I’m baby-sitting my boyfriend’s two dogs this week while he is working in northern Manitoba. “The boys” and I are on a learning curve—and I’m aghast to admit that I am the student and not the teacher (at least not yet). “Pepe” is a short off-white (needs a bath) wire-haired […]
Columnists
Back when I was in high school, my friends and I would spend at least a few evenings every fall trying to duck hunt. We seldom used decoys (usually just a call) and we just would try to sit in a likely spot where ducks would fly over us when […]
I believe ice cream has magical properties and, when scooped into a pretty glass dish in big round spoonfuls, and topped with homemade caramel sauce and savoured ever so slowly, moves me to write. Despite the fact that my core temperature has plummeted from eating more than my share of […]
What a difference one week can make in a country. A new government is being formed. A new prime minister is assuming the role of leader of Canada. “Sunny ways” Trudeau spoke to in his campaign and on election night. He and members of the Liberal Party promised much over […]
The federal election is over in Canada and most of us are heaving a sigh of relief. The signs will be gathered up and the campaign strategies will fade from our TVs and radios and newspapers, and we all will exhale and hope that the new government will focus on […]
Well, our last cattle sale of the season is mostly behind us! The cattle are sold and gone but the book work lingers for a few days. We sold 929 head on Saturday, which included a very popular donkey that many were trying to buy (she found a great home […]
While fishing in bass tournaments keeps me busy throughout much of the year, I truly love to catch whatever wants to bite and I always have an appreciation for big fish of any species. The good thing about fall is the bass tournaments eventually finish up, opening up a bunch […]
My children were reared on wisdom from two books. “Dr. Spock’s Baby and Child Care” was the bible of every parent in the 1950s and ’60s. Benjamin Spock addressed every conceivable problem—and his book was translated into 39 languages and sold more than 50 million copies. It was second in […]
Last week’s column was not exactly uplifting and cheery, but I think it was an accurate assessment of what Stephen Harper’s Conservatives have done to destabilize our national economy. With that being said, all is not lost. This week, I would like to share some thoughts on what our federal […]
Years ago when my children were small, I remember someone saying, “Small children; small problems. Big children; big problems.” Thinking back, I wouldn’t say that was true, although the problems were different at every stage. When we had our first child, I was 31. But my career until then had […]
I was sitting at the kitchen table one night earlier this week—one hand holding up my head while the other made circles with a spoon in my homemade turkey vegetable soup. I make a mean turkey vegetable soup. It’s a powerful medicinal bastion that can kill a virus just by […]
The Rainy Lake Hotel is down to a pile of rubble. For decades it was the social and cultural centre of the Town of Fort Frances. Huge balls organized by fraternal or sorority groups filled the ballroom with party-goers and dancers. Regional conventions booked up the rooms. Brian Mulroney was […]
