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  • The Velveteen Rabbit at 100 (Part 1)

    The Velveteen Rabbit at 100 (Part 1)

    My copy of the reprint of the original (New York: Doubleday, 1991) On June 23 of this year, Literary Hub published an account by Lisa Rowe Fraustino, Hollins University, on the “Enduring Relevance of Margery Williams’s Most Famous Book”, providing a summary of the author’s life and relevance today. The article serves as an introduction… Read more

  • The Beggarstaff Brothers

    The Beggarstaff Brothers

    I’ve written before (April 29, 2023) about how my love of art and interest in the art world began during my time serving with the Canadian Embassy in Washington D.C. (1975-77). At one point I even contemplated giving up my government sinecure and going into the art business, importing prints and posters of 20th century… Read more

  • Youth is wasted On …

    Youth is wasted On …

    I used to be young once. Although I’m sure my grandkids might doubt it. Here’s the proof, a photograph taken of me when I was 20 years old. Musical Tastes Aside from the hair and the jeans, I’m glad to say little else has changed. I was not aware of the picture being taken. It… Read more

  • Animal Fantasy – Where Did It Start?

    Animal Fantasy – Where Did It Start?

    It’s in the nature of these posts that I often start off in one direction only to become overtaken by my first digression. In this case, instead of writing about the various genres of animal fantasy (my original intention) I’ve become consumed by my discoveries about the first recognized author of such tales, the Greek… Read more

  • Travels With A Donkey

    Travels With A Donkey

    When my mother moved from her house in Winnipeg 25 years ago, she passed onto me a large collection of books. Lots of poetry, some fiction, Agatha Christie paperbacks from the World War 2 era and several books on arts, music and culture. Also a few more recent acquisitions, published by the Folio Society in… Read more

  • Go Birding: Help the World

    Go Birding: Help the World

    What makes birding such a phenomenon? No matter where you are, the presence and variety of birds are astonishing. No matter the time of year, there’s always something to see. Birds communicate in the same ways we do, through sight and sound. They’ve evolved a stunning range of patterns, colors and an astonishing musical repertoire.… Read more