A debate is forming on Facebook. Should the border be opened to out of area summer residents or remain closed to protecting residents of the district from the virus. Both sides have solid arguments. I have mixed emotions. Our summer residents on our island hail from Wisconsin and Texas. We […]
Jim Cumming – From the Publisher Emeritus’ Pen
Jim is the former publisher of the Fort Frances Times Ltd. He writes a weekly column and can be contacted at jcumming@fortfrances.com
My lawn has been raked. The grass grows greener by the day. Almost two weeks of sunshine and being outside in the yard makes me feel almost whole again. Buds are forming on the branches of the trees in my yard. Green leaves are starting to shoot our from the […]
Councils across the district are going to have to face the realities of the new norm. A loss of revenue for arenas, curling rinks, halls and municipal parks will create enormous strains on their budgets. Fort Frances, Couchiching, Emo and Rainy River all have experienced a shortening of their ice […]
I watched in horror through the weekend as protesters in various US states marched on their state capitals, demanding that governors open their states and reduce the isolation restrictions. I, like a lot of Canadians, would like to go back in time and enjoy all the pleasures that we enjoyed […]
Earth Week begins and runs for a full seven days. Throughout the world “Earth Day” which has been celebrated for the past 49 years, has gone digital for the first time. Visit www.earthday.org for a whole world of digital events to join in on. Greta Thunberg, the young Swedish environmentalist […]
I am trying to figure out what my new normal routine is. Retirement came and I very much continued my old schedule dropping into the newspaper almost daily. I would write this column over the weekend and then put it into the que Monday sometime from the desk that was […]
As we self-hibernate, we can try to make our lives as normal as possible. Take for instance International Day of Pink, which occurs on April 8 this year. Unfortunately, many events surrounding Day of Pink have been cancelled. The Day of Pink, also known as Pink Shirt Day, began in […]
I hate this virus. I hate the insecurity that it has brought into our lives. I hate that I don’t know what will happen after the 14 days of self isolation. Will the self isolation be extended for another one, three or six months? I feel helpless. When will life […]
Franklin D. Roosevelt stated, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” This thought came into my mind on Saturday evening as I began thinking about our road trip to see our grand daughter. We made it as far as Brandon, and after a discussion with our son […]
Our season is changing. The sun’s radiant heat is pushing back the snow banks. Our major streets are now snow and ice free. Creeks and small streams are again gurgling over rocks and sand bars. Driving over the causeway, one can see ice fishermen in portable canopies fishing along reefs […]
As I changed the load of dried clothes in the dryer, I also emptied the lint container that was totally covered with fibres from the polyester cotton blended shirts that I enjoy wearing. They are comfortable and easy to care for. But week after week, fibers fill the filter that […]
“Like a hand from the dark house came the intense aroma of firewood in the pile. The aroma was visible as if the tree were alive. As if it still breathed.” Taken from Ode To the Smell of Wood by Pablo Neruda When I was in my teens every morning, […]
