It’s hard to walk through a park without seeing some kindly soul out feeding the local wildlife. The peanuts come out for the squirrels and the bag of bread for the geese and ducks. Feeding wild animals generally stems from a desire to help, from a feeling of goodwill towards these creatures, and a hope… Read more »
Ah bones, we hear a lot about them. Drink milk for your bones, exercise for your bones, and take hormone therapy for your bones. They get a lot of press, these 206 pieces of rigid material hanging out inside the human body. Of course, they are pretty handy things. Linked together with admirable engineering skill,… Read more »
There’s no doubt about it: winter is here, and it’s time to hunker down and bundle up. January is the genuine article when it comes to winter in Canada, and looking out on the snowy landscape at this point in the year, there’s not much to remind us of times of plenty. Not much, that… Read more »
A real Voice staple, Nature Notes has been the environmental conscience of AU students for more than four years. A reader-friendly column, it encourages readers to learn more about their natural environment and to spend more time in their local green spaces to gain an appreciation for all the natural world has to offer. Finding… Read more »
Ah, the lovely winter holidays: finally, the much-needed opportunity to relax, reflect on life and become reinvigorated for times ahead. A time to be with family, to remember that giving and sharing are essential parts of being a good person, not to mention the chance to acknowledge the importance of the return of that all-important… Read more »
The lovely late summer wildflowers are out in full bloom at this time of year — real charmers for those who enjoy this last show of colours, textures and smells. However, given what this display represents — the flowering of a group of plants loosely referred to as weeds — it can be nothing short… Read more »
Den is a lovely word, bringing to mind thoughts of relaxed evenings, tea and cookies at Granny’s house, dimly-lit surroundings, and calm. The term seems to be falling out of favour now, getting a little old-fashioned (except, that is, in the vocabulary of condo salespeople, in which that closet beside the bathroom becomes a potential… Read more »
Incredibly, summer’s end has already become a topic of conversation. But I know that for myself, the nature bug that bit so many of us earlier in the season continues to demand my attention. Spending time indoors feels like a crime, and those blue lakes and rocky shores seem to beckon to me like sirens… Read more »
Babies — nothing can compare. Little baby opossums with their messy hairdos and wiggly snouts. Wee turtles with an unexpected look of reptilian innocence as miniatures of their parents. Young swans as fuzzy as can be and with a hint of silliness that defies their parents’ graceful airs. Even a fish babe, with its slightly… Read more »
Thank goodness that canoe season has arrived once again. Getting back out on the water, feeling the dip and swing of the paddles as they propel this elegant watercraft and its lucky passengers forward, hearing the droplets gently fall and meet the surface of the lake or river — ah, the simple joy of it…. Read more »