The Other Things Bubby faced every challenge with head held high, back straight 12 Feb 201912 Feb 2019 We lost our Bubby last week. In a hotel in her hometown Winnipeg, my mother-in-law sat on one of the white beds and expanded on stories I half-knew, or had…
The Other Things Fernandina and St. Augustine are in a battle for the ages 30 Jan 201930 Jan 2019 My favourite sort of gossip is the kind people spill about their home towns. Sometimes it’s the traditional kind of people-gossip; sometimes they’re barely aware they’re divulging secrets. “Oh, Fernandina…
Short hops A well-travelled man and a dog named Big, surrounded by friends 10 Sep 201830 Aug 2018 CUSHING, Que. — The dog’s name is Big. He is black and white with a head the size of a five-pound bag of potatoes. We aren’t out of the car…
Summer The little town of Kapuskasing was founded on fear 21 Aug 201821 Aug 2018 KAPUSKASING, ON — At first glance, Kapuskasing is just another railway town. Yet until the Great War, it was just Macpherson Station, a stop for trains to replenish their water…
Short hops Wherein my romance with rail is nourished in Brockville 11 Aug 2018 BROCKVILLE, ON — The Brockville Railway Tunnel is so old, its builders had to use gunpowder to blast through the bedrock — dynamite hadn’t been invented yet. Maybe that’s why…
Short hops A walk in the park: Fort Chambly 2 Jul 201714 Aug 2017 Part of an occasional series exploring North America’s national, provincial and state parks. I don’t know, maybe Parks Canada employees train alongside the Disney people or something. Because these folks are happy.…
