Every winter a blanket of snow settles on Manitoba. Any lingering snowbirds swiftly point themselves southwards and most warm blooded creatures delve into the deepest burrows they can muster. A rare few venture out to establish themselves on the bleak landscape, in pursuit of the cold blood that lurks beneath their feet. Walking on water, they hunt with an auger and a fishing rod.
Each hunter carefully chooses a spot on the frozen expanse that is Lake Winnipeg and,…
Life has a certain way of gaining momentum. We choose a direction and then keep our heads down as we move forward, trying to keep our feet beneath us while navigating through a chaotically complex world. Any orienteer worth their salt knows that this sort of approach is a surefire way to get lost, whether in the woods or on the divergent paths each of us individually walk from birth to death.
Our internal compasses need to be recalibrated from time to time; honed back in …
The compass always points northward, and like its needle I inexplicably feel a pull in that direction wherever my dusty boots may happen to be. Situated northwards from my home at the top of Manitoba, the town of Churchill sits at the edge of the treeline and on the breezy shores of the Hudson Bay.
Returning is a beautiful thing; the same place at a different time, adding up to a wider perspective. This was my third return to Churchill (here is some field work from visit number…
A blizzard doesn’t arrive with the surprise that it used to. Watching the radar, murmurs of what may be coming are uttered from the lips of weather reporters and citizens alike. Parking bans are set on city streets, pantries are stocked, and commuters set their alarm clocks a little earlier than usual in hope that they will be able to get to work at all.
When the rumoured weather does arrive, there are two choices: seek shelter, or step out into the storm. Personally, I …
In classic Canadian fashion, this past weekend I headed out to Nopiming Provincial Park in Manitoba with some close friends for a quick canoe trip. Taking advantage of the unseasonably warm late-October weather this was to be our last hurrah before the snow came, and I couldn’t have asked for better weather or company.
Here are some photos of good people, their beards, a couple canoes, and, of course, the beautiful wilderness of Canada; for which I am all grateful.…
On February 23rd, 2017, I will be speaking at Pecha Kucha Winnipeg – an event organized by the Manitoba chapter of the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada. Amidst simply trying to conquer my stage fright, I will be centering my talk around the subject of “Contemplating Contemplation”; weaving in stories and insights garnered from the several months of traveling around remote parts of western Canada by bicycle on my Pedal Powered to the West bike tour.
If you’re…