On a gloriously sunny, cool Sunday in October, I made my way to the Rideau Falls in Ottawa, the place where the Rideau River tumbles into the Ottawa River, surrounded by parkland and memorial gardens. The week’s demands had made my soul weary, and I wandered across...
I have an artist friend who paints glorious landscapes in amazing detail. His depictions of the Atlantic waves breaking themselves on the rocky shores of Newfoundland, or the gentle slap of fresh water on the burnished, burnt rocks of Georgian Bay are so alive with...
My mother gave me a gold ring set with a star sapphire when I graduated from high school. The rounded, polished sapphire appears as a rich, dark blue in subdued light, but a direct light on it reveals a sharply defined six pointed star. Its appearance is caused by...
I have had many friends in my life, ones from childhood, from my school years, university days, and adulthood. Many of these friendships waned, not for bad reasons, but simply because we moved on with our lives in career, location and life. I have had a few unhappy...
My brother is fortunate to live on a beautiful Ontario lake, but also to be surrounded with good friends and neighbours. Not long ago, the kayak of a neighbour floated off in the night, not being securely tied. The next morning, a friend went out in his motorboat...
I dream every night, and even in an occasional daytime nap, a little dream will edge its way in. My dreams seem to be products of a kitchen blender; a combination of past life experiences, people I know now or have known, items of the daily news broadcasts, and the...
As a young teenager, I took music lessons at a local music school. My teacher, a nice young man and very patient instructor, surprised me one day by venting against Jesus Freaks. Not being committed to my faith and questioning Christian teaching, I was afraid to...
Each time I turn on the radio or internet, I am inundated with news about Covid-19 and new developments. It seems my social media feeds are peppered with conspiracy theories which verge on the scary but are closer to ridiculous. There are accusations of government...
My father passed away suddenly when I was fifteen, and well I remember the stunned disbelief of family and friends at the loss of a vibrant, gifted husband and dad. In my memory, the funeral was surreal and muted; the still, pale figure in the coffin could not...
As a reader, I enjoy a story which has a surprise and isn’t too predictable. A good author knows how to draw the reader in and build fascination. Few things do this like a plot reversal, when the story seems to be heading one way, but suddenly changes so the...