Columnists

Sticky buns

Posted: November 18, 2011 at 9:02 am   /   Columnists

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 […]

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The god of wine

Posted: November 11, 2011 at 9:22 am   /   Columnists

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 […]

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Shameless behaviour!

Posted: November 11, 2011 at 9:19 am   /   Columnists

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 […]

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Dad’s uniform

Posted: November 11, 2011 at 9:09 am   /   Columnists

“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 […]

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The ‘Toad Town’ Crossing

Posted: November 4, 2011 at 9:03 am   /   Columnists

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 […]

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Bills win big in Toronto

Posted: November 4, 2011 at 9:03 am   /   Columnists

The GO Train leaving Union Station was packed with football fans heading east. Most of the party were satisfied with the game. The Bills had whitewashed the Washington Redskins 23- 0, handing Coach Shanahan the first shutout of his lengthy career. Brad Fisher had attended Sinclair Secondary School in Whitby. He was wearing an Acadia […]

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Progress

Posted: November 4, 2011 at 9:02 am   /   Columnists

Quite a nifty renovation they’ve done down at the local post office, don’t you think? Well, um, actually, no, not really. Why? Let’s start off with the exterior. The clock with a face but no hands is still there. Now I am assured— and this is a Times Exclusive—that it will regain its hands shortly. […]

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Thee, thou and youse

Posted: November 4, 2011 at 9:01 am   /   Columnists

“Do you ever run out of things to write about?” I get asked that question, a lot. I can’t say I’ve ever run out of topics, but some topics are best left out of the news, so to speak. And, “Have I got a story idea for you.” Well, as it turns out, most people […]

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Crimean coast

Posted: October 28, 2011 at 8:58 am   /   Columnists

As far back as 400 B.C., there is evidence of extensive wine cultivation in Ukraine, around the south coast of Crimea. Initially, there was trade with the civilizations surrounding the Black Sea and later on with the Greek and Roman Empires. Around 1780, Crimea became part of the Russian Empire making it a significant supplier […]

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Rick Hansen: Man in Motion

Posted: October 28, 2011 at 8:58 am   /   Columnists

Terry Fox lit a flame in this country in 1980 that still burns brightly today. In 1985, another resident of British Columbia decided that he would also lead the nation by embarking on a journey across Canada. He started his trip in B. C. and headed east. Rick Hansen had been paralyzed in a truck […]

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