Bubby Cookies
When I was a little girl, my bubby—my mother’s father’s mother—made cookies. We called them Bubby Cookies. In truth, they were a variation on the crescent- like rugelach, except made with cinnamon sugar instead of date paste. The smell of them baking was intoxicating. My grandfather was born in 1933 in Lithuania. When I was […]
Oh Henry!
Henry Burris and the rest of the Ottawa Red/Blacks punched their ticket to the Grey Cup game last weekend. They disposed of the Hamilton Tiger Cats 35-28 in the Eastern Conference final played in Ottawa. The Red/Blacks had earned the right to host the final game by virtue of their record during the season. They […]
Of many threads
The evolution of humanity is a result of whole tribes and civilizations migrating to avoid famine or war, to live in more favourable lands. These travellers usually brought new technology that allowed them to either conquer or coexist within their newly adopted lands. When the Hyksos migrated into the Upper Nile delta around 2,000 BC, […]
To peace
Do not let the wrath of angry men tear us apart. Do not let words and acts of hatred distract us from peace. Do not let fear and propaganda detract from our love. There will always be those who, with the earnestness and the passion of their convictions, will attempt to destroy us. They will […]
Bike polo
Yes. You read that correctly. There really is a Bike Polo phenomenon in North America. There are several other areas in the world where the game is played. Thirty countries, in fact. There are more than 20 cities in Canada with Bike Polo venues. There are three in the Ottawa area, including Arnprior and Almonte. […]
A word to the wise
The LCBO was formed in 1927, by the provincial government, to provide alcohol in a socially responsible manner to the residents of Ontario. As a Crown Corporation, it also had a mandate to make a profit. Since then, the LCBO has revamped its stores and become perhaps the largest purchaser and retailer of alcohol in […]
Pomegranate Study
Say you walked into a room with 12 people to greet you and one is introduced as November, how would you read the individual’s persona? Heavy-lipped with furrowed eyebrows, one friend mentioned. Another said November was Leonid Brezhnev in a fisherman’s sweater. Dressed in tweed, grumpy in a cashmere scarf someone invited; How about unkempt […]
Till the last crumb
Tomorrow, the marching bands will file past, the jets will do their flyover, the baton twirlers will razzle and the cheerleaders dazzle, the inspirational speeches will be made by dignitaries, the ceremonial ribbons will be cut, and the celebration cake will be doled out to all and sundry until the last crumb is eaten. And […]
The reason for the season
Before we even reached the halfway mark of November, folks were sparring about “Christmas” versus “Holidays”. Come on. Who cares? Oy vey. Is this really about political correctness? Is it really about putting Christ back into Christmas or, for that matter, keeping him there? And now? Well, and now someone has decided Starbucks has an […]
The times they are a-changin’
tToronto Maple Leafs’ coach Mike Babcock thinks that the nets used in the NHL are too small. You really can’t blame him for thinking that way. As of Monday morning, his team had scored 29 goals in their 14 games. Only two teams have scored fewer goals. The concept was discussed at length by several […]