A proud Canadian
Occasionally, I like to focus on a fine athletic achievement. If it so happens that a Canadian is involved, all the better. We have been accused of not being a terribly proud people. That may be true, but certainly not in this case. For many years, I have followed the golf exploits of Rod Spittle. […]
Spring is sprunging
The promise of spring is in the air today. The sunshine helps. The dry roads and sidewalks help. The milder temperatures help. Robins in trees definitely help. I remember, as a child, trudging off to school in late winter. At that time of the year, I would have been wrapped in a heavy woollen coat, […]
Count your blessings
Let’s talk about privilege. It’s a loaded word. One that, despite its meaning, has become pregnant with greater meanings, developed out of resentment and misunderstanding, like the word feminist. We’ll start by clearing the air. Privilege doesn’t mean you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth. It doesn’t mean you have any wealth […]
Glassware
Wine and glass have shared a long and happy history together, with glasses coming in all shapes and sizes, to match the mood and the wine. Glassmaking began in Mesopotamia (modern- day Iraq), with the first objects most likely being glass beads. It was some time before the art of crafting glass into drinking or […]
Crunch time
It is indeed crunch time for the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles Men’s Basketball team. The Eagles began the season as a favourite to repeat as the defending conference tourney champion. With just a handful of games remaining before the playoffs begin, the Eagles will face some stiff opposition from teams that are a little desperate. […]
Peace, love and cards
On this snowy Sunday before Valentine’s Day, I am reminded of the Valentine’s Days of my childhood. Back to the time when, several days before Valentine’s Day, my mom plopped a couple of books of paper cards and envelopes on the kitchen table, sat all of us down with scissors and a bottle of Elmer’s […]
Still in the press box
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the dreadful tragedy suffered by the Columbus Cottonmouths hockey team. Their bus left the road on the way to Peoria, Illinois. Many of the players and staff members suffered serious injuries in the accident, including a former Duke, Rusty Hafner. Andy Bathgate, a former Belleville Bull, was […]
Of great interest
As the Roman Empire gained prominence and expanded, it exported the viticulture skills and vines it had received from the Greeks and Etruscans. The major wine producers of Europe exist today because ancient Rome spread these skills. Cato, Pliny, Columella, and Palladius give their readers a well-defined picture of how wine was a daily part […]
Roll over Gutenberg
Reading books helps keep you smart, right? Well, not according to a new study. In fact, you may be better off surfing the net. The Associated Press reported recently on a four-year study conducted by the Mayo Clinic on some 2,000 over-70 adults. The authors were trying to determine whether some common mental and social […]
Feeling stronger every day
My “gym sistas” and I are on a quest. All of us have come a long way, working-out, getting fit and building muscle. Age-wise, we’re all about the same vintage and face the same issues that have been assigned to people who are “our age”. Until very recently, like many of you, we bought into […]