Backyard Visitor Part of a Springtime Trend
Many of us love a mild winter. But it has its downsides. One of them literally came to me this week.
…winter
A Little Hummingbird Told Me
We had concerns about hummingbirds. Where were they? Why weren’t they coming back to our yard after seeming to enjoy our eateries last year? We had seen two scouts early in the season, but that was all.
…
Cuddles the Cat – A Road Warrior or the Stay-at-Home Type?
Here we are, considering a second attempt at becoming cat-toting RV owners. One concern is bigger than all the others. Even more important than gas prices or where to park for the night.
…Cuddles the Cat – A Road Warrior or the Stay-at-Home Type?Read More »
#$*&^! Winter
Yes, I choose to live in Canada. Canada has winters. Those winters can sometimes be harsh and this has been a particularly rough one. I’ve done the research and Ecuador has my ideal climate. It also has spiders the size of dinner plates and scorpions as big as water bottles so I’ll stay here and bitch and moan, if you don’t mind. …
Time Passages
My number one pet peeve, over even the misuse of the apostrophe and coworkers putting delicate glasses on the bottom rack of the work dishwasher, is the way merchants conspire to rush time. …
It’s Beginning to Feel a Lot Like…
It’s not “white stuff”. It wasn’t brought here by Old Man Winter. Mother Nature isn’t having a bad day. …
Brandt’s Randt – Vacation Envy
From a colleague’s complaints about having to pack to an acquaintance’s whines about missing one afternoon of sunshine out of seven, I’ve had it with vacationers who have negative stories to tell about getting away from this horrible winter. Â Please tell me you had a great time, show me photos, give me highlights but don’t you dare bitch about it! …
Winter Wonder Land
Maybe it’s because this winter has been so relentless and it has felt like it’s beating me down that I had the most unlikely thought the other day about how I could emerge from this season victorious. I could take on winter and slap it into submission with my leather glove.  Maybe that’s why I had the crazy and powerful urge to go tobogganing. …
My Biggest Challenge
Every year it’s the same. There’s a point where I become simply perplexed why I continue to live in this country – that I love – when this season has us in its grip. I look on the bright side, find ways to cope and endure, sing a happy song until I hit a virtual wall. And my nose is pressed against that wall right now. …
Brandt’s Randt – Snow, It’s An Annual Thing!
Every year, the first snowfall causes mayhem on the roads. Â I still don’t understand how drivers can be so clueless about something we know is going to occur! Â For goodness sake, Environment Canada gives us two days’ notice before a single flake hits the highway. Â And so I randt. Â …
Brandt’s Randt – This On-Again Off-Again Winter
Self-explanatory, really. …
A Breath of Fresh Air – House Proud, Sun Media
*A note about this column which appears in The Toronto Sun and in other Sun Media newspapers this weekend. I’ve received quite a few emails already asking about certain plants that appeared with the column in various cities. Sadly, I can’t identify them nor can I even see that particular version of my column! Not only do I not know when or where across the country my columns appear, unless someone writes and tells me, photos are chosen locally. In Toronto, they decided to use a picture of people suffering from allergies.  Having said that, I truly enjoy the feedback about House Proud. …
I Am (A Frozen) Canadian
I am a good Canadian but I still reserve the right to bitch about the cold! Â …
Unanswerable Questions Part 348
Why do the people who are the most vocal about what’s wrong with the broadcasting industry no longer work (or never have worked) in it? Â …
And How Was Your Weekend?
I don’t think I need to explain much further except to say that it was me and me alone and a very slippery Springbank Drive at 8 am Saturday. I’m just grateful that no one else was involved and that the only casualty was my Xtrail. And I don’t blame the road. I was obviously going too fast for the conditions, even at less than 40 km/hr.  My insurance company doesn’t blame the road either, unfortunately. …
“Get Ready for Back-to-School!”
“The CNE starts today!” …
It’s Happening Again
The back-to-school flyers are arriving in the mail. The dollar stores have several aisles filled with Halloween merchandise. Someone put their big, fat finger on the fast-forward button of life again and I want to have a serious word with them. …