The Circle B Ranch
The way I see it, we live in the land of glory. We trip over new opportunities daily. Take late last year as a fer instance. I had come down with a yearning to hear the trickle of a brook in my daily meditations. Sure, nearby Slab Creek runs with the freshets of spring and […]
Muddled monikers
The hot, sunny long weekend seemed like the perfect time to perch the canoe atop the car and take it for a spin. Roblin Lake was the ideal location: Ameliasburgh’s calm, shallow water source is as good a place as any to dip the paddles in for the first time in a while. Strangely, as […]
Positive influences
Last week marked the 50th anniversary of “The Judgment of Paris,” in which a panel of French experts determined that some Napa Valley wines tasted superior to competing French entries. That some of the judges mistook them for French wines is not surprising. The Americans had embraced European know-how, from vineyard management to wine production […]
What delicious uncertainty
Real estate agents have a saying that goes something like this: “Your house is worth only what someone is willing to pay for it.” Truer words were never spoken, as a couple of infamous recent valuation incidents—one on the too-high side, one on the too-low side—reveal. The too-high incident came courtesy of an expert appraiser […]
Repackaging
I was going to write about gentrification this week. A magic marker and spray painted bit of graffiti invited me to have my say about the gentrification of the Royal Hotel. I understand the graffiti. But the dialogue about gentrifying the County has been done. It’s been said. If the graffiti “artist” wants passersby to […]
Seasons come, seasons go
The best part of the changing seasons, and naturally I am referring to sports seasons, is that they overlap. Therefore, it is critical to have fresh batteries in your remote control to keep up with the action. In short order on Monday evening, I was able to catch glimpses of the Jays-Yankees, the Thunder-Warriors, the […]
Medal-winning wines
Fifty years ago, on May 24, 1976, a panel of renowned French wine judges selected some Napa wines over French wines in a blind taste test where they had no indication of the wines’ origins. Needless to say, the day is not celebrated in France—but it is an important date for North American wine growers […]
NBA Conference Finals
On Monday night, the Toronto Raptors scored an impressive 105- 99 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. It was the most important victory in the history of the team and evened their series at two games apiece. The Cavaliers had prepared for the series by cruising through the playoffs without losing a game. Consequently, they were […]
My (borrowed) Ukulele
Saturday morning and I’m headed to Milford. Along the way, I take in the small things that make our place special. Like the sheep farmer turned limousine owner and chauffeur who, wearing his Hawaiian shirt, dressed for his wine tour schedule and all, is in his laneway wearing sensible footwear—rubber boots—while giving the stretch-limo a […]
Story fragments
If some reports are to be believed, Canada’s prime minister turned into a raging monster last week, throwing off his campaign promise of decorum in parliament in favour of a brawl on the parliament floor, with an MP’s bruised chest as a casualty. A review of the tapes would suggest little more was bruised than […]