Who the Dickens invented Christmas?
Only four days to go before we celebrate Christmas. At first a religious holiday, it has been of tremendous importance for many faiths throughout the ages. From the very beginnings of Christianity, the holiday took on a gravitas that required celebration in a purely religious form. Even so, kings throughout the Christian world celebrated this […]
Mike Murphy enjoys the coffee!
Mike Murphy dressed for the recent game between his Carolina Hurricanes and the Toronto Maple Leafs. He has been rehearsing, so to speak, for his chance to play in the National Hockey League for some time. Following his stellar OHL career with the Belleville Bulls, he was drafted by the Hurricanes, and signed a three-year, […]
The perfect tree
I’m putting politics and other guff aside for this week in favour of saying Merry Christmas. Not “Happy Holidays” or “Festive Fun” or “Best of the Season” but “Merry Christmas. I’m one of those folks who doesn’t have a lot of internal dialogue and “Merry Christmas” is what it’s all about for me. I’ve had […]
Eagles still in flight
To say that the Philadelphia Eagles began this season with high expectations would be an understatement. They were supposed to “cake walk” their way to the Super Bowl. Along the way, wheels fell off, here and there. Injuries, dropped passes, missed ass i g n m e n t s , dumb penalties: they all […]
When night falls below Bridge Street
The murmur of traffic catches in the maples as the chime from the clock tower of Picton United Church descends from the hill. Headstones climb the rise of Mount Olivett cemetery while the grounds of Glenwood lie nearby. The bark of dogs at play; a woman carries two terriers across a footbridge; end-of-day light chases […]
The real thing
The idea came to me after reading a short article in the winter edition of Watershed magazine. In the article, the proprietors of the Hinterland Wine Company (located here in the County) explain that early harvesting of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes both captures a “jolt of fresh acidity” suited to a sparkling wine and […]
Mulling wine
Once again, it is the time of year to remember our family heritage and their old world traditions. Mulling wine is a custom found across Europe, with each country contributing a different name and recipe variation of this wonderful winter beverage. In A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, for example, Mrs. Cratchit prepared mulled wine […]
Two snowbirds with one stone
It’s half past December. Yes it is. Yet, we’ve barely had a couple of flurries and a bit of frost on the windows of our trucks and cars. Even though the meteorologists have predicted a warm and green week or two to come, I’ll bet the real winter is just around the corner waiting to […]
Angelo Mosca – tell me to my face!
Angelo Mosca is 74 years old. He walks with the assistance of a cane, on well-used knees. He has seen his share of pain and suffering in his years, after decades of football and professional wrestling. Many of us remember Angelo from his days as a fierce player in the Canadian Football League. He began […]
How I relaxed and learned to enjoy a real parade
There’s nothing quite like a good Christmas parade or three to get a person deeply entrenched in the holiday spirit. The very first time I can remember going to see a Christmas parade it happened to be the Eaton’s Santa Claus Parade in Toronto. I might have been about three or four years old and […]