Author: Mary Jane Hanson

A few days ago I went shopping for a lily for our front shrub bed. I purchased a splendid yellow hybrid lily. I am certain that, if this plant could talk, it would say, "I am so stately and tall … Read more

I am a basketball mom. My son (age 11) and my daughter (age 12) both play basketball. I faithfully attend all their practices, games, and tournaments. I can clearly remember one game that happened during a tournament. My daughter's team … Read more

In Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the homeless huddle together in Tent City, a community located on Home Depot property, to keep warm this winter. Tents and wooden structures provide a measure of safety and shelter. Plans are being proposed for low-cost … Read more

A few days ago, I went out to purchase lunch. I walked briskly to the restaurant on that cold winter day. While I ate my lunch, I picked up a newspaper that someone had left behind. I noticed that it … Read more

Every year at Christmas, retail stores stock up with teddy bears. These bears come in various types, shapes, sizes, and colours. Some have a wardrobe while others are naked. Adults often purchase teddy bears at Christmas as gifts. These new … Read more

On August 29th, the Rev. Dr. Eustace Renner died in Freetown, Sierra Leone. We became friends in 1998 when he lived in Saskatoon for a few months. I was saddened by the death of this great man, and drafted a … Read more

One of the joys of family camping is trying to fit four camping cots into a tent eleven feet square. This year I discovered that our tent with four cots is filled to capacity with little or no room to … Read more

"Survivor", the recent television success story, is enjoying greater popularity than "Who wants to be a millionaire?" "Survivor" is based on a contest between two teams called "tribes" living on an island. After weekly competitions of skill between the tribes, … Read more

The biggest literary event in the year 2000 will undoubtedly be the release of 5.3 million copies of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire on July 8th in Canada, the United States, and Britain. This 700-page book is available … Read more

I go outside each day to look for signs of spring in the backyard. Each day there is something new. Yesterday, I spotted a male robin perched on top of my neighbour's blue spruce tree. I had never seen a … Read more