Book review: Ruth Ware's books keep climbing up the bestseller list, One By One

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Ruth Ware has done it again! She keeps crafting creative mysteries and plots that propel the reader forward, and One By One is no exception. This is the ultimate Fall Reading List book. Set on a snowy mountain in France, the story is as chilling as the white powder that swallows the characters whole. 

Guest blog: What it's really like to be a professional dog walker

Guest blog by Louise St-Pierre. So excited to welcome her to the Paws For Reaction extended family!

I have learned a lot from my experiences with dogs. I currently own two beautiful dogs and have been a dog owner for 25 years. I truly love dogs and being outside all day, in all types of weather. After working in the fitness and service industry for 20 years I wanted a change; a job that would incorporate the many things I love. Fast forward to now. I have been a professional dog walker for 11 years. I never imagined that I could make a living doing something I loved so much. What I love most about being a dog walker is that I work for myself and my clients. I'm my own boss, which is amazing.  

Christmas mourning: How to cope with your first holiday season after losing a pet

I'm forcing myself to be festive this year. I've had times in my life when I skipped Christmas altogether. "I'm not Christmasing this year," I'd say when people asked me standard holiday questions like "Do you have your tree up yet?" This year I'm forcing myself to be festive for the sake of my mental health. One small reason is the COVID-19 pandemic has sucked so much happiness out of 2020 that I'm trying to infuse some of the obligatory Christmas joy into what's left of the year. The biggest reason for my forced festivities is Keira. More specifically the loss of Keira I suffered earlier this year.

 I love the grey fur that appears around a senior dog's eyes as they age, the mark that they've experienced life. The mark that they've given a lifetime of love. To leave our mark on them we need to prepare to support them during their golden years. I'm going to talk about one of my favourite topics- pet insurance. When we think about pet insurance we often think of puppies and kittens, but senior pets are eligible for insurance coverage too.

Since November is National Senior Pet Month, I connected with Karolyne Trottier, Regional Manager at Pets Plus Us pet insurance for a Q&A about pet insurance for senior pets. Can a senior pet get pet insurance? What about their pre-existing conditions? I asked Karolyne everything I could think of about senior pets and pet insurance, and these are her answers!

Paws to Support Local: How you can give back to local businesses and animals in need at the same time

Are you able to lend a helping paw to a pet in need? Or give a local small business a bone? Ontario SPCA Renfrew County Animal Centre, located in Pembroke, Ontario, has found a way to give back to animals in need and local businesses this holiday season. Paws to Support Local is the purrr-fect way to get in the spirit of giving. 

Christmas isn't just a time for giving; it's also a time for crafting! I love mixing the two and making my family homemade Christmas gifts every year. Sometimes I make my own cards, sometimes I bake- I've even made my own candles using teacups found at yard sales and thrift stores. But my favourite Christmas craft is mason jar lid tree ornaments. 

 Book review: A Southern supernatural thriller about a seedy swamp and all its creatures

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Andy Davidson's The Boatman's Daughter paints a dark and bloody tale of the painful lives of outsiders. While Davidson's book was wildly creative, it failed to draw me in. I kept reading, hoping it would be a slow burn, however it never caught fire for me. I did enjoy the Russian folklore in the book and the mysticism, but being a huge fan of witches, I was hoping for a more interesting witch. I will give the author this: the prose is beautiful at times and I LOVE the cover!

iAdopt for the Holidays: 'Tis the season to find a forever home

It's that time of year again- the season of giving, and I have an excellent way to give. It's a win-win! iAdopt for the Holidays is sponsored by Petplan pet insurance. This holiday adoption campaign runs now until December 31, 2020, at participating SPCAs, humane societies, and rescue groups across Canada. Ontario SPCA Renfrew County Animal Centre, located in Pembroke, Ontario, services the Renfrew County community where my family is from. Their goal for this holiday campaign is to find loving forever homes for as many animals as possible.

International guest blog: Agroecology farming and its contribution to climate change mitigation and sustainable food production

International guest blog by Tulyahabwe Rogers (from Uganda, East Africa).  So excited to welcome him to the Paws For Reaction extended family!

Severe, diverse, and location-specific impacts on agricultural production are anticipated with climate change. The last IPCC report indicates that the rise of carbon dioxide and associated greenhouse gases could lead to a 1.4 to 5.8 °C increase in global surface temperatures, with subsequent consequences on precipitation frequency and amounts. The 2013 report of the IPCC authoritatively re-affirms that climate change and variability will impact food and fiber production around the world due to the effects on plant growth and yield by the elevated carbon dioxide, higher temperatures, altered precipitation, and transpiration regimes, and increased frequency of extreme events, as well as modified weed, pest and pathogen pressure. Therefore, more durable benefits will likely result from radical agroecological measures that will strengthen the resilience of farmers and rural communities. Traditional farming systems are repositories of a wealth of principles and measures that can help modern agricultural systems become more resilient to climate change.

Canada remembers: Virtual Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa during the COVID-19 pandemic

This year's Remembrance Day marks the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. This year the Veteran's Week and Remembrance Day ceremonies will be anything but normal, as many are shifted to the virtual world to keep Canadian's safe from the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Remembrance Day ceremony will still be held at the National War Memorial in downtown Ottawa, but the Royal Canadian Legion is asking citizens of the Nation's Capital to stay home and watch the ceremony on TV. There is limited space- especially when you factor in physically distancing 6-feet apart- and there will be no Veteran's parade, no Canadian Armed Forces parade, and a reduced colour party.

Guest blog: Enviro-docu-series exploring the changing state of Canada's greatest natural landmark; Algonquin Park

 Democracy wins: We bid a not so farewell to Donald Trump as Joe Biden wins the 2020 USA presidential election- Adios Trump!

I've decided 273 is my new favourite number! Followers of my blog are well aware that I'm not a fan of Donald Trump. You may remember I fact-checked Trump on my blog a few years ago when he began attacking science and the Paris Agreement. Canadians care about what happens to our American neighbours because if the USA sneezes, Canada gets a cold. I'd like to give my American neighbours a virtual hug and congratulations because today, November 7, 2020, after a long wait in election purgatory (Groundhog Day much?) Joe Biden has been elected to become the 46th president of the United States of America. 

 Do you have a story to tell? Share your story on Paws For Reaction

This year more than ever, I've been providing an outlet for people in the community to share their stories. I've teamed up with some wonderful and interesting guest bloggers, interviewed experts in their fields, and supported different organizations. I want to keep expanding upon that. That being said, Paws For Reaction is looking for new guest bloggers!

Help from home: 5 ways you can help save Canada's wetlands, without getting wet

If you drank a glass of water today, washed dishes, flushed the toilet, boiled a pot, or filled up your dog's water dish, you probably benefited from a wetland. Wetlands are responsible for providing us with the clean water we drink and use every day. Ontario boasts 330,000 square kilometres of wetlands and currently accounts for about 25% of all the wetlands in Canada and 6% of global wetlands. Wetlands hold billions of litres of water that they help naturally filter and purify. They provide flood control, habitat and feeding ground for a variety of species, and act as carbon storage. I really enjoy hiking in the wetlands- they are wonderful recreational and educational ecosystems.