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Penny McKinlay

@pennymck.bsky.social
160 followers 298 following 187 posts

Wordsmith, nature lover, cat whisperer, housesitter, pedestrian: Wanderlust and Words (wanderlustandwords.substack.com), EcoFriendly West (ecofriendlywest.ca) & Nature Companion (naturecompanion.ca) Victoria, BC

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Reposted by Penny McKinlay
Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
To carry 50,000 people per hour in each direction, a city needs a 175m wide road for cars. Even if those cars are electric. And then there’s all the parking. OR a city can move A LOT MORE people in a lot less space, with A LOT LESS public money, emissions, pollution, noise etc. Choices. Simple.
Graphic showing a single lane 9 m wide track for metros, a 35 m wide road for buses with four lanes, and a 175 m wide road for cars with seven lanes, making the point that one single track of Metro replaces seven lanes of car traffic. Mobility in cities is about space.
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Reposted by Penny McKinlay
stephanie wilson | windward antifascist @windward-afa.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
So egregiously backwards & short-sighted. Every person in this province subsidizes cars. Your municipal taxes pay for parking & roads whether you have a car or not. Your provincial taxes pay the health care costs from car-related pollution & crashes. Your federal taxes subsidize O&G companies.
Statement from David Eby

Metro Vancouver mayors have told us they need a sustainable funding path for Translink and there have been a number of options discussed as part of that work.  We will come to a solution to support Translink, but the path to sustainable funding for that organization cannot be on the backs of drivers who are already struggling with the prices at the pump.  A vehicle levy or road pricing are not options we would proceed with. That's the last thing people need at a time when Trump is driving up costs. The real cost to drivers would be the Conservative parties’ plans to double car insurance rates and make drivers pay more. People can't afford that.
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Reposted by Penny McKinlay
EcoFriendly West @ecofriendlywest.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
“Hours of sitting and walking alongside my dear Auntie Ellen began in the early 1990s, with her showing me the trees and other plants, sharing the vital importance of the plant world within the mountains and forests, along the riverbanks, and in the ocean” newsociety.com/book/plant-t...
book cover for Plant Teachings from My Auntie: Gathering Coast Salish Plants for Medicine, Textiles, Nourishment, and Ceremony by Geraldine Manson & Nancy J. Turner, A Snuneymuxw Ethnobotany and Teachings
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Reposted by Penny McKinlay
EcoFriendly West @ecofriendlywest.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Mason bee hotel, Maple Community Garden, Kitsilano, Vancouver
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Penny McKinlay @pennymck.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Instagrammable loos, mock duck, an Oxford mystery, and poems to start your day - Footnotes to a Conversation, September 28, 2026
wanderlustandwords.substack.com
Footnotes to a Conversation, September 28, 2026
Instagrammable loos, mock duck, an Oxford mystery, and poems to start your day - Footnotes to a Conversation, September 28, 2026
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Reposted by Penny McKinlay
EcoFriendly West @ecofriendlywest.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
As a 15-year-old, Robert W. Butler rescued a juvenile crow. His curiosity about the species was further cemented by an opportunity as a graduate student to spend a summer studying crows on a remote island off the coast of Vancouver Island books.friesenpress.com/store/title/...
book cover for Society of Crows: Adventures and Discoveries from a Lifetime of Crow Watching by Robert W. Butler
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Reposted by Penny McKinlay
EcoFriendly West @ecofriendlywest.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Join Ryan Fisher, curator at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, for an “ask me anything” conversation about birds, birdwatching, and tales from the field from 6-7:30 pm, Sept. 28, at Rebellion Brewing, Regina royalsaskmuseum.ca/visit/events...
photo of Ryan Fisher beside a stuffed bird
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Reposted by Penny McKinlay
EcoFriendly West @ecofriendlywest.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
A US survey indicates that, while climate may not be a priority during an election campaign, emphasizing climate increases a candidate’s support rather than lessening it and most clean technologies are broadly popular
2035initiative.com
Politicians Shouldn’t Hide From Climate — The 2035 Initiative
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Reposted by Penny McKinlay
EcoFriendly West @ecofriendlywest.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
From video games and a resurgence of bluebirds to creative uses for retired wind turbines: EcoWest News, September 22, 2026
ecofriendlywest.ca
EcoWest News, September 22, 2026
From video games and a resurgence of bluebirds to creative uses for retired wind turbines: EcoWest News, September 22, 2026
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Penny McKinlay @pennymck.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Curious nuggets about backpacks, non-fiction, linen, and mysteries – Footnotes to a Conversation, September 21, 2026
wanderlustandwords.substack.com
Footnotes to a Conversation, September 21, 2026
Curious nuggets about backpacks, non-fiction, linen, and mysteries – Footnotes to a Conversation, September 21, 2016
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Reposted by Penny McKinlay
EcoFriendly West @ecofriendlywest.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
“This book is a journey through the stories behind the Rights of Nature movement … They are living stories of rivers, mountains, wetlands, and forests that have become central characters in legal and cultural battles for protection” www.jessicadenouter.com/en
book cover for The Forest Fights Back: A Global Movement for the Rights of Nature, Jessica den Outer
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Reposted by Penny McKinlay
EcoFriendly West @ecofriendlywest.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Books and program ideas to tickle your imagination – Community Leaders & Books: August 2026
ecofriendlywest.ca
Community Leaders & Books: August 2026
Books and program ideas to tickle your imagination – Community Leaders & Books: August 2026
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Penny McKinlay @pennymck.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
From tiramisu-mania, gjetost, and inari to rope, twine, and thread – Footnotes to a Conversation, September 14, 2026
wanderlustandwords.substack.com
Footnotes to a Conversation, September 14, 2026
From tiramisu-mania, gjetost, and inari to rope, twine, and thread – Footnotes to a Conversation, September 14, 2026
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Reposted by Penny McKinlay
EcoFriendly West @ecofriendlywest.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Hoary Bats roost in tall trees where their mottled colouring blends in well with lichen-covered bark. They roost alone except for mothers with their twin pups www.naturecompanion.ca/animals/hoar... #NatureCompanion
photo and description of Hoary Bats from EcoFriendly West's Nature Companion website and app
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Reposted by Penny McKinlay
Ancestral Enquiries - Tony Smith 🌳 @ancestralenq.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Lady in Blue sculpture by New York artist by Tschabalala Self which pays homage to a young metropolitan woman unveiled as the 16th piece of artwork to feature on London's Fourth Plinth, Trafalgar Square for the next 2 years. 👇 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
'Everywoman' statue unveiled on Trafalgar Square's Fourth Plinth
Tschabalala Self's Lady in Blue will sit atop the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square for the next two years.
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Reposted by Penny McKinlay
EcoFriendly West @ecofriendlywest.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Mycological miracles: “We begin at midnight with the midnight disco, which is not a late-night dance club but a rare fungus. At dawn, we awaken to find a fairy ring of mushrooms that has sprung up on the lawn overnight.” press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/bo...
book cover for Mushroom Day: A Story of 24 Hours and 24 Fungal Lives, written by Alison Pouliot & illustrated by Stuart Patience
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Reposted by Penny McKinlay
History and Heritage Yorkshire @handhyorkshire.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Beverley Minster holds what is believed to be the largest collection of medieval musical carvings in the world, featuring more than 70 distinct stone and wood musicians playing roughly 20 different types of instruments. I love the expression on this one.
Beverley Minster holds what is believed to be the largest collection of medieval musical carvings in the world, featuring more than 70 distinct stone and wood musicians playing roughly 20 different types of instruments.
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Reposted by Penny McKinlay
The Tyee @thetyee.ca · 08/09/2026
At the Salmon River, what was once a wide, cool waterway is now a thin, warm channel. Water can become a death trap, causing the fish to suffocate and sometimes lose vision. Blinded salmon are unlikely to live long enough to spawn. thetyee.ca/News/2026/09...
thetyee.ca
As Fish Go Blind, Experts Say BC Isn’t Prepared for Droughts | The Tyee
With fish struggling in the Salmon River, flip-flopping on emergency orders suggests a lack of preplanning, experts say.
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Reposted by Penny McKinlay
Climate Justice Victoria @climatejusticeyyj.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Seniors Climate Witness caravan send off about to start at Mile Zero in #VictoriaBC. #yyj #bcpoli @seniorsforclimate.bsky.social
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Reposted by Penny McKinlay
EcoFriendly West @ecofriendlywest.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Making a difference: solar panels, pre-owned clothing, fungi leather, and nesting birds – EcoWest News, September 8, 2026
ecofriendlywest.ca
EcoWest News, September 8, 2026
Making a difference: solar panels, pre-owned clothing, fungi leather, and nesting birds – EcoWest News, September 8, 2026
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Penny McKinlay @pennymck.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Dragon’s blood, picnic baskets, sidewalk affairs, and wig-making – Footnotes to a Conversation, September 7, 2026
wanderlustandwords.substack.com
Footnotes to a Conversation, September 7, 2026
Dragon’s blood, picnic baskets, sidewalk affairs, and wig-making – Footnotes to a Conversation, September 7, 2026
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Reposted by Penny McKinlay
EcoFriendly West @ecofriendlywest.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
In 1957, an aspiring artist, Robert Bateman, and a wildlife biologist, Bristol Foster, went around the world. Along the way they forged a friendship that would continue for more than 60 years while both of them went on to make their mark on the world books.friesenpress.com/store/title/...
cover for The Rover Boys, Paul Gilbert. “Part travelogue, part post-war history, part coming-of-age story – this is an unforgettable journey of two young men who find beauty in a changing world and become who they were meant to be” – Ross King, Governor General’s Award-winning author of The Judgement of Paris
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Penny McKinlay @pennymck.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Easter pretzel hunts, Paris for introverts, World War II cyclists, and the tricks of the book trade – Footnotes to a Conversation, August 31, 2026
wanderlustandwords.substack.com
Footnotes to a Conversation, August 31, 2026
Easter pretzel hunts, Paris for introverts, World War II cyclists, and the tricks of the book trade – Footnotes to a Conversation, August 31, 2026
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Reposted by Penny McKinlay
EcoFriendly West @ecofriendlywest.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
“Many of the animals in the open sea are essentially invisible. Whole-body transparency is perhaps the ultimate way to hide, because light simply passes through the animals as if they aren’t there” www.abramsbooks.com/product/radi...
book cover for The Radiant Sea: Color and Light in the Underwater World by Steven Haddock & Sonke Johnsen. Foreword: Helen Scales
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Penny McKinlay @pennymck.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
The golden age of bicycles in France, 1939-45 Des vélos sur le pied de guerre www.lepoint.fr/tiny/1-GO6ON... #Histoire via @LePoint
lepoint.fr
Des vélos sur le pied de guerre
Raconter 1939-1945 sous l’angle du cyclisme. Deux ouvrages relèvent ce passionnant défi.
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Reposted by Penny McKinlay
The Economist @economist.com · 26/08/2026
Writers have long squabbled over silent signs. Florence Hazrat’s “On the Mark” is a delightful history of punctuation, even if her own attempts to use marks inventively fall a dash flat
bit.ly
Punctuation matters more than you think
A new book offers a dashing history of writers’ marks
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Reposted by Penny McKinlay
Tyler Olsen @tyolsen.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
STORY: In which I take a detailed look at Alberta's extremely half-baked plan to locate its proposed pipeline on the north side of the Fraser River, in order to avoid the massive problems Trans Mountain encountered just four years ago. thetyee.ca/Analysis/202...
thetyee.ca
In the Fraser Valley, a New Oil Pipeline Faces Mountains of Challenges | The Tyee
Getting through the steep, narrow stretch cost Trans Mountain billions. But Alberta’s plans to avoid a repeat is full of holes.
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Penny McKinlay @pennymck.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Scarabs, exclamations, puppets, and letter-writing – Footnotes to a Conversation, August 24, 2026
wanderlustandwords.substack.com
Footnotes to a Conversation, August 24, 2026
Scarabs, exclamations, puppets, and letter-writing – Footnotes to a Conversation, August 24, 2026
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Reposted by Penny McKinlay
The Tyee @thetyee.ca · 22/08/2026
Does Vancouver need local food, thriving small businesses and stronger community connections? We all know it does. But are we willing to build the conditions that allow the people already providing those things to continue doing so. 🍅 #TyeePresents #Sponsored thetyee.ca/Presents/202...
thetyee.ca
Please Don’t Squeeze the Tomatoes! | The Tyee
Vancouver’s farmers markets are growing. Is the city making enough space for them?
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Penny McKinlay @pennymck.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Beach reads, British cheeses, manmade design, and Tiggy’s in charge at Chester Station – Footnotes to a Conversation, August 17, 2026
wanderlustandwords.substack.com
Footnotes to a Conversation, August 17, 2026
Beach reads, British cheeses, manmade design, and Tiggy’s in charge at Chester Station – Footnotes to a Conversation, August 17, 2026
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Reposted by Penny McKinlay
EcoFriendly West @ecofriendlywest.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Building for a better future - problems, solutions, and the people making a difference: EcoWest News, August 11, 2026
ecofriendlywest.ca
EcoWest News, August 11, 2026
Building for a better future - problems, solutions, and the people making a difference: EcoWest News, August 11, 2026
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Penny McKinlay @pennymck.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
From a flower-breathing dragon and the promise of longevity to freedom on a Vespa and the music of humanity – Footnotes to a Conversation, August 10, 2026 wanderlustandwords.substack.com/p/footnotes-...
Magnolia, the flower-breathing dragon, Art in the Park, HCP (Victoria Floral Artists Guild)
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Penny McKinlay @pennymck.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
ICYMI Sipping history, royal yellow, a runcible spoon, and a floral clock – Footnotes to a Conversation, August 3, 2026 wanderlustandwords.substack.com/p/footnotes-...
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Penny McKinlay @pennymck.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Sipping history, royal yellow, a runcible spoon, and a floral clock – Footnotes to a Conversation, August 3, 2026 wanderlustandwords.substack.com/p/footnotes-...
wanderlustandwords.substack.com
Footnotes to a Conversation, August 3, 2026
Sipping history, royal yellow, a runcible spoon, and a floral clock – Footnotes to a Conversation, August 3, 2026
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Penny McKinlay @pennymck.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Christopher Cheung’s new book is an immersive exploration of how class, race and power shape the stories we tell about Vancouver
thetyee.ca
What Does It Take to Make a Life in the City? | The Tyee
Christopher Cheung’s new book is an immersive exploration of how class, race and power shape the stories we tell about Vancouver.
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Penny McKinlay @pennymck.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Random thoughts on Egyptian princesses, a cat-designed home, choosing your favorite Paris arrondissement, and travel mysteries wanderlustandwords.substack.com/p/footnotes-...
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Penny McKinlay @pennymck.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Egyptian princesses, an equitable home for cats & people, Paris your way, and mysterious travel – Footnotes to a Conversation, July 27, 2026
wanderlustandwords.substack.com
Footnotes to a Conversation, July 27, 2026
Egyptian princesses, an equitable home for cats & people, Paris your way, and mysterious travel – Footnotes to a Conversation, July 27, 2026
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Reposted by Penny McKinlay
EcoFriendly West @ecofriendlywest.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
A Year with the Seals: “I followed the lives of seals, discovering as much as I could about how they interact with their environment. By learning from the people closest to seals, I tried to make sense of our relationship with these mysterious yet familiar creatures.” www.alixmorris.com
book cover for A Year with the Seals: Unlocking the Secrets of the Sea’s Most Charismatic and Controversial Creatures by Alix Morris with a foreword by Sy Montgomery. Maine Literary Awards Winner
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Penny McKinlay @pennymck.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
For curious minds - a book review, sewing spacesuits, a mysterious manuscript, and a sweet treat around the world - Footnotes to a Conversation wanderlustandwords.substack.com/p/footnotes-...
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Penny McKinlay @pennymck.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Vermeer: A Life Lost and Found, clothing that is out of this world, a Venus flytrap for brilliant minds, and a sweetness that swept the world – Footnotes to a Conversation, July 20, 2026
wanderlustandwords.substack.com
Footnotes to a Conversation, July 20, 2026
Vermeer: A Life Lost and Found, clothing that is out of this world, a Venus flytrap for brilliant minds, and a sweetness that swept the world – Footnotes to a Conversation, July 20, 2026
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Reposted by Penny McKinlay
EcoFriendly West @ecofriendlywest.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Wild Cities, a globe-spanning look at how to bring nature into the places we live – and how to create the wild cities of the future www.harpercollins.com/products/wil... #booksonfriday
book cover for Wild Cities: Discovering New Ways of Living in the Modern Urban Jungle by Chris Fitch / “Mind-shifting, heart-lifting” – Isabella Tree, author of Wilding
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Penny McKinlay @pennymck.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Very disappointing
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Reposted by Penny McKinlay
The Guardian @theguardian.com · 14/07/2026
Evolution review – with this TV miracle, David Attenborough’s successor is well and truly crowned
theguardian.com
Evolution review – with this TV miracle, David Attenborough’s successor is well and truly crowned
The new BBC documentary is so wondrous and awe-inspiring it will make you feel like a child again – and in Chris Packham, it has a presenter for the ages
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Le Point @lepoint.fr · 12/07/2026
Trop chaud ? Pas de clim ? Ne paniquez pas : le frisson est encore disponible au rayon policier. Voici nos coups de cœur, de Brooklyn à Rome en passant par la Provence. ➡️ l.lepoint.fr/3hm
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Reposted by Penny McKinlay
EcoFriendly West @ecofriendlywest.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Wild Orcas: This marvelously illustrated book explores all things killer whale – their remarkable hunting skills, their ability to coordinate and strategize, their unique dialects, and their rituals and traditions press.princeton.edu/books/hardco...
book cover for Wild Orcas: A Deep Dive into the World of Killer Whales by Hanne Strager and Catherine DeNardo
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Reposted by Penny McKinlay
Susie Dent @susiedentwords.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
If you fancy a read in the shade, I’ve written a short piece on the words that wear their hearts on their sleeves. Like ‘secretary’, originally a ‘keeper of secrets’. susiedent.substack.com/p/hiding-in-...
susiedent.substack.com
Hiding in plain sight
The stories of language that we stopped listening to
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Reposted by Penny McKinlay
Deb Chachra @debcha.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
Writing project led me back to the incredible story of the skilled bra-and-girdle seamstresses who put their expertise to work designing and sewing the Apollo spacesuits (and the culture clash with systems engineers). From Nicholas de Monchaux's SPACESUIT. thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/the-bra-and-...
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu
The Bra-and-Girdle Maker That Fashioned the Impossible for NASA
Crafting a spacesuit demanded perfection from seamstresses to gluers to engineers — every stitch could mean life or death.
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Reposted by Penny McKinlay
Crawford Kilian @crof.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
cbc.ca
How a clinic for seniors in Quebec City is taking the pressure off ERs | CBC News
Three geriatricians from Quebec City have founded a clinic to help seniors avoid prolonged stays in the emergency room.
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Reposted by Penny McKinlay
EcoFriendly West @ecofriendlywest.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
Eyes in the Soles of my Feet: “I find it humbling that many crustaceans, echinoderms, gastropods, coelenterates, and at least 1,500 species of fish have the capacity to create light, making it the most common language on the planet, yet one we don’t speak” schaffnerpress.com/books/eyes-i...
book cover for Eyes in the Soles of my Feet: From Horseshoe Crabs to Sycamores, Exploring Hidden Connections to the Natural World, Caroline Sutton
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Penny McKinlay @pennymck.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
From seedy bananas and edible cartography to spying from the balcony – Footnotes to a Conversation, June 29, 2026
wanderlustandwords.substack.com
Footnotes to a Conversation, June 29, 2026
From seedy bananas and edible cartography to spying from the balcony – Footnotes to a Conversation, June 29, 2026
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