Although it’s literally – 25 degrees outside right now in Southern Ontario, fantasies of warm, balmy days out on the hiking trails are dancing through my head this evening. I have been particularly moved to a summery nostalgia while looking through pictures taken in Backus Woods – a significant natural ecosystem as well as a…
Tag: ontario
Eugenia Falls – Grey County, Ontario
Although I’ve hiked at Eugenia Falls Conservation Area several times, researching the location for this post yielded some new information for me. I learned that the impressive waterfall was the site of an early “Fools Gold” rush when it was first discovered in 1852 (Grey Sauble Conservation, 2014). Later, the site became dotted with mills…
Bechtel Park – Waterloo, Ontario
If you go to the City of Waterloo home page and navigate to the link describing Bechtel Park, you will see an cheerful, summery image of a soccer field and Gator (see the link here). However, hidden behind the fields and the Manulife Financial Soccer and Sports Complex is a gem of a hiking spot….
A January Foray in the Culinary Joys of London, Ontario
This past Friday I had the opportunity and the pleasure of returning to work with Ontario’s Southwest at the 2014 London Wine and Food Show. This event was indeed ‘bigger and tastier’ than the average trade show. Hosted at the Western Fair District – home, of course, to the famous Western Fair which happens every…
In the Land of Long Fingernails by Charles Wilkins
Wilkins, Charles. (2008). In the Land of Long Fingernails. Greystone Books: Toronto. I loved this book for its familiarity to my sense of place – the setting of Toronto, Ontario, is very close to my hometown of Kitchener, Ontario. It’s not often that I have the chance to read a novel by a local author….
When a Friend Gets a Job
I was very relaxed over the holiday break, partly because I am back to working at my part-time job with the Waterloo Institute for Complexity and Innovation (WICI). Having this position lined up to start in January 2014 was both a curse and a blessing; it meant, of course, that I was able to relax….
A Wintery Welcome to 2014
Happy New Year to all, and I hope that you survived the holiday break with no major upsets. Here in Ontario we lived through an intense ice storm that left hundreds of thousands without power in and around Christmas Day. City crews, hydro workers, and other hard-working citizens have been labouring around the clock to…
Dryden Tract and Sudden Tract – North Dumfries, Ontario
Two of my favorite hiking spots within a 30 minute drive of my apartment on Courtland Avenue in Kitchener are the Dryden Tract and Sudden Tract. These parcels of land are located in North Dumfries and are a little tricky to find if you’re new to the area. I provide full coordinates and Google Map…
Huron Natural Area – Kitchener, Ontario
On the south side of Kitchener, Ontario, there is a 107-hectare natural area fondly referred to by locals as the Huron Natural Area. With ample volunteer, financial, and community support, this slice of nature within the city has thrived as a cultural, environmental, and educational hotspot. While hiking through this area, I was most cognizant…
Horse Racing: The Sport of Kings?
I recently queried Google with this question: “Why is horse racing called the Sport of Kings?” As with all of my questions, the search engine coughed up a treasure-trove of possible responses within mere milliseconds. Wikipedia tells me that “Thoroughbred racing was, and is, popular with the aristocrats and royalty of British society, earning it the…
A Plethora of Beverages
This week I have an interview with the Liquor Control Board of Canada (LCBO), for a position as temporary contract staff in the holiday season*. Not being a terribly heavy drinker myself, I decided to do a bit of background research on alcohol and was astonished to find the great diversity of beverages available; hence…
What a Monday!
So today, unfortunately, is a Monday. It’s not a particularly bad Monday for me personally, although the Weather Network is threatening rain and wet snow throughout the day here in Kitchener, Ontario. It’s an unfortunate Monday because it seems to be a capsule for tumultuous and violent events around the world. First, today is Remembrance Day…
Maria Legault 