Joy Drop: Full respect to record-setting Hilary Knight

Happy September! I can't believe the summer has flown by. The air is starting to get crisp with the promise of autumn. I am excited to be trumpeting joy to you this week!

My basil is thriving and I couldn't be happier. I was travelling too much this summer to be able to set up my small balcony garden of hot peppers and a few herbs. At work, my dear friend Morgan Campbell of CBC's Bring It In told me about his own vegetables and inspired me to get a plant before summer ended. I did. She is voluptuous, a brilliant shade of emerald green and I can't wait to make pesto.

Speaking of trumpets, Edwin Diaz, Puerto Rican pitcher for the New York Mets, grabbed my attention when his walk-up music was played live by Timmy Trumpet. I am totally enthralled by this moment.

The Australian musician was absolutely magnificent in his live rendition of his song, Narco. Diaz walked and then jogged to the mound as the crowd erupted. The sounds of the trumpet were mixed with the track and it was all surreal. It looked as if every single person at the ballpark was recording the moment. I LOVED it. The hype, the excitement, the energy. The Mets beat the L.A. Dodgers 2-1 that night. I have seriously thought about using Tiny Trumpet music before I begin my first class teaching at TMU this semester.

The women's world hockey championship is happening in Denmark and as the best women's hockey players compete on the ice one name rose above all: Hilary Knight, after the 33 year-old American broke Canadian legend Hayley Wickenheiser's career points record at the world women's championship.

A goal and an assist in the USA's 12-1 win over Hungary on Thursday gave Knight 87 points, one more than Wick's total of 86. I have watched Knight play many times and her dedication and tenacity on the ice never fail to amaze me — and annoy me when she is still gunning late in the third and is one of the best players I have ever seen. Knight has caused many Canadian fans a lot of stress over the years but she deserves all the accolades.

On the topic of talented hockey players, I wanted to share the work of a phenomenal artist from Paintink Studio. You may not recognize her off the ice. Saroya Tinker, executive director of Black Girl Hockey Club Canada and Toronto Six, is also an amazing artist.

"Painting is an outlet for me," Tinker explained to me over IG. "It's my way of expressing my body image to the world. And I perceive my body and how other bodies are perceived. I want everybody to be able to see themselves in my artwork, whether it's their shape, their shape or their size."

Tinker paints in deep and darker hues of nude colours and presents beautiful forms of women in beautiful shades that reflect so many. I fell in love with her work.

Have a beautiful weekend and great first day of school!

I offer you Timmy Trumpet to march into the month with gusto!