Overhead display

We all know that Spring can still pack some wintry punch, but it sure is nice to marvel at some early-spring rituals, such as the return of geese.

Shiny, heavy metal

One of the best things about this newspaper racket is that occasionally you get to wear special protective gear as you tour a steel-making plant. The scene at times resembled an Elton John retro convention or a bad sci fi-heavy metal mix on roids. But actually this was serious stuff -- we taxpayers are spending $10 million to help a local industry invest a total of $80 million in an expansion that will create jobs, increase efficiency, and -- get this -- reduce the foundry's impact on the environment.

In these parts, the colour of money is a bright red, as in sparks created by an arc furnace.