[Ken Gray] Yesterday on Canada Day I suggested that a core part of Canadian identity is a desire for, and an experience, of freedom. Already thinking along such lines I appreciated this following post from the Centre for Action and Contemplation (Richard Rohr) on the act of freedom. When freedom becomes more than a concept,... Continue Reading →
A visit to the grocery store โ How Canadian is that?
"Where are the Canadian carrots?โ Kathie asks. โTheyโre still in the groundโ I reply. As for lettuce, we can access local supply from Okanagan Falls back home, while on holiday options were more limited. We snatched some American cucumbers from the stalls by the store entrance but later exchanged them for some Canadian veg we... Continue Reading →
Time to celebrate โ A special presentation to a young environmental leader
It was a pleasure to visit my former congregation, the Church of the Advent in the parish of Colwood and Langford a few days ago, not only to enjoy lively worship, music, preaching, and community. I attended in order to acknowledge the leadership of a young Anglican, Taylor Gossman. I did so in my capacity... Continue Reading →
Wild Dark Hope — A genius book reviewed
Photo by Daan Huttinga on Unsplash [Ken Gray] With thanks to Jesse Zink for this book review I thought something completely different from the geopolitics of the past few days was in order. I really enjoyed the book and would love to see the movie if ever produced. Highly recommended. [Jesse Zink] How do you... Continue Reading →
The day after the morning after โ โDo loveโ: Wisdom from Anne Lamott
[Reposted from Anne Lamott on Facebook] I said to the kitty as we were getting up this morning, โI wish I had better news for you.โ I didnโt want to get out of bed, but I had to let the dog out. And I turned on the news: Shock and awe again, same old same... Continue Reading →
Timothy Snyder one week after marching in Philadelphia
This is a repost from Timothy Snyder's Substack post published Thursday June 19, 2025 It was a thrill to march at the No Kings Rally in Philadelphia on Saturday with friends and about a hundred thousand people. On the stage, I led a chant of "no kings -- freedom," and I tried to explain three... Continue Reading →
Imagine Studio Cafรฉ — Striving to cultivate creativity, innovation and leadership for all ages and abilities to achieve their full potential
One of the most difficult decisions facing visitors and residents of Victoria is deciding on a favourite coffee shop -- First-world problem for sure. A friend recently directed us to the Imagine Studio Cafรฉ nestled in Victoriaโs historic James Bay neighbourhood. She heard it was good food and drink, and really interesting. She was right... Continue Reading →
Hope and resilience are the enemy of fear
What a beautiful statement by the children of Melissa and Mark Hortman who were assassinated by a domestic terrorist this past weekend Found on Facebook here. โWe are devastated and heartbroken at the loss of our parents, Melissa and Mark. They were the bright lights at the center of our lives, and we canโt believe... Continue Reading →
Always act from love — MAGA as the American Shadow: A Spiritual Reflection
Re-post from Eileen Workman. Highly recommended. For my more spiritually inclined friends, hereโs how Iโve come to see the entire MAGA movementโnot from a political perspective, but from a deeply spiritual and psychological one: I view MAGA as a living embodiment of our collective American shadow. I see a movement that protectively encases a vast... Continue Reading →
Connecting people with plants, nature, and sustainable gardening practices โ Introducing the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific โ A very special place
Sometimes you have to go back to find what was always there. Such is the case with the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific, a magical place Kathie and I discovered a few days ago as our June vacation in Victoria continues. For years Kathie and I lived a ten-minute drive from the Quale Road location... Continue Reading →