All posts by George Walters

George Walters is a Canadian columnist and author with more than forty years of writing experience. For over twenty years he has written a weekly column for Postmedia Network — Canada's largest newspaper chain — never missing a single week, publishing fifty-two stories a year. Combined with his work in Reader's Digest Community Voices, World News, Country Living, The Country Register, and farm and rural lifestyle magazines across Canada, he has published well over two thousand stories drawn from everyday life. He writes about farm work, fishing, old trucks, and the kind of people you only find in small towns — but just as likely he'll hand a voice to a weathered telephone pole, or turn his eye on something happening in the world today and tell you exactly what he thinks about it. No subject is off limits. If there's a story in it, George will find it. He has been called a philosopher of everyday life, a description that came up more than once during his television appearances over the years — and it's not hard to see why. His writing has a way of making the ordinary feel worth sitting with. He is the author of eleven books, including yearly short story collections and the Clay Moretti Files mystery series. Clay is a fifty-year-old private investigator who drives a 1967 Ford Galaxie, smokes cigars, and operates by a code the modern world gave up on a long time ago. The cases are present day. The man handling them is not. All titles are available in paperback and eBook on Amazon. Together, George and his wife Ruth have also created Elmer Finds His Way, the first in what he hopes will be a long series of children's books. Ruth did all the illustrations, as she has for every one of George's books — and beyond that she designed and painted the covers as well. Her work is woven into every page of everything he has published. A few words from readers: "I pulled up a kitchen chair and read your story three times." "You have a way of making a person homesick for a place they haven't been to." "Thank you for writing things that make old people and kids feel the same way at the same time." All my titles are available in paperback and eBook on Amazon.ca here.

Tea vs. Coffee: The Benefits of Choosing Tea

Here’s a blog post about the benefits of tea compared to coffee:

For many people, a cup of coffee in the morning is a daily ritual. But did you know that tea can be just as energizing, and may offer a host of other health benefits as well? Here are some reasons to consider switching to tea.

  1. Lower caffeine content

While some types of tea, such as black tea, can contain as much caffeine as coffee, many teas contain significantly less. For example, a cup of green tea typically contains around 25 milligrams of caffeine, compared to around 95 milligrams in a cup of coffee. This lower caffeine content means that tea may be a better choice for people who are sensitive to caffeine or who want to limit their intake.

  1. Antioxidants

Tea is rich in antioxidants, which are compounds that can help protect your cells from damage caused by free radicals. Green tea, in particular, is high in a type of antioxidant called catechins, which have been shown to have a number of health benefits, including reducing inflammation, improving blood sugar control, and possibly even reducing the risk of certain types of cancer.

  1. Hydration

Tea can help keep you hydrated, which is important for overall health. While coffee can also contribute to your daily fluid intake, it has a diuretic effect that can cause you to lose more water through urine. Tea, on the other hand, is less likely to have this effect, making it a good choice for staying hydrated.

  1. Lower acidity

Coffee is known to be acidic, which can cause digestive discomfort for some people. Tea, on the other hand, is generally less acidic, which may make it a better choice for people with sensitive stomachs.

  1. Variety

Tea comes in a wide range of flavors and varieties, which means there’s something for everyone. Whether you prefer the earthy taste of a good green tea or the floral notes of a delicate white tea, there’s a tea out there that will suit your tastes.

  1. Relaxation

While coffee is known for its energizing effects, tea can also have a calming effect on the mind and body. This is due in part to the presence of an amino acid called L-theanine, which has been shown to promote relaxation and reduce stress.

  1. Dental health

Finally, drinking tea may be good for your teeth. Tea contains compounds called polyphenols, which can help prevent the growth of bacteria that can cause tooth decay and gum disease. Green tea, in particular, has been shown to be effective at reducing the risk of these oral health problems.

In conclusion, while coffee certainly has its benefits, there are many reasons to consider switching to tea. With its lower caffeine content, high antioxidant content, and potential health benefits, tea is a great choice for anyone looking to improve their overall health and well-being. So why not give it a try?

All my books are available on my Amazon Author Page.

If you purchase a book, a brief Amazon review really helps new readers discover my work—it means a lot.

Support my writing: Support My Writing

In Closing, I Would Like to Wish You Well!

George Walters | [email protected]

What’s Happening On April 20/23

Good Morning!

It’s another cool morning here, waking up with the temperature sitting at 0 C | 32 F. However, it will warm up quite a bit as the day moves forward. But in saying that, we won’t be having any summer weather like we had last week for a while yet. What we will be getting is a lot of rain off and on, which is normal for this time of year, at least in our area. Highway 522 is getting busier every day with out-of-towners roaming around. It is nice to see folks out and about.

On another note, my lovely wife and I had to go to the big city yesterday, as they finally found time to remove her tooth that was bothering her for the past three weeks or so. It wasn’t very pleasant, to say the least. But it is done, and now she has to heal a bit. She hasn’t had any real food for a day now, so I am thinking she is getting somewhat hungry. While in town, we picked up some groceries along with some yogourt, so she should be able to eat that without too much difficulty. Hope so. Other than that, the ride to town was nice with the roads being dry, and we did have some sunshine following us which brightened up our life so to speak.

Today I will work here on my computer, being that it is still cold outside.

With that I am off for a bowl of shredded wheat and will then see what the day has in store. You never know, life is like a mystery novel, you never know what the next page might bring.

In Closing I Would Like To Wish You Well. GW

All my books are available on my Amazon Author Page.

If you purchase a book, a brief Amazon review really helps new readers discover my work—it means a lot.

Support my writing: Support My Writing

In Closing, I Would Like to Wish You Well!

George Walters | [email protected]

Living Life to the Fullest

One day I had lunch with some old friends.  Jim, a short,

balding golfer type, about 80-years old, came along with them; all in all, it was a pleasant bunch.

When the menus were presented, my friends and I ordered salads, sandwiches,

and soups, except for Jim who said, “A large piece of home-made apple pie, heated please.”

 I wasn’t sure my ears heard him right, and the others were aghast, When Jim continued, completely unabashed….”along with two large scoops of vanilla ice cream.”

 We tried to act quite nonchalantly as if people did this all the time, but when our orders were brought out, I didn’t enjoy eating mine. I couldn’t take my eyes off of Jim as I watched him savouring each bite of his pie a-la-mode. The other guys just grinned in disbelief as they silently ate their lunches.

 The next time I went out to eat, I called Jim and invited him to join me. I lunched on a white meat tuna sandwich, while he ordered a chocolate parfait. Since I was chuckling, he wanted to know if he amused me.

 I answered, “Yes, you certainly do, but you also confuse me. How come you always order such rich desserts, while I feel like I must be sensible in my food choices?”

 He laughed and said “I’m tasting all that is possible for me to taste.

I try to eat the food I need and do the things I should in order to stay healthy, but life’s too short, my friend. I hate missing out on something good. This year I realized how old I was. (He grinned)  I’ve never been this old before, so, while I’m still here, I’ve decided it’s time to try all those things that, for years, I’ve been ignoring.”

 He continued, “I haven’t smelled all the flowers yet. There are too many trout streams I haven’t fished. There are more fudge sundaes to wolf down and kites to be flown overhead.

“There are too many golf courses I haven’t played. I’ve not laughed at all the jokes.  I’ve missed a lot of sporting events and potato chips and cokes.

“I want to wade again in water and feel ocean spray on my face.

I want to sit in a country church once more and thank God for His grace.

“I want peanut butter every day spread on my morning toast.

 I want untimed long-distance calls to the one I love the most.

 “I haven’t cried at all the movies yet or walked in the morning rain.

I need to feel the wind on my face. I want to be in love again.

“So, if I choose to have dessert, instead of having dinner, then should I die before nightfall, I’d say I died a winner because I missed out on nothing. I filled my heart’s desire.

 I had that final piece of pie before my life expired.”

 With that, I called the waitress over… “I’ve changed my mind,

 ” I said. “I want what he’s having, only add some more whipped cream!”

All my books are available on my Amazon Author Page.

If you purchase a book, a brief Amazon review really helps new readers discover my work—it means a lot.

Support my writing: Support My Writing

In Closing, I Would Like to Wish You Well!

George Walters | [email protected]

One of My Stories About School Days For You to Enjoy!

“Dear reader, I am happy to share one of my stories about school days with you. It’s a tale that is both nostalgic and entertaining, filled with moments of laughter, friendship, and mischief. So sit back, relax, and let me take you on a journey through my memories. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed living it.”

The old one room school house was warm that morning.  Laura and Reg, the folks that I lived with, also looked after the school, but today they were busy on the farm and couldn’t make it.   Usually they had all the windows open and the building swept out before anyone got there.  The oldest boys soon fixed the problem by opening the windows, while the girls swept the floors, in no time at all, things were ready to go. 
     Miss Jameson, had just started teaching at our school a few months ago.  Most of us kids treated her pretty good, but there were a few that liked to pull the odd prank once in a while.  They wouldn’t ever do anything that would hurt her or anyone, but scare, now that was a different story.  Only thing was, though, her being so nice, most of us didn’t want to play any tricks on her.  I kind of figured she had been lucky so far as no one attempted anything, but I knew that was about to change. There were two older fellows in grade eight, that usually came up with the ideas and then made the younger fellows do the dirty work.
     Well, on this day the two older fellows arrived at school earlier, and they picked up a Garter snake along the way.  They cornered this young fellow new to the school and told him to put the snake in the teachers top desk drawer.  The younger boy didn’t really want too, but in fear of getting picked on for the rest of the day, he said he would.  The snake was put in the drawer and pretty well the whole class knew about it, other than a few girls that were real friendly with the teacher.  If they had found out, for sure, they would have said something.
     We all opened our books and were sitting there waiting for her to open her desk. To our dismay, though, she never even went near the drawer, till around noon. Then it happened.
    “Lunchtime,” she said and started to put her things away.  We all sat there holding our breath. Thinking, now she will scream, jump from her chair and run to the other side of the room, maybe even out the door, like all the other teachers had done before.  The girls  that knew what was going on, were holding their hands over their mouth. The guys were on the edge of their seats, the teacher, well, she slowly reached down and opened the drawer.  But to our surprise, she just reached in, took the snake in her hand and laid it on her desk.
    “Well, she said, it looks to me like a few here in the class are interested in snakes.  So right after lunch we will get our science books out, and I will go over the different kinds. I am very happy you brought it to my attention.” 
     Every one that knew about it, just kind of sat there with a look of disappointment on their face.  The laugh, this time, was on us.
    No matter what they came up with, through the year, they just couldn’t scare her. Spiders, mice, more snakes, nothing seemed to bother her. She took them all in stride. 
     Later on we found she was raised in the country and while growing up she was kind of a tomboy.  I will say this, she was the best teacher that I ever had.  She taught all eight grades and never once complained.  Eventually, the older boys found other girls to bother, and the teacher was left alone to do her job.
    So there you have it, a day in the life of a country school teacher.

All my books are available on my Amazon Author Page.

If you purchase a book, a brief Amazon review really helps new readers discover my work—it means a lot.

Support my writing: Support My Writing

In Closing, I Would Like to Wish You Well!

George Walters | [email protected]