Puck drop
In a matter of days, they are going to drop the puck to initiate another season of the National Hockey League. There is another team playing out of Canada this year. The Atlanta franchise was shifted to Winnipeg, and the game will be the better because of the change. There are a few clouds hovering […]
Cemetery hill
From a distance it appears like a chess game set amongst fields of Hillier clay; pawns, rooks, bishops and queens stand as marble pillars aimed to the heavens. ‘O bury me not on the lone prairie, Where coyotes howl and the winds blow free, In a narrow grave just six by three…’the lyrics of an […]
An Ice Cider that will astound
It would be difficult to discover all the wine producing nations that border or are in close proximity to the Black Sea, in one column. So first, we will visit Turkey and the Caucasus region. This brings us full circle to the cradle of wine production, where it all began. Within this region there is […]
Mr. Cranky Pants
Not too many days ago, I had the pleasure of meeting a person who, most obviously, disliked kids. I say a pleasure because I hope I had an impact on him. He just seemed to have an intense dislike for kids, teenaged kids. Over a cup of coffee, he grumbled about how he couldn’t understand […]
Under Watchful Eyes
The Wellington Dukes headed south a fortnight ago to play in the Woodchuck Hockey Tournament in Burlington, Vermont. There were almost 30 teams involved in the tournament. Most were from the eastern parts of the United States and Canada, from a variety of leagues. The Atlanta Knights Junior ‘A’ club was there, from Georgia. Several […]
Made in China
We are near completing the circle of the history of wine but not before exploring the wine industry in China. China discovered and enjoyed the cultivation of grapes and wine over 4,500 years ago; however, wine made from grapes lost favor to be replaced by alcoholic beverages made from rice or fruit such as plum […]
Wellington outsteams Ottawa
You will have to forgive the readers of the Wellington Times if they are a little blasé about the Bob Dechert, flirtatious—but-innocent emails affair. Why? Well, if you haven’t read the Pivot- Hooker missives, you’ve missed material one heck of a lot steamier than the emails sent to a female employee of the Chinese news […]
Assume the pose
Times column. Take Two. Yup, you read that right. This is my second stab at this week’s column. I don’t often “take two”. Perhaps I should do it more often. Overthinking a column can sometimes get a writer into deep do-do. But, here I am. Taking two. We have become a rude, self-absorbed, media-obsessed, cellphone […]
Why I vote
If I didn’t write about the upcoming provincial election, you’d think I didn’t care. I do care. Like a lot of people, I think I’ve heard all of the promises shouted from “party platforms” and watched the disgusting mudslinging. I’d be lying if I said my trip to NYC was all about seeing the sights […]
Football and fine wine
It is Rugby World Cup time in New Zealand and so far so good. The Canadian squad has excelled yet I must confess I was delighted when Ireland topped the world champions, Australia, in their match last Saturday. On to the wine regions of New Zealand. Consider if you will, New Zealand produces approximately 0.02% […]