Growing up in Vrin, a small mountain village in Switzerland, Valentine’s Day had nothing to do with buying flowers and candy for the object of one’s affection. February 14 was a religious feast in honour of St. Valentine, a martyr who paid with his life for his faith, and also a celebration of friendship and
A different Valentine’s Day celebration
Stranger In The House
I have no idea how she managed to get in. All of a sudden she is present and there isn t a thing I can do to discourage her from residing with me. It s a mystery. Suddenly one morning there she was, looking at me from my bathroom mirror. Seeing her gave me quite
March — A Time Of Hope, But Keep The Warm Clothes Handy
March is a time of hope. After the rains and cold winds of November, the snow in December and the cold days of January and February, we expect better things from the third month of the year. The calendar agrees with us – March 20 is the first day of spring. It says this in
Flower Sales Soar In February
Valentine’s Day will soon be here, and with it the annual rose promotion opportunity. While Old Man Winter is blowing icy breath at us, many of us take the most delicate of flowers home by the dozens. How long they last is anybody’s guess, but in the meantime, they have helped many a romance bloom.
No More Resolutions
So here we are – at the start of 2011. January is often the time we make New Year’s resolutions, and that for sure, we are going to do better with those promises than we did last year. Instead of making those useless resolutions, I will do something different this time. Lots of good things
Christmas Is For Sharing
For most people, Christmas is a time for family – a time to feast, share and enjoy each other’s company. One of my most lasting memories of my childhood Christmases is of my best friend Susi’s mother Anna, and the way she added a different twist to their celebrations. Anna and her husband were parents
Our Great Canadian Country Winters
A foggy night had spread lacy hoarfrost on every bush and tree and made the whole countryside look like a Christmas postcard. Many of us would not count winter as our favourite season – the cold weather, the piles of snow, the shovelling, the ice. Some avoid all this by moving to warmer climates for
Lack Of Vitamin B12 Can Be Debilitating
I always felt that as long as I ate a balanced diet, I did not need to take any additional vitamins. I was forced to change my thinking about this in recent years. It started when I began to feel constantly tired. The problem became so strong that simple day-to-day work left me exhausted, even
AgriVenture Delivers More Than Expected
The Walkers are now comfortably settled in their own home in Oakbank, Manitoba. Margaret Szklaruk wanted to see the world, learn about other countries and their people, and enjoy new experiences. She achieved that with the help of an excellent exchange program, but didn’t expect to find her life partner all the way across the
It’s Still Worth The Trip
Aggravations occur as soon as you start making plans. Ihad plans for this summer. A trip to Europe to visit my family was one of them. I have brothers and sisters and scores of nieces, nephews and cousins in Switzerland and I haven’t seen most of them in years. Now that I’m retired I figured
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
