Seen and Heard in Edmonton

How does your garden grow? This week’s roundup has literal and figurative gardens, things we do to help ourselves grow and things we do to help our children grow. And then some stuff that really doesn’t fit the metaphor at all. Let’s begin with the actual plants and stuff:

• Make your own rosewater with Maegan Lukian.
• Valerie Lugonja offers a tour of her little urban garden.
• Karlynn Johnston finally has rhubarb in her garden to turn into coconut rhubarb scones.
• Allan Suddaby shares River City Kir, the new concoction he’s made out of his hard apple cider and cherry liqueur.

Personal growth

• Two different looks at life at 22: A playful list from Megan McKenna, and a testimony from Hannah at Honey & Betts.
• Diana Tidswell turns 27 and shares some thoughts on reaching that point.
• Donloree Hoffman, never ready but always willing, finds inspiration in Amanda Palmer.
• Edmonton Centre MP Randy Boissonnault talks about progress while sitting on the Pride Bench, a 100in1Day project by David Bayda.
• Rob Truscott shares some things he’d like you to understand about what it’s like to have cancer.
• Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail responds to Jonathan Kay’s critique of In This Together, a book she edited in Edmonton following the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Growing kids

• Jess Holt pays tribute to her kids’ grandmas and reminds herself to let them help.
• Trent Wilkie talks fatherhood with actor, musician, photographer and writer Ryan Parker.
• Raising Edmonton has suggestions for things to do with kids on Canada Day.
• Lori Godin explores the differences between parenting at home and parenting while camping. (By the way, you could win an RV for a week.)

Travelling

• Bill Thompson pays a visit to Hadrian’s Wall and reflects on the people who were on either side of it.
• Kristina Lynne provides a beautiful guide to Barcelona.
• Marcia Hamm has a new favourite summer drink — aperol spritz — which she was introduced to in Verona.
• Alouise Dittrick tells the sad but fascinating story of Tom Sukanen, a lonely and unlucky Finn who built a ship that never sailed but endures near a museum in Moose Jaw.
• Mike Johnston, aka Mr. Kitchen Magpie, recommends his favourite podcasts for road trips.
• Another possible road trip resource: Lindy Pratch lists her favourite audiobooks of the year so far.
• Glenn Kubish has video evidence that some drivers just travel straight through flashing lights at a crosswalk.

To-dos

• Lillian Tse tries out the menu for Café Linnea, the next venture for the team behind Duchess Bake Shop.
• Phil Wilson follows up on the heart-stopping news that Rosebowl Pizza is temporarily closing.
• Sharon Yeo has more news in her weekly food notes.
• Adina J. ups her coat game without breaking the bank.
• Nicole Rowan doesn’t let a little thing like a cast on her foot stop her from thrifting.
• Stephen Robinson sort of learns how to pick a lock. It’s hard.
• Laura Frey launches a summer read-along of Cecilia, an influential but little-known English classic.
• Devin R. Bruce has three more recommendations and a pep talk for you.

Taking care of business

• Nenad Dumanovic lists six organizations ready to help Edmonton entrepreneurs.
• On the Alberta Women Entrepreneurs blog, Laura Zubick explores how small and medium-sized businesses can exercise corporate social responsibility.
• Andrea Beça has a new podcast (more about that tomorrow) and a new ukulele video!
• Lindsey McNeill is getting ready to start shooting Codependent Ghost Girl.
• Matt Henderson can’t believe the Oilers’ luck in getting Jesse Puljujarvi in the draft.
• Vintage Edmonton has some interesting stories from 1914 involving bawdy houses.

That’s just what caught my eye, but it’s a tiny slice of what you could find at ShareEdmonton. You can also find these picks and previous ones on my Flipboard magazine and in past roundups.

Remember we’re out every two weeks now: podcast every other Monday; blog roundup every other Tuesday; podcast roundup every other Wednesday; newsletter (subscribe if you haven’t yet) every other Thursday.

This week’s Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you by Seven Music Fest, a day of great music in beautiful Seven Hills Park in the heart of St. Albert on July 9. Hear about it in a conversation with producer Barry Bailey.

The headliners are the Juno-award-winning group Walk Off the Earth, and they’re just one reason to attend the festival. Get your tickets at sevenmusicfest.com.