Dan Needles shares laughter yet again with his new book, Finding Larkspur, A Return to Village Life is available in softcover on October 7th. Finding Larkspur, A Return to Village Life is an … [Read more...]
FINDING OUR WAY AROUND THIS NEW NEIGHBOURHOOD
I used to have to drive two hours to Toronto to feel like I wasn’t making enough money. Now I just have to drive into town. Something has happened over the last three years to transform this place. In … [Read more...]
The Reformation of the Township Dump
In the days of early settlement, towns like mine tried to deal with household waste by passing a bylaw demanding people remove garbage from their properties at least twice a year. The law was … [Read more...]
Taking the Learning Curve Too Fast
For the past two years, everybody has been talking about the invasion of small-town Ontario by refugees from the city. The traffic in town is now just like Toronto; in fact, it is a little bit worse. … [Read more...]
Suddenly There Came a Tapping
As a writer I rely heavily on the neighbours for inspiration. They have always been a reliable source of suspect information. When I bought the place nearly 50 years ago, Kenny Jardine, the old … [Read more...]
Animal Rights in the Laundry Room
I was in a little arts and craft shop last week when I heard an earnest young woman with two children in tow grilling the saleswoman about a basket of “densely felted organic dryer balls” sitting … [Read more...]
Learning to Visit Again
A few weeks ago, two old friends of mine turned up at the farm unannounced for a visit. Without thinking, I invited them into the house and they sat on the couch in the living room – the first … [Read more...]
OPINION: Today, everyone is an expert but I see red flags unless expert talk includes humility that inspires confidence and trust
Last month my cardiologist put me on a beta blocker to lower my blood pressure and asked me to take daily readings with the little Chinese-made monitor I keep on my desk. After a week, I was alarmed … [Read more...]