Harmony

My friend Lynne is known for delivering rebukes and commands which usually inspire quick obedience from the rest of us. Not so, however, with the elk who frequently appear in her garden to munch on green shoots and leaves, sometimes even her flowers. The elk simply glance in her direction with a benign blink and …

Close to Home

Despite the worrying and worsening global problems of war, famine,  climate change, poverty, and so forth, sometimes, close to home, it seems like things are moving in the right direction. That’s how it felt a few days ago when I walked into Nanaimo Bakery. I always like it there -- nice spacious environment, good coffee, …

Let’s Talk about Guns

“Use your words,” we used to say to toddlers when they were having tantrums. Nowadays parents are advised to use other strategies, ones that involve much more talk and modelling. Advice changes. Words change. But words are important, perhaps never more so than at this time when they are being used to misrepresent, to mislead, …

A Different Kind of Flag

I’ve had a number of responses to my last blog which was titled “It’s our flag too!” Many people commented that they too were appalled by the desecration of the Canadian flag and the usurping of the word “Freedom” and there were a number of interesting suggestions. One person proposed a T-shirt with a Canadian …

IT’S OUR FLAG TOO!

I frequently hear others expressing the dismay I feel over the way the Canadian flag has been desecrated by the “Freedom” Convoy. Many of us now regard the flag with suspicion when we see it sported on a vehicle or hanging in a window -- and revulsion when we see it draped over various body …

Father Time, Mother Nature

Lately, a lot of us are talking about time. We say it’s hard to keep track of time these days,  What day of the week is it? What month? What season? We say that Covid seems to have messed with time, causing it to move faster at some stretches, slower at others. I’ve read that …

“Freedom”

Last week there were a number of cars and trucks sporting Canadian flags lined up on the road that runs through the lovely park below my patio. A speaker with a loud voice and a megaphone spouted a lot of foolish talk to a small audience. I called out “Go away” and “Go home!” from …

Spring!

Spring is here!Spring is here!Spring is the loveliest time of the year.Flowers are blooming,Children are gay,Everything’s here for a wonderful day. This was the first poem I ever wrote. I was eight years old and at first I was inordinately proud of it. In fact, it was actually published in the Vancouver Province's Tillicum Club …

Freedom 2022

The world is in a parlous state and every day the news is more alarming, unfathomable, horrifying, heart-wrenching. Many people, including Prince William, have said, “We feel so helpless.” We all wish there was something more immediate and more significant that we could do to support Ukraine and foster peace, but I believe even the …

Freedom

There’s an old saying that the enemy of good is not evil but comfort. There’s also a fable about placing a frog in tepid water and then gradually raising the heat. The frog remains in the water until it boils to death because he drifts off and fails to notice the gradual increase in temperature …