Did you know? Drowning deaths in Canada are on the rise. The latest Canadian Drowning Report shows that the annual average climbed to 485 deaths (2017–2021), up from 444 in the preceding five years. Who is drowning? Males accounted for 78 per cent of drowning deaths, while females accounted for […]
Columnists
Summer is coming, though it seems doubtful, judging by the temperatures here in Nova Scotia. My heat has been on all but one or two days for the entire month of May, and with those chilly temperatures, rain has tagged along. I will not complain about the rain since most […]
The Rainy River District Women’s Museum board met June 1. A heartfelt thank you was given to Annie Van Rosen for her years of dedication to the museum. The members wished Annie and husband Jan all the best on their move from Emo. The Emo Museum opens July 2 and […]
Seventy years after its publication, Ray Bradbury’s 1953 novel Fahrenheit 451 can still be found holding on with white knuckles to the required reading list of some grade 10, mid-level English classes. The copies that are handed out would fail to spark a flame of interest under students, even if […]
Lately in the news, topics related to land ownership and title and who gets to leave and who gets to stay (among other things) have been consistent (and at times equally divisive). However, those debates are not where I’d like to play catch today (as I have my own personal […]
Did we just miss spring? I wonder as our timing of seasons continues to change. We still had snow and ice through the last weekend of April. For three weekends in May, the thermometer struggled to get into double digits. And last week we welcomed summer temperatures. They did not […]
Whoa…. June 1. The date makes me a bit nervous. Since we just got spring and summer simultaneously last week, there are many jobs to tick off. This last week of weather has been incredible, and I don’t mind it one bit. We did have to finally turn on the […]
Did you know? Natural Resources Canada developed the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System (CWFIS) in 1994, which delivers the following: Hotter and drier conditions escalate As I mentioned in last week’s column, hotter and drier conditions continue to escalate the threat of wildland fires throughout Canada. Last month, that devastating […]
A friend of mine was recently trapped by a Telus impersonation scam. I don’t know all the details, but suffice to say, the scammers violated her security and sense of safety, having accessed her bank accounts and credit cards. I am amazed at the number of scams I receive via […]
I am always seeking unusual plant species and varieties. Even with the many two plant species already in my garden, I never stop searching for the rare and unusual to add. Unfortunately, some of those plants always don’t survive my conditions (soil and/or growing zone) but I at least enjoy […]
In my humble opinion, everyone should purchase a diary. Write in it as often as you can and even when you feel snitty about putting another entry in it, do it anyway. In a few years, you will thank yourself for making the effort. I thank myself for keeping track […]
Beauty is ubiquitous. It is everywhere. The impermanence of a staggering sunset. The authenticity of artistic release and expression. The mastery of the soul by musicians and visionaries. The indescribability of intricate cathedrals, words that fall onto being like poetry, a meaningful moment that shapes a life, a sea of […]







