June is a fun month. The leaves are all out and the pollen is falling from the pine trees, fertilizing the flowers that will, in a couple of months, produce cones for the squirrels to feed on. All the annual flowers have been planted and their blooms brighten our neighbourhoods. […]
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
In Canada, we are gearing up for an election in October. Various news agencies constantly are polling households each evening to determine which of the three parties—Liberal, NDP, or Conservative—would have your vote if you were going to the polls the following day. The results are published and the news […]
Should we be surprised by word that 30 senators are said to owe taxpayers almost $1 million. After the questionable expenditures of senators Pamela Wallin, Mike Duffy, Patrick Brazeau, and Mac Herb, does this recent announcement surprise us? I hope not. The first four senators to come under scrutiny claimed […]
Riverside Foundation for Health Care director Samantha Manty had approached our table one afternoon prior to the Canada Day Cash Lottery early-bird draw. By the time she was finished, all eight of us had purchased tickets for the draw. In the past, the Fort Frances Times and Rainy River Record […]
Trees are in full bloom in front and back yards across Fort Frances. The flowering crabs in front of the courthouse are full of brilliant pink flowers. As you drive through town, the variety of pinks is amazing. Everything from soft baby pinks to robust deep reds are in their […]
It is 6 a.m. and I’m the only person in the emergency ward. It is eerily quiet compared to Monday afternoon. Cathy, the nurse in charge, has just started the IV drip and I will lie on my back for the next two hours. I will be back again in […]
I’ll admit I’m both a news junkie and a political junkie. Give me an election contest and I will follow every blog and political columnist in the area where the election is taking place. For me, watching the start as the candidates break out of the gate—until they gallop across […]
We spent the weekend at the cabin and the water in Rainy Lake has not risen. Alas, our boat that we went to the cabin the previous weekend refused to start. Even the trolling motor batteries, which we thought we had charged, couldn’t get the motor to turn over. The […]
The flyers that will be distributed later this week are filled with outdoor living items. Flowers, plants, and shrubbery, along with gardening, and yard maintenance tools, all are being advertised. If you are into boating or improving the look of your yard, the ideas are all laid out. Spring is […]
When I think about what are truly Canadian foods, I usually find myself at a loss. “Tourtiere,” a dish we often associate with Quebec, comes to mind. It is common to both Quebec and the bordering New England states, and often is associated with Christmas. It is made with finely-diced […]
The 48th edition of “Spring Fever Days” will unfold in Emo this Thursday to Saturday (April 16-18). Back in 1968, the businesses had their own door prizes. Later, with the assistance of a former resident, the Emo merchants had a draw for accommodations, tickets, and spending money to the Calgary […]
Marie Antoinette, prior to the French Revolution, may have chided the crowd by saying “Let them eat cake” when told her French subjects had no bread. She became the most hated symbol of the French aristocracy. The end for Marie Antoinette was that she lost her head. I couldn’t help […]
