Top Stories

The Year in Music: 2022
Nov 20, 2022 | | ArtsOur annual review of new recordings by local musicians with flavours of rock, country, jazz and more.

Local Heroes 2022
Nov 20, 2022 | | CommunityEvery year we honour those who go above and beyond to help others, to make exciting things happen, and to improve the quality of life in their communities.

Home Sweet Home
Jan 6, 2023 | | Notes from the WildMost of us have the good fortune to raise our families in safe, comfortable houses. Birds want nothing less.

The Year in Books: 2022
Nov 20, 2022 | | ArtsThere’s been an amazing proliferation of new books this year, and local books always make great Christmas gifts! Here’s our annual round-up of what to read this winter.

In the Bleak Midwinter
Nov 20, 2022 | | EnvironmentDon Scallen explores how birds, mammals and reptiles have adapted to survive our long, trying winter.

Home for the Holydays
Nov 20, 2022 | | CommunityAs the end of year draws near, families and friends gather to celebrate the myriad of traditions, festivals and holy days that are observed in the hills.
In Every Issue

Metric Resistance
Nov 20, 2022 | | Over the Next HillDo you still think in a weird mix of metric and imperial? Writer Gail Grant finds that 50 years later conversion doesn’t come easily, especially if you’re in a certain age bracket.

Taking the Learning Curve Too Fast
Nov 20, 2022 | | Fence PostsSafely navigating the narrow, snow covered hills of Headwaters is no walk in the park, as many long-time residents attest and new arrivals quickly learn.

Arrival of the Aunties
Nov 20, 2022 | | Headwaters NestFor many of us, as the daylight grows shorter and shorter, it’s a time to gather with friends and family.

Letters – Our Readers Write: Winter 2022
Nov 20, 2022 | | Letters, Our Readers WriteLetters published in the Winter 2022 edition of In The Hills magazine.

Feed the Birds
Nov 20, 2022 | | Country Living 101Looking to bring colour and joy to those grey winter days? Setting up a feeder for our fine feathered friends is a mutually beneficial move.

Modern Family
Nov 20, 2022 | | At Home in the HillsJade and Roland Skuce’s passion for building from scratch dovetailed with the birth of their daughter and resulted in a remarkable modern farmhouse.

Geoff Dilley
Nov 20, 2022 | | Over the Next HillEach of Geoff Dilley’s memory boxes has a unique inlay design, crafted with the types of wood once used to make propellers for World War I aircraft.

A Puzzling Conclusion: Winter 2022
Nov 20, 2022 | | PuzzlesHere are some fun challenges to warm up the brain cells this winter! Crack some codes, think outside the circle and spot the misfit letters to solve these new puzzles.

Local Buys: Winter 2022
Nov 20, 2022 | | Made in the HillsLocally grown lavender, handmade pottery, leather beer holders and bold brass earrings will make great gifts to give this season.

Food + Drink Winter 2022
Nov 20, 2022 | | Food + DrinkBig flavours brighten the season! From classic bonbons and tourtière to new beers and café treats, a winter of good taste lies ahead.

Field Notes for Winter 2022
Nov 20, 2022 | | Field NotesHit the great outdoors, take in a play or concert, and get in the holiday spirit this winter

Winter Contributors
Nov 18, 2022 | | ContributorsMeet some of the people who bring you these pages.

Lynden Cowan
Nov 20, 2022 | | Artist in ResidenceLynden Cowan’s highly detailed hyper realistic paintings require “triple-zero brushes by the boxload” to achieve.

Bring It On!
Nov 20, 2022 | | A Day in the LifeWhen the winter wind blows and the flakes fly, snowplow operator Bruce Crawford is ready to go to work.

Elora Cataract Trailway
Nov 20, 2022 | | Take a HikeEnjoy an amble on the Elora Cataract Trailway, a 47km recreational route that was once the path of the Credit Valley Railway.

Meet the Maker: Johana Cordero
Nov 20, 2022 | | Made in the HillsFor this weaver, the warp and weft of life is much more than a metaphor.
Notes From the Wild

Return to the Trout Stream
Dec 1, 2022 | | Notes from the WildRivers in the Headwaters region still flow clean, clear and cool through areas not yet urbanized. This natural heritage is a gift to area residents and well worth protecting.

Crooning Tree Crickets
Nov 3, 2022 | | Notes from the WildMale tree crickets – rock stars of the insect realm – sing to attract females, and display other courtship behaviour not so different from ours.

Fascinating Fungi
Oct 5, 2022 | | Notes from the WildFall is the perfect time to get down low and take a closer peek at the stunningly diverse and complex organisms that are fungi

Transforming Turf into a Meadow Ecosystem
Sep 12, 2022 | | Notes from the WildFrom a swath of turf grass came a thriving meadow ecosystem full of wild flowers, pollinators and biodiversity.
Lace Up!

Home Game
A backyard rink is just one of the deft holiday moves NHL linesman Shandor Alphonso and his wife, Jacelyn, make for their young boys at home.

The Good Old Hockey Guy
Al Waltho may have replaced two hips and a knee, but he’s not quite ready to hang up his skates.

Geezer Hockey
We play municipal seniors’ pickup hockey for the exercise, the banter, the camaraderie and the sheer joy of the game.

Millpond Hockey at the Alton Mill
What could be more Canadian than lacing up to play on the pond?
Winter Wonders

Boreal Birds
Over 300 species, totalling billions of birds rely on Canada’s boreal forest as breeding grounds.

Foul-Weather Friends
Birds are drawn to feeders like Saturday morning coffee drinkers to Tim Hortons. The presence of birds in the winter landscape is life-affirming.

Redpolls
The redpoll feeding etiquette is decidedly boorish; they jostle each other rudely for favoured perches on the feeders.

Winter Bird Watching
This is a special winter for bird watching in the hills.
Comfort and Joy

Merry & Bright
Local food pros share a few of their favourite holiday recipes, from sugar cookies to Madeleines, to brighten the cookie tray this year.

Cooking with Phil Dewar: Rum Cake
“Just play with the recipe. Have fun,” says Soulyve’s Phil Dewar of his Caribbean rum cake ingredients.

The Globe’s Tea Biscuits
The tea biscuits at The Globe Restaurant are light and flakey with a hint of sweetness.

Lee Shaw’s Secret Shortbread Hearts
Serving size depends how big your heart is!