An Evening at the Harvest Ball: Food, Music, and Memories
November 13, 2025 The challenge was figuring out what to wear to the Harvest Ball. I thought I had a sports jacket, but it wasn’t in the closet; then I remembered I’d given it to the charity store years ago. I have collared shirts and some fancy T-shirts, but the only formal wear I have…
Forest Bathing 101: How to Connect with Nature
November 7, 2025 Dana Milbank’s recent Washington Post article about forest bathing caught my attention. Forest bathing is like a walk in the park, but with a focus on the forest’s sights, sounds, and smells. Forest bathing, a trend originating in Japan in the late 1800s known as shinrin-yoku, is spreading in the U.S. The…
Reflections on the 1956 Hungarian Uprising Remembrance
October 28, 2025 This week, I attended a flag-raising ceremony commemorating the sixty-ninth anniversary of the Hungarian uprising of October 23, 1956, at Ottawa City Hall. I looked forward to meeting some grey-haired Hungarian refugees, with whom I could make contact, talk about the old country, and share our experiences in Canada. About fifty people…
Boldt Castle Visit: History and Architecture Unveiled
October 22, 2025 October 11. We played tourists today. Although we live just an hour and a half’s drive from Boldt Castle, we had never visited it until now. I’ve heard of the castle, of course, but it’s located on Heart Island, in the Thousand Islands region of New York State, on the St. Lawrence…
Jazz Memories: My Journey with Oscar Peterson’s Music
October 17, 2025 My son reminded me of a time when, after dinner, I lay down on the couch, closed my eyes, and listened to Oscar Peterson as loudly as the family could tolerate. Oscar Peterson has always been my favorite jazz pianist. In my youth, I enjoyed listening to my mother play jazz: she…
Residents Voice Concerns at Fisher Heights Community Meeting
October 12, 2025 The Annual General Meeting of the Fisher Heights and Area Community Association turned into a session filled with complaints. Though the term “bitch session” might seem harsh, it accurately described the atmosphere. The President began the meeting by summarizing the association’s events from the past year and spent about ten minutes reviewing…
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