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.

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.

Saskatchewan

It has been done.
And by that I mean my move to Saskatchewan. To reflect this major change, I did a minor redesign on the blog.
I have no doubt that my new environment will provide all the fodder needed to write a blog.
I arrived in the prairies on Monday, to find it was nothing and exactly like I expected. I was picked up at the airport by my overly-kind bosses and their dog, Angel.
We took the scenic drive home, giving me an opportunity to take in the sights —yes, Saskatchewan has sights.
It turns out that the natural landscape in South Eastern Saskatchewan isn't that different from Northern Ontario. Seems I bid my lilacs trees back home farewell too soon. Being that is it spring the fields are filled with adorable baby animals that you can't help but fawn over.

Next stop was the office, the World-Spectator, where I got the first glimpse of where the magic happens.

I got to meet the cast and crew that make the paper possible — a colourful bunch to say the least. Arriving on a week with two staff birthdays proved to be quite fruitful. Nothing says welcome like cake.
Besides warm welcomes, my first week was filled with loader rides, attempted fix ups at the post office and community meetings.
Saskatchewan, can't wait to see what else you have to offer.