I could argue, unfairly of course, that my friend Mike was responsible for me sending a runt pig to market so I could get a bike, just like his. You see, Mike had shown up at our one-room country school with a magnificent bicycle.  It was red, with bright chrome on the handlebars, pedals, tire … More The Runt Became A Bicycle

Matthew was almost five and very tired that evening as they crossed the lake on the ferry heading home.  Slumped between his grandparents, he clutched a large red fire truck they’d bought him earlier that afternoon.  The toy fire truck gave him comfort – it was well past his bedtime and Matthew was homesick.  Almost … More The Ferry & The Fire Truck

Not many broken bones get credit for buying a house.  But that’s just what happened. It all began with a brand new relationship.  Jamie and Paige were living in different cities.  They were single, newly retired and looking for companionship.  Each had decided to try meeting someone online. Long story short: from the moment they … More The Broken Bone That Bought A Home: A Love Story

He admits that at times he’s mischevous like a small boy. It’s in his genes, he’ll argue. That’s his excuse for how he got four of his grandsons into so much trouble one day.  It all started over lunch. Their aunt was getting married the next day. They and even more family were all staying … More Grandfathers: Antique Little Boys

Early in his working life, John Shelley hadn’t planned on becoming chief of a major city fire department.  That came later. As a young man in the early 1900s, he worked for a company hauling heavy goods and equipment.  Back then, teams of two, four or even more horses provided the ‘horsepower’ of the day. … More Grandad’s Safe Job

 Early morning is a great time to observe wildlife in their natural surroundings. Just after dawn one day, I was on our deck with a spotting scope scanning a beach half a mile away.  A mother deer with a newborn were standing in shallow water.  The mother alternatively drank and lifted her head high checking … More Tender is the Wild

The aging man sat rigid on an unmade bed. He still wore his light overcoat.  He gazed intently at the TV, eyes watering.  The Rt. Hon. John G. Diefenbaker realized he’d been fast asleep while his friend Robert F. Kennedy had been assassinated 1,820 miles away in Los Angeles. It was June 5, 1968.  The … More Bobby Kennedy’s Friend In Canada

Without warning, the door of the tiny aircraft slammed up and open.  The panic lasted a nanosecond.  We were at 10,000 feet.  Time to jump. The slipstream screamed past the open door.  It was fierce. My daughter went first.  She mouthed an unladylike expletive as she paused briefly at the open door, her eyes wide. … More Diving Into The Bucket List

While growing up on the farm, John didn’t notice he tanned easily and rarely sunburned.  Many years later he’d discover why. Shortly after they were married, Anne commented on John’s tan.  She liked tanned skin.  So much so, Anne would add a few drops of iodine to her suntan lotion to jump-start the sun’s effect … More Red Skin and Suntans