A difficult vintage
It has been an extremely challenging year for grape growers in the County. We had a cold, late spring from which the vines have been trying to recover ever since. I predict this will be a fabulous year for producers of sparkling wines. At this point, however, producers of red wines—especially Pinot Noir—can only hope […]
Old roads
The thing I like about old roads is how they lie atop the land like satin ribbons. Roads and pathways once traced with low technology follow the natural bends of the earth, rising and falling through watersheds and across plains. Old roads remember the nature of geography. The feeling I have this morning on the […]
A glutton for punishment
I’m going, and I hope you will too. I’m going to the John McDermott concert at Picton United Church on Saturday October 5. Doors open at 7 p.m. for a 7:30 p.m. start. Tickets are $40 apiece. The display ad shows where to get them. I’m going for two reasons. First of all, it’s all […]
Sugar, sugar… ah honey, honey
I’m going to get all bossy this week. So, head over to the junk drawer in your kitchen. Ya, you’ve got a junk drawer. Dig around and see if you have a measuring tape, and not one of those metal measuring tapes you’d use for drywall and two-by-fours. Get the cloth tape with the numbers […]
The season begins…
Last Monday night, the Philadelphia Eagles dodged a bullet in the fourth quarter as the Washington Redskins gave them all that they could handle. The Eagles received the opening kickoff and proceeded to run a “firewagon” brand of offence. They passed, they ran, they eluded tackles, and stormed down to the Redskins goal line. Michael […]
Calm before the storm
This is a perfect time to visit the vineyards and taste the difference made by vintage, varietal and terroir. Since the County has fewer guests than in July and August, there is a short window to relax and enjoy our wines in a more intimate setting. Within two to four weeks, all the wineries will […]
The second best paper
It would be disloyal of me to suggest that the Wellington Times is anything but the best weekly newspaper in town (although it is anyway). But what’s the second best? You want hints? 1. It comes on a single sheet of brown paper. 2. It’s free. 3. It’s usually found in restaurants. No, it’s not […]
Put on your big boy pants
As I’ve written before, sometimes a column is difficult to put together. This week’s is one of those columns. Mostly I try not to step too deeply into politics, but it’s all politics, isn’t it? Everything has a political side and today I’m trekking down the road I’ve avoided in the past. War. Armed conflict. […]
Just gin and bear it
Dutch physician Franciscus Sylvius is considered the first to distill gin in the early 17th century. This tasty spirit—as most early distillations—was primarily created for medicinal value, as a beverage infused with botanicals. In fact, it’s name derives from the Dutch word “jenever” which translated to English indicates its prime flavouring of juniper berries. It […]
50 years of kitten’y softness
My editor was expecting that this week I would weigh in with a piece about the size of council, and make some acerbic comments about which councillors would ‘drink the hemlock’ in order to conform with the wishes of the Citizens’ Assembly. But that’s for another time. Today’s column is all about toilet paper. And […]