Stories

by Allison Smith - As eternally patient and optimistic West Coasters, we wait through the rainy fall, winter and drizzly spring, finally rewarded when summer arrives suddenly – a quick leap from "don't forget your jacket" to "where did we put all the fans last year?" July hits and suddenly it's the time of everything [...]

by Sue Hodgson -  Returning home to the Maritimes, as I did last month, always fills me with a profound mix of nostalgia and warmth. This trip seemed particularly special because it centred around my sister's 60th birthday and her retirement. I reconnected with family, sharing stories about our younger life and reminiscing about our

story and photos by Scottee Giles -  At the first light of dawn, life on a farm begins to stir and a round of chores is set into motion: feeding animals, checking on crops and irrigation, organizing staff and planning the day. A lot goes on behind the scenes, even before our local farmers markets

by Deborah Rogers -  In Warlight, Michael Ondaatje weaves a tale filled with eccentric characters, ambiguous incidents and the intrigue of espionage. It's a fictional memoir of a young man looking back at his strange upbringing through the lens of newly discovered information. Through Nathaniel's reminiscences, and attempts to understand his parents and childhood, Ondaatje

by Jo Barnes | photos by Sarah Hartley Photography -  Mmmm … sweet corn-on-the-cob in the summertime. You can grill it, roast it or boil it. Just don't try to pop it for movie night! For over 60 years, corn has been grown at Silver Rill Corn farm in Central Saanich, and as owner Clayton

by Leslie Denko, Mortgage Alliance, Cutting Edge Lending -  The mortgage landscape has recently been stirred by the Bank of Canada's decision to lower its key interest rate by 0.25%, the first reduction in over two years. This move reignites the debate among homeowners: should one opt for a fixed-rate or a variable-rate mortgage? Given

by Jackie Rioux (RYT-500), Wise Mind Yoga Therapy -  Is it true that balance decreases with age? Let's try an experiment to find out. Stand up – if you're not doing so already – and shift your weight to one leg. Now close your eyes. What happened? I'm willing to bet you felt unsteady. You might

by Tabatha Golat -  Though I can hear cows from my backyard, I'd be a liar if I claimed to have any real farming experience or exposure. Save for a summer spent on my aunt's farm in my childhood, I am embarrassingly unaware of the trials and tribulations of the farming community. Despite this, I

story and photos by Stephanie Staples -  Have you ever walked the Saanich Peninsula? I mean, I know you've probably walked on it, but have you really walked it? Well, I'd lived here for seven years and I had never walked the Peninsula like I did this spring. I did a 12.5-hour, unplugged walk. That