Image from Summerland Dog Owners Association and Castanet Juno is a popular dog blogger who has been active in local community campaigning around dog rights, privileges, and pleasantries. Summer is here at last, so it’s time to head to the beach and to the dog park. For various reasons it’s been a long time coming... Continue Reading →
STORMY WEATHER — A rough weather memoir
A sermon for the congregation of St. Stephen, SummerlandSunday, June 23, 2024The Very Rev Ken Gray Once the decision was made, that Kathie and I would move to Summerland for me to take up the post of Rector of St. Stephen’s in 1994 we came up a few weeks prior to moving in order to... Continue Reading →
What’s in the Murse
First, let’s get a few things out of the way. A “murse” is a man’s purse. Typically (no woke welcome here) women carry a purse and men, a murse. Years ago in response to my frustration at constantly losing my personal belongings Kathie gave me a murse, a carry-all of a size somewhere between a... Continue Reading →
Push Pooch Park — A presentation to Summerland Town Council
UPDATE The outcome from tonight’s meeting of Summerland Town council regarding the Peach Orchard Dog Park is very positive. The mayor explained his motion and his desire to continue to build consensus around this contentious matter. In response council while appreciating his intent disagreed. Initially concerns were expressed about the costs, historic and future if... Continue Reading →
Queer
It’s a word I use advisedly. As a cis-gender male it feels uncomfortable for me to use the word as I have only encountered it used pejoratively. Many in the Queer community welcome it with, yes, PRIDE. In conversation with a couple of clergy colleagues recently, I asked if we had read any Queer theology.... Continue Reading →
Beacons of hope in a time of climate crisis
From an interview with Vatican News and the World Council of Churches In light of the recent data from Copernicus, the European Union's climate monitoring service, the video statement below from the World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev Prof Dr Jerry Pillay (World Environment Day, 5 June, 2024) is timely and concerning. In... Continue Reading →
Juno’s bad hair day
Another reflection from Juno, Summerland’s 4 year-old Labradoodle blogger. Help me, please; I am having a bad hair day. In fact for the last week or so it has become evident to me and my MaPaw that I need grooming. The problem is that my former groomer has moved away. Despite MaPaw’s best efforts, a... Continue Reading →
Summer is a comin’ in
Fibre art by Helene Driscoll Melissa Kirsch in the New York Times June! Again! I know! Where has the time gone? It’s boring to even raise the issue — your subjective experience of the months and years passing so quickly, how it seems just yesterday you were doing something (making plans to see Barbenheimer, maybe?... Continue Reading →
All before nine o’clock in the morning
Thoughts on the value and practice of a daily routine I love routines. I especially love my early morning routines, especially those I typically accomplish before nine o’clock in the morning. Why this precise time? Well the early Christian Apostles exhibited their spiritual enthusiasm at this very hour (ACTS 2:15). Good for them; good for... Continue Reading →
AI, AI OH?
I make no apology for my cheesy title; it is a contemporary re-working of a traditional children’s song: Old MacDonald had a farm; AI AI Oh. And yes, I thought it up all by myself! No AI involved—a product of my own warped imagination, more attuned to poetic scansion than content-rich technical analysis. You must... Continue Reading →