - April 24, 2020 10:00 - 47 minutesMarc Neil was a CEO counsellor in 2007-2009 and now he's overseeing the running of a 600 bed hospital in Northern Ireland. He brings an uncommon high level of professionalism and care to his job, inspired by what he saw from staff when he was working at Muskoka Woods. In today's episode, Marc an...
The making of a mayor: how learning about community helped Iain Lovatt become mayor of Whitchurch-Stouffville
Beyond the Woods - April 24, 2020 10:00 - 42 minutesHow does being a guest and the staff at Muskoka Woods help shape a young man to become mayor? Long-time Muskoka Woods guest and then staff, Iain Lovatt joins John McAuley on the podcast where he shares how his time at Muskoka Woods shaped the way he approaches his current role as mayor of Wh...
Stories from Muskoka Woods alumni and how lives have been impacted
Beyond the Woods - March 25, 2019 18:02 - 56 secondsThere's something magical about working at Muskoka Woods. It's hard to explain sometimes but we're going to try with our new podcast, Beyond of the Woods. Hear from your favourite staff and coworkers at Muskoka Woods as they share how being pushed outside their comfort zone helped them propel in...
Beyond the Woods - Season 1 - Episode 1 - stories from Muskoka Woods alumni and how lives have been impacted
Beyond the Woods - March 25, 2019 18:02 - 56 secondsThere's something magical about working at Muskoka Woods. It's hard to explain sometimes but we're going to try with our new podcast, Out of the Woods. Hear from your favourite staff and coworkers at Muskoka Woods as they share how being pushed outside their comfort zone helped them propel in wo...
Episode 83: The Walk Out Beer Cooler.
Kottage-tek - MP3 Edition - November 04, 2018 14:31Its "SNOWMAGEDON"! We’ve have had so much lake effect snow this year that the temporary garage Bruce puts up for his car has collapsed under the snow load. Everything else is buried under several feet of snow. The first priority is digging out the Muskoka chairs, so we can get in some serious dec...
Episode 82: Splitting mauls, ax handles, and Francie Dancer takes a dive.
Kottage-tek - MP3 Edition - October 13, 2018 22:09Bruce picks up an eight-pound splitting maul but it didn’t come sharp from the store, so I had to grind an edge onto it before we could use it. This was to compliment the six-pound maul that has done years of service at the cottage. Bruce also picked up a new ax handle to replace a broken one and...
Related Muskoka Topics
- Cottage 2