The NHL season begins
They dropped the puck last night to open the 2013-2014 season in the National Hockey League. Pipers piped, and drummers drummed, and yes, they unfurled a banner to acknowledge that the Chicago Blackhawks indeed won the Stanley Cup last season. I got the jump on the season by purchasing a set of the O-Pee- Chee […]
Brewing profits
When I first arrived in Ontario, I was intrigued that beer was purchased only from a Brewer’s Retail. (There seemed to be nary a “Beer Store” in Toronto.) On further investigation I discovered that this ubiquitous entity had been established by an act of the Ontario Government in the 1920s. The law was meant to […]
Hearth
The sun catches in the tree line that runs along the trail corridor over the flats below the Bloomfield ridge. Smoke from a distant fire plays in the scarlet light that rests in the willows of late afternoon. Reminiscent of the steam train era, telephone poles weary with time, swagger down the line. It is […]
Of values and symbols
The proposed new Quebec Charter of Values has caught the eye of more than one County official. So far, no one has made a legal fuss over the overtly religious ritual of reciting the Lord’s Prayer before council meetings (only for those who wish to join in). Council voted to stick with the status quo […]
Shake, shake, shake
Never underestimate the value of good instructions. A fellow I know mentioned he had just picked up his first prescription for “high blood pressure pills”. He seemed pleased with himself, as if he’d won a hard-earned spot on the road to a heart attack. The whole notion of someone taking medication for hypertension makes me […]
The Home Stretch
It wasn’t that long ago that the boys of summer were kicking around the dirt in the spring, somewhere in the south. Then began the gruelling, grinding, often painful quest to become the best team in baseball-the winners of the World Series. Many of those decisions have already been made, and, within a day or […]
Wine has made us grow
We should be very proud of the wine industry in Prince Edward County. It offers employment and training opportunities that give our young folk a reason to stay here. It attracts a broad range of visitors, who spread the word about the endless attractions of the County. Wineries have had a major impact on the […]
Messy, smelly and ugly
I attended the council committee of the whole meeting on September 19, for the debate about council size. It was not a pretty experience. In fact, it was downright messy, smelly and ugly. Council appointed a Citizens’ Assembly panel to come up with a recommendation on the size of Council; which it did, suggesting a […]
Meeska, Mooska, Mouse-kateer…..
And then it was autumn. What the heck happened to summer? How did we get from “Hot enough for you?” to “Had to turn on the heat last night.”? In an old house, such as the one I live in, it’s time for the creatures to move back inside, and I’m not talking about the […]
Hockey night in Belleville
The final score of the hockey game last Saturday night was…..unimportant. After all, it was an exhibition game, and the players are just working out all of the kinks from a summer away from the game. The Washington Capitals and the Winnipeg Jets faced off at the Quinte Sports Centre to the delight of thousands […]