I’m going to be a grandmother. Just saying it out loud makes me giggle with embarrassment as though everyone will know that I am a fraud. I can’t possibly be a grandmother; I’m not wise and patient, scary things happen in my kitchen, not a single doily is in my […]
Columnists
After this past weekend, I now can put my snow blower into the back of the garage and move my lawn mower forward. By this time last year, my lawn already had two clippings. The tulips were pushing themselves out of the ground and my day lilies had bright green […]
Last week, MPPs debated Bill G36—the Local Foods Act. In theory, the idea of a Local Foods Act is a great idea. Local foods are vital to the health and well-being of our communities and successful family farms are vital parts of our local economies. When I think of a […]
Sadly, our district lost another good man over the weekend. Aarne Hahkala was actively involved in the community for many years and always willing to tackle any task–big or small. He was a great board member for the Rainy River Cattlemen’s Associawtion and a strong supporter of the Stratton sales […]
Asparagus is one of the first vegetables ready to harvest in the spring. Although native to the Mediterranean, once established it is a hardy perennial in our area. It is the only common vegetable that grows wild along roadsides and railroad tracks over a large part of Canada. Botanically, asparagus […]
Now that the Stanley Cup playoffs finally are underway (albeit a little later than usual due to the lockout that everyone has pretty much forgotten about), nearly every sports fan in the country will be focused on which of the 16 teams will be hoisting Lord Stanley’s mug in two […]
This past weekend, I attended both the Red Lake Trade Show and the Dryden Sport and Home Show. At both events, I had the opportunity to speak with many constituents about the upcoming budget and issues such as hydro prices, the Experimental Lakes Area, and maximizing the benefits of our […]
“That will be $22,” the Homeland Security border guard at the U.S. Customs said to the family of four headed to the movie theatre in International Falls. It has not happened yet, but the United States is exploring the option of collecting a user fee to enter the country by […]
The time was the late 1940s or early ’50s. The place was the streets of Utica, N.Y. And the thoughts of that day are indelibly stamped in my memory. I had been home for the summer, and now it was time to prepare for the fall. So my mother and […]
Anyone can fall victim to a well-run scam at any time. It’s always good advice to “keep your guard up,” but this is especially true where our money or personal information is concerned. The Competition Bureau of Canada recently published its “Little Black Book of Scams,” so I’d like to […]
I love libraries. I love the philosophy of them; the invisible sign above the door that everyone can see—the sign that says, “You are welcome. You belong here. This is your library.” A library often is the first place people visit when they move or are visiting a community. Unlike […]
Some double-digit temperatures finally are appearing when I checked the long-term weather forecast. It won’t happen soon enough for most of us! Despite the cold temperatures and the extra work to keep water lines thawed out, the Rainy River Cattlemen’s Association’s spring cattle sale on Saturday in Stratton was quite […]
