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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
[Reposted from Anne Lamott on Facebook] I said to the kitty as we were getting up this morning, “I wish I had better news for you.” I didn’t 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 →
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 →
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 →
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 Café nestled in Victoria’s historic James Bay neighbourhood. She heard it was good food and drink, and really interesting. She was right... Continue Reading →
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. “We 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 can’t believe... Continue Reading →
[Ken Gray] The G7; meeting is a wrap and a yawn. Kananaskis in Alberta’s land of oil and gas returns to whatever normal is these days. Top of the agenda was global trade relationships, escalating warfare in the Middle East, but definitely not consideration of the effects of global climate change on both economy and... Continue Reading →
Take Note - Reflections on life, music, politics, retirement and more by Ken Gray 