Where's The Colour?
There has always been some discussion around what might produce good fall colours on the leaves. The basics are pretty easy. The tree figures it's time, the leaves stop making food, and the chlorophyll in the leaves start to break down and cause other colours to appear. The chlorophyll is the green part. Once it s...
Oct 06, 2023
Anand Khatri / CC
More Thanksgiving Confessions
Now that you know I prefer the canned jellied cranberries to to the homemade, I can tell you my most disturbing Thanksgiving preference. I choose Stovetop Stuffing. It has the right amount of bread crumbs and spices . Now, I know for a fact that some of you sneak a box of Stovetop Stuffing home and use it for Thanksg...
Oct 06, 2023
slgckgc / CC
Plan B
I have decided it would be a good idea to have a Plan B. Just in case Philippe decides to show up for Thanksgiving dinner. We have enough to set another place at the table, but post-tropical storms are not always dependable guests. A few years ago, there was a nasty wind storm on Christmas Day that decided to mess wi...
Oct 05, 2023
Warren Krewenki / CC
It's Fat Bear Week!
I almost missed it. For some reason this year just seems to be moving fairly fast. I didn't realize that Fat Bear Week is already upon us. Fat Bear Week features the bears of Katmai National Park in Alaska, chowing down on salmon, mostly at a falls on a couple different rivers in the park. It can be fun to watch, al...
Oct 04, 2023
Jitze Couperus / CC
Mom Scammed Us All Every Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving weekend is coming and I've always looked forward to turkey, all the fixin's, cranberries and pumpkin pie. The only problem is, I wasn't eating pumpkin pie. It was pie, and it tasted like pumpkin, but it was squash! I didn't try real pumpkin pie until my thirties and I was not impressed. The texture wa...
Oct 04, 2023
chip_p / CC
Sticking With Turkey
There were some options discussed. With Thanksgiving coming up this weekend, we usually try to gather the family for a dinner before everyone gets busy heading into the fall and the holidays. Hopefully, we all get to gather once again at that point. But I'm sure a lot of people know what it's like. Lives tend to ge...
Oct 03, 2023
Kristie Moser / CC
Time To Move Inside
Temperatures are starting to drop a bit, particularly at night, so we seem to be coming up to the time when other things, like insects, seem to like to move inside with us. Just to stay nice and toasty over the winter. Since many of them probably don't live that long, they probably have other plans for how to spend th...
Sep 29, 2023
David Lee / CC
They Only Come Out At Night
I noticed a post earlier in the week from a friend who had spotted flying squirrels showing up to a feeder. She mentioned something about them being back, although they probably were never actually too far away. They are hard to spot. Since they are a kind of greyish colour and are nocturnal, and they are only around...
Sep 28, 2023
Judy Gallagher / CC
Rowing the Gourd: The Shelburne County Giant Pumpkin Festival Is Fast Approaching
It's back! One of the most unique and fun festival's in all of Nova Scotia! The Shelburne County Giant Pumpkin Festival and Regatta! If you missed it last year then you're in for some fun! This year it's bigger and better than ever with bouncy castles, new fall themed food vendors and of course lots of pumpkins! There ...
Sep 28, 2023
Adulting 101! Would You Have Liked To Take This Class In High School?
Some Nova Scotia high schools have a brand new course this year called Life 11! It's basically what it sounds. You learn about adulting and adult life skills and responsibilities. It's aimed top teach grade 11 students the basic skills that they will need in a few short years like... How to file taxes Credit Cards Inte...
Sep 28, 2023
Kevin Wong / CC
Hard Picking For Cranberries
A couple weeks ago, while sitting in a waiting room, another man came in and starting chatting, mostly about the rather wet summer he had. One thing he mentioned wasn't really a surprise. He said that there wasn't even going to be any cranberries to pick this year. At least not in his usual spots. I had to agree wit...
Sep 27, 2023
Rene Schwietzke / CC
Ever Wanted To Stay In Shrek's House... Well You Can!
Who doesn't like Shrek!? Eddie Murphy, Mike Myers, the movies are classics! Nothing is more iconic then Shrek's house "The Swamp"! Now you can stay there yourself! Airbnb now has a listing called Shrek's Swamp! It's in Scotland and when you book your night stay you help out a charity called HopScotch Childre...
Sep 27, 2023
Are They Gone Yet?
I watched carefully over the weekend. Never saw a hummingbird. Not one. But, are they gone? It's hard to tell. They can be pretty sneaky. Showing up when you least expect it. And this time of year, it might not be the regulars you've had all summer. It could be a ew just grabbing a snack on the way through. So I...
Sep 26, 2023
likeaduck / CC
Would You Go To This Haunted Town?
Spooky season is right around the corner which means there will soon be haunted house popping up everywhere! I've always been a fan of haunted houses and Halloween in general but this might be a bit much for me! In Pickering Ontario they are opening a Haunted Village! They have a huge fake village that they use for TV ...
Sep 26, 2023
Eleanor Brooke / Unsplash
Leaves Are Starting
A few people have mentioned the leaves over the past couple days. The fact that they are starting to turn colour. Since we're in the last week of September, it's really not a surprise. I've been noticing trees starting to turn for the past two of three weeks. Not a lot. Just a few. And mostly trees that have their...
Sep 25, 2023
slgckgc / CC
What Would You Do?
An American woman was about to take a job interview, when her friend dared her to do it in a British accent. She said, Sure! - If you pay me. So they sent her 10 bucks and she went to the interview not expecting to get the job, but they hired her on the spot! Since it was only a summer replacement job, she figured it...
Sep 25, 2023
frankieleon / CC
No Wonder Those Trees Are Happy
I will admit right off the bat I have long been a fan of Bob Ross. Very quietly a fan, because being a Bob Ross fan wasn't always cool. But I always liked his TV show. For those who might not be familiar with Bob Ross, for many years he hosted a TV show called the Joy of Painting, which ran on P.B.S. and C.B.C for ma...
Sep 22, 2023
haiden goggin / CC
New Varieties Of Old Favourites
I was reading through Mike's post this morning, thinking about all the different types of apples there are. There really is a range of flavours and varieties that we come across this time of year. But there are some that I would love to try that I have only just heard about. And others that are fairly new that I hav...
Sep 21, 2023
Mike Licht / CC
A Feast Of Apples
Autumn arrives at 3:49am Saturday. In ancient times people like the Druids would celebrate by having a "feast of apples". I love trying the different apple varieties as they became available through the fall. I don't have a favourite apple, but like to try all of them. Well, maybe red delicious or honeycrisp....
Sep 21, 2023
Apple and Pear Australia Ltd / CC
We Need A Redo
I'm not ready yet. Most years I may feel that way, but I wouldn't come right out and say it. But I'm not ready for fall. It's too soon. Fall officially starts at 3:50 AM Saturday. That's this Saturday. The weather seems to think it's time. We are already seeing forecast temperatures in the upper teens over the ne...
Sep 20, 2023
Andrew Toskin / CC
Favourite Board Game?
I have a lot of great memories of playing board games at the dining room table. Mostly Monopoly , then I discovered Risk and was hooked! If you're a child of the '80s or '90s, you may have some other favourite board games. If you still have any of those games in good condition they could be worth some money. Some of t...
Sep 20, 2023
Stevan Sheets / CC
Lobster Without The Lobster
A couple weeks ago, while I was raving about the number of different mushrooms that seemed to be popping up this year and the fact that I know nothing about them, and I never eat any mushrooms I find because I know nothing about them, someone suggested I follow the Nova Scotia Mycological Society on Facebook. First off...
Sep 19, 2023
Dan Costin / CC
Note To Self: Prepare Better
I will say that in my case, things went fairly well over the weekend. We were prepared, for the most part, and really, our power wasn't off too long, so we got off lucky. But I did discover a few things. The biggest was, it's all well and good to have a battery operated radio handy, but you probably should have one t...
Sep 18, 2023
Joe Haupt / CC
When It Comes To Rain, Size Matters
With the weather we have had this week, I started wondering what the difference was between showers and drizzle. If you stand outside in either one the end result is pretty much the same. You get wet. Maybe a bit faster in one than the other, but you still get wet. So why does the forecast keep saying showers and d...
Sep 15, 2023
James Burke / CC
Do You Fill The Bathtub Before A Storm?
Before a hurricane, there are a number of things we do at our house. The first is to gather up any loose items outside, and secure the things that are too big to move. Then we fill the bathtub so we can use it to flush the toilet if the power goes out. We fill our water jugs for drinking or making coffee outside on the...
Sep 15, 2023
Kabsik Park / CC
History We Should Be Proud Of
On Saturday at the Toronto International Film Festival, a documentary on Ernie Coombs will make it's debut. You may not know him as Ernie. You might know him as Mr. Dressup. Ernie Coombs was certainly one of the greats of Canadian television and kids television worldwide, and deserves all the recognition we could giv...
Sep 14, 2023
Mathew Ingram / CC
Time To Weigh The Groceries?
A woman went viral on Tik Tok with her video of her weighing a 200 gram of No Name Potato Chips she'd bought at No Frills. @joceforce on TikTok showed her weighing the unopened bag of chips on her kitchen scale, and the scale showed just a tad over 100 grams. When contacted, Loblaw's said they'd look into it but figure...
Sep 14, 2023
Nenad Stojkovic / CC
Things To Gather
I thought I was pretty close to ready. It's not like we haven't had a bit of wind and rain over the summer, so with Lee making his way in our general direction, I was thinking I already had things pretty much under control. Then I went out to check my tomato plants last night and took a look around. First, it was the...
Sep 13, 2023
Jennifer C. / CC
Time For A Generator?
Every year around this time I think about it. Then I decide to not bother and wait and see. But maybe it's time. Especially with Lee lurking around. I generally have most of the bits and parts of a emergency kit around the house. The stuff we are supposed to have that between one year and the next tends to go wande...
Sep 12, 2023
Tim Ide / CC
Iphone 15 Unveiled Today!
This afternoon Apple unveils a bunch of new Iphones and watches. I am not a phone person. I have an Iphone 6S that my wife used to own. I don't even have a plan, I just piggyback on her plan. Am I missing out on not having the latest and greatest Iphone? Somehow I can't get excited about paying a couple thousand bucks...
Sep 12, 2023
takao goto / CC
Why All The Noise?
I've been trying to figure it out. Yesterday afternoon, we were treated to a serenade by an eagle. It's not something eagles usually do, just scream for a couple hours for no apparent reason. But this eagle, or one in a similar area, has done it before. I spent some time trying to figure out what might make an eagle...
Sep 11, 2023
Marie Hale / CC
Do You Remove Your Shoes? Why?
I always thought the main reason for removing shoes upon entering certain households was to keep the place clean. Turns out that the main reason we should do it is to respect the household, because scientific tests have shown that very few germs make it into the house on shoes. We might be better off getting guests to ...
Sep 11, 2023
Clarkston SCAMP / CC
Hopefully The First of Many
I saw my first bat of the year not long ago. Actually, it was a picture of a bat. Someone had found a little brown bat hanging on the wall of their shed, behind a door that had been propped open. The bat must have thought it was a good place to nap for the day, after a hard night of trying to eat all the bugs. But ...
Sep 08, 2023
Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren / CC
I'm A Trekky
That's right, I prefer Star Trek to Star Wars. Today is the 57th anniversary of the airing of the first episode of the original Star Trek - September 8th, 1966, Since then, when you add up all the episodes of the different Star Trek series, there are 890 and counting. Recently Variety's writers put together the top 57...
Sep 08, 2023
JD Hancock / CC
Fridge Or Not?
It's sort of a twist on whether of not condiments should be refrigerated. In case you're wondering, according to the people at Heinz, ketchup should be in the fridge. Even though it really doesn't need to be. Mustard is similar, but it varies according to what type of mustard. Dijon and horseradish mustard should b...
Sep 07, 2023
Robert Nunnally / CC
Remembering The Train
If you have a fear of flying or just want to see the fall foliage, there's a Via Rail flash sale offering 25% off tickets for travel dates between September 12 to December 14, 2023. To take advantage of the deal, you'll need to use the code "FLASH25" and book rail travel by 11:59 p.m. ET on September 7, 2023....
Sep 07, 2023
Michel Curi / CC
Need A New Shovel?
In many ways, it's hard to take it seriously. The Old Farmer's Almanac came out not long ago, and with it the weather predictions for the coming winter. I'm not sure what all goes into the predictions in the Old Farmer's Almanac. They probably are a bit more scientific than the name might lead you to believe. Like, ...
Sep 06, 2023
AIRS, the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder is a spaceborne instrument onboard NASA's Aqua satellite whose data are being used to improve our understanding of Earth's weather and climate. / CC
College Regrets
Do you have regrets about not going to college? Or perhaps you decided to go and get a degree but feel it wasn't worth the time and expense? Four million fewer teens enrolled at college last year compared to ten years ago. Some decided not to attend because the price has gotten too high - tuition has increased by 12.5...
Sep 06, 2023
University of Essex . / CC
When's Your Favourite?
While the dog and I were out for one of our usual morning rambles over the weekend, we ran into a few people along our way. Most were commenting on how much they enjoyed the weather. The cool nights and mornings and warmer days, mostly without the insects are a favourite with a lot of people. And they were pretty nic...
Sep 05, 2023
Pim van den Heuvel
The Date The Experts Say You Should Switch To Winter Duvet
If you have both a summer duvet and a thicker winter duvet, when should we switch? For most of us in the Northern Hemisphere the experts say the ideal date to switch is October 7th. Duvet's are measured in togs , or Thermal Overall Grade. A lightweight summer duvet is 3.0-4.5 tog A winter weight duvet is 12.0-13.5 tog
Sep 05, 2023
Sleepline Media / CC
How Does You Garden Grow?
We have hit September, so the days of the growing season are numbered. For me, it hasn't really been a stellar year. I just couldn't seem to get organized in the spring, but I did manage to get a few tomato plants in. With mixed results. The little cherry tomatoes seem to be doing well. In fact, we've hit the "...
Sep 01, 2023
woodleywonderworks / CC
A New Hockey League Coming In January - Will You Watch?
Women's sports are increasing in popularity by leaps and bounds. There's a new six team Women's Professional Hockey League coming in January. 3 of the teams are Canadian, based in Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa. Meanwhile this past Wednesday night in Nebraska the women's volleyball team the Cornhuskers played the visit...
Sep 01, 2023
Simon Fraser University - Communications & Marketing / CC
Congratulations To Our Hot Tub Winner
It was a great summer, even without perfect weather conditions. We know this because of the picture proof you sent to us for the Canadian Tire Picture Perfect Summer on CKBW. All the pictures became contest entries when you sent them to us. The grand prize draw was held this morning and congratulations to Michelle Beda...
Aug 31, 2023
Give Me Some Sugar!
Today is Eat Outside Day, which sounds like a great idea. Until you actually try to eat outside and realize that there are suddenly a lot of uninvited guests looking to share your food. Wasps seem to suddenly be everywhere this time of year. It seems a bit strange. You can go all summer, and hardly see any around, t...
Aug 31, 2023
Pete G / CC
Would You Be A Good Premier Or Prime Minister?
I can't stop thinking about what I initially thought was a crazy article in the New York Times by an organizational psychologist Adam Grant. He thinks elections in the US should be replaced by random lotteries. We would all have a chance to write a basic civics test similar to what new immigrants have to pass to beco...
Aug 31, 2023
dominiccampbell / CC
Not Just Yet
With September fast approaching, I've started seeing posts from people who are already packing away their hummingbird feeders. It seems a bit early to me. For some, they still seem to operate under the assumption that leaving feeders up will entice the birds to wait too late to leave. Most bird experts seem to disagr...
Aug 30, 2023
Curt Hart / CC
Good Year For Mushrooms
I mentioned last week that this seemed like a good year for slugs. Since they tend to like damp weather, there have been a lot around this year. It's also been a good year for mushrooms. I am not a forager. I don't go out looking for mushrooms. I see them, admire them, maybe wonder a bit what they might taste like,...
Aug 29, 2023
Charles de Mille-Isles / CC
Just Add Flame
This time of year, a lot of us spend time preparing meals on the grill or barbecue. As most of us know, meat is particularly well suited to this. Whether it's a steak or a chicken leg, it works well on the barbecue. May vegetables also lend them selves to being grilled. Potatoes work if you leave them long enough, a...
Aug 28, 2023
Jessica Fiess-Hill / CC
Another Icon Bites The Dust
In spite of the fact that out population seems to be increasing rather quickly, Canada is still a fairly small market when it comes to huge companies. And some of those companies seem to be making that pretty clear to us. On top of things announced earlier this year, like Delissio frozen pizza, Bugles, and Stouffer's ...
Aug 25, 2023
G. T. Wang / CC
Are You A Guppy?
That's the term for young professional couples who can't handle the price of starter homes and are opting out of the rat race and renting instead. They would rather not go broke trying to save for their first home. According to the latest data, the average age of first time homebuyers has jumped to 36. Are you or a mem...
Aug 25, 2023
rochelle hartman / CC
No Shoes Indoors?
I swear people online will argue about just about anything. I happened to stumble on a raging debate about whether or not you should take your shoes off when going into someone else's house. Or whether you should demand that people take their shoes off when coming into yours. To me, it doesn't seem like much of a deb...
Aug 24, 2023
Jean L. / CC
Good Year For Slugs
One thing I have noticed this year, there seems to be quite a few slugs around. Not surprising. It's been pretty good weather if you're a slug. Because there are so many slugs, I started to notice how different some of them are. If you think slugs are just slimy, disgusting things, you might not want to look into how...
Aug 23, 2023
Ozzy Delaney / CC
Holes In The Lawn
I seem to be getting holes in my lawn. They seem to appear in the middle of the night, so I'm not sure what's making these holes. Although I suspect raccoons. There are a lot of different things that can cause holes in the lawn. In some cases, it depends on the size of the hole as to what might be digging it. Insect...
Aug 22, 2023
Kim Woodbridge / CC
Replacing The Brush
I was told not long ago that I needed a new brush for the grill. I will admit, the old brush was pretty much brushless. But I use it mostly for scraping, not for actual brushing, and it was still doing that job pretty well. But there are those who did not appreciate the job that old brush was doing. The called it &q...
Aug 21, 2023
Isaac Wedin / CC
Is This Going Too Far?
A homeowner had a strange request from the people that had sold him their home 2 years ago - the former homeowners wanted to come and get the plants in their garden for "sentimental reasons" Said plants were 6 massive hydrangeas the height of the house. The homeowner considered giving them a cutting of the pl...
Aug 21, 2023
katrien berckmoes / CC
The End Of The Man Cave
There has been some serious talk going around lately about whether or not we need basements for our houses. The number of them that have filled up with water over the last little while has been making people wonder if we need them at all. I don't spend a lot of time in my basement. We have the laundry down there, and...
Aug 18, 2023
Kim Siever
Don't Trust The Squirrels
While taking a little stroll through a hemlock grove last week, a happened to see a mushroom in a tree. Not the usual place for a mushroom. The don't tend to grow in trees. And this one was stuck between two branches. I figured something must have put it there, the most likely culprit being a squirrel. But does th...
Aug 16, 2023
furtwangl / CC
How Fast Are You?
I happened to come across a video online that finally explains those electronic speed signs. You know the ones. They show you how fast you are going as you drive past. Which usually makes you check your speedometer and compare it to the sign just to see how close your speedometer actually is. At least that's what I ...
Aug 15, 2023
Elvert Barnes / CC
Where Did They Come From?
Slowly, over the past several years, mourning doves just seem to be moving in. They have probably always been around, but I sure don't remember seeing them in such numbers years ago. In fact, in was a rare occurrence to spot a mourning dove. Once in a while, while on a family outing, you may spot one along side the ...
Aug 14, 2023
Watts
What Time Is Dinner?
According to a recent survey, the most common time for dinner in North America is 6:22PM, although it can fall anytime between 4:30 and 10:59PM. Most other countries in the world have dinner much later than we do, with average times after 8pm and quite often closer to 10pm What time do you normally have dinner?
Aug 14, 2023
Wendy Harman / CC
Got Nothing, So I'm "Cornplating"
I ran across a new term on social media called "cornplating" that made me laugh. It is when you are a fan of something and post lots of content about it but have run out of anything interesting to say about it. (kinda like what I'm doing right now) It's based on a fan of Disney's Encanto. Twitter user @hour...
Aug 11, 2023
Carol VanHook / CC
My Moment Of Zen
I've written about this before, but it's worth mentioning again. My favourite household chore is hand washing the dishes. I have a method that I follow and it doesn't take too long. But I do my best thinking while dishwashing. We had a dishwasher that never got used over 10 years so to reclaim the under the cupboard sp...
Aug 10, 2023
Kim Siever
Hot Dogs For Breakfast?
Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa has a recipe for a breakfast hot dog. It calls for chicken hot dogs with a mayo and a two mustard sauce - both Dijon and a whole-grain mustard. Way too mustard-y for me. Maybe a chicken hot dog on a folded waffle with maple syrup would be a bit more breakfast-y. Would you or have you ...
Aug 09, 2023
snowpea&bokchoi / CC
Shark Or Portuguese Man Of War?
I see that the Department of Natural Resources issued a warning about Portuguese Men O' War floating on some South Shore beaches. Summerville Beach reported several sightings. That's fairly normal for this time of year on our beaches. Meanwhile, there was a shark siting yesterday afternoon at Queensland beach and peop...
Aug 08, 2023
James St. John / CC
Pumpkin Spice Alert!
I've seen Christmas decorations for sale and Hallowe'en costumes have hit store shelves in a few places. But what about Pumpkin Spice? Is anyone offering pumpkin spice tea or coffee? I haven't seen pumpkin spice cookies yet either. How much longer do we have to wait? Have you seen pumpkin spice anything yet?
Aug 04, 2023
Mike Mozart / CC
How I Know That Red, Green and Brown Dog Treats Taste The Same
A survey found that 4 in 10 people admit to taste-testing their pet's food. I can't tell you how much this grosses me out. When we had our dog I would never in a million years have tried her dog food. It's even worse with our cats. We feed the cats wet cat food and occasionally some of the juice from the can slops on m...
Aug 03, 2023
Marco Verch Professional Photographer / CC
The Perfect Sandwich?
A recent survey found that the perfect sandwich has ham, cheddar cheese and tomato and the spread can be honey mustard, barbeque sauce or mayo. I can't disagree. Although last week a listener posted a reply to a Facebook question about favourite menu items at your local diner. She said no one offers a Monte Cristo san...
Aug 02, 2023
Tracy Hunter / CC
Cottage Cheese And Mustard Dip?
The big viral craze on Tik Tok this summer is making a veggy dip using cottage cheese with a little bit of mustard. They are two of my favourite foods, but I wonder if they would make a good combination. People are claiming they are losing weight with this veggy dip combination. The cottage cheese is full of protein wh...
Aug 01, 2023
Julie Brunner
It's Blueberry Season
The blueberries are arriving and I can't wait. My favourite way to eat blueberries is a blueberry bran muffin. But I also love a slice of blueberry pie. And a bowl of blueberry crisp with ice cream on top is pretty good too. I haven't had a blueberry cheesecake in years. I think they must have lost the recipe. What's y...
Jul 31, 2023
Gloria Cabada-Leman / CC
Keeping It Cool
Today is Milk Chocolate Day. When I saw that, I had to question it. I mean, it's hot. Heat and chocolate don't always go together, but there are ways. I have to admit that I have a bit of a weakness for chocolate. As a child, it would not be unusual for my mother to discover that much of her baking chocolate had go...
Jul 28, 2023
Siona Karen / CC
Mispronounced Words - Jesus Christ Superstore
I dread the lead up to Easter when some local theatre group decides to bring back the musical Jesus Christ Superstar. Everytime I announce the show, I'm guaranteed to say "Superstore" instead of "Superstar" I've struggled with this one for decades. I have friends who can't say funeral or ambulance. ...
Jul 28, 2023
Mark Morgan / CC
Cooking Corn
Last week I asked how people ate corn after I saw a guy eat a cob of corn, cob and all, by starting at one end and just munching his way to the other. It was in a corn eating contest and I suppose it might work for speed. But before you get to the eating, you have to cook it. There are many different ways top cook co...
Jul 27, 2023
liz west / CC
What You Should Order At Your Local Diner
Recently a number of chefs were quizzed on their recommendations for what to order at a diner. They were big on hashbrowns and fries, toasted sandwiches and pancakes. Also many claimed that you get a better milkshake at a diner than you could make at home. Same with their pies. A few suggested avoiding the soups and a...
Jul 27, 2023
Elsie Hui / CC
The Surprise of Not Reading Labels
I really should check closer when I buy things. Although it does produce some nice surprises for me. In late May and early June, just after the big warm spell that became the cold and damp spell in early June where there was a frost warning almost every night, I finally got a few tomatoes planted. It was a bit of a r...
Jul 26, 2023
Ruth Hartnup / CC
McDonald's Fan Favourite Back For Limited Time
Last week Mcdonald's Canada brought back the Grand Big Mac for a limited time. The last time they offered it back in 2021, I went to order one but it was the day after the promotion was over. This time I'm finally going to try one, since it's on offer until August 21st. What other McDonald's menu item would you like to...
Jul 26, 2023
Mike Mozart / CC
The Beauty In The Night
This week is Moth Week. It's a week set aside to learn more about moths and maybe even get involved with a moth project if there is one in your area. Yes, there are some moths we don't want around. Potato moths are not a good sight if you are trying to grow spuds. And there are others that also like to eat things we...
Jul 25, 2023
juliaklarman / CC
Beat The Heat With A Dip In The Lake Or The Ocean?
Another heat warning today with high temps. When you want to cool off, do you take a swim in the lake or do you head for the ocean for the ultimate cooling? I think I'm probably in the minority because I choose ocean, even though the water is cold enough that it makes for a very short dip. Now I realize that some ocea...
Jul 25, 2023
Kelly Mercer / CC
The Invasion Returns
A few years ago, we started to notice that the overgrown old fashioned rose bush we have didn't seem to have many blooms. What it did have instead, was a lot of little greenish, iridescent beetles. It would seem these are Japanese beetles, and can really do a number on your rose buds. Or many other types of plants a...
Jul 24, 2023
David Hill / CC
Had Your Hodge Podge Yet?
It's my favourite time of year when all the new vegetables are showing up in the farmer's markets and grocery stores. And hodge podge brings them all together - green beans, yellow wax beans, new potatoes, carrots , cream and butter. Do you like to add anything else to your hodge podge? Maybe some turnip? Or do you c...
Jul 24, 2023
Bernt Rostad / CC
A Summer Treat
One thing I really like about this time of year is all the fresh food that becomes available as we move through the season. It adds to the summer, with all the fresh, delicious food and the anticipation of what comes next. It's coming on corn season, and although you can get corn on the cob pretty much all year round,...
Jul 21, 2023
Andrew Malone / CC
Canadians' Top Summer Cocktail Is...
I'm not a huge cocktail drinker or drinker period but I am surprised that the number one Summer drink is such a classic! Square, a financial services platform used data from restaurant credit transactions to determine what Canadians are ordering at restaurants and bars. So what is the #1 bevy people are buying? What is...
Jul 21, 2023
Farmers and Fishers / CC
Jump!
Did you jump this morning? Today is World Jump Day, and we were all supposed to jump at the same time to save the planet. A person by the name of Torsten Lauschmann came up with this idea in 2006. He wanted to get six hundred million people in the Western Hemisphere to jump all at the same time. If we all did that, ...
Jul 20, 2023
Neil Taylor / CC
Seeing Spots
I'm sure they have been around for a while, but this morning I noticed I was seeing spots. Little dark spots. Little flying dark spots. The fruit flies seemed to have undergone a massive population explosion. There just seem to suddenly be fruit flies everywhere. Even on things that are obviously not fruit. Severa...
Jul 19, 2023
Martin Cooper / CC
Dancing To A Plate Near You
I don't know how we missed this. But scallops like disco. Maybe not the music. That might not work well underwater. But apparently they are into flashing lights. It's not that someone noticed large number of scallops hanging out at dance clubs. This all happened by accident from trying to come up with a new way to ...
Jul 18, 2023
liz west / CC
Just Not Good Day To Fly
I happened to open Facebook this morning to discover my sister in law had posted a picture of a seagull. It was a pretty nice looking seagull, although I sure exactly what type of gull it was. Seagull is a very broad term, and there are many different types of gulls. This one was a bit hard to make out all the detai...
Jul 17, 2023
angelap2009 / CC
The Smell Of A Picture
A lot of people may tell you that a smell can cause them to picture something in their memory. But how about the other way around. You see a picture, and right away you can smell it. It happened to me last night. While cruising around the internet, I came across a picture of a Thingmaker. I immediately could smell ...
Jul 14, 2023
Rawpixel Ltd / CC
Solving Problems That Don't Exist
Working in this business, I have long had an interest in marketing. I find how companies approach it interesting. In many ways, selling a product is a matter of solving a problem or answering a question for people. Sometimes, it's a problem or question they never knew they had. If the problem is you need to get somew...
Jul 13, 2023
Jeena Paradies / CC
Ice Cream Of The Past
I fell down a rabbit hole last night. Not a real one. An internet one. It started because I was talking to someone about ice cream. I'm not sure exactly how we got started, but we ended up talking about ice cream we had when we were kids. Some types you can still get. Others seem to have disappeared. Like the litt...
Jul 12, 2023
Paul Wilkinson / CC
One Of Those Old-Timey Things
Last week, while I was off work and running around in bare feet, because... why not... I was thinking, with pretty much every step, that my feet need to toughen up a bit. They will by the end of summer, but there should be a way to start the summer that way. Like when I was a kid. Back many years ago when I was young...
Jul 11, 2023
Charli Lopez / CC
This South Shore Local Is Racing In One Of The Oldest Sailboat Races In History! She's Doing Well!
You may have heard of the Marblehead to Halifax Ocean Race! It's on right now! 69 sailboats are racing from Marblehead Massachusetts and will end soon in Halifax. One of the boats participating in the race is helmed by Shelburne's own Savannah Taylor . Her and her crew are now in 9th place at the time of this writing! ...
Jul 11, 2023
The Soothing Sounds Of A Fan
I was beginning to think the time wouldn't come this year. That it wouldn't really get warm enough to turn on my window fan. Now that it has, I have to say I enjoy it in some ways. I'm not sure if the sound of a fan is officially white noise, but it would have to be similar. Officially, white noise is a sound that c...
Jul 10, 2023
Dmytro Kyryliouk / CC
Wear Socks To Bed For A Better Sleep
A recent university study has shown that you can fall asleep faster and get a better night's sleep if you wear socks to bed! It's all about body temperature. If your body senses that your feet are cold, it may try to overcompensate by increasing your core temperature - and when you're hotter, it can be harder to fall a...
Jul 07, 2023
Dejan Krsmanovic / CC
Do You Love Your Travel Mug Or Water Bottle?
I don't use either, but my wife Karen loves her Yeti water bottle. She has never been more appreciative of a gift then when I bought her a Yeti. I once had a Tim's plastic travel mug, but it eventually couldn't handle the microwaving and cracked. Do you have a favourite water bottle or travel mug? If you lost it would...
Jul 04, 2023
The Marmot / CC
Some Days Don't make Sense
As usual, I check to see what things are being celebrated every day. Some are fun little things. Others don't really make a lot of sense to me. For example, today is Meteor Watch Day. Sounds like fun. Well, except for the weather. I'm starting to wonder if we will ever see anything other than clouds in the sky, bu...
Jun 30, 2023
Zebralongwing / CC
Let's Talk Socks
The majority of us, (two out of three) don't throw our socks in the laundry pile after wearing. I'm assuming they wear them for at least a second day. So that means only one in three of us wear our socks for just one day before they get sent to the laundry. I couldn't find any stats to justify my leaving my dirty socks...
Jun 30, 2023
bark / CC
The Fridge or Cupboard Dilemma
The other day my grandson was complaining that someone had left the ketchup sitting on the counter. Not only was it warm, but it had probably gone bad, sitting out like that. I didn't bother pointing out that since he is the only one around that pours ketchup on pretty much everything he eats that he was probably the ...
Jun 29, 2023
EvelynGiggles / CC
Cooking With Paper
I happened to notice that today is Parchment Day. My first thought was that maybe I should get some fancy animal skins and a quill pen and write someone a letter, sealed with a wax stamp. Sounds pretty fancy. But that's not the type of parchment the day is intended for. It's about cooking parchment. Although I have...
Jun 28, 2023
AVID Vines / CC
Your Child Is "Emerging" - Huh?
In B.C. schools they asked 4000 parents, teachers and students how they would feel about eliminating letter grades - A...B...C...D...F... and replacing them with new terms The vast majority said, "No! Don't do it!" And so the government's Education Department ignored that and beginning this September student...
Jun 28, 2023
Arthur T. LaBar
Turtle Time
I noticed some strange tracks near a lake the other day. At first I was a bit confused as to what could make them. Footprints on either side of a wide drag mark with a deeper, much narrower drag mark up the middle. I followed the tracks for a while before I realized what they were. Although I should have clued in f...
Jun 27, 2023
thejaan / CC
What Do You Miss About High School?
It's funny how we have selective memories about the past. We tend to forget the bad stuff and remember the good stuff as we look at it through rose-coloured glasses. According to a survey, the top things we don't miss about high school include homework, bullies, gossip, and needing permission to use the bathroom. But w...
Jun 27, 2023
USAG Stuttgart
What's Your Cake?
I dove into several strawberry shortcakes over the weekend. I like strawberries and they see, about ready right now. Although the U-Picks seem a bit slow this year. The again, there hasn't been a lot of sunshine over the past couple weeks to help them ripen. But they are getting there, and I plan to get my share. S...
Jun 26, 2023
mike krzeszak / CC
Best Spot For South Shore Sunrise/Sunset?
Here on the South Shore I think the sunrises are way more spectacular than the sunsets because the sun rises in the East which means it comes up over the Atlantic Ocean. But I'm sure there are some wonderful sunsets, especially if you live on a lake facing West. If someone asked you where on the South Shore can you see...
Jun 26, 2023
Shawn Kent / CC
The Worst Ice Cream Flavour
Ever since I was a kid I couldn't wrap my mind around my parent's favourite ice cream flavour - Grape Nut. It's supposedly a Nova Scotia invention, allegedly created by chef Hannah Young at The Palms restaurant in Wolfville in 1919. She created it when she ran out of fresh fruit to add to ice cream and decided to thro...
Jun 23, 2023
Dennis Sylvester Hurd
Maybe A Little Treat
I try not to eat a lot of deep fried food. At least not in recent years. I am trying to make an effort to be a little kinder to my arteries. Maybe not clog them up quite so much. Or at least not on a regular basis. And it's not that I don't like the stuff. I love a good feed of fish and chips. And fried clams are...
Jun 22, 2023
Eric E Castro / CC
The Ultra Rich and Risky Behaviour
I've been hoping that the ultra rich passengers on the Titan submersible are rescued in time. But it got me thinking, what is it with the rich and risky behaviour? Like going into space, which is 10,000 times more dangerous than commercial air travel. Or cruise expeditions to Antarctica. Climbing Mount Everest, or ac...
Jun 22, 2023
Phil Parker / CC
My "Maybe" Bucket List
It's one of those things that is on my bucket list. Sort of. Maybe. I'd love to be at Stonehenge for the summer solstice. Not so much for the party, although there is one. In fact this morning there were eight thousand people, more or less at Stonehenge. There was drumming, and dancing and pagans and druids and hi...
Jun 21, 2023
mari / CC
T-Shirts OK, Shorts Maybe, Flip Flops Never?
Attitudes are becoming more permissive towards office attire across the board. It was only 7 years ago that the majority of us surveyed (56%) did not want to see men's knobbly knees in the office. Now it's becoming more commonplace, although it's somewhat gender specific and generational. Older workers and especially w...
Jun 21, 2023
Jeremy Keith / CC
Looking For Love
I was driving in this morning, admiring all the daisies that have sprouted along the highway. Of course, with daisies, the first thing to pop into my head was the old "loves me and loves me not thing." Or, as it is officially called, the daisy oracle. The first thing I discovered was that the daisy ain't fr...
Jun 20, 2023
jans canon / CC
What Season Are You Waiting For - Strawberries, Hodge Podge Or Blueberries?
The dry weather followed by cool , wet weather may delay strawberry season by a few days so be patient. I'm sure the fresh veggies necessary for hodge podge may be struggling right now as well. However, I figure blueberries will be right on time. Which one do you look forward to the most? Strawberries, Hodge Podge or...
Jun 20, 2023
ewan traveler / CC
Wanted: Heroes!
I have mentioned before that I like Hemlock groves. I know not everyone might recognize one tree from another some days, but I am partial to hemlocks, and to those places where they grow. They just seem to be magical places. Very green and with life everywhere. The type of place where you can see how people might h...
Jun 19, 2023
Nicholas_T / CC
Snakes In A Park
Snakes In A Park - no it's not a new movie about the slithery reptiles. It's a true story about a young man in Paisley Scotland who brought his 20 snakes to the local park to enjoy the sunshine and warm temperatures. Some people who like to go to the park were not impressed and want the man and his snakes banned. Other...
Jun 19, 2023
aecole2010 / CC
Time To Stop Being A Dinosaur
Over the past year, none of us have been strangers to inflation and shrinkflation. It's been all around us, and isn't likely to stop any time soon. I understand the need for companies to stay profitable, but it is still annoying. It can be even more annoying when you realize we may even be responsible for some of it,...
Jun 16, 2023
Alan Levine / CC
Littering Or Not?
You're driving down a deserted back road enjoying an apple or a banana. After eating it, if you throw the apple core or the banana peel in the ditch, are you littering or just feeding the animals? I know, in the legal sense of the word, if there's a police car behind you chances are you'll get a hefty fine for litterin...
Jun 16, 2023
Matt MacGillivray / CC
How Many Chuggas?
So you're reading or telling a story about a train to some little ones. When you go to do the sound of the train, how many "chugga's" do you put in front of the choo choo? The whole silly controversy was reignited by a Facebook group of Vermont moms. Let's say the minimum is 2 and the maximum should be 8. (a...
Jun 15, 2023
Don DeBold / CC
The Story Of The Past
There are many things over the years that I have really enjoyed about this job. You get to meet a lot of interesting people and get involved in many interesting things. And yet they still call it work. I probably shouldn't let this out, but it's fun. And they pay me for it, on top of that. One thing I enjoyed over ...
Jun 14, 2023
Burn Ban Over - Here Come The Hot Dogs!
The provincial burn ban was supposed to be in effect until the 25th but yesterday afternoon the province lifted the restriction. However, check the government website daily to see what hours you can have a fire. I'm predicting a big run on hot dogs and marshmallows at the grocery stores this week. If you are a hot dog ...
Jun 14, 2023
Jeremy Noble / CC
Season Of The Thing That Shouldn't Fly
It's that time of year once again. A time that strikes fear into the hearts of many. June bug season. There doesn't seem to be a reason, but people really don't like the things. They don't bite. They don't sting. They don't do much that can hurt you. They're just annoying. And really, it's their flight ability, o...
Jun 13, 2023
Beatrice Murch / CC
Is It Vanna's Time?
Wheel of Fortune fans! Pat Sajak has announced that he's retiring after this next season as host. It took about 4 minutes for WOF fans on social media to start asking that Vanna White be promoted to the hosting gig. You might remember she filled in as host back in 2019 when Sajak was off for medical reasons Is it time...
Jun 13, 2023
chris / CC
I Guess We Needed It
It was quite a change at the end of last week. As the rain started to come to a (sort of) end and the sun started to break through. And everything seemed to turn green. Maybe it was just me. But it seemed like things got greener. The leaves finished popping out. Other plants seemed to put on a growth spurt. It ...
Jun 12, 2023
Phoenix Wolf-Ray / CC
Most Refreshing Drink On A Hot Day?
It will be a hot one away from the coast today - a high of 27. On days like this what drink is the most refreshing? Lemonade? A before dinner cocktail? Ice water? Beer? My first choice is always lemonade. Although a spicy ginger beer might be nice.
Jun 12, 2023
Rob Bertholf / CC
Do We Need Home Fireworks
Last year there was a petition. Nothing much seemed to happen, but there was a petition to ban the sale of home fireworks. This year, with the fire situation around the province, there has again been a call for a ban on the sale of home fireworks. I really don't have much of an opinion one way or another on this. I ...
Jun 09, 2023
bayasaa / CC
Does Size Matter?
It was a question that just popped into my head this morning as a swerved around a deer on the highway. Does size matter when it comes to braking for wildlife? This was the second morning this week I had to avoid wildlife. With the first, I slowed a bit and pulled over to one side to allow room for a family of ducks ...
Jun 08, 2023
State Farm / CC
Don't Blink
If you blink, you might miss them. And I think I blinked this year. I might have missed my fiddleheads for the year. I know there were a few around. Although I've been told they weren't easy to find this year and quantities seemed to be down. And I haven't totally given up, but I think it's getting a bit too late i...
Jun 07, 2023
Grossest Food Combo You've Eaten
Earlier this morning my stomach heaved a bit when I read about the latest McDonald's food hack started by an Australian social media influencer. One night last month Kelly Arvan was craving an Oreo McFlurry with hash browns and the McFlurry Hash Brown Sandwich was born. Her Tik Tok video already has over 6 million view...
Jun 07, 2023
slgckgc / CC
Flower Season
I like flowers. No, I don't like to press them. I just like to look at them. And this is the time of year there are many around to look at. I love throwing open the back door, stepping out and taking a big deep breath. Then coming back in, taking some antihistamines and waiting for them to kick in. Once my nose cl...
Jun 06, 2023
What Would You Do?
TikToker Sarah Caceres of Porter, Texas posted a video about her trip to the vet with her hamster Chele. She then shows an itemized procedure consent form totally $1,129.46 for her hamster. Now, I'm not positive but I think she paid $20 for the little critter, and hamsters only live for 24 to 36 months. The video doesn...
Jun 06, 2023
Dennis Sylvester Hurd
Bring On The Rain
We certainly need the rain we've been getting over the past few days. Not only to help with the fire situation, but just in general. There were a lot of things that seemed to be a bit off because of the lack of moisture. Like lady slippers. I hadn't been seeing many around. I'd been looking, because this is usually...
Jun 05, 2023
liz west / CC
Cemetery Etiquette?
There's been an interesting discussion making the rounds on social media lately about cemetery use. Seems some people are offended by runners stretching and going for a run on the paths as well as kids playing on the grounds. As long as there is no vandalism or trash being left behind I have no problem with it. In fact...
Jun 05, 2023
Kevin M Klerks / CC
How 'Bout We Just Don't
In many ways, the loophole is an honoured tradition in our society. We probably all know someone who uses them and we may have used a few ourselves. We look for them when we are doing income taxes. In some ways, we're encouraged to. I won't say I haven't done it myself. It's no surprise that I've talked to a few pe...
Jun 02, 2023
Phuket@photographer.net / CC
Boil Or Not
Yesterday I just happened to come across a discussion about hummingbird feeders. Mainly about whether or not the liquid should be boiled or not before it goes in the feeder. I have always boiled it. There were a number of reasons. To make sure the sugar dissolves properly, that it stays dissolved and so that the syr...
May 31, 2023
Watts / CC
Trying To Sneak In
It happens every year. The weather warms up. The warmer temperatures feel so nice. You just want to throw open the windows and welcome in some of that nice warm air. But there's something else lurking out there, just waiting for a chance. In the words of the immortal Admiral Ackbar, "It's a trap!" Those w...
May 30, 2023
dirt / CC
Please, Be Careful
It was a rough weekend for those who fight fires around the province, with several fires popping up in various locations. Fires are one of those things that can be easy to start, but really hard to stop. One small hot ember from a well intentioned fire can soon get out of control. If you're like me, you probably lots...
May 29, 2023
US Air Force
The Great Barbecue Debate
A good number of years ago I said goodbye to my last propane barbecue. It had decomposed into something to put at the side of the road. I wasn't in a hurry to replace it because to tell the truth I never really enjoyed the food we cooked on it. One day while shopping at the grocery store I saw some heavily discounted ...
May 28, 2023
Jeremy Keith / CC
Kraft Is Changing Their Cheese Slices
For you fans of grilled cheese sandwiches, brace yourself. Kraft is changing their cheese slices. No, they are not going to make them out of real cheese. Kraft Singles apparently had a packaging problem. Seems Gen Z and Millennials just aren't buying Kraft singles like their parents and the company thinks it's because ...
May 27, 2023
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Joint Bank Account May Mean Better Relationship
According to several new studies, having a joint bank account with your partner increases happiness in the relationship. Evidence suggests that couples who combine their money in a joint account are happier than those who don't-and stay together longer. The theory is that when you pool your finances, it enables you to...
May 26, 2023
Mike Cohen / CC
Best Concert I've Ever Seen - Tina Turner
I've seen lots of concerts in my time, but there has never been any doubt in my mind as to which one was the best. It was easily Tina Turner's Private Dancer tour back in 1985. She had two sold out shows at what was then called the Metro Centre. Over the years I've heard from many people who were at the concert(s) and ...
May 25, 2023
Generation Bass / CC
Finally
My father always had the idea that everything you really need will eventually come around. Okay, really that applied to shopping in a mall with my mother. She'd wander off looking for things and when the time came to find her, he would not go looking for her. He would just find a spot and sit down on a bench and wai...
May 19, 2023
Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife
Devil's Food Cake Day!
It's National Devil's Food Cake Day! If you think you've never had a piece of Devil's Food Cake you probably have tried it and thought it was just chocolate cake. It uses more baking soda than a chocolate cake, also more cocoa powder and is basically a chocolate version of Angel Food Cake - it's lighter, fluffier and ...
May 19, 2023
Bart Everson / CC
To Plant Or Not
I always find this time of year confusing. I want to get things into the garden and get things started, but it seems to be a bit of a gamble with some plants. Some are hardy and don't care if we get the odd cold night, maybe even a bit of frost. Others will simply keel over at the first sign of a chill. And at this ...
May 18, 2023
/ CC
Avoiding The Purge
Today is Pack Rat Day, and once again I shall ignore it. I am a pack rat. And I am not ashamed to admit it. Each year of May 17, people are encouraged to do some late spring cleaning and get rid of the stuff we don't need. Maybe even replace it with stuff we do need. But I know I won't. I tend to keep stuff. Becau...
May 17, 2023
Emma Jane / CC
Corner Store Treats
When you were a kid, what treats did you look forward to buying at your neighbourhood corner store? I started with penny candy, then pop and chips when I was a couple of years older. Finally, I would buy a popsicle and a comic book and gave up the rest of the junk food. And we're giving extra points if you can remember...
May 17, 2023
LoriCaliforny / CC
Flowers Everywhere
I like this time of year. If you look out across the hills you can see those grey patches of trees starting to turn green as the leaves start to appear. It's a slightly different green from the evergreen trees that stick with us month after month. It a new, fresh lighter green colour. It's nice to see as it starts ...
May 16, 2023
Tom Hilton / CC
A Distinctly Canadian Holiday
For many of us, it's a long weekend coming up - the Victoria Day long weekend. We're the only country in the world that celebrates this, thanks to an Act Of Parliament after the Queen's passing in 1901. Even the British don't celebrate Victoria Day. I've noticed that the younger folks rarely call this Victoria Day any...
May 16, 2023
BiblioArchives / LibraryArchives / CC
The Big Weekend
The Victoria Day weekend is coming up. Whether you call it Victoria Day, May 2-4, the May 24th weekend or whatever, it has long been thought of as unofficial kickoff to summer. There are those who will argue it's not summer. At least not according to the calendar. And they would be right. But it is the weekend that...
May 15, 2023
trickofthelight / CC
How Far Have You Gone?
As I usually do, I started out the day checking to see what was being celebrated today. As always, there are numerous things to mark the day. For instance, May 12 is Limerick Day, to mark the birthday of English poet, illustrator and writer of many limericks, Edward Lear. While I do have a copy of Lear's The Book of ...
May 12, 2023
Bill Smith / CC
Who Should Represent All Of Us On Earth?
This question has been popular on social media the last few weeks - Aliens land on Earth and want to speak to a global ambassador. Who should we send? Strangely enough I couldn't think of a single politician to represent the entire Earth. Dolly Parton was the first person who came to mind. I don't know why. Also Joe...
May 12, 2023
Alejo Castillo / CC
The Unicorn Hunt
I went on a unicorn hunt this morning. At least it felt that way. I was searching for something that no longer seemed to exist. Only in this case the mythical object was a styptic pencil. Some of you are probably thinking, a what? Wondering what this object could possibly be? What would you write with a styptic pe...
May 11, 2023
samuelemunemu32
Gas Or Charcoal
The time has come. I need a new barbecue. It happens every so often. They don't last forever and will have to be replaced from time to time. I will admit that there was a time in the past I was a charcoal snob. I liked my charcoal grill. I enjoyed the process of getting the coals started, waiting until they were t...
May 10, 2023
John Tornow / CC
Where Do They Go?
It's a question that seems to have plagued mankind for many years. Where do lost socks go? We never seem to lose them in pairs. Just as single socks. Leaving behind it's one lonely partner, with no real sense of purpose since it's mate has gone. Today is Lost Sock Memorial Day. A day to pay tribute to all the singl...
May 09, 2023
cakersandco / CC
Best Kitchen Cleaning Hack Ever!
If your plastic containers (Tupperware or knockoff) have stubborn stains from whatever you stored in them, I have two great tips for making them clean again! The original kitchen cleaning hack was to add dish soap, hot water, a piece of paper towel and put the lid back on. Then shake for up to one minute. I tried that ...
May 09, 2023
asgw / CC
Nice While It Lasted
There is a lot I like about spring. Birds returning, other animals becoming more active, plants starting to come back to life, flowers starting to bloom. But there is one thing I can do without. Blackflies. I tend to just give myself a quick spray and ignore them. Although if they are bad enough, the buzzing can be ...
May 08, 2023
Fyn Kynd / CC
Funny Money?
After growing up with Queen Elizabeth II on all my coins and on the 20 dollar bill, it's going to be jarring to see King Charles III replace her in the coming years. In Australia, a member of the Commonwealth like Canada, they won't be putting the new king on their bills. Instead they will replace the queen's portrait...
May 08, 2023
KMR Photography / CC
To Mow Or Not To Mow
No Mow May has been around for a few years now. It apparently started in the U.K. as a way to help native pollinators, in particular along the edges of highways, but in other areas as well. It has now spread here, with people being encouraged to let their lawns grow. I did it last year. Okay... I just didn't feel li...
May 05, 2023
Geert Orye / CC
How Many Hammers?
This morning I shared the story of Dave Pahl of Haines, Alaska, who owns and runs the Hammer Museum. The museum has over 2,000 hammers and over 7,000 items in its collection. I wouldn't pay to see this museum because I have a lot of hammers. I was at a flea market at closing time and one of the sellers had this big hea...
May 05, 2023
Kaitlyn Fisk / CC
Keep Looking Up
A lot of people saw the Northern Lights recently. Or at least it seemed that way, judging from the amount of pictures I saw online. But I was not one of those people. I have seen the aurora before, many years ago. We don't often see them around here, but they do put in an occasional surprise appearance. Like last w...
May 04, 2023
Alaska Region U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
What's Best On The Floor
I have mentioned before that I like to check the various days set aside to celebrate things during the year. It's always the day for something, usually several things. One of the things being celebrated today is... "Lumpy Rug Day". It's a day to appreciate rugs and maybe replace or repair the ones that hav...
May 03, 2023
Deidre Woollard / CC
Bedroom Window Debate - Open or Closed?
For decades there's been a big debate as to what is healthier - sleeping with the bedroom window open or closed. We now have an answer - A new sleep study looked at 40 people and their thinking skills and let that be the decisive factor. Those who slept with their windows open performed better at thinking skills and c...
May 03, 2023
Studio Sarah Lou / CC
Got Hummingbirds?
According to the migration map, they're all around us. I've even seen a few pictures of them, supposedly from this year, showing them at various feeders around the province. And it is now May, so that is the usual time for their arrival. I even put my feeder up so it was there when they wanted it. But so far, no hu...
May 02, 2023
Kate Ter Haar / CC
Adjusting The Recipe
I like quiche. I have no problem with quiche. I eat it quite often as a matter of fact. I actually enjoy quiche. Or as a friend of mine in the 80s used to call it, egg pie. In those days there was a book called Real Men Don't Eat Quiche. So of course, we couldn't eat quiche. It would be an insult to our manhood ...
May 01, 2023
J B / CC
There Seems To Be A Day For Everything
I usually check every day, just to see what might be celebrated on any given day. Every day seems to have some sort of special thing attached to it, Most days have several things. Today I discovered that it is Superhero Day. I not much into superhero's anymore, so that's not a big deal. The last Friday of April is ...
Apr 28, 2023
Roman Schurte
Cutting Cords
I'm starting to wonder why I have a land line telephone. It sits there and occasionally I check for messages, but I don't use it much other than that. Although it sometimes comes in handy to talk on that phone when I'm looking things up on my cell phone. But I rarely get calls on it. The calls that I do get are eith...
Apr 27, 2023
Phil Whitehouse / CC
Not A New England Clam Chowder Fan
My favourite seafood is clams. I like clams steamed, fried as in clams and chips and I love a good clam chowder, just not a New England Clam Chowder that is cream-based. Since I love all things tomatoey - the tomato based Manhattan Clam Chowder is my favourite. Did you know there are other clam chowders? There's a R...
Apr 27, 2023
jen / CC
Searching For Bats
Most people probably don't take much notice of them, but I actually miss seeing them. The bats that used to appear every evening at dusk. Not everyone would have a chance to watch them, I guess. But a few years ago I used to live near an old barn. It had been converted to an apartment for a while, but then had falle...
Apr 26, 2023
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters / CC
Twisted Over Pretzels
It's National Pretzel Day! I love pretzels! My wife does not! So I get all the little hard pretzels from a bowl of party mix! But my favourite pretzel is the big soft ones you can buy at some ice rinks. Those soft pretzels with mustard are the best! Are pretzels one of your favourite snacks? Hard or Soft? And do y...
Apr 26, 2023
slgckgc / CC
I Know They're Out There
I haven't heard much about them yet this year. Usually I hear people complaining, because no one likes to find them. Although finding them is much better than not finding them until they take a big bite. There was some talk that the one cold snap we had back in February might do some damage to the tick population. I...
Apr 25, 2023
dr_relling / CC
The Reason We're Not Excited About The Coronation
The reason we're not excited about the upcoming May 6th Coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla - it's the quiche! Just think, you've got 70 years to think about the dish to be served at your coronation and you come up with... quiche. Spinach, tarragon and broad bean quiche, no less.
Apr 25, 2023
Karen / CC
How Quickly We Forget
It's one of those things that is pretty much an automatic. I just don't forget. Well, at least not that. I forget a lot of things, but not that. I can't remember the last time it happened. And it didn't even happen this time, not really. It was a pretty nice weekend. I spent quite a bit of time out side enjoying ...
Apr 24, 2023
Mike Mozart / CC
Do We Need A Name Change?
I haven't even started looking yet, but I've seen other's posting pictures. It was a bit of a surprise. We still have more than a week left in April. But apparently no has told the mayflowers. We didn't have a whole lot of winter this year, so maybe that had something to do with it. And we have had a couple nice da...
Apr 21, 2023
Justin Russell / CC
Celebrating Earth Day This Weekend
Saturday is Earth Day. Do you celebrate it? Our family used to celebrate it on Saturday night after sundown by turning off all the lights and electronics for an hour. Here are some other suggestions for how you can celebrate: Plant a tree. Plant wildflowers and native plants on your property. Lots of people are lookin...
Apr 21, 2023
Fort Carson / CC
How Much Is Too Much
The Stanley Cup playoffs have just gotten underway and there are already a couple things I'm tired of. Things I just don't want to see again. The first would be the Leafs being horrible in the playoffs, although there is still hope that could change. And this has been a thing since 1967 (yes, I am that old) so I've g...
Apr 20, 2023
Anders Eriksson / CC
Do You Own A Hummingbird Feeder?
If you do, it's time to wash it out and make some sugar syrup (no red dye!) According to NS Buzz, there have been sightings of the cute litte buzzy birds in Barrington, Dartmouth and Kentville.
Apr 20, 2023
A World Of Difference
I like food. There are very few things I have ever tried that I didn't like, and I have tried a few. I still have a ways to go in my food journey, so I hope there are many more things that I can taste. Recently, a press release came to me outlining the most popular cuisines from around the world. I'm not sure what t...
Apr 19, 2023
Rex Pe / CC
Ever Eaten Eel?
I can definitely say that I've never tasted eel (or baby eels called elvers). The elver harvesting industry has been in the news the last few days. Who's eating those things? What do they taste like? I think I've seen smoked eel for sale, but never elvers. Am I missing out?
Apr 19, 2023
Kim Ahlström / CC
What Colour Goes With Soup?
Easter has come and gone. Although I still co0me across the occasional hidden bit of chocolate that was missed. I tend to claim those as my own. Even the memory of the ham has now faded. It was a fine ham. It fed us for probably one too many meals after the day was over. Then it goes to the place all good hams go ...
Apr 18, 2023
Alan Levine
They're Slowly Coming
I get impatient this time of year. I blame golf. Not that I play golf a lot. I don't. I play occasionally, but not on a regular basis. But I do watch it on TV a bit, especially this time of year. It's just nice to see greener grass and flowers and hear all the birds. Which I know is a bit strange. Most people wh...
Apr 17, 2023
The Best Hot Dog!
Some people don't care how they prepare their hot dogs. For me, barbeque is best but if that's too much hassle then grilling them in a frying pan is fine. I'll admit I've had the odd boiled hot dog, and if I'm really in a hurry for something to eat, I have microwaved them before. How do you cook your hot dogs?
Apr 17, 2023
TheBusyBrain / CC
Things Are Popping Out
I doesn't seem to take much. A couple warmish days and a bit of sunshine and all of a sudden things seem to be popping out all over. Just this morning I noticed a couple trees trying to make their leaves come out. And there was another little surprise I noticed. The rhubarb is trying. It hasn't become full fledged ...
Apr 14, 2023
Time To Get On The Water
I hate to say it, but I haven't managed to get out trout fishing yet. I've been tempted, but the weather has kept me away. Hopefully that will change. Not that I need the perfect day to get out fishing. Just one without downpours and a howling wind would be nice. Days like that happen, but mostly while I'm at work....
Apr 13, 2023
Under the same moon... / CC
What Colour Freezy Do You Pick (And Where Is White?)
In honour of the warm weather this week, especially today and tomorrow (highs of 16 and 18) let's hope Mom brings home these beauties. What colour would you pick? And why is white missing? Depending on the brand of Freezies you could get a major surprise with white ones. They could be one of three flavours. Cream So...
Apr 13, 2023
They're On The Way
I find hummingbirds quite amazing. These tiny little birds that each year undertake an amazingly long journey, roughly here to Mexico. It can't be easy. But they do it. And they are currently on their way. There are a couple of different interactive maps you can find online to check their progress. The easy way is...
Apr 12, 2023
Curt Hart / CC
Tim Horton's Bringing Back A Classic
Tim Horton's announced yesterday that they are bringing back a classic for National Donut Day. I did some research and learned that National Donut Day is the first Friday in June, so Friday June 2nd this year. I also found that there is a second National Donut Day on November 5th. What a great country we live in! I'm ...
Apr 12, 2023
A Day For Pets
It might have made a good excuse to say I couldn't come into work today. I had to spend time with the pets. I mean, it is National Pet Day. The dog seemed sad that I was leaving this morning. The cats just seemed to think I was getting in their way, seeing as how I kept picking up things they thought would be bette...
Apr 11, 2023
加蛋不加價 / CC
Time To Change
It happens every year. I know it's coming, but it never seems to get any easier. Digging out clothes as the season changes. Outdoor clothing in particular. If I ever win big on the lottery, that might be something I splurge on. Just get new jackets and coats every time the season changes. Enough with the packing t...
Apr 10, 2023
Tradlands / CC
Chocolate - In the Freezer Or On The Shelf?
According to chocolate experts, we should be storing our chocolate treats at room temperature - 20 Celcius. If you put it in the fridge the cool temps affect the cocoa butter, the chocolate can pick up odors from other things next to it, and your chocolate can experience something called "sugar bloom" where...
Apr 10, 2023
Al Pavangkanan / CC
A Little Extra Colour
Last year, we got the grandchildren into colouring Easter eggs. Just a few plain coloured eggs. Nothing fancy. But there are a lot of ways to get fancy with the eggs, and it may be time to move more into that this year. A quick check online and you can find a number of different ways to boost your egg colouring game...
Apr 06, 2023
Pamela Carls / CC
How To Get There From Here
Today is Read A Road Map Day. A day for people to figure out how to actual use a map, and not rely on GPS or a phone to tell us how to get from one place to another. I will admit, there are times I prefer an actual paper map. Mostly because I am used to them and comfortable with them. Most times, I can even fold the...
Apr 05, 2023
Larry Koester / CC
It's Peeper Official
I heard them. Last night. Not many, but there were a few, letting the presence be known, as loudly as they could. Which really is pretty loud when you think of the size of them. I finally heard spring peepers last night. I just happened to step out, not long after dark and there they were. It's almost a sure sign ...
Apr 04, 2023
Fyn Kynd / CC
March Madness Coming To An End
Every year the madness seems to creep from March in April. And not just basketball. There is other madness afoot. The basketball version of March Madness will come to a conclusion tonight. The animal version could take a bit longer. Seeing as how we are just down to the Final Roar. Yes... roar. I had no idea this ...
Apr 03, 2023
Barney Moss / CC
Tonight's Meal...Chain Pickerel!
It's the most wonderful time of the year for many in the Tri Counties! It's fishing season and with that comes trout, mackerel and what I like to call the Nova Scotia crocodile, chain pickerel! I'm sure you know they are an invasive species that have caused some havoc to our waterways, greatly reducing certain fish pop...
Apr 03, 2023
Trust No One
Remember the date tomorrow. I shouldn't have to say more. It is April 1. So you really can't believe anyone until after noon and even that might not be a sure thing. April Fools' Day has been around a long time. So long that no one really knows where it came from. Some say it may extend back to Chaucer's The Cante...
Mar 31, 2023
Robert Couse-Baker / CC
Celebrating The Pencil
Today is Pencil Day. It's celebrated on March 30 every year to mark the development of this simple yet important writing instrument. It's actually quite a story behind the pencil. Although no one knows whether or not it's true. Things like brushes and styluses and even sticks were used to write for hundreds of years...
Mar 30, 2023
Andrew Taylor / CC
They Have To Eat, Too
As I was leaving work yesterday evening, I happened to see a crow on the lawn. He was quite intent on whatever it was he was doing. He seemed to be looking for something. He picked up a big chunk of sod and gave it a toss to the side. Which made me wonder if that was what's been going on with my lawn. I have holes ...
Mar 29, 2023
alib824 / CC
Jeepers Creepers, Have You Heard The Peepers?
One of my favourite signs of spring is when I step outside in the early morning darkness and hear the spring peepers. I haven't heard them yet. (I'm near the Lunenburg / Queens County line) but I've been getting reports of some people further down the shore in Yarmouth and Shelburne counties hearing them the last few d...
Mar 29, 2023
Bob / CC
Making A Comeback?
I saw a coyote yesterday afternoon. He was just trotting across the highway, barely giving me a glance. He didn't seem to be in much of a hurry. Just crossing the road. Nothing to see here. I have no idea why he was crossing the road. He may have been following a chicken, which could explain it. But I didn't see ...
Mar 28, 2023
Jitze Couperus
A Disease You Don't Think About
Today is world tuberculosis day. It not really something we think about much anymore. In the past it was a big deal. These days you don't really hear much about it. I'm sure many of us remember the little staple things we got hit with at school every so often. Years ago they were pretty focused of making tuberculos...
Mar 24, 2023
twilightzero / CC
Close, But We're Still Here
Today is Near Miss Day. I had no idea what that was, but it was kind of interesting to see it pop up. Even more interesting to find out what it was all about. Near Miss Day is to mark the day in 1989 that we almost got hit by an asteroid. I don't really remember this. But maybe I wasn't really paying attention. But...
Mar 23, 2023
andrewsrj / CC
So Long Camaro and Challenger
The sixth generation Chevrolet Camaro will retire at the conclusion of model year 2024.The final sixth generation Camaros will come off the assembly line at the Lansing Grand River Assembly Plant in Michigan in January 2024. And the Dodge Challenger is in it's final year of production. Both great muscle cars. What was ...
Mar 23, 2023
Spanish Coches / CC
Have You Applied
I keep forgetting. I know many others who have applied and already gotten their money deposited. But it keeps slipping my mind. Mostly because I have never qualified in the past. The province of Nova Scotia expanded their home heating rebate program this year. So this year, if you have a household income of $85,000...
Mar 22, 2023
Roland Tanglao
Useful and Useless Small Appliances
We have quite a collection of small appliances in our kitchen - some get used a lot, others collect dust. The most useless appliance we ever bought was an ice cream maker. It got used twice. Once we realized how much planning, work and time you need to make your own ice cream, the thing was relegated to the storage ro...
Mar 22, 2023
ajay_suresh / CC
The Best Peeler
I'll admit it. I fell down a bit of a rabbit hole today on the internet. I didn't mean to. I'm not sure why it even got my attention. I noticed something about vegetable peelers. Something about the best one, so I got curious. I avoided the clickbait and did a search on my own. I'll admit it was a bit of an eye o...
Mar 21, 2023
Marco Verch Professional Photographer / CC