|
Writing Samples To view a sample of our work, click on one of the
titles listed below:
For those Calgarians born to be mild, Harleys are the perfect antidote to age, stress and the twin demands of family and career
What do Mayor Al Duerr, Larry Ryckman and Jay Leno have in common with my husband?
They've all succumbed to the allure of owning a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. And allure
it is, for when you talk to Harley owners about their bikes, the word "magic" invariably
enters the conversation. They feel they've bought not only a motorcycle; they've
bought a legend.
When my husband, Neil, told me a year ago that he was going to take a motorcycle
safety course and then buy a Harley, I was aghast. My main concern was (and still is)
how exposed and vulnerable motorcycle riders are. Cruising down the highway on 700
pounds of metal with only leather clothing and a helmet as protection just doesn't
seem sensible to me. But what has Harley
ownership got to do with being sensible, except perhaps to say that a used Harley is often worth
more than what the owner paid for it.
But my husband's contention was that at 38 years of age, he's tired of working day after
day as an accountant making money to pay for the kid's orthodontics or to sock away in
RRSPs. Sure those things are necessary, but where's the fun? When does he get to spend it
on something he wants? I saw his point, but wondered why a cheaper bike wouldn't do.
Turns out that settling for half a loaf would leave him dissatisfied and always wondering
what it would have been like to go the whole hog.
Neil is certainly not the exception. Jim Wild, president of . . .
to the top
|
Although thousands of motorists pass by daily, few likely know the stories of the tiny churches perched on Macleod Trail
They sit side by side like three matriarchs at a church dance, calmly surveying
the hustle and bustle whirling around them. One can imagine them occasionally
putting their heads together to discuss how things have changed since their
younger days. The three small churches perched on Macleod Trail just south of Fish Creek Park
serve as a peaceful reminder of a quieter era—a time when the only traffic jam was
two horse and buggies arriving simultaneously at the horse shed behind the church.
A time when neighbors gathered on Sundays to greet one another and worship together
before scattering once more to their respective farms.
The smallest and most historically intact of the three churches is St. Paul's
Anglican Church. The southmost of the trio, it was designated a provincial historical
site in 1986 and since then has been painstakingly restored to its former glory. (It also
has the distinction of being the oldest Anglican church in the Calgary Diocese still
in regular use. As well as an 11 a.m. service held every Sunday, the chapel offers a
picturesque and popular location for weddings.) A step through the chapel's doors is
a step into the past, and its unassuming exterior belies the beauty within. The warm
woodwork of the walls and high-pitched ceiling complement the artistry of nine
stained-glass windows. Over the altar, sunlight streams through an exquisite window
dedicated to the men of the parish who "offered themselves willingly" in World War I.
Attending a recent Sunday service here, I sensed the pride and camaraderie felt by the pioneers
who built this little church . . .
|
