Christine Timmerman, Yarram, Victoria, Australia The Yarram Share Garden located behind the Anglican Church in Yarram and has a special secret name. One that I will share with you, but you must remember it’s a secret. The real name of the plots of veggies, rampant pumpkins and gracious garlic is, “The Free Garden.” And by... Continue Reading →
We are a Therapy Dog Team – by Juno and her MaPaw
Juno and her MaPaw, Kathie are a certified pet-therapy team now volunteering in Summerland and Penticton “If I end up requiring the care provided in a nursing home, I will only live there if they have visiting dogs or a resident dog. End of story.” This is what MaPaw said the other day as we left... Continue Reading →
Juno’s new toy — Chat GPT
Working with her fun friend Cameron, Juno has discovered a new toy, not as much fun as a ball, but on its own terms, quite amazing. To the prompt “sea shanty about a labradoodle named Juno” the following emerged. With minor tweaks, this would be publishable. Performance rights granted to all Labradoodles. (Verse 1)Oh, gather... Continue Reading →
Forty-eight years is a long time in our little town
Art and Shirley Rutter are Edmonton bound They have lived, worked, and played in our little town of Summerland for forty-eight years. Let me repeat that number—forty-eight years! That’s a long time to live in one place, in any place. Such stability is rare in our fast-paced and increasingly mobile society. If still waters run... Continue Reading →
Reconciliation in the family: Indigenous wisdom in the Middle East conflict
Reprinted from the Winnipeg Free Press; article by Niigaan Sinclair, 2 Nov 2023 "In 1845, after a century long battle over territory between the Anishinaabe and Métis on one side and the Dakota and Lakota on the other, the Dakota leaders sent a letter to Cuthbert Grant in what is now St. James in Winnipeg.... Continue Reading →
Prayer of the Mothers
Yael Deckelbaum - Prayer Of The Mothers (Official Video) 2016-11-20 As relevant now as it was in 2016 The song "Prayer of the Mothers," was born as a result of an alliance made between singer-songwriter Yael Deckelbaum, and a group of courageous women, leading the movement of “Women Wage Peace.” The movement arose on summer... Continue Reading →
The Belle of the Ball, by Juno
Another in our “The shorter the word, the bigger the meaning” series Now four years old, dog-blogger Juno is a Labradoodle living in Summerland in the interior of British Columbia. Real estate agents bring cards; musicians bring EPs; academics bring recently published books. We all need something, a token, a symbol, with which to introduce... Continue Reading →
The truth, and nothing but the truth — John Vaillant, Suncor, and a message to Canadian MPs
The article below appeared in THE TYEE on October 18, 2023. As I cannot share it electronically on social media I choose to reprint it here, with attribution, and with a suggestion that readers subscribe to THE TYEE newsletters and consider supporting this excellent independent news source. The truth be told, the truth is told... Continue Reading →
One year, yesterday — Celebrating life in our little town
It is hard to believe, but as of yesterday we have now lived in Summerland (for a second time) for a full year. I tried to publish this blog yesterday, but we were simply too busy—hence the odd blog title. Oen year and counting, it is hard to believe how rich our lives are here.... Continue Reading →
Rory and me – by Juno
Juno (centre and her friends, ready for Thanksgiving -- Kerchiefs by Kathie Juno’s blogs have now attracted international attention. Search https://take-note.ca/ for other scintillating dog blog titles. PaPaw and I are reading together Journeys of the Mind: A Life in History, an autobiography by the eminent antiquities historian Peter Brown, an authority on St. Augustine... Continue Reading →