The Symbols of the Christmas Story

It is 12:01 am on the 24th of December 2011. Please let me share these thoughts from Christmas 2009 and wish you the deepest celebration of all that is beautiful and light!

Reading time: 10 minutes + -

Christmas has a way of shining a Klieg light on life.  Where’s the promised joy?  Where is the peace?  We can blame commercialism.  We can blame religiosity.  We can blame the market, the kids, our job.  But it isn’t Christmas that is wrong.  Read more…

The truth about 2012 – Part II

In my last piece, Love like There is No Tomorrow, I said there was a big truth and a little truth about 2012 and neither mattered. This piece is about the big truth – the truth about our planet – our very mother of existence – the Earth herself. And what doesn’t matter about that?

Well, this: The Earth is about 5 billion years old. In cosmic years that may be teens or young adult – or even middle aged, but however you look at it, chances are she’ll keep spinning through space long after December 21, 2012 – or well into ‘stardates’. Whether we are having a happy ride on her back or not is quite another matter.

Mother Earth

Last week, I had the pleasure of visiting the Mayan Exhibit and the Dinosaurs at the ROM with my step daughter and her young children. There it was – all laid out – clear evidence of giant reptiles, eggs and all. Downstairs there was clear evidence of a culture – civilized and Read more…

The truth about 2012.

There is a big truth about 2012 and there is a little truth about 2012 and they are both the same: It Does Not Matter!

The other day, I was chatting with a woman who is an industrial psychologist. That means she goes into large working environments – in this case corporate or industrial – and assesses every person from plant sweeper to Chair. In-depth psychological analysis combined with years of experience and intuitive skill allows this professional to advise on the best way to bring each individual to their optimum level of potential within the business entity for the greater good of the whole.

2012 Mayan Calendar

At any rate, she shared that a prevailing concern for many was the spectre of 2012 – and the end of the world. I was really surprised by that. I thought the whole Mayan Calendar thing was more in the realm of New Age and that the infiltration into popular consciousness Read more…

Left unchecked – they cause a plague.

My sons live in a very cool apartment – 1600 square feet – huge with two bedrooms, high ceilings, a big kitchen and a great address – if you are up and coming musicians. The only thing is it is over a restaurant – which is great if you like to party after hours – but not so good if you’d rather not deal with mice and various other nefarious creatures from time to time – notwithstanding the landlord’s claims to the contrary!

But mice are little and innocuous and kinda cute when they skitter as the lights go on. And if you’ve been raised to love nature in its wholeness you kind of have an aversion to snapping their little necks in a trap set with cheese (or peanut butter for the more savvy).

cute mouse

My sons were loathe to kill the little things so I told them a story. Years ago when their dad and I lived on a farm in Port Hope we had a similar challenge. It was a magnificent stone house – one of five by Scottish brothers who had immigrated in the late 1800′s. One day we saw a little mouse sprint under the cupboards into the back Read more…

On the lip of a volcano I found my perspective.

The sunsets in Oia turned out to be such a magnetic pull. No matter our busy late afternoon schedule – beach in the heat near the clear and glorious tepid rolling waves or napping in the cool of our little cave, we would freshen up and set out to find a new vantage for the setting sun each evening. Alternately, we found rooftop cafe, a perch on the wall of the ancient steps to the beach, a seat on the low smooth wall overlooking the cliff, or from the winding walkways where we watched the final decent through the still spokes of a windmill.

Windmill at Sunset Oia Santorini

Each evening we joined the throngs standing at the highest point of the caldera on the crumbling wall of the fortress ruins, spilling over walls onto rooftops, and packing the cafes that described their sunset view advantage. Camera ready, we would wait patiently for time to move and the sun to descend into its glory. Each day was the same. The gentle rolling Read more…

I believe in people!

This past week we have seen and experienced some spectacular views. We have taken hundreds of photos – each one capturing a dab of colour of the rich visual tapestry that is Greece. Emerald and ultramarine of the sea, fuschia and magenta of the bougainvillaea that spills abundantly over whitewashed walls. Red rocks, blue doors, black sands.

But last evening we witnessed something more extraordinary that lifted my heart in a way I will try to explain. The Oia sunset. If you picture a bass clef of sheet music with a cluster of dots in front rather than behind you would have a stylized image of the island of Santorini. Oia is at the top as the upper curve drops and curls slightly inward.

Oia, pronounced ‘ee-ya’ is on the highest point of the island and is apparently the sunset capital of the world. At the height of the searing sun, we had arrived in Oia and followed a tall young man who hefted our bag on his shoulder. Knee high walls of whitewashed plaster are all that separates the walker from the drop. All the while, is the breathtaking view of Read more…

Current strategies fail to eradicate the infestation of the
Asian Long-horned Beetle and the Emerald Ash Borer.
Why is this proven, environmentally responsible solution not being used?

Interview with Ray Morand

My guest today is Ray Morand who is with Verdant Technologies. Our discussion concerns the rampant infestation of our urban tree communities and rural forests caused by the Emerald Ash Borer and Asian Long-horned Beetle.

Any one who knows me knows some of my best friends are trees. I love trees. Not only for the obvious health benefits – they are the lungs of the earth – but because trees are a balm to us all, particularly those who live in our frenetic and hurried urban environments.

I had heard of the invasion of the Emerald Ash Borer and Asian Long-horned Beetle, but until recently was unaware of the extent of threat these foreign invaders posed. I have passed the signs on 400 highway for years showing the silhouette of the beetle and warning about taking wood beyond the boundaries. Not much is heard anymore so I assumed no news was good news. Nothing could be farther from the truth! Read more…

Last night I watched Bill Maher’s show. Other than the ‘out there’ HBO license for language I find his take on things incisive and he brings a necessary attention to much we might otherwise be complacent about. One of the panelists quite succinctly said that until we get over our addiction to oil and gas the drilling and risk will go on. Another panelist opined that the answer to our energy concerns was not going to be found down any hole – but by looking up to the sun and the wind.

From the perspective of holism, what we do for ourselves we do for all. We cannot point any fingers or place blame until we look to ourselves to see how we support the very activity we love to hate.

Here is a great article that I received today. Timely message. Check it out!

I won’t have a backyard in my new home – but I will be in walking distance to most all that I need. I’m looking forward to that.

It is the many small acts that each of us can do with ease and simplicity – once we are conscious – that add up to a solution.  Can you or I stop the leak?  No, but we can curb the demand by reducing the use of fossil fuels and force change by demanding alternative energy sources.  Think about what you can do today.

Cheers!