Murmurations
The leaden sky over Closson Road offers short shrift to an already sombre day. Nor do the grey fields give up any comfort; over there a gathering of starlings travel between the maples and islands of silver birch. I watch and guess at the bird numbers that tear through the heavens like smoke from a […]
I will remember them
Patrick Durning, 2008: “I arrived late in the evening. It was dark, damp and cold outside. I was assigned a bunk in a Quonset hut. All of the guys were out already on a night mission over Germany. It was just me and a cat, sitting in the dark. I rolled and smoked a cigarette […]
Slow and Sinful in Wellington
When you think of a celebratory wine, your first thought might be Champagne. Approximately 250 million bottles, or roughly eight per cent of the world’s sparkling wine, is produced in the Champagne region of France. These bottles are eagerly sought after, and will sell regardless of price. A new Chinese market, which is developing an […]
Blades strong out of the gate
The Florida Everblades lost a heartbreaking game against the Orlando Solar Bears in an ECHL shootout last Friday night; however, they defeated the Bears the following night to maintain their lead in the South Division. A good thing too, because the South Carolina Stingrays have had an identical start: eight games, seven wins, and one […]
Happy Anniversary to me
November is supposed to be a quiet month, but it’s celebration time for me. Three years ago I told all y’all I had joined a gym, The County Club. At that time, I’d reached an alltime record “high” and an all-time record “low”. Highest weight, ever, including my pregnant-with-eleven-pound-babies weight. Lowest level of fitness, ever. […]
A Belleville kid and his mom
A week ago, the Chicago Blackhawks lost in overtime to the Tampa Bay Lightning. It was the second of two games they played in a mini-tour of Florida. They had played the Panthers on Tuesday , a game that they won in a shootout. As a result, they took three of four points in the […]
Cottage life
When I was a little kid my family always took a summer vacation. Always. Before my mom got the roughing-it-in-the-backwoods- of-Ontario-in-a-canvas-tent bug we went to the cottage. The cottage, for us, was a century-old, red brick, three-storey house in Honey Harbour, Ontario. The cottage didn’t have running water or electricity. I can’t imagine it was […]
Of fedges and such
They say that rivers hold memory and, if impeded, will eventually re-trace their natural course. Humans are much like that. Inclinations inherent in our bones will, over time, subtly draw us to inner purpose…or something to that effect. Take Melissa Sherman for example: “I’m both a gypsy with my life and a gypsy with my […]
Celebrating the harvest
From time immemorial we have celebrated the harvest bounty by ritual offerings to the gods. Prior to consumption, ancient Egyptians offered a portion of deliberately spilt wine to Bes, their most popular household god. During their period of ascendancy, the Greeks similarly made offerings to Dionysus. And the Roman Empire continued this tradition by honouring […]
Page eight returns to its senses
I’ve accepted a volunteer assignment that will keep me busy until the new year. As a result, page eight will return to its senses for a while and be without this column. Better to be predictably absent than unpredictably present, Rick and I have agreed. Let me tell you a little bit about what I’ll […]