For your sweetheart
Professor Emile Peynaud of France was one of the most influential oenologists of the 20th century. Many of the advances in the European wine industry after World War II can be directly attributed to his genius. (Michel Rolland, a modern day hero of the wine industry, is among his pupils.) His contributions are many, and […]
Two heavyweights
One of the pleasures of our Wellington library, it being so intimate, is that you can take stock of what’s on the shelves pretty quickly. Just next to the checkout desk is the “070” Dewey Decimal group— journalism. A few months ago, a big thick (463 pages) tome caught my eye. It was the 1984 […]
Who’s your ginger peachy?
February. I “heart” February. It is, after all, heart month. When I was a youngster and discovered the kitchen calendar, I drew hearts in the little squares leading up to St. Valentine’s Day. I was positive the hearts I drew were works of art, but I had older sisters who delighted in telling me otherwise. […]
Thirteen bells
It’s a Tuesday and the light of early afternoon chisels the limestone of the gothic-like Picton United Church. I’m set to follow Gerry Drennan on his maintenance tour of the clock that rests in the peak of the church tower. We head into the building through a side door and up a few flights of […]
Super Bowl XLVII—the aftermath
It is Monday evening, and the lights are out at the SuperDome in New Orleans. Intentionally. Yesterday, they lost power during the game at the Super Bowl, and there was cause for concern. Fortunately, the lights came on about half an hour later, and the game continued. A great game, by the way, in doubt […]
Throw a pot
Just about the same time mankind developed the potter’s wheel (about seven to eight thousand years ago), we fortuitously discovered how to make wine. We learned to create vessels to store grains, liquids and fruits—along with a precious new gift. Standards in pottery sizes and shapes developed over time. The more commonly known vessel, the […]
Rebuilding village icons
That was quite the event at Wellington Town Hall last Thursday night. You could divide the audience into four groups, of about equal size: those standing up at the front who were associated with the project; those sitting down in the audience who got there really early; those standing up in the audience who got […]
Walking school bus
Sometimes, as I walk by Queen Elizabeth School in Picton on a weekday morning, I see a long line of vans and cars. Maybe you’ve seen the same in front of other “urbanish” schools in the County. Adults are dropping their kids off for a day of learning. I’m sure many of these children live […]
Helmer marches on
When the news flashed across the screens recently that Bryan Helmer had signed with the Springfield Falcons to play hockey, it came as no surprise to hockey observers in the Quinte area. We have followed Helmer’s career for the past several years. By no means was the start to his hockey career auspicious. He had […]
A local gem
In the beginning, fine wines were reserved for the patrician class. But as the middle class grew, they began to demand better wines. To cater to this new market, costs had to be trimmed. Wine growers began to work with various European universities to develop new vines and streamline winery operations. As a result, the […]