We are family
On Saturday I went to one of my favourite places to shop, the County Farm Centre. Not too many shops in this world where you can check out with four loaves of frozen bread dough, six pairs of “hot” socks, two bags of chicken breasts, Warfarin and a flashlight. If that isn’t just crazy great, […]
The dog ate my homework
That is up there with the best excuses a teacher hears when the job does not get done. As a Canadian hockey fan, I have heard a few good ones over the past few months. Some have emanated from the so-called negotiations for the National Hockey League. Other excuses come as a result of the […]
Imagining the stars
The wind from the west throws snow at my back. The rattle of my boots on hardened trail breaks the silence. I can hear the rhythm of my heartbeat as I stop by the bridge. There is something big hidden beneath the skin of a night walk in winter. A halo hangs about the moon […]
Song and dance on the palate
The centre of the Pays de la Loire region is located approximately 60 km inland from the estuary of the Loire River which, in turn, feeds into the Atlantic Ocean. Not surprisingly, its wine is renowned for an excellent ability to pair with seafood, in particular oysters. Muscadet is a dry white wine made exclusively […]
A lyrical week
I don’t know about you but I’ve always got song lyrics rolling around in my head. Sometimes the lyrics are absurd, obscure and it’s hard to understand how the H E double treble clefs I got hooked on that particular tune. Sometimes it all makes sense—to me, at least. I’ve been at home, mostly, for […]
Meanwhile, in food news
While this paper’s editorial staff is preoccupied following every last thread of the wind turbines story, this column has taken on the necessary monitoring of recent developments in the food industry. And I have three biggies to report on. The first was so big you probably heard about it as well. Hormel Foods, the maker […]
Mulled wine
The recent snowfall and cold winter nights bring to mind cups of mulled wine enjoyed by the warmth of a fireside. Mulled wine is a modern reinvention of a pre-Roman practice. The Romans themselves would follow this tradition, and tend to heat and flavor their wines during the winter months (especially those living in the […]
May the fourth be with you
How many times have you heard it said that “there aren’t enough days in a year” to get some task or other done? Well, my take is that’s because we have too many Days in the year. The point was brought home to me on my wife’s favourite day of the year—the winter solstice (although […]
Resolve to resolute
I know you did—make resolutions. You’ve made a promise to yourself to do something better, more often, less often, more intensely, more evilly, more secretively, more openly—whatever. You’ve done it. I always do, too. My resolutions always start with a glass of something bubbly or scotch-like or beery. And, whether I like it or not, […]
Lilies of December
The inspiration to garden happened at the Second Time Around hospital auxiliary shop in Picton. The place is a catch-all for all sorts of used treasures that are sold to raise money for a good cause. It’s near the front door where something catches my curiosity. There are a number of small, filled bags, the […]