I am fortunate enough to own 101 acres of rural property, about 75 minutes east of Toronto. I like to show people what is happening there. A farmer grows crops, a fox and a porcupine live in the woods, and … Continue reading →
Growing a Kentucky Coffeetree from Seed Kentucky Coffeetree is an attractive tree which is easy tree to grow from seed, if you know a couple of tricks. Imagine how impressed your friends and neighbours will be in ten years’ time, … Continue reading →
Yellow birch and old stump What has happened to this tree? How come it seems to start off like a three-legged stool hovering over a stump? Actually, this is not an unusual growth pattern for yellow birch, (Betula alleghaniensis). The … Continue reading →
If you are a doctor with strongly held views about contraception and the sanctity of life, how should you treat a patient who comes to you requesting contraception or an abortion? Continue reading →
If you are trying to learn how to identify trees in winter, one good place to start is to look for trees which still have their dried leaves attached. In Ontario and most of the northeast USA these will be either beech trees or oaks. The phenomenon of retaining dead leaves in winter is called marcescence. Continue reading →
This is where I will post some stuff intended mainly for friends and family. Some parts may be password protected. If you think you should have access to something here, email me at johnpoyston@gmail.com. Thanks!
This is where I will put posts on a variety of usually topical issues.
Usually they will relate to politics, security from surveillance, environmental issues and the internet.
We all have our heroes – people we admire for what they have achieved, how they behave, or simply who they are.
Some of mine are:
This category is about why nature is important in our lives and for our mental health,and in particular, why children should spend more time in natural environments and less time in front of screens.
It will also be about some things I find interesting in nature, such as this article on how to grow Kentucky coffeetrees from seed.
Cuba Cruise In December 2014 Meg, Kate and I did a cruise around Cuba. We had a few hours to explore Havana, which had some fine old buildings: …. and some which were in dire need of repair:
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