July was a hot one here in southern Ontario with record breaking temperatures and very little rainfall. It was another busy month for me as we celebrated our anniversary, my birthday, and my sister visited from England for three weeks. Not surprisingly, my July 2025 goals update reflects mixed results thanks to all that activity.
The Sunday Spark – Why is The Rainbow Fish so controversial?
As we decluttered books this week, my daughter found her copy of The Rainbow Fish. To my surprise, she told me this beloved children’s book is now controversial. Learn why in this week’s edition of The Sunday Spark, along with IKEA’s progress on eliminating plastic packaging, my word of the week, how Texas is repurposing used EV batteries, and air drying laundry.
Throwback Thursday – Rethink your back-to-school shopping list
Today’s Throwback Thursday post has ways to save money by shortening your back-to-school shopping list.
Indigenous-led green energy projects offer hope
In this month’s lead post for the Climate Change Collective, Molly at Transatlantic Notes shared 10 terrific examples of climate wins. Not surprisingly, Molly’s list contains examples of initiatives led by Indigenous groups around the world. Today’s post continues the conversation with projects demonstrating the leadership of Indigenous peoples in green energy innovation in Canada.
The Sunday Spark – Taking AI creepiness to a whole new level!
AI is everywhere. But this week, I learned of an application that takes AI creepiness to a whole new level! Along with the AI creepiness factor, this week’s edition of The Sunday Spark looks at improving sleep with cognitive shuffling, reducing dementia risk by cycling, and simplifying life with mindfulness.
Inspiring reads in my July 2025 blog roundup
Welcome to my July 2025 blog roundup. Along with a summary of my writing activity, this month’s blog roundup has terrific posts on motivation to keep writing, finding passion by feeding our curiosity, and the perils of focusing only on economic growth. Happy reading!
August is National Immunization Awareness Month
In recent months I have watched with alarm as measles continues to spread across North America. August is National Immunization Awareness Month—an opportunity to share some thoughts on the risks of diseases that those who choose to forego vaccinations dismiss as harmless.
The Sunday Spark – Choosing memories over photos
Cellphone cameras make it so easy to capture and share every moment of our lives. But research shows we create better memories by putting down our phones and being present. Along with choosing memories over photos, this week’s edition of The Sunday Spark looks at the non-linear progression of aging, protein requirements for older women, and the origins of the word boycott.
It’s Rain Day – How will you celebrate?
Rain Day on July 29 celebrates the importance of rain for survival and the pleasure it brings. The post shares interesting facts about rain, such as its varied amounts globally and its unique aroma, petrichor. It also suggests fun activities to enjoy on rainy days, enhancing appreciation for this essential element.
Hope by Pope Francis – Book review
I recently read Hope, the autobiography of the late Pope Francis. It was an inspiring read that provided perspective on the world’s troubles and what it will take to heal the divisions in society. Learn more in today’s blog post.