Wassail!
Some topics are really worth revisiting and the wine industry of Prince Edward County is one such subject. It is less than 20 years since the first vineyards were planted here and as the saying goes “you’ve come a long way baby!” Yes, there have been growing pains as vine growers wrestle with soil types, […]
Hey, hey, ho, ho
Can it possibly be halfpast November? What the heck happened to September and October? What happened to those two months, seriously. I think it’s too early to get into the Christmas mood, heck, it’s barely even cold outside. Yet the parades are on the horizon and retailers have busted out the glitter, tinsel and faux […]
The wine standard
Some people in the County have had just about all they can take of the ongoing Italian/Greek/Irish/Portuguese/your-country’s- name-here debt crisis. And they have resolved to do something about it. A recent Town Hall forum has attracted a core of members to found a group named “PEC-IUI,” which is an acronym for “Prince Edward County—Island Unto […]
At the close
Well, it has been a year exploring the history of wine from its birth in Georgia, to the present day. I have written what could be charitably described as an outline of the majesty and wealth of information that is the story of wine; however, each vintage writes its own chapter. Not to mention the […]
Notes from the Hall
I arrived in plenty of time for the introductions and opening remarks at the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday morning. I settled into my seat in the second row, with a clear view of the stage. As the ceremonies were about to begin, a man sat down directly in front of me. In an […]
Sticky buns
Sweeping the leaves off of a roof at this time of year isn’t a regular thing for me. From up here I can almost touch the ‘honkers’ that skim the cedars and willows and land with ease onto the polish of nearby Roblin Lake. The reflection on the water of the church steeple in Ameliasburgh […]
The god of wine
Romania has one of the oldest winemaking traditions in the world, its viticulture dating back more than 6,000 years. Within European countries, perhaps only Greece has an older tradition in winemaking than Romania. Local legend submits that Dionysus, the god of wine was born in the southeast of Romania. Romania, or Dacia as the Romans […]
Shameless behaviour!
On occasion, I have been accused of behaving shamelessly. Let me rephrase that. Quite often, I do behave shamelessly! I blunder from pillar to post, touting various projects and organizations that I consider to have merit: the Wellington Dukes, the Belleville Minor Football League, the Belleville Bulls, the Buffalo Bills, the Hamilton Tiger Cats. On […]
Dad’s uniform
“I hated the night raids. If I was going to kill someone, I wanted to see their uniform and their weapons. I always had horrible dreams after a night flight. It was awful.” My Dad rarely had anything to say about his time as a Flight Sergeant during World War II. He was the kind […]
The ‘Toad Town’ Crossing
One morning in the spring of 1914 a mixed train made its regular stop at the place where I stand today. Two young men from Trenton stepped down and waved to the conductor as the train carried on its run to Picton. Arnold Campbell and Bruce Sutcliffe gathered their gunny sacks from the Carrying Place […]