There is a pond 15 km north of us, near Frontenace Road, where swans pause every spring on their northward migration. I saw a dozen there on Thursday, Chris saw 20 yesterday and today the number was up to 30. I was disappointed when I looked on Pixabay for swan photos. They have very few … Continue reading Swan sightings
Whimsy
Is this the best way to spend your final years?
Most of the people dying from COVID-19 are in nursing homes. Families, friends, pastors, priests, rabbis are not allowed to visit in those places. Many of the staff members that the residents have grown to know have contacted the disease and been replaced by strangers. Is this the way things are supposed to be? Right … Continue reading Is this the best way to spend your final years?
Why are they called potholes?
In French, those more or less circular breaks in pavement are called nids de poule—chicken nests. I grew up on a farm where chickens were provided an outdoor run in the warmer months. The hens would scratch out circular depressions in the dirt in anticipation of filling them with eggs to be hatched. We always … Continue reading Why are they called potholes?
The signs of spring
I had some errands to do in Outlook this morning. There has been no highway maintenance this spring and the pavement is breaking up in many places. The Department of Highways has placed red diamond-shaped signs—like the one in the picture, but smaller—on the shoulder to mark these places. There are dozens of them between … Continue reading The signs of spring
Adversity, affluence, happiness
Good and evil are not what popular opinion accounts them; many who seem to be struggling with adversity are happy, many amid great affluence are miserable. -Tacitus, Roman historian and senator, 58-120 AD
Report on a drive-by shouting in our community
A newspaper in a small Saskatchewan city recently reported on a shocking rise in drive-by shoutings. That trend has now come to our tiny hamlet of Swanson. In this hamlet there is a seniors’ residence; yesterday two of the residents had a birthday. Melvin was 86 and Wilbert was 91. With no visitors allowed, a … Continue reading Report on a drive-by shouting in our community
Caveat Lector
Let the reader beware. These are my own contrarian views on the COVID-19 situation and not grounds to take things lightly. I am not a scientist or medical expert. Even if I am correct in what I say here, it still remains that elderly and infirm people are in danger and we need to take … Continue reading Caveat Lector
Where will the puck be?
“I skate to where the puck is going to be, not to where it has been.” Wayne Gretzky That’s a great quote. One element of Grtzky’s success as a hockey player was his ability to read how the action around him was going to unfold and put himself in position to take control of the … Continue reading Where will the puck be?
Who is in charge here?
A friend, thinking to reprove my affection for cats, told this little fable: A dog, upon being given shelter, food and lots of affection, begins to worship his master, thinking to himself: “Wow! this man must be a god!” A cat, upon receiving the same kind of treatment and affection, thinks to himself: “Wow! I … Continue reading Who is in charge here?
More signs of spring
Ever since I was a little boy I have had this urge to get outside and do something on these sunny spring days: dig a little trench to drain a puddle of water or clear snow and ice off walkways. It probably speeds things up by about a day. Today I cleared our front walk, … Continue reading More signs of spring
Flatlander Faith 