Go figure
For many years I was only vaguely aware of International Women’s Day. The vaguest of vaguely. It was at an annual meeting of the provincial assembly of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation when I first met some remarkable women and heard them speak of the social, economic and political issues and achievements of women. […]
The legacy of Stephen Licence
By Conrad Beaubien The light from the store window spills warmth onto the sidewalk. A hush of traffic carries through night streets; my hands take to my coat pockets, sheltering from the north breeze descending from Hastings County. The scene within the store window has my attention; the headlight on a miniature scale train shimmers […]
The Champions Tour at Naples — the aftermath
Jay Don Blake was featured in last week’s article. He was one of the first players on the practice tee on Monday, working on his technique. During Thursday’s round, I heard him smack a drive off the tee, but lost it in a cloudy sky. When it cracked the palm tree just above my head, […]
Concrete egg
When it comes to concrete, we can definitely establish that the egg came last. The latest aid to winemaking, the concrete egg, was the brainchild of Michel Chapoutier. In 2001 he commissioned the Nomblot Company— a specialist in concrete wine vats—to create a tank in the shape of an egg. The shape was of paramount […]
Doing a Benedict
That Pope Benedict retirement thing has got people talking. I say: good for him to admit his limitations and not feel forced by tradition to stay on until the bitter end. The list of people who should follow suit, or should have long ago, is lengthy. Near the top of my list are Dalton McGuinty, […]
Elephant in the car
My siblings and I had a discussion, many years ago, about our Dad’s driving. At the time, Dad was in his late seventies and, as far as driving went, we didn’t really have any concerns. If anything, our Dad was a much better and more conscientious driver than any one of us. Nope, we were […]
Ace Group Classic golf tournament
They are lining up the troops here in southwest Florida for the Ace Group Classic golf tournament to take place this coming weekend. There are five contestants who will tee off at TwinEagles in Naples this year as newcomers: Rocco Mediate, Steve Elkington, Bart Bryant, Duffy Waldorf, and Gene Sauers. Mediate won the Champions Tour […]
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. […]