By Jerelyn Craden As it so happens, ol’ Maybelle was talking to Renda Ploops, a great gal, full of vim and vinegar, with a mind that flits around the earth and back in the course…
My blind spot
By Steve Galea This weekend Jenn and I were having a conversation about how the mind works (I think she was, once again, trying to figure out how mine does). Somewhere in the conversation, she…
A COVID silver lining
By Vivian Collings It’s been a couple of months since I sat down with Jenn Mills in the principal’s office at Haliburton Highlands Secondary School to chat about her new position, but I still think…
The nose knows
By Sharon Lynch Lucy had just picked up the soap with her wet hands when it hit her. That smell. She was using Sunlight bar soap to clean some brushes in the basement. Suddenly she…
I love my scrub
By Steve Galea I have had the Apple Music app on my cell phone for a while, but I have never paid any attention to it. This is because I naturally assumed that it only…
Listening to understand
By Vivian Collings Places where people gather in Haliburton daily, for whatever the reason may be, are pure magic to me. Castle Antiques is one of those places.Sitting among items loved long ago with a friend,…
Short legs and all
By Steve Galea I try to shop locally, believe me I do. But there comes a point when I have no choice but to shop online. Buying pants immediately comes to mind. You see, when…
Lovin’ my real stuffed animals, don’tcha know
By Jerelyn CradenWhy if ‘ol Maybelle doesn’t love stuffed animals. Yes, dear reader, I’m speaking of MY stuffed animals: Sarah, the terribly feminine teddy bear who sleeps on my pillow in a pink tutu, Tillie…
Heroes wear pyjamas
The “nightmares” that I remember are often very vivid because they are real-life scenarios; missing a deadline for work, making a big mistake, embarrassing myself in public, etc.While I’m asleep and dreaming, it usually feels…
Something fishy
By Sharon Lynch Mark wondered why he cared so much. Standing beside the aquarium in his den, he watched the fish struggling. He had been doing the same thing every evening for almost a week.…
Cover boy
By Steve Galea If you notice me walking down the street this week wearing a ball cap, dark sunglasses and looking presentable and clean-shaven, it’s because I am trying to be unrecognizable for a while…
A dream playground
By Vivian Collings It’s been a couple of months since writing about poverty in the Highlands in one of my editorials.With the launch of the fundraising campaign to build a new playground in Head Lake…
Pura Vida
By Lynda Shadbolt I recently listened to a podcast by Tara Brach, a well known psychologist, teacher, meditator and author.She does weekly talks on mindfulness, Buddhism and psychology. In this talk she had just returned…
Pie in the sky
By Steve Galea On Sunday, Jenn and I decided to have some pie for dessert.“Ah, there’s nothing like a nice piece of pie and some intelligent conversation,” Jenn said.I took that as my cue.“You know,…
The kids are alright
By Vivian Collings You may have noticed, but we feature kids and youth a lot in the Echo and the Times.Our papers are usually full of smiling young faces and success stories to go with…
Adverse conditions
By Lynda Shadbolt We’ve all got to do things that make us happy.We are all different, and we are all evolving. I think we are all happiest when we are doing something we love and…
It behoofs us all
By Steve Galea A week or so ago, my best buddy Tom called me and spoke with more enthusiasm than I have heard him exude in a long time.“I have seen the light,” he finally…
Ahead by a century
By Vivian Collings Although what we see outside our windows right now is similar to looking through a monochromatic filter, Haliburton’s recently been going green in another way. We have some really refreshing environmental initiatives…
A different perspective
By Sharon Lynch Appearances, they say, can be deceiving. So while Simon appeared to be snoozing by the window, he was in fact listening to what was going on in the other room. Jim was…
AI, oh my
By Steve Galea Full disclosure: I’m not a person who is fully up to date on the latest tech trends – if I recall correctly, I got as far as the abacus. So, you’ll have…
Love
By Lynda Shadbolt This is a love story. Sort of. It’s Valentine’s Day. I’ve been reading a book by Robert Holden called Higher Purpose. To sum it up, he says we all share the same…