Last year, I saw the sign advertising Westwood’s Community League Day. Intrigued, I attended the pancake breakfast, met Bev Esslinger, city councillor in Ward 2, and purchased my membership without hesitation.
Since then, I have met several neighbours who felt the community league has provided many benefits. I learned more at the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues (EFCL).
Some people might call me crazy. During a major economic downturn, why would I leave a full-time, decent paying union job with pension and benefits? That’s a big risk to take at 36 years old. Maybe I am crazy. After all, I don’t know if this is truly the right career path for me. But this idea has been at the back of my head for a long time.
While the warmth of summer unfolds, I invariably find myself repeating my French father’s wartime food scavenging habits. Family karma asserts itself, and I find myself eagerly eyeing the raspberry and rhubarb plants edging the laneways while imagining tasty concoctions.
Our summer is so short that it seems shameful not to enjoy the season to the utmost. A summer stroll takes on more dimensions when you stop to pick food and mentally savour the fresh taste of your harvest. Knowing I’m getting much-needed exercise makes me feel virtuous. This virtuous feeling is further enhanced when I think of the copious quantities of vitamin C contained in both rhubarb and raspberries.
Night was approaching as I stood by the river, thinking of closure. The beauty of the water, a calm swath winding through low green banks, filled me with appreciation.
I was here because my partner, Larry Loyie, a proud Cree man, writer, and educator died three months before at 82 years old. He asked that his ashes be laid here by the river during the family’s annual gathering, in a traditional Cree way.
A smile lights Kushok Lobsang Dhamchöe’s face as he queries a young guest at the Alberta Centre for Peace and Meditation, on the corner of 101 Street and 114 Avenue.
Fondly known as Kushok, the spiritual director of Gaden Samten Ling Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Society has been offering teachings and meditation practice to Edmontonians for 16 years. But his journey here was not always so bright.
Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) members and other Edmontonians put in 128 hours to pull over 30 bags of trash, seven coffee cans filled with sharps, three shopping carts, two bicycles and assorted parts, a workout bench and a large round table out of Edmonton’s river valley at a clean-up event and barbeque on Sunday, Aug. 21.
I have had several unsolicited visits at my house from door-to-door salespeople. You probably have, too.
I have seen salespeople offering energy contracts, newspapers, alarm systems, and even furnaces. While being interrupted during dinner may be annoying, contracts can have lasting implications.
As a hub of numerous stores and cultural diversity, 118 Avenue has quickly become a destination for ethnic foods in Edmonton. Now people will have even more to choose from with the addition of Mama’s Bodega Fresh Food Market.
I stopped in to meet owner Charity Durowaa and check out what the store has to offer.
There is nothing quite like enjoying a good barbecue while the weather is beautiful. Luckily, there is still some time to fire up that grill and plenty of local shops offer everything you need for supplies.
Many people love barbecued meat, and Easyford Meats is the perfect place to buy whatever cuts you prefer. They offer several barbecue packs, which have a variety of steaks, ribs, pork chops, smokies, and sausages. Contact Easyford Meats to order these packs directly.
It’s no secret our society has moved away from face-to-face contact. With the arrival of social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, we’ve become accustomed to interacting with people digitally rather than in person.
I’m no different. I work from home and often keep in touch with people through Facebook, texting, and emailing. For the most part, I’m okay with my alone time. But I crave in-person contact and feel more satisfied when I actually see my friends and family.
