British Columbia in flames: stories from a blazing summer by Claudia Cornwall Harbour Publishing Ltd | 2020 | 289 pages Fires have always been an integral part and process of British Columbia’s forests for as long as mankind has occupied and traversed the land. The large majority have been ‘natural’ wildfires started by lightning or… Continue reading British Columbia in flames: stories from a blazing summer
Category: Personal Reflections
The World of Water
by Graham Rawlings I feel proud that the Australian State of Tasmania has recently declared itself 100% powered by renewable electricity. What a break-through, hopefully to be followed by many other jurisdictions in due course. Tasmania is unique in that it has a favourable climate, suitable topography, and geology which make it all possible. How… Continue reading The World of Water
Groundhog Day, again
by Lillian Ireland Does it kind of feel like Groundhog Day when the days just seem to spin? A week, a month, a year, repeat; seems like the beginning again! This treadmill that we’re running on has left many people in tears, continually picking up pieces while facing recycled fears. Changes evolve, like the masks… Continue reading Groundhog Day, again
Stepping out of the shade
by Jill Schroder “When day comes, we step out of the shade…” is an excerpt from Amanda Gorman, the youth Poet Laureate’s contribution at the Biden-Harris inauguration. This phrase landed with me and then rippled out. It does seem like we are stepping out of the shade now, in January. The days are getting longer,… Continue reading Stepping out of the shade
Stepping forward into 2021
by Lillian Ireland “To laugh often and much; to win the respect of the intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the beauty in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy… Continue reading Stepping forward into 2021
Our Christmas tree: musings on mortality
by Erlene Woollard One might well wonder why I would bother taking such a photograph during this pandemic when our craving for beauty and positive distraction is so great. However, as I walked towards our still beautiful live Christmas tree waiting in our back alley to be picked up and sent off to its next… Continue reading Our Christmas tree: musings on mortality
Waiting it out: patience in a time of COVID
by Stan Hirst Another year almost gone. Only 7778,582 seconds left to the end of 2020 says the doomsday app on my computer screen. There is a morbid fascination in watching seconds tick away on a coloured clock face. To think that somebody actually took the time (ha!) to programme an app like that. To… Continue reading Waiting it out: patience in a time of COVID
Time
by David Suzuki My seven-month lockdown to avoid COVID-19 brought my life to a screeching halt which was a gift, an opportunity to reflect on what really matters in life. By sheer luck, my wife and I were at our cabin where we hoped to kick off Spring Break with our daughters and their families,… Continue reading Time
Finding balance amidst the tumult
by Jill Schroder Finding balance amidst the tumult – a challenge at any time, and particularly now that we are into the year-end holiday season and also into almost a year of Covid. The countless roller coaster restrictions affecting many people and many countries are at bending and breaking points, financially, physically, emotionally, and in… Continue reading Finding balance amidst the tumult
Gratitude – why, when and how?
by Jill Schroder We all know that gratitude is transformative but it sometimes seems particularly challenging when there is so much deeply amiss. COVID drags on and on with all its attendant problems, restrictions and consequences. It sure seems hard to call up gratitude easily. Thanksgiving in the US is coming up in a couple… Continue reading Gratitude – why, when and how?