Footnotes to a Conversation, March 15, 2021


The geese are honking on the river and I spotted some lovely patches of thick gooey mud on my walk this morning. Spring is on the way!

Local Food 
There are new vendors at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market – and they’re bakers! Sentient Sandwich is selling plump, mini sourdough bagels, while Old Homestead Baking is selling loaves baked in a traditional 8x8 foot wood-fired clay brick oven. 

I picked up some tasty goodies at Beppi’s Gelato this past week. They offer a wide range of Italian products from pasta and sauce to jam and candies – definitely worth checking it out. 

Entertainment 
My sister in law and I will be going to the theatre – in her living room – in April. Sparrow Theatre Company is a new (to me at least) Saskatoon theatre company. On April 3, they’re streaming A Killer Party, a murder mystery musical. Later in April, we’ll be watching One Hour Photo, a Vancouver Asian Canadian production hosted by Persephone Theatre. Having lived in BC, I’m very aware of the discrimination and abuse encountered by Japanese Canadians – this should be an interesting look at one man’s life. 


I’ve just finished reading One Madder Woman by Dede Crane, a fictionalized account of Berthe Morisot’s life. I was initially attracted to the book because of my interest in French Impressionist art, but there is so much more to this book. You get an excellent picture of family life and social customs as well as a horrifying insight into what it must have been like to live through the Prussian siege of Paris and the Commune. 

Singing the Blues 
I bought several pieces of pottery at Clay Studio 3 this past week and blue was the predominant colour. Blue is a favorite colour of many people, including me. I find it soothing and tranquil, but it’s also linked to authority and conservatism (IBM, Royal Bank, the Conservative Party of Canada, blue-chip stocks). Supposedly, we’ll be more productive in a blue room and, if you want to lose weight, try using a blue plate as it’s not an appetizing colour and may put you off your food. 


Community Outreach
Midway between two very different neighbourhoods, the employee-owned Sant Pau Gym in Barcelona is trying to respond to the needs of a diverse community. Membership is free for those who can’t afford it. They close the pool on Friday mornings for Muslim women and offer swimming lessons for trans people. [5-minute video] 

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. If you share my love of nature, I suggest you also read EcoFriendly Sask that I publish in collaboration with my brother, Andrew. 

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