Other Contributors

I wish there were a way around this instead of flat out admitting that I don’t have a column for you this week–nothing but excuses! I was never so frustrated in my long and rather convoluted career, but my readers have been faithful and they deserve an explanation: I had […]

“Day of Joy,” a gathering for women featuring special guest speaker Ellen Pukalo, is coming up this Saturday (May 12) from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Christian Reformed Church in Emo. An inspirational speaker from Beausejour, Man., Ellen is a city girl married to a farmer. Ellen is a stay-at-home […]

Jigs will work for walleye in all seasons wherever you fish. If you keep the following basic ideas regarding jigs in mind, you’ll be on the right track to success next time you’re on walleye water. In most situations, you should be able to get by with four jig sizes, […]

Maybe it’s just me but there isn’t the same heated competition (read rivalry) among local slo-pitch teams as there was, say, a dozen years ago. The sad lack of tournaments here on summer weekends nowadays certainly isn’t helping the current malaise on the diamonds–even though there’s a lot more teams […]

This week, it’s appropriate to recall our tragic but beloved Forsberg family before another great district music festival has departed. Bert Forsberg, his wife, Elvi and daughter, Florence, were all centre stage here in so many ways–and music was much of their life. Singer Florence was known as the sweetheart […]

While our high school Muskies’ latest all-Ontario conquest is being celebrated again this spring, there are many old-time hockey fans still harking back to Fort Frances’ national supremacy in senior hockey 49 springs ago. Many will acclaim our puck chasers could take over all Canada again, given the right circumstances, […]

Spring is the season for fun and laughter. The season when you walk among the crocuses and daffodils, and remember the fun of picking flowers in the woodlands of your childhood. Adder’s-tongues and Dutchman’s-breeches and nosegays of violets. And beautiful white trillium blossoms–before you knew that picking its flower would […]

Curling is just like riding a bicycle-you don’t forget how. Unfortunately, I learned Saturday that I stink at the sport as badly now as when I last stepped onto a sheet a good 10 years ago with the vaunted Greg Plumridge foursome when the old club was still standing here […]

How would you like to get to age 108–and be in good physical and mental health almost to the end? It’s possible: Gin Kanie of Japan did that before she passed away last month. Her twin sister, Kin Narita, lived to 107. Both “fascinated the viewing public with their sharp […]

Going to Wooster, Ohio is always a highlight. First of all, to visit my aunt and uncle. And secondly, to enjoy the beautiful countryside. Next door to Wooster is Wayne County–a place where Amish families live on lush, prosperous farms snuggled amidst rolling hills. The county is known for its […]

Duff, flats, galley, racks, hatches, bulkheads, killicks, GTs, PDEs, degaussing ranges, RHIBs, bridge wings, the dogs, the serpent or tail, wardroom, the XO, HODS, EO, FMF. The above terms, and more acronyms than I care to remember, were part of the four days I recently spent aboard the Canadian patrol […]

I think I’ll stop taking my own advice. For years, I taught and coached people in time management. Over those same years, it seems I had less and less time. I’ve had to remind myself often to practice what I preach–and I do. As a result, I really do get […]