Author Archives: Judith Pettersen

I have a guilty secret that I desperately need to share. When I was twenty-two years old, newly married and living in Carmen, Manitoba, I developed a peculiar addiction. Like most people with a secret life, I was finally found out by none other than my husband. I tried to draw him into my utterlyContinue reading “Fifty Shades of Cheese”

After years of bragging about my stoic hike to the base camp of Mount Everest, I’m going to out myself by publishing my diary. Twenty-four days of climbing, complaining, itching and rats. And beautiful scenery. See? The word order is a strong indication of a wee inclination for whining. Here goes. Jan 8, 1979 We’reContinue reading “Diary of a Whiny Himalayan Trekker – 1979”

I live a comfortable life. It’s not something that I take for granted, either. Oprah and Jesus said to count my blessings daily, and I do. But every now and then the reality of life in the north leaves me feeling vulnerable. Like the other day.  We were just a few hours into our longContinue reading “Northern Exposure”

In case you haven’t noticed, Christmas is a time for kids. So the adult in you won’t enjoy it at all without first doing what Jesus says. “Unless you change and be like little children, you’ll never enter the kingdom of heaven.” This very same season, when seen through the eyes of an adult, becomesContinue reading “Finding Christmas”

I’m a person who usually gets lost when I drive somewhere for the first time.  I have to pay attention to signs.  Some that I’ve wondered about, for which there is probably a scientific explanation,  are the animal warnings.  They seem so random, but also very specific .  ‘Deer Crossing, next ten kilometers.’  I pictureContinue reading “I Saw the Sign”

I had some routine lab tests done the other day.  When we were finished the tech handed me an envelope that said, Thank you for taking care of your health.  Since this is a priority for me, I was grateful for the sentiment.  I imagined the card inside saying something like this: Congratulations!  You’ve takenContinue reading “The Poop Test”

Here’s the thing about great scenery.  An amazing view can have a weird effect on a person. I’ve experienced pins and needles in my hands and feet, lack of breath due to extreme altitudes, and teary moments when the beauty of a place has been so intense, it’s made me drop to my knees.  ThatContinue reading “Look at that View!”

The long and winding roadThat leads to your doorWill never disappearI’ve seen that road before The Beatles song, Long and Winding Road, might be about love, loss and loneliness.  But as I travelled from northern Manitoba to the town of Whistler BC, the title took on a whole new meaning.   I”m fairly sure that IContinue reading “The Road to Whistler”

The whisper runs through the garden like a faint breeze, lightly masked by the nighttime serenade of frogs and insects.  It begins with the frantic mumbling of the smallest beet at the very end of the row.  “The dandelion!” it cries, in a tiny, frightened voice.“Dandelion!” mocks a tall bean plant, its tone scornful andContinue reading “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (with apolgies to John Berendt)”

Every morning, for at least the past six weeks, a cheerful little robin perches on the high wire above our back alley and sings its little heart out.  This tiny harbinger of spring puts everyone in the mood for summer.  A friend who knows about birds told me why they sing so hard, and whyContinue reading “May I Have This Dance”