Meet three of the creative folks – Johanna Bernhardt, Anthony Jenkins and Kim van Oosterom – who make this issue shine.

Dedicated local gardener Tony Spencer channels the aesthetic of the famed Dutch plantsman into his corner of the rural countryside of Mono.

Covid has shifted our world and changed our priorities. For many, the hopes and dreams for the aftertimes are simple ones – to hug a parent, have dinner with a friend.

A small Ontario town boasts a culinary scene with fine dining, great coffee shops and everything in between.

In what could have been a lost year for isolated new parents and their babies, social agencies moved their tried-and-true community meetups and support groups online.

An Orangeville landmark gets a splashy makeover and the chance to turbocharge the town’s vibrant dining scene.

The provincial government is stripping Ontario’s conservation authorities of the very meaning of their name ­– and key protections for the environment.

Red foxes are making themselves at home in Inglewood, Grand Valley and Palgrave, hunting in our yards and denning under our sheds and garages.

And some of those changes may be for the better.

Bolton multimedia artist and ceramicist Christine Nnawuchi mines the depths of her imagination for the objects and artifacts in her latest collection.

Everyone must believe in something. I believe I’ll go canoeing.
– Henry David Thoreau

Letters published in the Spring 2021 edition of In The Hills magazine.

What to plant, read, wear this spring.

The Ford government has navigated Covid as well as or better than many – but at the same time, it has also escalated its pro-development agenda.

From the office window, riddling in Redickville and the prevaricating paddlers.

A country house has a lot of moving parts that can stop moving at any moment.

This Orangeville artist strings together her Anishnaabe heritage and contemporary design in every pair of earrings she makes.

How a young family is reimagining an 1885 Erin farmhouse for a long, happy life.

Humble beginnings for Bruce, who is considered one of lacrosse’s all-time great defensive players.

Fixate on florals this spring – fresh, preserved and, yes, paper.

Animus between Protestants and Catholics brewed among early settlers in Headwaters.

A year in we’ve been through so much – but we’re still putting one foot in front of the other.

We’re tracking family-sized meals, vegetarian tacos and gourmet doughnuts.

Meet three of the creative folks – Johanna Bernhardt, Anthony Jenkins and Kim van Oosterom – who make this issue shine.

This Orangeville artist strings together her Anishnaabe heritage and contemporary design in every pair of earrings she makes.

An Orangeville jeweller casts nature as the star of her striking one-of-a-kind pieces.

How an Orangeville mom made homemade soaps and beauty oils her business.

Headwaters Fly Fishing Club keeps the art and craft of handmade ties alive.

From the Alton Mill to the One of a Kind Show, this knitter’s up-sized pieces are wowing collectors.

How a designer found her groove in Caledon East by offering one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces and sculptural clothing creations.

The ancient craft of dry stone walling is alive and well in Headwaters thanks to this busy local artisan.

This jeweller crafts her designs to match the individual – even when meeting them in person was on hold.

Vernal pools, like coral reefs, are theatres showcasing life and death struggles between prey and predators.

Ten species of frogs and toads share our landscape, a rich assemblage of hopping amphibians for such a northerly clime.

Along the Bruce Trail, spring is the time to slow to a saunter 
and see, hear and scent nature’s renewal.

On warm evenings in April and May our hills awaken to the life affirming voices of spring peepers. Their shrill calls stir the winter weary soul.

Calvin is a rare piebald version of a spotted salamander.

The heart-gladdening beauty of early wildflowers is a signal all is right in the woodland. Which one is your favourite?

May and June herald the arrival of a trio of supremely beautiful tropical migrants: indigo buntings, Baltimore orioles and rose-breasted grosbeaks.

Take time to notice the fox, white-crowned and white-throated sparrows.

Art and gardening inspire each other to superlative effect in the botanical pursuits of two local artists.

An allée of ‘Profusion’ crabapples at Lilactree Farm in Mulmur.

Terra Cotta landscape gardener Amanda White’s own garden is brimming with foxgloves and dahlias.

At their garden in Mono, Liz and George Knowles garden with an eye to all four seasons.

Dedicated local gardener Tony Spencer channels the aesthetic of the famed Dutch plantsman into his corner of the rural countryside of Mono.

Melanthon’s Amber Swidersky creates lush bouquets with blooms just steps from her floral studio.

Gardener Liz Knowles’ passion for rare yet rugged alpine flora has transformed her Mono gardens into more than an aesthetic triumph. They’re an aide memoire of her life and travels 40 years on.

At Lee Anne Downey’s new lavender farm in Erin, small-batch products and intimate retreats are in the works.

A piano teacher keeps her music school running on her iPad.

Keeping both animals and staff safe was a priority at the Upper Credit Humane Society shelter.

A Mono teen reassesses her idea of “normal.”

A yoga teacher discovers the Zen in Zoom.

This healthy twist on a classic is my friend Rich Miller’s family recipe.

This zingy lemon garlic salad is a takeaway hit at Rasmi’s Falafel at the Orangeville Farmers’ Market. Here’s how to make it at home.

This apple and kale salad is perfect for potlucks because it travels so well.

Finger licking good!

A family finds both continuity with the past and dreams fulfilled in a historic log house in Caledon.

How a lush Hillsburgh property warms the souls of its English expat owners – and neighbours looking to get fit.

The kitchen design was influenced by the eclectic kitchens of rural southern France.

How a young family is reimagining an 1885 Erin farmhouse for a long, happy life.