[Pope Leo XIV] I would like to invite you to a very practical and frequently unappreciated form of abstinence: that of refraining from words that offend and hurt our neighbour. Let us begin by disarming our language, avoiding harsh words and rash judgment, refraining from slander and speaking ill of those who are not present... Continue Reading →
Every home needs a Phodographer
Heartography: Nikon once turned a dog into a photographer using a compact camera and a heart rate monitor (Image credit: Nikon Thailand / YouTube) By Hillary K. Grigonis published February 11, 2026 DigitalCameraWorld As a former Nikon shooter, Juno's PaPaw endorses this article with both interest and appreciation. DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS WITH YOUR LATEST... Continue Reading →
Tailpipe standards, Trump, and your next vehicle
By Marianne Lavelle, Dan Gearino - February 13, 2026 - This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, non-partisan news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) Sign up for their newsletter here. With the repeal of the Environmental Protection Agencyโs scientific finding on the dangers of greenhouse gases,... Continue Reading →
Pastoral emergency
Another chapter in the series Stories from Somewhere, fictional reflections of an unidentified place at an unknown time. Other chapters are listed here. โThere is no such thing as a hopeless caseโโAA Big Book โMinister, I need you to come over right away. Please. I am in trouble. Come right away.โ I havenโt heard from... Continue Reading →
A Winterโs Tale, NOT
Juno, 2022, Kamloops BC Six year old Labradoodle, Juno, lives with her humans in Summerland in the BC Okanagan. This year they have had almost no winter at all. She is not impressed. See below. I am disappointed, downhearted, and furious that winter has skipped us this year in the South Okanagan. There was only... Continue Reading →
String music
Another in the series: Stories from Somewhere, by Ken Gray โI will trust, I will trust, I will trust in himโโStuart Townend Walking downhill towards the church on a crisp autumn evening, the retreating western sun infusing fluffy clouds with shades of orange and yellow, I see the lights on in the church. Did I... Continue Reading →
Prepare . . . Welcome . . . Greet: Discoveries, at the Vatican
A sermon for the congregation of St. Saviour, Penticton, Sunday Feb 8, 2026 by the Very Rev. Ken Gray Writing in Vatican News Tiziana Campisi describes a most unusual Papal event: โAn unusual Sunday Audience took place on 1 February 2026 in the Apostolic Palace, which was reserved for Gentlemen of the Papal Household, Antechamber... Continue Reading →
Good hearts and troubled minds and sore feetย โ More from Anne Lamott
[Ken Gray] So hereโs an idea. Letโs invite Anne Lamott up to Vancouver to visit with supportive and faithful Canadians. What a great event that would be. My secret agenda would be to welcome her here for an extended period of time; maybe sheโd stay . . . So often I find myself drawn to... Continue Reading →
Songs in Season โ Lady Gaga and Bruce Springsteen
The music says it all. Enjoy, and please share. https://youtu.be/GDaPdpwA4Iw https://youtu.be/e3o5FIXoK84 Visit the takenote.ca HOME page for a colourful display of hundreds of other blogs which may interest or inspire you
First date
Love is blind? Or is it blue? โAnonymous proverb I want to make a good impression; to get our first date right. We had met in other ways โ by happenstance, at church events, at choir practice, and at community meetings. I had noticed Ronni from a distance. Sheโs attractive, and I sensed interesting. I... Continue Reading →