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Cassoulet at Thirty Bench
My Mom and I generally have a weekly visit. It revolves around a walk. Her love for walking has rubbed off on me. A day walking in nature is a good day, and over the years she has hiked a large portion of the 900 km Bruce Trail. For over 20 years she organized a weekly hiking group which involved scouting out trails and leading her group of 10-12 ladies on the hike. It seems to be in her DNA to always be looking out for new trail options. In her eyes she has “slowed down” since turning 80 but you wouldn’t know it walking beside her. We have covered…
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Musical moments and memories
The other day I put on an album I hadn’t listened to for some time: Natalie Merchant’s Ophelia. By “put on an album” I mean stream on my iPhone. Back in 1998, the year it was released, I would have removed the shiny CD from its case, placed it on the tray of my CD player, gently pushed it shut, then pressed the play button. Click. I loved that CD/cassette combination player with matching boxy speakers. It took up a large portion of the living room shelving unit in the house I rented in Ottawa with two roommates. We played that CD often. It was in regular rotation along with…
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Une belle visite à Québec
In early December my husband and I travelled to Québec City to visit my mother-in-law. Temperatures were in the -20 range, snow covered everything, and trees were iced. The frigid weather made hot chocolate breaks all the more delightful. And a roaring fire all the more cozy! The wintery weather adds to the charm, non? Québec City is quite charming. We had a lovely time wandering the historic streets lined with inviting cafés and shops. Snow and ice completely blanketed the Plains of Abraham. Still, we staked out a good vantage point on the famed plateau and pondered how the French did not see the British soldiers advancing from the…
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Andy the Architect
It is the year anniversary of the passing of my dear father. Sharing this short piece (in the style of G&M Lives Lived) in his memory. I miss him and proud to call him my Dad. Andrew Scott Bruce: Architect. Family-man. Skier. Cottager. Advocate for heritage conservation. Born June 10, 1939, Toronto; Died January 6, 2023, Oakville, of health complications from Alzheimer’s; aged 83 Andrew Bruce was always known as Andy. And Andy always knew he wanted to be an architect. This ambition was set in Grade 7. By the time he was in high school at Runnymede Collegiate in Toronto, he was doodling designs in his textbooks. Andy was…
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Go with love
The first stop on the French Way of the Camino de Santiago is Roncesvalles. It feels momentous to arrive in this small village. You’ve made it over the Pyrenees, left France behind and arrived in Spain. It’s Buenos Dias and Buen Camino from here on out. Another momentous occasion in Roncesvalles is the pilgrims mass in Iglesia de La Colegiata de Santa Maria. This intimate gothic church has exquisite stain glass and fantastic acoustics. The church fills with locals and eager pilgrims from all over the world embarking on the 800 km walk to Santiago de Compostela. Pilgrims may set out from home on an individual journey but quickly become…
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Whole-hearted Caramel
I love to go for walks. The scent of squirrel in the air, grass to tickle my paws, sticks to pick up. So many things get me excited to bounce out the front door. There’s also a practical necessity for a walk but we don’t need to go there. TMI. Do you know one big reason I love walks? If you have ever met me on the street, you do. I LOVE people. My tail wags vigorously when I see a nice two legged person. My tail does not lie. This is not pretend joy. It comes from my heart. Tail wagging lets them know I am happy. Friendly. It’s…
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A fine ending in Burgos
Burgos was my last stop on the Camino de Santiago. Due a case of food poisoning I didn’t walk the 26 km into Burgos. These things happen on a long distance walk and you make adjustments. I took a taxi instead. Besides, I was very happy with the 260 km I did walk (about one third of the French way). There were advantages to the drive, namely Rueben, my taxi driver from Burgos. It was like he gave me a guided tour on the 25 minute ride. I learned so much about Burgos, from the industries (there are many from auto parts to cosmetics), the mystery of the parched sunflower…
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San Mateo festival in Logroño
My second rest day walking the Camino was in Logroño. I arrived on September 21, the main day of a week long wine harvest festival (fiesta de la vendemia) called San Mateo. I had a day and half to enjoy the festivities. A small amount of time, certainly, but enough to get a sense that “wine harvest festival” didn’t totally capture the spirit of what I saw. I thought I might see people stomping on grapes (the gentleman at the information office hinted at that). I did not. I saw wine. Yes. Tasted wine. Absolutely. But that’s a typical day in Rioja, and most anywhere in Spain. So what did…
