BlogHers ACT Canada

Our Yearly Excursion

Every year without fail, for the past six years, my husband and I drive to the Okanagan in the early summer. It's our annual wine buying trip and we look forward to meeting up with friends and family (who drive over the mountains from Calgary), to relaxing and enjoying the sunny weather.

Equally importantly, we go to stock up our wine cellar. To search out the new wineries. To sample new reds, new whites. To check in on the renters in our house. We love the Okanagan so much we bought a house in Peachland which in coming years will serve as our family's recreation property. Eventually we might even retire to our house in the valley.

National Sun Awareness Week: June 14 - 18

June 14 to 18 is National Sun Awareness Week, a joint campaign between the Canadian Cancer Society and the Canadian Dermatology Association to raise awareness of skin cancer and the importance of sun safety.

You can never be too sun-smart and there are some great tips and information on the Canadian Cancer Site site on how to avoid the most common cancer among Ontarians between ages 15 and 34 - melanoma - which is also one the EASIEST cancers to prevent.

Why?! Fast food/take-out misses the recycling bin...

Why?!  Why?! I ask!  Why do fast food/take-out food places miss recycling?  From actually having recycling bins in the restaurants to separate paper/glass/organic to using containers which don't go in the bins at all -- I don't get - how they don't "get" - common-sense-recycling.  Should I name the companies?...

gossip oh

Can you believe that? Her husband..... The voices trail off as I come around the corner, and there's an almost palpable silence as I try to focus on anywhere else than the knowing eyes focused on my face.

I end up staring at the wall. 'Um, here's your papers' I say, brandishing an armload and praying I don't go beet red. Inside, different parts of my personality are warring - the reserved teenager I once was is duking it out with the more-confident late-thirties woman I am now, one who would like to be judged on her own merits, thank you very much. No matter what (inaccurate) thing you think my husband did.

Spring Confetti -- Celebrate Good Food

Spring has officially sprung in Vancouver. Like any rite of passage, there are a some telling rituals marking this seasonal turn.

1. The cherry trees are a blaze of colour against blue skies, soon to become Nature’s original confetti. 

2. The inveterate Birkenstock wearers have removed their winter socks from beneath their sandals, letting their toes wiggle in the sun. 

3. The cityscape has sprung into social life, opening up restaurant patios, dusting off heat lamps and pulling down bright awnings.

Icky Green Bins and Your Health

Many communities in Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) have finally begun to adopt the green composting bin initiative which has been great for decreasing the amount of food waste which has needlessly been shipped off to the landfill sites.

As wonderful and easy as the program is, I have to tell you. I have beef with it.

BC -- Who's Greener than, well the Greens?

In case you hadn't heard, BC is having another election. Oh yes. Another one.

How many elections can one province hold in 5 years? Seems like a kabillion, but the number might be slightly less.

Happy Earth Day

 

Hug your planet.

Earth Day chez nous

Earth Day is fast approaching.  As a parent, who enjoys "teachable moments" I am trying to come up with some activities/ideas for Earth Day.  And why not?  My kids are part of the tree-huggin', polar-bear-lovin', we've-got-to-do-somethin' generation.  They have grown up with recycling programs and water conservation.  At school, they create art projects using re-purposed materials.  At home, they turn off lights when they leave a room so they don't use up energy.  Saving the Earth isn't part of what they do...it's is part of who they are!  I wonder, do they really need more "teachable Earth moments"?!...

I'm Walking on Sunshine

I don't suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). I do however, suffer from, STNESIMLD (Sometimes There's Not Enough Sunshine in my Life Disorder). Don't bother looking that second one up on the net. I assure you it's a very real disorder. I know that because when the sun does come out after a protracted period of rain, I feel like a fern frond unfurling in the light. Suddenly I'm about 3 inches taller, my heart's beating faster and I'm inclined to unglue myself from my laptop in order to walk my dog in the fresh air.