ICYMI: I interviewed more Nova Scotia mayors today who spoke about how climate change is affecting their towns. It’s not good.

Absolutely

Get a menopausal woman to run the country because she is done with everyone’s bullshit and will get things done.

Yes, please be patient with for your orders of lobster rolls and fish and chips. And tip well :)

I spent the day on the South Shore doing interviews. It was so damn hot! I did notice new growth in the forests along Highway 103 in Shelburne County that burned in 2023. I also heard birds, including a northern parula, chickadees, and other warblers.

"Students who want to work in journalism should enjoy the laborious, often tedious process of it. Why we want to sell ourselves short of the stories only we can tell is a mystery to me." Excellent commentary by Jaya Condran www.halifaxexaminer.ca/commentary/p...

#Halifax has a new CAO: Marnie Cluckie www.halifax.ca/home/news/ha...

I’m on the road to meet some Nova Scotia mayors today. But I was up early to write a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney about how Canada can’t afford to ignore climate change. www.halifaxexaminer.ca/commentary/d...

Politics is like dating: we need to up our standards.

It’s time to elect working-class candidates to all orders of government. You know, people who’ve had to work in extreme weather conditions and whose livelihoods have been affected by climate change. People who’ve had real jobs!

One of my fav birding spots, Miner’s Marsh in Kentville, is almost dried up, and it’s only July 2.

New Glasgow Mayor Nancy Dicks is the latest profile in my series on Nova Scotia mayors and wardens. www.halifaxexaminer.ca/government/m...

This will sound weird (I don’t care if it does) but I feel so compelled to see and photograph birds. Like it’s a calling for me just like writing is a calling. I can’t totally explain why other than there are as many birds as there are stories and I want to share them.

I am hitting the road very, very early tomorrow as I have three Nova Scotia mayors to interview. I've organized the interviews in regions, so I can do a few in a day. PLUS, I get to go birding after the interviews.

In today's Morning File, I interviewed some of the artists whose work will be featured as part of InterCHANGE, a temporary art project in the new Cogswell District. www.halifaxexaminer.ca/morning-file...

ICYMI:

we must accept more extreme weather and more deadly natural disasters to achieve a few tenths of a percentage point of additional gdp growth in the short term 🥰

Today's birds! An osprey, northern flicker, robin, and American goldfinch.

“Men who are privately dangerous to women are publicly dangerous to everyone.”

I think it's close to the end of #lupin season, so I got some close-ups today. #NovaScotia

The real national unity today is in communities that are fighting against AI data centres, against extractive resources that destroy the environment, and against cuts to arts, libraries, and museums.

People have always policed the bodies and appearances of girls and women. Now it’s trans women, so we must speak up. And anyone requesting gender verification testing of girls is someone wrapped in layers of red flags.

This may just be me, but fighting climate change and protecting the environment are THE ultimate goals in global and national unity.

I was downtown to meet an artist for a story interview and she told me she rides horses. Well, that interview ended up being more than two hours as we talked horses and shared pics of our lesson horses.

I enjoy the summer and try not to complain about the heat but as a very pale middle-aged woman, I’m basically a walking heat stroke.

‘None of this really matters’: A message of hope for high school graduates who never really fit in Commentary by me www.halifaxexaminer.ca/commentary/n...

Seeing all these photos from high school grads reminds me that middle age is when you get to be the true weirdo you always were and not give a shit what other people have to say about it.

A neighbour yells at his barking dog to be quiet while I want to yell at the neighbour to be quiet.

Hanging out in the yard with a dark-eyed junco. #birds

"Men are trash" is the lazy equivalent of "Boys will be boys." It's an unproductive generalization that frames the bad behaviour of men as inherent & therefore, unstoppable. I'm not a misandrist AND I care about keeping women safe. Stop commenting "All men are XYZ!" to every misogynist news story.

I get a bit personal in today's @halifaxexaminer.ca Morning File. Also: Canadian book of the week, @suzannerent.bsky.social on a data centre moratorium, @mmughees.bsky.social on a new comics bio, and part 3 of @drugdatadecoded.ca's Out of the Cold series. www.halifaxexaminer.ca/morning-file...

Saturday paid on-street parking in downtown #Halifax and #Dartmouth starts on July 18. www.halifax.ca/home/news/sa...

Mamdani is just so damn likeable.

ICYMI

On Friday, Chris Green, owner of Atlantic News, Colin Chisholm with allNovaScotia, and I recorded our latest edition of the HRM Roundtable podcast. Remember what the big news was at Halifax regional council a week ago today? Here's the YouTube link. www.youtube.com/watch?v=isa6...

“AI systems do not critically evaluate city council and community meetings. They don’t investigate local crimes and corruption, publish obituaries, or cover the new restaurant opening downtown. Local reporters do.”

Today was an excellent day to see critters. I don't know if this #chipmunk is Alvin, Simon, or Theodore.

My #cat sister, Nova.

Um, I talk to animals all the time.

My catch of the day! A ruby-throated #hummingbird. At the Fundy Tidal Interpretative Centre in Maitland. Thanks to the staff working the centre who let me loiter so I could get photos :) #birds #wildlife #NovaScotia

I left much house much earlier than usual today so I could go birding before my horseback riding lesson. While I saw and heard a lot of birds, I’m sure three was a time the forests and parks were filled with birds and their songs.

Do you know why people (like me) let bananas pile up in their freezers? Because they quickly tire of banana bread. In other news, I made sugar cookies.

Cumberland County councillors ‘get the ball rolling’ on moratorium on data centres Story by me www.halifaxexaminer.ca/ai/cumberlan...

Fundraising to restore the prime minister’s official residence seems like a bad idea. www.cbc.ca/news/politic...

Birds, bees, and butterflies at the Africville Park this morning. I was chasing this yellow warbler until I got nice photos!

I was downtown and heard some chicks singing. Well, it was The Chicks doing a sound check for tonight’s concert. Here’s what they were singing. I like this tune. m.youtube.com/watch?v=MdkI...

Bedford residents start heritage stewardship group as community council rejects development Story by me www.halifaxexaminer.ca/government/c...

Is Cape Split safe and easy to hike on your own? What’s the best time of year to go? And are there birds there?

I had dinner at Easy Street Diner in Fairview where a few streets are closed for construction now. The usual bus stops are also closed but I figured out the route. It’s not well advertised, though.

I saw an eagle in the Cogswell District today. #Halifax #mural #art