• Where’s the fat?

    I thought I understood the relationship between eating and weight gain, butt now I’m not so sure. Across our country, we continually talk about dieting, compare notes on counting calories and even strongly consider exercising. Despite these herculean efforts, our society is still bigger than ever, prompting yet another round of hand-wringing discussions. A blunt… Continue Reading

  • Wildlife Olympics Spawn Controversy

    The Wildlife Olympics have received little media attention given the unfortunate timing of the Summer Olympics. For the beleaguered wildlife representatives from western Canada, that’s probably just as well. The group started out with such promise, particularly in the synchronized swimming event. However, if the waterfowl team wins a medal, it will be without their… Continue Reading

  • Beaver beats the odds

    I like beavers. The toothy dam builder is a familiar prairie icon that is industrious, agile and resilient. It’s somehow comforting to see a beaver’s nose gliding along the water then effortlessly disappear in the fading light. At first blush it makes sense that the beaver is a Canadian icon. Just look at all those… Continue Reading

  • Wild neighbours keep me entertained

    There’s nothing quite as interesting as watching the neighbours. On June 30, I introduced the IQ-challenged robin that performed multiple face plants on our living room window before building a nest (What’s that racket?). Oddly it abandoned the nest and left behind a broken egg and a whole one. Mysteriously the whole nest disappeared when… Continue Reading

  • Defying the odds

    I like the underdog. There’s something about beating the odds that makes a satisfying story. Today’s example is from an unusual place … but first a little background. My relationship with plants is complicated. Perhaps it’s because I’m constantly looking for maximum results with minimal effort. I like it when the plants I enjoy grow… Continue Reading

  • Confusing Lady

    I approach my forays into nature knowing it is an opportunity to learn. Wildlife often show remarkable ingenuity while searching for food, protecting their young or navigating long distances to seasonal homes. When I ventured into the vast cedar mulch wilderness (coincidently a few feet from my house), I wondered what I could learn from… Continue Reading