Ross’s Ramblings: Are the people or their pets the top dog in NOTL?
Thank goodness for pet dogs or many locals would get no real exercise outdoors in the fresh air – especially in the winter, when dog owners take their pets out two or three
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Ross’s Ramblings: As NOTLers age gracefully, our language changes
Time to reflect on the past year and to tentatively look forward to the new year. Interestingly, as we age at our individual paces, the meaning of the words we choose changes subtly.
Ross’s Ramblings: Come along on my new free walking tours of NOTL
Free walking tours are popular around the world. Jerusalem, Boston, Sydney, Vancouver, Paris, Auschwitz, Nashville, Athens. And yes, Lunenburg. Niagara-on-the-Lake stands ready. Aye, ready! Last Saturday afternoon, a hardy group of locals got
Ross’s Ramblings: Soccer, hockey, tennis, whatever – our kids need to play more
There are just under 3 million citizens in Qatar. Some 74 per cent are male. Go figger. The FIFA World Cup is being staged in this sovereign and independent state in the Middle
Ross’s Ramblings: For important occasions, let’s avoid the sounds of silence
Time after time it happens, here and elsewhere. People gather to celebrate an occasion, to hear a speech, to enjoy a concert or to celebrate the life of a loved one. Or, to
Ross’s Ramblings: Hockey people, let ‘Paul for the Hall’ ring out across NOTL
Yes, neighbours it’s our chance to get the right thing done. Hockey people are not philosophers, but are always eager to speak their minds quickly and clearly. Even when they don’t agree, they
Ross’s Ramblings: Closed car wash creates an unsightly conundrum
Since the days of the horseless carriage arrived here in Niagara, residents have proudly kept their vehicles clean and shiny. It has been a mystery to me how even the most macho half-ton
Ross’s Ramblings: Walk near Brock clears the electoral mind. But that apostrophe?
During the exhaustingly long municipal election campaign, now thankfully and democratically over, I tried to keep my rambling mind focused on important issues. I fought the urge to spend time worried about xenophobic,
Ross’s Ramblings: NOTL election signs could use a jolt of imagination
There has got to be a better way. Let’s think about options to lawn signs, which most of our municipal candidates obviously love. Are they really the most cost-effective and efficient way to
Ross’s Ramblings: Changing from Queen to King and where will it stop?
Our much loved Queen has died and I have come to realize the ubiquity of the word Queen. Yes, that word is everywhere, in so many areas of our Canadian lives. I have
Ross’s Ramblings: Using hockey stars to promote gambling is offensive
Am I the only one, or is the sight of Wayne Gretzky, Auston Matthews and other hockey celebrities encouraging me to gamble on professional sports games offensive? In our lifetimes, will Niagara IceDogs
Ross’s Ramblings: Ubiquitous NOTL signs are dumbing down our lives
Is it just me, or has there been a recent proliferation of signs here in our pretty and horticulturally rich wee town, and in our beautiful Niagara region? Some are helpful, but others
Ross’s Ramblings: Will new diverging diamond road ‘improve’ confusion at Glendale?
It was surely a slow news weekend, despite the 50th anniversary stories reminding us of the society-altering 1972 Munich Olympic tragedy and the Canada-altering rough and tumble, hooliganistic hockey win over Russia. The
Ross’s Ramblings: The characters of NOTL give town its character
We regularly hear well-meaning local people pontificating about protecting the character of our charming wee town. Zoning density, lot coverage, square footage and more details. Can we agree that bricks and mortar and
Ross’s Ramblings: Canada Summer Games coast to a noisy ending with fireworks in gorge
My pal Dave Boyes and I attended the closing ceremony of the Canada Summer Games in Niagara Falls. It was a nostalgic trip for both of us, as we had both been part
Ross’s Ramblings: Tennis final thrills spectators at Canada Games
It was a fun and raucous Saturday evening at the tennis courts in Memorial Park, as the final match unfolded between the two mixed doubles teams from Quebec and British Columbia. It was
Ross’s Ramblings: Sh-h-h! The Canada Games tennis tournament is at Memorial Park
Do you think athletes prefer to play in front of quiet, empty bleachers? No, they don’t. I spent five hours in the furnace-like heat on Sunday and, as well as being treated to great
Ross’s Ramblings: As society slowly changes, so does our language
How do we manage to stay abreast of the changes in our world and the evolution of our words? Long ago, in the days before computers and mobile phones, life must have moved
Ross’s Ramblings: Music Niagara understands sound, technically
As an event organizer, I learned long ago to “always overspend on sound.” How many times have we been to concerts or speeches or weddings or sports events where the organizer has cheaped
Ross’s Ramblings: Change comes even to NOTL, usually for the better
“One of the things that never changes is that things always change.” This high level and tricky aphorism offered by Michael Clarke in the Veterans Memorial Park tennis pavilion earlier this week caused
Ross’s Ramblings: Dollar for dollar, how do we solve a puzzle like the exchange rate?
This economic flimflam has confused me since my university days in the U.S. way back in the 1960s. “The exchange rate” was then 1.07, with our Canadian dollar stronger that its U.S. counterpart.
Ross’s Ramblings: Humble NHL legend Guy Lafleur’s quiet visit to NOTL
Guy Guy Lafleur died a few weeks ago and the Montreal Canadiens and their adherents showed class and love as they cheered for him one last time. They know how to love each other,
Ross’s Ramblings: Mothers Day on the Niagara Parkway and in the Kyiv subway
The luck of the Canadians or the resilience of the Ukrainians? Sometimes, life is overwhelmingly a matter of luck and timing. On a perfect weather Sunday afternoon for Mother’s Day last weekend, I
Ross’s Ramblings: A proverbialplethora of Porta Potties is plaguingourpretty metropolis
Yes, some of us have had way too much time on our hands during the ongoing deadly global pandemic. And my ramblings today may cause a parallel reaction to the strange result of
Ross’s Ramblings: A chance to bring more diversity to NOTL Sports Wall of Fame
Not to worry, folks, it is not my intent to write a scholarly academic article discussing the rights and freedoms of all sporting residents of Niagara-on-the-Lake. However, let me attempt to spur
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