Times are tough for writers today. Every writers' group and every writers' conference tells us that no publisher will even look at a book manuscript unless the author has an impressive "writer's platform." That would consist of a blog with at least 10,000 followers and a similar presence on Facebook and Twitter. And then there … Continue reading The pursuit of happiness
Touche pas à nos cornichons!
[Leave our pickles alone!] Alas, but it's too late. Authentic dill pickles are no longer made in Canada. My mother used to grow rows of cucumbers in her garden, plus a short row of dill. She would pick and wash the cucumbers and layer them in an earthenware crock with a few sprigs of dill … Continue reading Touche pas à nos cornichons!
Peace in time of war
There are four main religious groups in Lebanon: Maronite Christians, descended from the old Syriac church and united with the Roman Catholic Church, yet maintaining some of the old ways, including a married priesthood; Shiite Muslims; Sunni Muslims and Greek Orthodox. A power sharing agreement was worked out after the Second World War that worked … Continue reading Peace in time of war
Am I a uniter or a divider?
During a recent visit in the home of a young couple in another congregation, the wife talked about the church her parents had attended when she was a child. The membership of that church is now down to the pastor and a few women; no man has been able to abide the pastor’s controlling ways. … Continue reading Am I a uniter or a divider?
I didn’t get the message
Way back when I was still single, some time before 1970, I was living alone in a little Saskatchewan town and running a grain elevator. Well, I wasn't completely alone — there was a cat sharing the house with me. If you're a regular reader of this blog, you know that there would have to … Continue reading I didn’t get the message
Social media vs girlfriend
We had been shopping in the city and our last stop was Walmart. By the time we were done there it was almost supper time. If we drove home, unloaded and put away the groceries and made supper it would be an hour and a half before we could eat. Not to mention that the … Continue reading Social media vs girlfriend
Girl on a pilgrimage
I worked in Delisle today, sitting in a cubbyhole office in the vet clinic, hunched over a computer trying to get financial records up to date. About One o'clock my stomach finally got through to me that it was time to eat and I walked over to the nearby snack shack. The waitress soon brought … Continue reading Girl on a pilgrimage
Grace for daily life
We have gone hurtling through the sky in a series of hollow metal tubes and are now safely home. We left a week ago today, flying by WestJet from Saskatoon to Winnipeg and Winnipeg to Montréal and came home two days ago by the same airline, flying Montréal to Toronto and Toronto to Saskatoon. We … Continue reading Grace for daily life
Cat oneupmanship
We moved to this acreage almost 8 years ago, just us two old folks and one cat. There is a farm yard right beside our yard with a heavy stand of trees between us. Panda was basically an indoor cat, but one evening she decided to explore the great outdoors. The sun set, our bed … Continue reading Cat oneupmanship
John Wycliffe, as seen by Geoffrey Chaucer
In 1367, when John Wycliffe taught at Canterbury Hall, Oxford, one of his students was Geoffrey Chaucer. These two men had a great influence on the development of the English language. In later years, John Wycliffe produced the first translation of the Bible into the English language, and Chaucer produced the first literary work … Continue reading John Wycliffe, as seen by Geoffrey Chaucer
Flatlander Faith 