Relatively speaking, it hasn’t been all that long since we started observing January 1 as the first day of the year. The ancient Romans initiated the tradition around the year 153 BC for political and military reasons, naming the first month after Janus, the god of doorways, gates, and thresholds. The first day of our…
Every year at this time, I look back at the books I’ve read over the past twelve months and choose ten favourites. The list is wholly subjective and based entirely on my personal reading preferences. I read 62 books in 2025 and had a tough time narrowing down the list—hence, why it’s actually a dozen….
I’ve long appreciated the second day of Christmas—Boxing Day, as it’s called here in Canada and elsewhere. After the bustle of the preceding weeks and The Big Day itself, Boxing Day is a day to take a breath and relax. No big meal to cook, no expectations to manage, just a quiet day spent doing…
It’s early afternoon on December 24th as I write this. We’ve just finished a light lunch and a chess game (I’m on a streak these days, and not a positive one.) I’ve assembled our traditional Christmas Morning Wife Saver, and it’s resting in the refrigerator for the morning. Gerry’s at the dining table trying to finish…
Hi, friend, It’s a windy, chilly Tuesday here in Saskatchewan. As usual, Gerry spent the morning at the fitness center. I wrote a note to my granddaughter and popped it in the mail along with a little something I hope delights her, then went and got my hair cut. We just finished lunch, two games…
I follow writers and poets for inspiration and the sheer pleasure of reading their work. What a grand world we live in, where this is possible, and creative work is so accessible. Apart from a growing group of poetry books next to my reading chair, I can dip a net into the online world at…