You’ve probably seen thousands of articles about how to lose weight, build muscle, eat healthier, and increase your motivation to work out on a daily basis. I know that I certainly have – back when I started into my fitness journey, I turned to books for information on these topics. These days, I rely a…
Author: marialegault
I spend my time hiking in nature and reading great novels.
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
Le Guin, Ursula K. (1969). The Left Hand of Darkness. Ace Books; New York. You can read a lot of great reviews, analyzes, and summaries of The Left Hand of Darkness online (for an example, check out the humorously-written cheat sheets over at Shmoop). Indeed, this Hugo and Nebula Award-winning novel has been critically acclaimed…
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Steinbeck, John. (1993, 1937). Of Mice and Men. Bantam Books; New York. As the rains pour down outside my window, I sit down to pen a review of this short but poignant novel – and how appropriate the weather is! It is a dark story chronicling the story of George Milton and Lennie Small, two friends…
From Anxiety to Empowered Job Hunt: Skills and Strategies
Whenever someone asks me to perform a particular task, I immediately experience a moment of weakness, self-doubt, and fear. Can I do this task well? I wonder. Even worse – what if I make a mistake? Wouldn’t that be ever so embarrassing and horrible? As I writhe in my seat and bite my tongue considering…
Meadowlily Woods – London, Ontario
There are some hikes that you will take in your lifetime which will evoke a ‘wow’ response – Meadowlily Woods Environmentally Significant Area (ESA) in London, Ontario, is one of these locations. Several key players are involved in the management and preservation of the Meadowlily Woods area – the Friends of Meadowlily Woods (FOMW) is…
The Fourth Turning by William Strauss and Neil Howe
Strauss, W., & Howe, N. (1997). The Fourth Turning: An American Prophecy. Broadway Books; New York. The Amazon review for The Fourth Turning suggests that reading this book will change the way you view the world – and your place in it. These words concisely sum up how I felt after my first exposure to the…
Conversations about Sex and Death
Test question: when you’re having a conversation with someone that you don’t really know, what are two subject areas that you’re definitely going to avoid? Hint: they’re both subjects which are completely taboo. They’re also the bookends to our lives as humans, and pivotal to our experiences and understanding of the world. These two topics…
A Quiet Time, A Quiet Place
Not that I’ve needed any more quiet time lately, but for the past couple of days I’ve been away on a different plane of existence. That is, totally away from people. Totally away from society and the busy push-and-grind of my apartment overlooking the hectic Courtland Street/Ottawa Street intersection in Kitchener. My conversations with people,…
Maple Keys Sugar Bush – Ethel, Ontario
A recent dog sitting experience in Ethel, Ontario, spurred me to check out the Maple Keys Sugar Bush Trail on Maple Keys Line. Although this site was once a location for maple syrup production, all that remains of this activity is a sugar shack hidden away in the trees along the 0.6 mile trail (AllTrails,…
Coldstream Conservation Area – Middlesex Centre, Ontario
If you enjoy viewing plentiful wildflowers and diverse bird species along a well-maintained board walk, you will definitely want to visit Coldstream Conservation Area! The Conservation Area has two main trails; one at the south end, which runs through a cedar swamp (a rare type of wetland in Southern Ontario), and a trail on the…
Excuse Me, There’s a Cat on My Computer
This week, as I nurse wrists that are strained from time spent typing up 50+ pages of audio-recorded research notes, I am grateful for one very pivotal thing. I am glad that I don’t own a cat. Cat lovers everywhere have just sucked in an excessive amount of air, and are choking out their vigorous…
People and (Outdoor) Habitats
This is my first attempt at writing a blog post from the platform of my smartphone. As I wade into the summer time and am more frequently removed from my computer and readily-available Internet, I find myself grateful to have this portable little device. Summer has also brought with it even more time for hiking…
Maria Legault 