Alex Larose introduced me to the fine art of java 1994, in a squat rat-infested student house in Ottawa’s Sandy Hill neighbourhood, at the edge of the University of Ottawa. Alex was a professional clown with great accessories and appliances. There was a ’74 Caddy hearse in the driveway, two helium balloon tanks beside the tarantula cage, and an intimidating stainless steel coffee machine on the counter. The household was made up of a quirky German exchange student engineer, my obsessive little sister, and a hairdresser in the closet. I had moved in temporarily on a cot by the furnace in the basement, steps from the grow-op, pending my departure…

In Ottawa, Spring is a cool couple of days in mid-April. Last week we had snow. Today it’s 28C. One tulip is about to bloom in my front garden. It’s alone in the patch, the reluctant scout not sure it’s the right time to assert the colours. Maybe it’s afraid of being first, of getting picked, or of being frozen in the inevitable weather rebound. This is the capital of Canada, after all.

“My profession is to be always on the alert to find God in nature, to know His lurking places, to attend all the oratories, the operas, in nature. To watch for, describe, all the divine features which I detect in Nature.” – Henry Thoreau Take a nature tour of Walden Hill in PEI. 47 photos, taken in June 2001, species identified (when possible) with the help of Gary Schneider of the MacPhail Woods Project in PEI.

Dear Fundamentalists and Classical Theists: As you gather this weekend to remember losing your lord, then getting him back (phew, that was close!), your pot luck beans should also move you. Try this recipe, best served on a sturdy paper plate with a slab of crusty leavened bread. Add vodka to the punchbowl and watch the Elders experience epiphany. Church Basement Pot Luck Beans 1 pound dry beans (navy beans, soldier beans, Great Northern beans, etc.) 1/3 pound salt pork 3 tablespoons molasses 3 tablespoons brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard Wash the beans in a colander or strainer; pick over the beans to remove any pebbles…

It’s amazing to discover how a man in the 1800s had such a clear and consistent vision of society, much of it conceived in a small cabin in the woods. The ideas revealed in the writings of Henry David Thoreau have much to teach us today: the relationship of humans and nature, the role of the state, a view of God, community and conservation … I have compiled some links for more reading. There’s great stuff there. Here’s a quote I wish the forest industry folks in PEI could grasp: “If a man walk in the woods for love of them half of each day, he is in danger of…

Great pickles start with quality ingredients. Rich red soil, fresh sea air, and abundant summer sunshine combine to make PEI one of the most fertile agricultural regions in Canada. Too bad it’s so small! Gram Nicholson’s Walden Cabin Mustard Pickles Ingredients: 5 Qt Fresh cucumbers, quartered and seeded 3 lb onions, finely chopped 1 cauliflower, broken to individual florets 1 red pepper, chopped to small squares (for colour) Dressing: 7 cups white sugar 1 tsp salt 2 tbsp turmeric 1 tsp black pepper 1.5 cups flour (or corn starch) Method: Cukes should be prepared the night before cooking, and should be soaked overnight in 1/2 cup of pickling salt (sprinkled…

A friend invited me to a conference on campaign tactics. The two-day meeting, held in the industrial town of Hamilton, Ontario, was hosted by the Mike Harris PC Party. They also flew in a few small c conservatives from the US. I knew I was in trouble when the other groups in the lecture hall started to spontaneously chant “Harris, Harris!” and our group leader told us she had some cool “prizes” for us: Posters from the George W. Bush campaign. When I realized my predicament, that this was no place for a Red Tory (even after travelling for 7 hours to get there) my group leader noted: “You don’t…