Belonging

By Lynda Shadbolt I think we all feel better when we have a sense of belonging and a feeling of connection. We live in relationship with ourself, our family, friends, community members and ultimately with…

Mountain man

By Steve Galea The other day, I shaved my excess facial hair. When I say excess, I mean all the hair except the ones that hide the fact that I do not possess an identifiable…

The new neighbours

By Sharon Lynch The house had stood empty for several months. Every time Jonathan walked past it, he looked at the SOLD sign and wondered. Who had bought the place, and where were they now?…

Smoke and mirrors

By Steve Galea Last fall, I bought a Ghost Blind. This is an ingenious hunting blind that consists of six hinge-connected, outward facing, mirrored panels that unfold to make a semi-circle of mirrors that angle…

Rallying together

By Vivian Collings A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about “the elephant in the county” in an editorial. The elephant is poverty, homelessness.I was very discouraged at the time.My coworker, James Matthews, also wrote…

When the spirit moves

By Sharon Lynch He really didn’t want to be there. After a full day of trying to find gifts for folks who already had everything, the last place George wanted to be was around more…

Hackers

By Steve Galea Last week, my buddy Tom called and said he had a free day and was looking for something to do.So, I looked at my day timer – or what Jenn refers to…

Light

By Lynda Shadbolt I have a lovely group of women who do qigong with me on Wednesday mornings, and at this time of year we start our class dancing and singing to Bruce Springsteen’s version…

Cake boss

By Steve Galea I am 60 years old, and I baked my first cake on Saturday.  Don’t be sad. I had a good run. Some people would argue that I did not actually bake a…

Closets

By Sharon Lynch He knew they were in there. The bad things, the monsters. Even after his mother checked his bedroom closet and declared it empty of anything but clothes, Jeffrey remained skeptical. Eventually, he…

Season’s greetings

By Steve Galea If you see me in town and notice that my normally impeccable waving is non-existent, don’t be offended. This is not the end of an era. I just injured my elbow.  Rest…

7

By Lynda Shadbolt May your love be pure like an eagleWisdom be under every stone you turnLet truth be your key to freedom and bind youTo the path that holds the light. 7, a song…

Finder of lost gloves

By Steve Galea The other day, Jenn and I stopped at the grocery store parking lot and stepped out of the car, when I suddenly realized one of my gloves was missing from my left…

Lost and found

By Sharon Lynch It’s funny how sometimes thoughts just pop into your head and surprise you. So thought Monika as she worked outside. The day was unusually mild. She had managed to put up the…

Change of life

By Steve Galea “Aren’t you going to pick that up?” the kid asked. It was a good question. But, the answer wasn’t simple. That’s why I looked at the coin I had just accidentally dropped…

Being

By Lynda Shadbolt It was a very busy day. My mom and I have been taking advantage of these warm and inspiring November days, and we have been cleaning all the windows and screens in…

Mirror images

By Steve Galea “Which one do you like?”  Jenn said.  It was the question that I had been dreading from the moment we entered into the home décor store.   For, in front of me,…

Wounded warrior

By Sharon Lynch It was when Jake turned his head that they saw the blood. A red streak smeared the side of the cat’s face, running down from the bottom of his ear. Mark saw…

I deserve better drawers

By Steve Galea Because I am a 60-year-old man, I have now collected a plethora of things that bother me to no end. Having things bother you to no end is one of the greatest…

Judy

By Lynda Shadbolt Jim and I just arrived home from our first ever (and not last) trip to the beautiful province of Nova Scotia. We went for a vacation (with a really fun friend), and…

The garden, part 2

By Lynda Shadbolt This story begins on a mid March day in 2022. It was one of those beautiful winter days that felt like spring would soon arrive. The sky was blue, the sun was…