I seem to be embroiled in or witness to, I’m not sure which, a bit of a war going on in my community over short-term rentals (STRs), or what most of us call AirBnBs, much the way we called all snow machines “skidoos” in those early days of snow travel. […]
Wendi Stewart – Wendi with an ‘eye’
Wendi lives in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley, but the farm on Rainy River in Crozier will always be her home. MEADOWLARK, her debut novel released September 15, is published by NeWest Press of Edmonton. She is the mother of four daughters who did the unforgivable: they grew up. http://wendistewart.writersresidence.com
Spring is coming. I can feel it and I can hear it. The birds are vocal, chattering away with each other and undoubtedly discussing the state of the world. The roads are bare, for the moment. Though I haven’t had to use my snowblower this winter, I’m not so foolish […]
I walk with a limp. I tore the medial meniscus in my right knee in December of 2023. I’d like to say I was wrestling a bear or climbing a mountain or running a marathon at the time of injury, but it turns out that stepping up on to a […]
I have written in the past about one of my favourite books whose message I admire. I Wish You More was first published in 2015, written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and with the illustrative magic of Tom Lichtenheld’s creations. It quite simply is a beautiful book, one I read as […]
Gail is a dear friend of mine, a wise person whom I admire as she quietly searches for the purpose of our existence. She and her husband were market gardeners for many years, and I consider those who put their hands in soil and understand how things grow to have […]
I borrowed the title for this piece from the film of the same name released in 1999, directed by Wes Craven, starring Meryl Streep. The movie is a favourite of mine, due to its supports of the power of the arts. I suspect it could have something to do with […]
How do we wile away the winter hours when we no longer imagine ourselves an Olympic downhill skier, leaning forward, our poles tucked into our side as we assume the most aerodynamic position available to us? Many an eminent creative mind tells us winter is a time of restoration. When […]
“Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary …” If you don’t recognize those words, they form the opening line of Edgar Allan Poe’s poem “The Raven”, first published on this date in 1845, 180 years ago. Poe penned this work not many years before his death […]
The sun is shining today. It is cold but the sky is bright and blue. All things seem possible when the sun is shining, no matter the temperature. Mother Nature is pounding Cape Breton and Newfoundland with snow as I write this, but for the moment she has left me […]
It’s January 8th and many of the proclamations and promises we made to ourselves a week ago will have started to fade. We put a lot of pressure on the first day of a new year, as though this might be the time we get things together to accomplish some […]
If there are any Newfoundlanders in the area, they will be well versed in the Christmas season tradition of “mummering”. I believe most communities of this country are blessed to have Newfoundlanders in their midst, those who bring their special appreciation of laughter and fun, of resilience and recovery, of […]
Breaking habits is never easy, especially the bad ones. This time of year, one of my habits gets a favourable review. If you need a box, I probably have one just the right size. I love boxes, especially small ones with snug fitting lids and smooth surfaces. Maybe I’m part […]
