In the steps of Leacock
Were you required to read Stephen Leacock in high school? Do you remember My Financial Career, his story about a fumbling attempt to open, and then close, a bank account? My banking career took a similar embarrassing turn this past week. My Leacockian experience began with my assumption of the job of treasurer of a […]
Unfiltered
I don’t have internal dialogue. I was born this way. I’m filter-free. It’s a condition that looks like a spot of fun, on a little poster or bumpersticker, but we all know the trouble I’ve seen because of it. The very first time I heard the words Black Lives Matter (BLM) I thought, and then […]
Thank a farmer
Prince Edward County is in the midst of a drought. An exceptionally dry spring has led to a poor growing season in most of eastern Ontario, with near record lows in rainfalls. Rivers and marshes are drying up or are at the lowest they’ve been in recent memory. We can’t control the weather, but many […]
Labelling agenda
I was recently taken aback by an article that proposed labels and warnings displaying the dangers and adverse effects of alcohol on the body. After all, warnings on cigarette packages have reduced the number of smokers in Canada to less than 15 per cent of the population, with most of the smokers between 25 and […]
Summer drift
The dryness lifts off the fields of canola. At midday on days like today, it also seems like the heat imbedded in the pavement of Greer Road is about to devour my bike tires. The spread of the thirsty crop blankets the limestone shelf of baked clay that defines much of the soil of Prince […]
A basket of humble carrots
The Ontario government is thinking and acting big. In announcing her government’s climate change action plan, Premier Kathleen Wynne stated “When my grandchildren ask me what we did to help our planet, I want to be proud of what we accomplished.” I don’t envy the government its task. Even with the resources of the entire […]
When someone else is you
“It always happens to someone else, until it doesn’t.” Maybe that’s a quote. I’m sure I didn’t make that line up all by myself. What I do know is that we all think this way. Oh yes, we do. It’s easy to get comfortable when we get away with making stupid choices. The longer we […]
Canoe love
Notable Canadian author Pierre Berton once wrote—although he later said the credit belongs to someone else—that a true Canadian can make love in a canoe without tipping the boat. The Canadian love affair with the canoe is reflected in Canadian artwork. The history of the settlement of Canada is strongly tied to the canoe as […]
Summer sangria
Sangria first gained popularity at the 1964 New York World’s Fair. Exhibited in the Spanish Pavilion, this popular Spanish punch introduced a bright summer beverage to summer garden parties. A cool beverage to combat the heat of a hot summer day. Never considered a serious beverage, it was just a fun drink combining wine, fruit, […]
Heritage rears its ugly head
I’m big on heritage. I make my living by bringing County history to life, with all of its quirks and eccentricities. For some reason, talk of preserving heritage has become something of a controversial issue. I’d like to explore it and, God willing, perhaps add a little insight to the topic. First, let’s set the […]