Brenda Wood

"Join the Word Guild," they said. So I did, and before my membership card had even arrived in the mail, I suddenly found myself shoved (no, it was more I was being encouraged to jump) into the 21st century. Because I was invited to do … Read more

"I heard that," a strident voice announced. Oh, yes, we had been caught out. Our grade school teacher had overheard some not-so-complimentary statements about both her personality and her teaching methods. From then on, no matter what we ever said … Read more

That's how both recipes start out: "Take an old hen." (Modern supermarkets label these as "stewing hens".) "Put it in a slow cooker and add 3 coarsely chopped carrots, onions, celery stalks, 1 cup sliced mushrooms, 2-3 cloves of garlic, … Read more

The little girl in me could hardly believe it. In fact, she really didn't, until she landed on the soil, sniffed the air, heard the voices, and saw the sites of the Holy Land. I knew that Israel existed. I … Read more

When I discovered that the word "stronghold" came from the Greek word "echo", some interesting thoughts came to mind. For instance, an old country song about lost love goes on about "the echoes of my mind". The dictionary defines our … Read more

There is a cute commercial running on television right now. It features a gal munching down on a bag of cookies. Mighty Will Power shows up to save her from herself. (Let me say that he is one puny-looking superhero!) … Read more

Folks from my generation generally appreciate hand-me-downs, because we have spent most of our life in them. Being just a little younger than some relatives and a little thinner than others reaped us bags and bags of clothes that were … Read more

On a recent television show, comedian Chris Rock confessed astonishment upon discovering that an ancestor had fought in the American civil war, owned land, and even ran for political office. These were astonishing achievements for an American black man living … Read more

The news is out. Our food choices really affect our health and well-being. Apparently, fibre and anti-oxidant-rich whole grains are good for our health. Studies show that we can lower our personal risk of heart disease, stroke, colon cancer, and … Read more

Many churches (including mine) take a strong stand against any form of gambling, because they understand the personal cost paid by those enthralled by the faint hope of ill-gotten gains. However, that doesn't stop people from visiting casinos or buying … Read more