Year: 2005

It was time to take my boxed plants from their containers and place them out in the garden. Have you ever noticed how quickly the plants come along once they have the freedom to spread their roots and take in … Read more

During our working years, my husband and I were weekend gardeners. Saturday was the only day we had the opportunity to plant our seeds. Many of our friends planted by the signs in the almanac — convinced that Irish potatoes … Read more

My husband loves digging in the dirt. When the first breeze of warm air blows in the springtime, his thoughts turn to growing something. Tools to till the soil are brought out of storage, and his lawn mower is readied … Read more

As fall approached and since we had given up travelling south for the winter, I decided to bring the geraniums that were still blooming into the house. For some time they continued to bloom; then, one by one, they faded … Read more

Some years ago, I had the privilege of spending three days in a "poustinia" at the Madonna house, a retreat centre in northern Ontario, founded by the late Catherine de Hueck Doherty. She explained that "poustinia" in Russian means "desert", … Read more

This powerful image of Jesus during the Last Supper emphasizes the importance of humble service. Despite Jesus' position as God's only Son and his sacrificial role in establishing our salvation, he shows again and again, in his words and actions, … Read more

We have a new phenomenon in our vicinity: identity theft. Thieves can raid our bins left out for the refuse collectors to remove. They scavenge for paperwork that might give away details of personal accounts. With the details, they can … Read more

Recently, I had the unexpected pleasure of attending a production of the musical, Godspell, which was presented by a local theatre company. I felt prompted to attend the performance to see if there was anything new I would learn about … Read more

Dolly just got loved to shreds. She had belonged to my daughter, and now her daughter loved her, but alas, she was falling apart. It was time for Grandma to put a new body on her, so she came for … Read more

I have a waterproof jacket that I wear to go walking and riding to work. I bought it for my birthday two years ago. It is lightweight and specifically made for the task. Consequently, I thought it rather atypical that, … Read more