What will they think of next? Canโt people just let dogs be dogs? Oh no. For some folks itโs not enough to just select a breed, find a good breeder, and invite a new dog into a household. Worked for me, so very well, for many years, and still does. No need for imitations; just... Continue Reading →
Ashes to ashes
A short story by Ken Gray From a distance, the amber box on the shelf before me tells no story whatsoever. A beautifully crafted box of coloured strips is no mere bookend. Someone had taken a lot of time to assemble something beautiful for . . . God? Possibly hollow, I have no idea what... Continue Reading →
An American history lesson of interest to at least one Canadian, me
Posted by Heather Cox-Richardson In his newsletter, Krugman noted that renewables have grown explosively in the past decade, spurred by what he calls a virtuous circle of falling costs and increasing production. That circle is the result of subsidies that made renewable energy a going concern in the face of fossil fuels. Today, he points... Continue Reading →
Out of the mouth, of primates โ How Climate Change is Rewriting Our Future
https://youtu.be/2creIhQvRLw Political Primate on YoutubeTranscription and highlights, KJG The clock is tickingโand our planet is sounding the alarm louder than ever. From raging wildfires to devastating floods, climate change is no longer a distant threat; itโs a global emergency happening right now. Ah, climate change. Behold the great paradox of our age. Ours is the... Continue Reading →
I am Washington โ A life-cycle story
I am Washington โ neither the city nor the state. I am not a character in the novel which bears my name. (For the record, I am white, not black.) I am a brand name, almost brand new washing machine. I am one of a generation of household appliances replete with special features, but sadly... Continue Reading →
One camera lens โ Two very different photographers
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 →
No long sermon from me today
Amongst other gifts and duties, deacons preach in congregations as they connect us with the wider community In fact, no sermon at all today. As I now only preach on the first and third Sundays of each month today is truly a day of rest. Instead I share a reflection on sermons as an art... Continue Reading →
Ability and inclusion โ The gift of โdisabilityโ theology
[Ken Gray] Asย General Synod 2025 draws to a close I was delighted to learn of a conversation around disability and inclusion. As one who has lived with legal blindness since birth, and given recent acute hearing loss with a subset of arthritis challenges, I am interested to learn of this initiative. Society as a whole,... Continue Reading →
Kicking back on western maple โ A celebration of fine furniture program graduates
Now fifty years since I graduated from Victoriaโs 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 →
Get the picture, using AI?
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 →