Did you know this past winter in Ontario was the darkest in 80 years? The grey skies seemed to be never-ending, and I can’t specifically recall a day in the depths of winter when the sun was shining.

Despite the fact we haven’t jumped right from winter to summer – April threw a true spring at us with a mixed bag of temperatures – I think everyone in Huron/Perth will be hoping for a long, hot summer. Having received some beautiful days early in April and into May, I think we may be on track to replenish our Vitamin D stores this summer.

We have another fantastic edition, this being our 8th summer issue we’ve published since launching in Spring 2016. Elizabeth Cooper writes about Scott McKowen, a scratchboard artist based in Stratford, as he shares some beautiful images of his art. Peter Morrissey, a respiratory therapist from Grand Bend, shares his expertise on how to manage and live with COPD. Local historian Mat Johnson asks the question, “Was the first baseball game played in Canada?” and introduces us to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Marys, Ont. Jo Davis writes about finding purpose and meaning after the age of 60, while Helen Orr has done just that and shared the details of her hiking group’s 890 km trek along the Bruce Trail.

We all know summer seems to go by more quickly each year, with get-togethers with family, barbecues, summer recreational activities and the regular everyday tasks we do to keep a household running. It’s a challenge to sit back and soak it all in, but my hope for you this summer is that you find the time to slow down and enjoy it – Old Man Winter will return soon enough.