Columnists
From Red Deer to Ghana: book shows the power of caring
9 Degrees North: Full of Promise
By the young women of Northern Ghana and their mentors READ
Harvesting energy from the ocean
Ocean thermal energy conversion, OTEC, is the process of using the heat differential between tropical surface waters of the ocean and the cool waters found at depth. READ
Finding the big brown trout
There are not many big brown trout in the Red Deer River tailwater below Dickson Dam, and locating where they hang out is both an art and a pre-requisite to fishing for and maybe catching (and releasing) a few. READ
The hang of hanging baskets
Hanging baskets add another dimension to the garden. They bring the eye upward adding, colour where plants would otherwise not be able to grow. READ
Dog park experience has owner shaken
I have an 8-month-old puppy, and I take her to a local dog park so she can run off leash and play with the other dogs, which she loves. In the three months I have been taking her, “Phoebe” has never been attacked or fought with another dog. READ
Listen deeply for real solutions
Recently I had the honour of participating in an Ask the Herbalist panel. We answered questions about our favourite herb, which herb we would want on a deserted island and herbs for a chronic cough. But for one question, there was no answer. READ
International diversification is important
The Huffington Post Canada recently reported that Canadian stock markets posted a very low return on investment (ROI) of three per cent in 2012. READ
Seven steps to success in health
Have you been struggling to find your optimal health? Still feeling like you are not really on top of your nutrition, your eating habits, your lifestyle or your cooking skills? Or are you among the many who struggle to maintain a healthy lifestyle due to external circumstances? READ
Ex’s behaviour could mean cutting off communication with him altogether
I am finally divorced. My ex and I have a minor child together. He has met my new partner, and they get along great while at our son’s sporting events. I thought it would be healthy for our son to see us as friends. READ
Puck hounds, bunheads and soccer moms
Winter. A weekend. 5 a.m. A typical Canadian family. … The alarm clock is screaming at you, rudely interrupting the only really good dream you’ve had in ages and when you manage to wrench yourself out of your coma, the red numbers, glowing like evil eyes in the darkness, are telling you a time that is so blinkin’ early you just can’t comprehend. Much of anything. READ
Four Seasons? Pffft!
Ask people why they choose to live in the north and chances are—if it isn’t work related—they will tell you they enjoy experiencing all four seasons. I have said the same thing myself. READ
Practise compassion
One morning a frail old man woke up to discover that his beloved wife had died during the night. Unable to care for himself, he went to live with her only daughter, her husband and son. Over time, the old man’s eyesight began to fade and his hearing grew poorer. READ
Open marriage easier for wife than hubby
My husband and I have been happily married for 15 years and recently decided to try an open-marriage lifestyle. We are doing this with full honesty and respect for each other. READ
Dad’s distance may be more damaging to son than he realizes
My father didn’t offer me much in the way of affection or emotional support, and I’m implementing this same style of fathering with my boy. READ
Abusive ex-husband frightens and hurts four-year-old
Dear Annie: I am a single mom of a 4-year-old boy who is being abused by my ex-husband and his wife. After a visit, he comes home bruised and scratched with black eyes. He has had scabies more than a dozen times. The worst thing is that my son was just diagnosed with PTSD. READ
Compelling book that will renew interest in Canadian history
If you are a reader who dips into Canadian history but bogs down in facts and figures, here is a book that will renew your interest. It is written as “story-history,” by an author who traces her ancestors from Quebec (1600s) on her father’s side; and from Scotland and Manx on her mother’s. READ
Wilderness outrage: joyriding turns ugly
A recent four-by-four ad demonstrated why most TV ads for tin toys for big boys — ATVs, snowmobiles, etc. — outrage me. The vehicle was shown driving through a trout stream while the audio intoned “the world is your oyster; get out there and crack it open.” There once was a far better time, when horses and their ersatz substitutes, four-by-fours and snowmobiles, were used to get you to where you started out hunting and fishing on foot. READ
Sister worried about parenting style of sibling
I’m concerned about my sister’s parenting style. “Sara” just went through a nasty divorce, so we let her move into a house we own next door, thinking it would help to have family close by. Sara’s kids spend a great deal of time with us. What worries me is my 7-year-old niece, “Andrea.” READ
Debate needed on climate
Hmm. Where have I heard that name before? Now I remember: according to sourcewatch.org, the ICSC was known for receiving huge gobs of cash from the Heartland Institute, a group so thoroughly devoid of ethics that it launched a billboard campaign associating climate science with terrorism. And when the public revulsion started to flow in (and corporate donors fled the scene), it stuck to its guns, stating “…the most prominent advocates of global warming aren’t scientists. They are murderers, tyrants, and madmen.” READ
Perennials die each fall, come back new each spring
Perennials are herbaceous plants that die back to the ground each fall and put out new growth in the spring. Perennials are available in all sizes, colours shapes and for all locations in the yard. They also have different life spans. There are long living perennials that will come back for many years while others will die out after a few years. READ
