Call it a stroll through a forest; a walk along curvy pathways; a resting place between colourful flowerbeds. Whatever you call it, you are invited to join together for the second annual Celebration of Creation at the Summerland Ornamental Gardens on Sunday afternoon, September 14 gathering at the Gazebo at 2 p.m. It’s a great... Continue Reading →
How one of Canada’s richest women transformed the island of her birth Highlights from Deirdre McQuillan in The Irish Times Sun Aug 24 2025 Having made a fortune in fibre optics, the ‘culturally responsible’ entrepreneur Zita Cobb helped reverse the fortunes of Fogo island, Newfoundland At the age of 13, in 1971, Zita Cobb, an... Continue Reading →
Source, Facebook They say that a picture is worth 1,000 words. Others suggest that some photographs can influence a generation. Think of Falling Man (The 911 terrorist attack); Napalm Girl (Viet Nam); Hiroshima (The plane that carried the atomic bomb to Hiroshima). Each of these images document a contemporary, now historical event in order to... Continue Reading →
Bill Cunningham at work (and play) Two photographers, one living, one no longer with us, documenting our world, brilliantly. It has been some time since I have blogged on photography. It has been however one of my priorities since launching takenote.ca. Today however, I return to photography. Two recent news articles highlight the work of... Continue Reading →
In this, my last holiday blog, I reflect on the place of BC Ferries in my life. Enjoy. And see you next in Active Pass BC Ferryland With apologies to Ferryland, Newfoundland and Labrador. I grew up in ferry-land British Columbia. While Kathie and I visited the Newfoundland site a few years ago, we both... Continue Reading →
Now fifty years since I graduated from Victoria’s Oak Bay High School I have fond memories of wood shop class. Lacking an eye for detail coupled with insufficient powers of concentration I particularly loved making bowls on the wood lathe. I likely created more shavings than bowls, but it was wonderful fun. When invited by... Continue Reading →
One word: Photography. My favourite activity when on holiday is taking pictures, no less so then during our extended staycation in Victoria, a five-week adventure that will end this coming weekend. Home feels good, but it’s been a blast in the meantime. I blogged a few photo shoots here. There are too many more to... Continue Reading →
I am always suspicious of the promises of emerging technology. Existing tech allows me to do so much more than I could five years ago. Why bother? My writing, conversation, photography, research, and most recently sports entertainment all benefit from hi-tech resources and solutions. Social media algorithms however suggest I need to go further in... Continue Reading →
Be peaceful Be careful Be heard
The photo shows CLUE: Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice leaders at a march earlier this year.] Please find below the remarks Bishop Taylor prepared for a prayer vigil last Sunday night at Los Angeles City Hall that was canceled because of security concerns. His remarks are in response to the unwelcome, uninvited, and... Continue Reading →
Take Note - Reflections on life, music, politics, retirement and more by Ken Gray 