The phone rang just as I was headed out the door. The sun was shining and I was anticipating several hours in the garden. After a long snowy winter, spring was finally here, and cleaning up the perennial plants for a new summer had become one of my favourite annual jobs. I considered letting the …
I stashed a few peanuts in an awkward place I was fairly certain would prevent the conniving squirrels, but tempt the chipmunk.
Skijouring is a fabulous winter activity for you and your dog. You both benefit from great exercise, fresh air and spending time together.
Curling doesn’t require expensive equipment. A pair of indoor shoes, a “slider” for the bottom of one shoe and a special broom.
“Sure, go ahead and laugh. You may think I’m joking, but … my tongue is insured.” I suppose, since she claims to be the world’s highest paid Dog Food Taster, that might not be out of the question. But if you could be the world’s highest paid taster of anything, I’d much prefer the earlier …
“Did you win or lose?” Trudging up the slope to the parking area, the girl with her skates slung over one shoulder stopped to ponder the question, twirling her hockey stick in both hands. “I’m not sure. We lost track of the score.” She smiled widely. “But it sure was a lot of fun!” The …
Once you let yourself go, it’s a pretty-quick downhill slide It’s a slippery slope. Time flies and, before you know it, you’ve hit bottom. You know what I’m talking about. I’m talking about tobogganing. If you can’t remember the last time you abandoned your fate to a magic carpet, it’s time to hit the slopes. …
Emilie Joslin is the friendly person who will welcome you when you enter the Yukon Quest office. The walls of Joslin’s office are covered with posters from each and every year of this amazing annual dog sled race, from 1984, right on through. The office is a busy spot and there’s a lot going on, …
Tundra’s green neckerchief was at the perfect angle: avant-garde. Maddison (‘Maddie’) flounced the skirt of her Valentine’s Day dress. The jewelled buckle on the big red bow glinted. They were ready to hit the hallways. But where was everyone else? Where were Jupiter and Jed? And Summit had planned on wearing the printed pink-and-blue scarf. …
Imagine a bunch of friends sitting around having a pre-spring gathering … You know, those early April days when, if you sit in a sheltered spot in the direct sun, your thermometer can reach some surprisingly high readings. People were wearing sunglasses and T-shirts and talking about what needed to be done to be ready …
“Does everyone realize that in this car we’ll be telling jokes – all kinds of jokes?” If there’s one of those in every crowd, this trip was bound to be a lot of fun. In fact, the entire idea for the excursion was an inspiration and a perfect example of “when the world hands you …
The window boxes of the Bales of Fun Horse Camp were short a few flowers. The nasturtiums and petunias had been hurriedly clipped for a beauty show for the horses. Looking closely, you can see how the stems of summer blooms are woven into the braids and then firmly attached with small, tightly wound elastic …
“It’s this big stupid bead thing,” I frowned. Everyone around me laughed. “Would you like me to put it on the drawstring for you?” offered Linda Talbot, co-host of today’s workshop. Our small group sat gathered around a large table on the front deck. Sewing needles flashed in the sunlight as busy fingers used strong …
Yes, it will. It most definitely will. It also performs a slick, possibly even patented move called “The Hockey Stop”. It’s possible that some of the tourists standing along the shores of the Yukon River, last night, wondered if there is an action movie being filmed in town. Richard Bradford-Andrew, of Wild Wonders, peered over …
”There’s gold on them thar hills!” That’s not a typo — the gold isn’t only in the hills these days, and you can also discover copper, ruby and a bit of emerald in full view. Summer has signed off with a beautiful autumn this year. Poplars and aspens are glowing gold. Fireweed, wild rose and …
”It’s just a gorgeous day out there.” “Let’s enjoy it. We know what’s coming next.” Terry and I were sitting in a local eatery, stirring our coffees and looking out the window. We sort of sighed over the thought of summers past as a gusty wind pushed the fallen leaves along the sidewalk. “But Halloween …
Neiafu, ‘Uta Vava’u, Kingdom of Tonga “Do pigs eat egg shells?” This was answered by a shake of the head. “No. They are too crunchy.” It was 7:30 in the morning. The kettle hadn’t even boiled yet. I stood, broken egg shell in hand, beside the bin labelled, “Place all food scraps here for pigs” …
ATLIN “Savoury?” A young girl with pigtails and a shy smile, wearing a frilly pink party dress, held out a silver tray to the four guests seated at our table. “Would you like a crab bite, clam in pastry or salmon-dill on cucumber?” she asked, indicating each in turn with a nod of her head. …
Having completed her review of a few basic riding skills, Mandy checked back and forth, matching rider with horse. “You can go with Nakinaw.” She indicated a white mare to one member of our small group, a 40-something fellow who hadn’t ridden since he was 30-something. “And I think Cecil for you.” He was a …
There’s the “bird’s-eye view”, the “eagle-eye view” and then there’s the “flightseeing view”. Sometimes Whitehorse becomes … well, Whitehorse. The lineup at the grocery store was even longer than usual, the traffic on Two Mile Hill makes you wonder if every driver is in fact licensed to operate a motorized vehicle and one or two …
If you were around Main Street doing errands today, there’s a fairly good chance you visited one. If you reside in the downtown area, you may even live in one. The heritage buildings in Whitehorse are home to a wide range of services: restaurants, retail stores, offices and entertainment. And, yes, many are private residences. …
“What sort of dog would you like?” There were so many to choose from: small, medium and large dogs, short and long-haired dogs, quiet dogs and enthusiastically barking dogs. How do you decide? “How about Diamond? She’s a nice dog and she behaves well on the leash. She will be a good start for you,” …
It used to be the Chilkoot Brewery; now it’s the Yukon Brewing Company. Either way, it’s the only craft brewery that outsells Molson and Labatt in draft sales on their home turf in Canada. As the sign on the door at 102A Copper Road states, tours are at 2 p.m. (and samples are available anytime). …
