There are some things that are not immediately obvious and that we cannot know unless someone tells us. Things like having to change the oil in the car occasionally, or to change the furnace filter now and then, or that the earth revolves around the sun. They are things that are either not in plain […]
The temperature in Alberta during April is notoriously unreliable. It can change twenty degrees (Celsius) within hours. This week on my Facebook feed, friends in Red Deer showed pictures of snow while some of us in Edmonton had endured only a little rain. I am trying to persuade some vegetables and herbs to grow from […]
Q: Who is dumber than a box of rocks? A: Someone who packs a box of rocks around for forty years. And who do you know who has packed a box of rocks around for forty years? Yours truly. That’s who. I have often picked up and taken home attractive rocks. Once, on a trip […]
Butter and eggs are basic foods, wouldn’t you say? Unless you are vegan, or have lactose intolerance, or are allergic to eggs, then you probably have either butter or eggs or both in your refrigerator. One or both of them gets used every day in feeding yourself or your family. Even if you just have […]
As my Covid-19 and winter hibernation has continued, a stalagmite outside the door to my suite has evolved. In the absence of anything else to look at, I have been noticing how it has changed. This ice tower grows beneath the vent from the furnace to my home. As the hot air leaves the house, […]
Today in Edmonton the temperature is -20C (-4F) with a windchill ‘feels like’ temperature of -28C (-18F). This distinction between the nominal temperature and what it actually feels like has always left me slightly bemused. In my world, only the ‘feels like’ temperature matters. When Canadians check the outside temperature they want to know not […]
This is a hilarious blog post from Notes From The UK by Ellen Hawley. It made me laugh so I thought I would share it. If you ask the BBC about dwile flonking (and who doesn’t at some point?), you’ll find them asking a question of their own: Does dwile flonking really date back to […]
It is always pleasing to see the public engaging with art, and when the public displays a sense of humour in their engagement it feels as though all is right with the world. Back in November, I shared some photos of a new art installation near my home. I think of the work as Red […]
Parts of me keep leaking out. Nothing terribly embarrassing, exactly, but leakage nonetheless. One of the things that I have been revealing inadvertently is my California connection. You might think this would show itself as a penchant for surfing or a lack of winter clothing or, oh I don’t know, maybe a fondness for marijuana. […]
I felt guilty yesterday because I watched from my car as a woman tried to walk across an icy parking lot, and I smiled. Well, to tell the truth, I actually laughed. Yes, I am a cruel unfeeling human. But, between you and me, it was really quite funny. Edmonton has had at least three […]
My therapist told me the other day that I need to find my people. I think she is right, and I am going to get on that, but it struck me when reading my local paper that Ray Wold, a complete stranger who comments on newspaper articles, will not be one of them. Because of […]
A fascinating art work that appeared recently in Edmonton is called The Meeting by the artist Wang Shugang. It is made up of seven crouching figures in a circle. An eighth figure is placed alone across the street from The Meeting. At one time, one of these figures was holding a circular mirror but it […]
When this art installation first appeared on 118 Avenue in Edmonton, there was quite a bit of delighted chatter on the NextDoor app. The local people were both intrigued and amused. Some were a little bewildered asking “Have you seen the giant beans?” and “What are they?” and “What are they for?”. One of the […]
Snowbird of Paradise 