Footnotes to a Conversation, May 12, 2025

“It is not enough to be in the right place at the right time. You should also have an open mind at the right time.” – Paul Erdos

The Walking Cure

I’m housesitting in Kitsilano, Vancouver, for the next two weeks. It’s a pretty neighbourhood with well-established gardens and trees. There was a children’s birthday party in the park with loads of balloons and Kits Beach and the coffee shop patios were popular.

Annabel Streets, the author of The Walking Cure, says, “Human beings were designed to walk and not just a stroll on a sunny day in a beautiful landscape. When we walk, we produce biochemicals which are so powerfully life-affirming that scientists have described them as ‘hope molecules’”. Surprisingly enough, she encourages people to walk in cities: “Unless marred by too much noise, pollution and traffic, cities can perk us up, pique our curiosity and trigger our imagination. Yes, you can walk in a park or through mountains and feel wonderfully calm, but there are few signs of human endeavour. Cities relax us as much, if not more, because humans are fascinated by each other and the things we have created. They encourage us to get out of our own heads and distract us from our own ruminating minds.” [The Guardian]

Calico Cats

I’m looking after a small calico cat. Calico cats are almost always female and 25-75% white with large black and orange patches. Tortoiseshell cats, on the other hand, have a black undercoat with mottled markings. Calico cats are believed to bring good luck. Japanese sailors often kept a calico as their ship's cat to protect against misfortune at sea. [Wikipedia]

Sipsworth

Her husband died. Her son died. She’s 83 years old and waiting to die. And then a wee creature appears on the scene, and things begin to change. Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy is quirky, charming, and a refreshing reminder of people’s willingness to help and care for each other. [Parnassus Books]

The History of a House

Have you ever wondered who lived in your house or apartment before you? One woman started researching the history of her mother’s home in Winnipeg and uncovered 140 years of women who had lived there, from Métis matriarch Annie Ballantyne to the first Deaf teacher in Western Canada and the wife of the Japanese consul to Manitoba. The stories were then transformed into a film. [CBC]

Footnotes to a Conversation is a weekly Monday feature covering an assortment of topics that I’ve come across in the preceding week – books, art, travel, food, and whatever else strikes my fancy. I also post occasional articles on other dates, including frequent book reviews and travel tales.

If you share my love of nature, check out EcoFriendly West, an online publication encouraging environmental initiatives in Western Canada, and Nature Companion, a free nature app for Canada’s four western provinces.