I know a little (but not a lot) about dandelions. However, I was confused the other day when it was raining and I came upon this dandelion taking the weather like a champ.What I thought I knew about dandelions was they would be all fluffy and feathery…

Dutch impressionist Vincent van Gogh obsessed himself with sunflowers until his death in 1890, later earning avid collectors tens of millions of dollars for single paintings. These days researchers have developed their own sunflower obsession: Solving the genetic origin of mutant “teddy bear” sunflowers depicted in van Gogh’s ochre-splashed canvases.

Spring has arrived and the weather has been so beautiful this last week I had to celebrate with a Spring Daisy Cake. Daisies go well with almost anything and they can brighten up any day with some cheer! Like this cake? Consider pinning it …and we lo…

Unfortunately, Ottawa’s famous canal was only frozen enough for a 28-day run, which is bad for us, for tourism, and for those who enjoy that exercise.They say this isn’t such a bad year for illness, since the cold season was short, and people got out i…

jhr international contributor Kristy Hutter files a report from London, U.K. on the movement to certify flowers as fair trade. War on Want is a U.K.-based charity raising awareness about where the flowers you buy at the supermarket come from. Did you k…

Here we are, surrounded by snow at this time of year. It’s a nice time to think about Spring, which I know is coming, eventually. It just takes it’s own time; keeps it’s own schedule. Sort of. I’m thinking of a garden setting for a scene. It’s early morning, the dew is still on the [...]

Valentine’s Day is over for another year. How did you score? Isn’t that a bad way to think of it! What could be all romance, cuddles and affection has become about retail, shopping and spending. No, I’m not going on a retail rant. I’ve worked retail enough to live and let live. People need to [...]

A glimmer of light in the bleakest of months.

BY: Jay Wall and Laura Huddart LOCATION: Harbord and Lippincott PHOTO BY: Martin Reis FIELD NOTES: Even at its best, February isn’t the most cheerful of months. It’s all too easy to let the winter blues get us down, but this creative redecoration of illegal ad space is just what we need to perk us [...]

This is where it all began about 3 years ago, when I took my first Wilton cake decorating coarse. It was a chance for me to get out of the house and do something for myself once a week. It was definetly a jumping off point, where I learned to love cake…

A wall in the Glebe.A year ago today: Pic 1032 Graffiti love January 23, 2011Two years ago: Pic 695 Pretoria Bridge January 23, 2010Three years: Pic 344 Pubwell’s January 23, 2009

My Hubby’s doing it again. Gleefully texting his “boyfriends” (can I call them that?), talking with wild gestures on the phone, and firing off e-mails to these buddies, and guess what? NONE of it is about me! Dramatic POUT. Yes, the Dear Husband …

As I mentioned, we had not one but two family weddings within one week. It was beautiful madness. My cousin Faheem wed beautiful Moina in an elegant ceremony at home.  The ceremony was incredibly moving and intimate. The home was resplendent…

Engineers at MIT have created a new design for concentrated solar power plants that reduces the required amount of land while boosting the amount of sunlight that heliostat mirrors can collect. Best of all, it’s inspired by sunflowers.

…..and see some of my life this past week.  PFXO

You may not think that there is much to know about the sunflower. After all, the plant is virtually everywhere. Yet it has a something more than a simple, straightforward history and is more of a globe trotter than you may imagine. Its story has the hi…