A tiny newborn can turn the strongest routine into a brand-new adventure, and that’s exactly where we start. I sit down with my son Garrett to celebrate the arrival of baby Gritten, unpack the story behind his one-of-a-kind name, and talk honestly about those early weeks that are equal parts joy, exhaustion, and awe. We also get into the parts new parents don’t always expect, like postpartum emotions, why babies seem to have “favourite people,” and how growth percentiles actually work when the doctor says your kid is in the 90th percentile.

From the nursery, we jump straight into the real-world grind of building and maintaining modern life outdoors and in the city. Garrett shares what it’s like working on Toronto LRT construction, why track and tunnel work takes months, and how traffic flow changes the way governments plan roadwork. I also share a couple of practical nuggets, like why road sweepers matter more than most people realise and why summer is such a common season for big construction closures.

Then we head back under the canopy for a topic that’s getting harder to ignore: tick prevention in Ontario. We talk through a DIY tick-control experiment using treated nesting material in toilet paper rolls, what to watch for after a tick bite, and why relying on a bullseye rash can be a mistake. We also touch on emerging tick concerns as climates shift.

We wrap by catching up on Chaga mushroom wellness and what’s new at Chaga Health and Wellness, including Ruby G and other cold brew Chaga tea blends made for summer, plus a clear explanation of why people chase turmeric, how black pepper affects absorption, and why cortisol and sleep keep showing up in adaptogen conversations. If you like practical outdoors talk with real family stories, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave us a review so more people can find the show.