Author Taras Grescoe

 Author Taras  Grescoe was born in Toronto and grew up in Vancouver and Calgary.He moved to Montreal in 1996 after also living in Paris.

Soldiers

 Soldiers often goosestep in crisp uniforms.

The Philippines

 The Philippines sits on the edge of a ring of fire,making it prone to powerful earthquakes.

Yokelish

 Yokelish-unsophisticated or rustic.

African proverb

 When the river dries up,we will all see where the crocodile sleeps.-African proverb 

They can't taste sugar

 Did you know?

Cats can't taste sugar because they lack a key protein for sensing it.

Nubiferous

 Nubiferous -producing clouds.

About Japan

 Japan consists of more than 14,000 islands, although only a small portion are inhabited.

Another song from Herbie Hancock that I like

 Stars In Your Eyes-song by Herbie Hancock.

A song from Herbie Hancock that I like

 Saturday Night -song by Herbie Hancock.

Noorduyn Avenue in Ville St.Laurent

 Noorduyn Avenue in Ville Saint Laurent,Montreal is named after Robert Noorduyn(1893-1959),a Dutch-born aeronautical engineer.He was the founder of Noorduyn Aviation Ltd,which became a major player in the Canadian aerospace industry.

Eating cucumbers for fiber

 If you are eating cucumbers for fiber,it is crucial to eat them unpeeled.The cucumber peel is where much of the vegetable's insoluble fiber resides,which aids in preventing constipation and supporting regularity.They also contain a type of soluble fiber called pectin,which helps feed beneficial gut bacteria.

Fissure

 There is another fissure in a fragile ceasefire sometimes.

Safeguards

 The safeguards fail sometimes.

When cortisol stays high in a man's body

 When cortisol stays high in a man's body it suppresses testosterone production.

Hide in plain sight

 Cacher en pleine vue-to hide in plain sight in French.

Origin of the family name Vanneste

 The surname Vanneste is primarily of Dutch and Flemish origin,with deep roots in particular the region of West Flanders in Belgium and northern France.It is a topographical name.

Painter Circle street in Ville St.Laurent

 Painter Circle street in Ville St.Laurent,Montreal is named after Leonard Painter,a St.Laurent city councilor.

             Leonard Painter was the first city councillor to serve more than 30 years,from 1951 to 1982.

Weight loss

 Weight loss also lowers cancer risk.

Increased inflammation

 Increased inflammation in the body leads to a host of problems,be it with the kidneys,lungs or heart,and also increases the risk of cancer.

Baptisia can produce yellow blossoms too

 Several Baptisia(false indigo) naturally produce beautiful yellow blossoms in addition to the traditional blue and white species.

              I have seen yellow Baptisia grow in the streets and gardens of Montreal.

Buttercups

 Buttercups are five-petaled yellow flowers.

Pinocchio

 The name Pinocchio means 'pine eyes" in Italian.

Tokyo and California

 Did you know

Tokyo and California have nearly the same population in 2026.

Both California and Tokyo have around 38 million people in 2026,yet their land area, population density,and urban density are dramatically different.

      Furthermore,a significant portion of California is desert and is uninhabitable;consequently, the population is concentrated in just a few cities.

Peregrine falcons

 A peregrine falcon can hit a flying bird so hard during a dive that the prey may die instantly from the impact before reaching the ground.

Calibrachoa

 Calibrachoa is mostly known by the trade name Million Bells.It is also widely referred to as mini petunia,trailing petunia or seaside petunia.

Economic data

 Different pieces of economic data are spun in different directions sometimes,causing confusion.

TBD

 TBD-to be determined .

Nightscape

 Nightscape -a view or scene at night.

Nox

 Nox(noun)-night;darkness.

Agriculture in California

 In California agriculture is a multibillion dollar industry but it relies heavily on a workforce living on the shadows.

        Blessed with fertile soil and a climate that allows year-round agriculture, California is the garden of the United States.About a third of the vegetables and 60 per cent of the fruits and nuts in the U.S. are grown in California.

       About 60% of the farm workers in California are illegal migrants and lack legal status.Undocumented farm workers in California increasingly live in anxiety in 2026 and many of them fear deportation under Donald Trump.

Large trees

 One large tree can release hundreds of liters of water into the atmosphere everyday.

Male frogs during mating season

 During mating season,male frogs can become so driven by instinct that they sometimes mistakenly clasp fish,turtles,other males or even inanimate objects in a mating grip called amplexus.

Streets I walked on Saturday,June 7,2026

 On Saturday,June 7,2026,I got off at Langelier metro.I walked on Sherbrooke Street from Langelier boulevard to Haig Avenue.Then I walked on Haig Avenue all the way from Sherbrooke Street to rue Notre Dame.Haig Avenue is a beautiful street lined with many nice houses and cottages and adorned with a lot of flowers in June.It is an underestimated street to live on.I walked on rue Notre Dame from Haig Avenue to Beauclerk Avenue and then walked up on Lyall street from rue Notre Dame to rue Ontario.Lyall street is cut off Ontario street because of the industrial park.So I went back on Haig Avenue and walked up to rue Hochelaga on Haig Avenue, passing Souligny Avenue.On rue Hochelaga I turned left and walked from Haight Avenue to Parkville Avenue.

              Then I walked along the entire length of Parkville Avenue for the first time ever from rue Hochelaga to the other end where it joins Boulevard Langelier after a curve.Parkville Avenue is lined with many duplexes,triplexes,multiplexes and small apartment buildings.

            From there I walked to metro Langelier,just a stone's throw away and went home.

Catabasis

 Catabasis (noun)-a descent or downward journey, especially into the underworld or into a dangerous or dark situation.

A song from 1950 that I like

 Copenhagen (1950)-song by Teresa Brewer.

This street in Montreal is named after a person who died from scurvy

 Rougemont Avenue in the Mercier borough of Montreal is named after Philippe Rougemont,an explorer and sailor who accompanied Jacques Cartier on his second voyage to Canada in 1535.

        Rougemont holds a tragic but notable place in Canadian history.Rougemont was the very first European or white person to die and be buried on Canadian soil after succumbing to scurvy in 1536 at only around the age of 20.

Spanish proverb

 God helps the early riser.-Spanish proverb

Quote from Warren Buffett

 It's an easy game,if you can control your emotions.-Warren Buffett

Quote from Arthur Schopenhauer

 You have to think like the minority and speak like the majority.-Arthur Schopenhauer 

Quote from Patrice Lumumba

 Empire hates one kind of leader above all:The one who teaches his people they are not poor;they are robbed.-Patrice Lumumba 

Quote from Jack Dempsey

 A champion is someone who gets up when he can't.-Jack Dempsey

Quote from Alan Turing

 Science is a differential equation.Religion is a boundary condition.-Alan Turing

Quote from Tom Petty

 Do something you really like,and hopefully it pays the rent.As far as I'm concerned, that's success.-Tom Petty 

This man very sadly died because of two fighting cats

 In August 2024,a 52 year-old  father of two named Christian Reeves tragically died in Rugby,Warwickshire due to fighting cats,though he was not trying to separate them.

         While riding his bicycle early in the morning on his way to work,two cats fighting in the street unexpectedly ran directly into his path.

            The fighting cats became entangled in his bicycle wheel,causing him to crash heavily onto the ground.

          Because he was not wearing a helmet,he sustained a severe brain injury.Despite undergoing surgery to relieve brain pressure,he passed a few days later on August 5,2024.Following his accident,his family publicly pleaded with cyclists to always wear a helmet.

      A very unfortunate, unusual way to die none the same.Many of us never know how we are going to die.

The only metal

 Q.What is the only metal that floats on water?

Answer.Mercury

Headlines

 Headlines seem to be dropped on us like a plague from heaven these days.

No rabbits sometimes

 Some politicians have no rabbits to pull out of a hat;all the rabbits are dead.

A song from 1989 that I love

 Get Up(Before The Night Is Over)(1989)-song by Technotronic.

Quote from Simon Raven

 Since life is short and the world is wide,the sooner you start exploring it, the better.-Simon Raven 

African proverb

He who has been bitten by a snake fears an earthworm.-African proverb 

Another song from Technotronic that I love

 Move This-song by Technotronic.

A song from Technotronic that I love

 Pump Up The Jam -song by Technotronic.

The legendary Eddie Van Halen

 American musician and songwriter Eddie Van Halen was born in 1955 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

          He sadly died of a stroke on October 6,2020 in Santa Monica, California at the age of only 65.

        Van Halen struggled with alcoholism and drug addiction throughout his colorful life.

A song from Dean Martin that I like

 Tonda Wanda Boy-song by Dean Martin.

Extractor fan

 An extractor fan is also called an exhaust fan,range hood ,or ventilator.

Another song from Andy Gibb that I like

 Flowing Rivers -song by Andy Gibb.

A song from Andy Gibb that I like

 Time Is Time-song by Andy Gibb.

A song from 2025 that I like

 Blanket Skies(2025)-song by Sarah McDougall.

A song from 2008 that I like

 Antique Bull(2008)-song by Brendan Canning.

Professional politicians

 Professional politicians know the wiring of the government.

An old song from Danny Kaye from a film that I like

 The Five Pennies-song by Danny Kaye.

An old novelty song from Danny Kaye that I love

 Tongue Twisters -song by Danny Kaye.

A song from Rosemary Clooney that I like

 It's A Most Unusual Days-song by Rosemary Clooney.

A song from Jo Stafford that I like

 It's A Lovely Day Today-song by Jo Stafford.

A song from 1958 that I like

 Jimmy,My Darling(1958)-song by Barbara Evans.

An old relatively unknown song that I like

 The Good Old Days-song by Barbara Evans.

Another obscure old song that I like

 Flashlight of Love-song by Barbara Evans.

An obscure old song that I like

 Beatnik Daddy-song by Barbara Evans.

An obscure song from 1961 that I love

 Charlie Wasn't There(1961)-song by Barbara Evans.

An exceptional spider

 While most spiders live only 1 to 3 years,the six-eyed sand spider can live up to 15 years and survive for nearly a year without food or water,making it one of the most resilient desert predators on Earth.

Urchin

 Urchinly-primary adjective form of the noun urchin.

The Giant Red Sea Urchin

 The Giant Red Sea Urchin is one of the largest sea urchins in the world growing up to 18cm (7 inches) across and living for more than 100 years in the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean.

Cucumber sandwiches once a luxury food

 Cucumber sandwiches were once considered a luxury food for the wealthy.In Victorian England,cucumbers were costly to grow year-round in heated hothouses,which turned the simple cucumber sandwich into a status symbol served at elegant tea parties to showcase wealth and social standing.

A fish that has survived without males

 For over 1,00,000 years,the Amazon Molly has survived without males.This all-female fish reproduces by cloning itself,defying scientific predictions that it should have gone extinct long ago due to a lack of genetic diversity.

Working age population

 La population en age de travailler-Working age population in French.

Working age people

 Les personnes  en age de travailler-Working age people in French.

Bell peppers help you poop

 Bell peppers help you poop.They contain both soluble and insoluble fiber as well as a lot of seeds,which help add bulk to your stool,soften it,and keep waste moving smoothly through your digestive tract.

To soothe a cough

 Black pepper stirred into honey soothes a cough far better than syrup.

Tip to support faster wound healing

 Sprinkling turmeric on a wound may help clean it and support faster healing.

It helps to sleep deeply

 A tiny pinch of nutmeg powder at night helps many people sleep deeply.

The only nut

 Total fuel: Pistachios are the only nut on Earth that contains all 9 essential amino acids.

The benefits of eating cinnamon

 Cinnamon actively fights the mouth bacteria that is responsible for bad breath.

Darling street in Montreal

 Darling street in Hochelaga,Montreal is named after William Darling,a Scottish-born merchant, hardware wholesaler and capitalist who lived in the city in the 19th century.

         William Darling was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1819,and immigrated to Montreal in 1849.

       He founded his own firm, William Darling and Company,which built up a massive wholesale trade in iron goods,hardware and fancy goods imported from Europe.

              The street was officially named in 1887 after Darling opened the roadway on land he owned.

Emotional bandwidth

 Emotional bandwidth -The mental capacity to handle emotions or problems.

A song from T.I that I like

 Live Your Life(featuring Rihanna)-song by T.I.

              This song samples the 2003 Eurodance sensation song "Dragostea din tei" by the Moldovan trio O-Zone.

Davenport

 Davenport (noun)-A large sofa,often one that converts into a bed.

Back to the salt mines

 Back to the salt mines-Returning to boring or hard work.

A fearsome predator

 The Goliath Tigerfish is a fierce predator known for its ability to eat crocodiles.Found in Africa's Congo River,it has 32 razor-sharp teeth, similar in size and shape to a great white shark's.

A song from 2023 that I like

 More Bounce(2023)-song by KOLA.

A song that I love in the month of June

 Hot Hot Hot -song by Arrow.

A great song about Scotland from 1977 that I absolutely love

 Mull of  Kintyre (1977)-song by Paul McCartney and The Wings.