Emil Probylsky

This is Emil Probylsky. He was feisty old man who called me on some bad math while fishing. He was convinced his catch was going to be a "50 pounder".

Yee-haw!

Moosomin's yearly Rodeo was this past weekend, and it may not be the Calgary stampede, but it was a bucking good time. It featured real life bull riding, which is the most stressful sport I have ever watched. Apparently the overall riding was worse than usual because of a couple of rank (rodeo lingo for a particularly difficult) bulls.


Rocanville recently passed a new by-law that was spurred on by their obsession with town tidiness. Section 13 was was added to the Nuisance Abatement Bylaw stating that "no person shall create a potential habitat for snakes within town limits by stock piling concrete, buying concrete, using concrete as fill to raise land elevation or by failing to remove concrete from a demolition sites..." Apparently this guy got some free gravel from an RM looking to get rid of it and now it sits on his property, and is rather unsightly. After two and a half hours of belly aching about yard conditions, this bylaw gave me a serious case of the giggles.

I went to a pow-wow a couple of weekends ago and snapped some pics. I can't find the picture I took of the 20-something guy in traditional dance gear wearing a New York Yankees cap.

Photo update

I haven't been keeping up with my posts, but I swear that it isn't Saskatchewan's fault.
Getting back on track can be a challenge, so I'm going to ease into it with a photo blog.
I took that picture from my back deck-for-one. I wasn't trying to take a silhouette photo, but I did by accident. I just emailed my college prof to ask how to replicate this because Saskatchewan gives good sky.


The best dressed team—or "Wolf Pack" as they tell it—at the golf tournament held recently at Carelton Trails. I wish I could claim that they are all strangers, but that would be a lie.

I recently learned at Elkhorn's Antique Auto Museum that the original dodges have the Star of David on it. The museum curator told me rumor had it that the Dodge brothers were Jewish, and that they changed the symbol because people didn't want to buy Jewish cars. In reality, the logo wasn't a sign of Judaism but two interlocking triangles believed to represent Delta's —the Greek letter for D. And the brothers were Methodists. They did, however, moved away from the six point star in 1939 when they were trying to export trucks to Europe.
This dodge I came across in Maryfield isn't quite that old, but it has seen better days.


This tree grows on the side of highway eight, which takes me north to Allison's. After I snapped this photo I was reminded of a tree that used to grow outside my mom's house at the corner of Lincoln and Isabella Street. A tree that at one time was a very good friend of mine—one I used to plant Cheetos under convinced that I could will a Cheeto tree to grow.

Gliding, and soaring of sorts.

This past week-end, the Spectator signed me up to accompany a local crew of cadets gliding. Gliding is done by towing an engineless plane 2000 feet up, and then letting her go.
The feeling is incomparable. Without the noise of an engine, there is a natural feeling of flight, quiet and serene. I didn't want to come down, and am now convinced I should have been a bird.
The only really terrifying part was releasing the rope that attached us to the tow plane- the plane with the engine. I'm not sure that my brain understood what was happening until the rope fell in front of me, thankfully the panic passed quickly.
Despite my protests, the pilot -seen below- set us down safe and sound.



Today, while on assignment, I snapped this photo of a an Ospry hunting with its mate (who refused to enter the same frame) over the Qu'Apelle Valley. I am no longer surprised by the natural beauty here, just frustrated it won't co-operate with my photographic capabilities.



Unrelated note: I will be cheering for Germany this World Cup.

The world cup started today, and nobody cares. Well, that isn't entirely true. It is, after all, the most watched sporting event in the world, just not around here. 84,000 people gathered in Johannesburg's Soccer City stadium to watch Mexico and South Africa's opening game.
You'd think with all the wide open, flat land around, the people of Saskatchewan would get behind a game like soccer wholeheartedly. No one in my office, save graphic designer Gina, even blinked at the mention of the opening match. To make things more interesting, I proposed an office pool. Again, only Gina, who is a fan of Argentina, responded positively. I think, in order to make the event more interesting around here, I will take on the roll of rabid fan. Now all I have to do is pick a team. In '96 I was in France when the world cup started, so my allegiance fell naturally. Since then, they have continue to disappoint offensively, and after the whole irish handball incident I'm not sure my heart is in it.
With the first round of play already underway I don't have much longer to decide.
For the record, the opener ended in a 1-1 draw, with Mexico equalizing in the last 11 minutes of regulation play.

Inquiring minds

While I was trawling the internet and hanging out with my dehumidifier, thank-you crop destroying rainfall, I came across this little tidbit. The national enquirer will compete for the Pulitzer Prize — an award whose motto is honouring excellence in journalsim and the arts since 1917.
The tabloid is being considered under the category of investigative reporting and national news reporting for the work it did breaking presidential candidate, John Edwards' extramarital affair.
Apparently there was some debate regarding whether or not it would be considered. It should be mentioned that this same paper has reporting on Richard Simmons' "alleged" sexuality.



In my mind the papers chosen for Pulitzers should not only have that exceptional, attention grabbing series, but also a respectable body of work. Then again, maybe this should act as a flare for the state of journalism.



In other, non-enquirer news, scientist discovered, what they are now calling, the oldest shoe in a cave in Armenia. The 5,500 year old loafer was found near the Turkish and Iranian borders and is estimated to be about a modern-day size 7. Made of cow hide, the shoe predates the Pyramids of Giza by 1,000 years. Armenians everywhere are beaming with pride — cradle of life people, cradle of life.

Loader rides and Prairie fun.

Today, during research for a story, I can across this lil' tidbit from Stats Can. Apparently, 44 per cent of Canadian tourist responded that there is nothing worth seeing in the province of Saskatchewan. In fact, my beloved new home ranked the lowest of all provinces and territories.
Apparently, Saskatchewan Tourism isn't doing their job.
Saskatchewan may not have an big malls or giant nickels, but there are certainly things worth coming here for.
I may only be in my second week, but I have to say, the communities here are enchanting. Beyond the kindness of stranger, which there is a plenty, Saskatchewan in a beautiful place.
I've heard it referred to as the land of 1000 skies, which means very little until you see it for yourself. Each sunset and sunrise you can easily find a panoramic view of a natural light show that rivals the Northern Lights.
As I've gotten to see more of the province, my awareness of its natural beauty has grown. At the same time, I become more aware of how ignorant it was of me to assume that the 600,000 square foot province (10% of which happens to be water) was in anyway uniform.
Before I came here, my pre-30 bucket list tentatively included a cross-Canada Winnebago trip. After seeing the kind of communities that line the Trans-Canada, the idea is definitely a-go.
Proud indeed.