Greenwater Report for April 22, 2002

The Greenwater Report for April 22, 2002

Greenwater Provincial Park - Monday, April 22, 2002 - by: Jerry Crawford

house
warming
April 21st, 2002: It’s warm, cold, sunny, cloudy, even a little bit rainy on occasion, and windy throughout. I guess we could say it’s a normal April day. It actually got up to about +12, but we were at a housewarming for Frank and Judith Duhaime this afternoon and sitting around the back yard we got well chilled. The housewarming was a success; Frank and Judith were totally unsuspecting, and that’s a miracle in a little community like this. They have a very pleasant house in Porcupine Plain, perfect for their needs.

Roy
Blyth
Last Monday, we went to Wynyard to pay our respects to another old friend. Roy Blyth died April 11th, at the age of 82. We got to know him well when his daughter, Louise, married our son, Lloyd. The Legion Hall was packed for the memorial service, and afterwards we spent a happy hour or so visiting with friends. Again, we were impressed with Wynyard’s appearance; neat, clean and prosperous-looking.

dust
There was a very strong south wind all day Monday (and all through the night before), and around Wadena we saw clouds of dust blowing off the fields. In the evening, the western sky was bright orange, a sure sign of dust in the air. Have you noticed how far north the sun sets these days?

50th
Yesterday, we went to Mozart; Dan and Joyce Grimson celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, and the hall was packed. We took a few photos, enjoyed a fine meal, and did lots of visiting. What a great community!

birds
Our juncos showed up last Tuesday; on Wednesday Jim Steadman said there was a bluebird building a nest near his place, and he has seen a flock of robins. Several others have seen the robins, too, though we haven’t. There seem to be a lot of different varieties of hawks and falcons around, where usually we just see the red-tailed and marsh hawks. I haven’t had a good look at the smaller ones, but assume they are prairie falcons or merlins. It must be spring - I just wish it would either rain or warm up!

bikes
We pulled our bikes out of the shed and blew up the tires; I went for a ride on Tuesday, but it was almighty cold on the hands. I have to remember to dress differently for biking than for walking.

Golden
Age
Centre
On Thursday, we went to Tisdale to play bridge. The tournament was held in the new Senior’s Center, on the former Tisdale Unit Comprehensive School grounds. What a beautiful building! There is a very large room for card playing, dancing or whatever, with a good-sized stage. There is also a large games room, with three pool tables and a shuffleboard table. In between them is the kitchen and the entrance. We were particularly impressed with the floor - it was maple, salvaged from the old TUCS building. Wilf Carpenter told me it was taken to Arborfield where it was planed and re-jointed, then expertly installed. There is a high ceiling with acoustic tile, so the noise level was very bearable. Congratulations to Tisdale!

remodeled
Cove
open house
Fisherman’s Cove Restaurant re-opened on Wednesday; we went there for coffee in the morning, and again for a late supper in the evening. Lovely restaurant, and a lovely meal! The managers, Connie Schmidt and Patti Kosior, are planning an Open House for May 4th (that’s a Saturday) with public tours of the new facility. If you are real lucky, I might be your guide!

book of
poems
I have the book of George Hayunga’s poems back from the printer and will have some available at Crawford’s Family Fashions in Kelvington. Title of the book is: “Poems and Parodies on Homesteading Days in High Tor.” Some of the poem titles: “My Little Still”, “Now the Pigs Squeal Tonight…”, “Bobby Baldwin’s Friends”. There’s no doubt - homesteading was a tough life. Without their sense of humor few would have made it!

moose
We drove into Uskatik Friday evening. There was a moose lying beside the road, and as we approached it got to its feet and trotted across the road (with that incredible fluid gait moose have) and into the bush. Its head, hump and fronts of the shoulders were dark, but the rest was ash gray, and the poor animal was very thin. We suspect it is the one that has been hanging around the cottages; some people from Uskatik are a bit nervous about taking dogs for a walk.

rabbits
We saw a lot of rabbits, too; most were a dirty, patchy gray, but some were a warm brown color. I suspect they would blend into their surroundings pretty well now.

stotting
A couple of years ago, I mentioned seeing a small herd of mule deer just south of Perigord. Both Merv and Maurice said they see the herd almost every time they drive past there. We were in Kelvington today so watched for them on the way back, and sure enough, they were grazing away on the north side of the bushes. Watching mule deer run (Animal Tracks of Saskatchewan calls it “stotting”) is fun, but we didn’t disturb them.

Doreen & Jerry Crawford
Box 100, Chelan, SK S0E 0N0 (306) 278-3423 http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/crawg

The Greenwater Report for April 22, 2002
Greenwater Provincial Park - Monday, April 22, 2002 - by: Jerry Crawford

house warming	April 21st, 2002: It’s warm, cold, sunny, cloudy, even a little bit rainy on occasion, and windy throughout. I guess we could say it’s a normal April day. It actually got up to about +12, but we were at a housewarming for Frank and Judith Duhaime this afternoon and sitting around the back yard we got well chilled. The housewarming was a success; Frank and Judith were totally unsuspecting, and that’s a miracle in a little community like this. They have a very pleasant house in Porcupine Plain, perfect for their needs.

Roy Blyth	Last Monday, we went to Wynyard to pay our respects to another old friend. Roy Blyth died April 11th, at the age of 82. We got to know him well when his daughter, Louise, married our son, Lloyd. The Legion Hall was packed for the memorial service, and afterwards we spent a happy hour or so visiting with friends. Again, we were impressed with Wynyard’s appearance; neat, clean and prosperous-looking.

dust	There was a very strong south wind all day Monday (and all through the night before), and around Wadena we saw clouds of dust blowing off the fields. In the evening, the western sky was bright orange, a sure sign of dust in the air. Have you noticed how far north the sun sets these days?

50th	Yesterday, we went to Mozart; Dan and Joyce Grimson celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, and the hall was packed. We took a few photos, enjoyed a fine meal, and did lots of visiting. What a great community!

birds	Our juncos showed up last Tuesday; on Wednesday Jim Steadman said there was a bluebird building a nest near his place, and he has seen a flock of robins. Several others have seen the robins, too, though we haven’t. There seem to be a lot of different varieties of hawks and falcons around, where usually we just see the red-tailed and marsh hawks. I haven’t had a good look at the smaller ones, but assume they are prairie falcons or merlins. It must be spring - I just wish it would either rain or warm up!

bikes	We pulled our bikes out of the shed and blew up the tires; I went for a ride on Tuesday, but it was almighty cold on the hands. I have to remember to dress differently for biking than for walking.

Golden Age Centre	On Thursday, we went to Tisdale to play bridge. The tournament was held in the new Senior’s Center, on the former Tisdale Unit Comprehensive School grounds. What a beautiful building! There is a very large room for card playing, dancing or whatever, with a good-sized stage. There is also a large games room, with three pool tables and a shuffleboard table. In between them is the kitchen and the entrance. We were particularly impressed with the floor - it was maple, salvaged from the old TUCS building. Wilf Carpenter told me it was taken to Arborfield where it was planed and re-jointed, then expertly installed. There is a high ceiling with acoustic tile, so the noise level was very bearable. Congratulations to Tisdale!

remodeled Cove open house	Fisherman’s Cove Restaurant re-opened on Wednesday; we went there for coffee in the morning, and again for a late supper in the evening. Lovely restaurant, and a lovely meal! The managers, Connie Schmidt and Patti Kosior, are planning an Open House for May 4th (that’s a Saturday) with public tours of the new facility. If you are real lucky, I might be your guide!

book of poems	I have the book of George Hayunga’s poems back from the printer and will have some available at Crawford’s Family Fashions in Kelvington. Title of the book is: *“Poems and Parodies on Homesteading Days in High Tor.” Some of the poem titles: “My Little Still”, “Now the Pigs Squeal Tonight…”, “Bobby Baldwin’s Friends*”. There’s no doubt - homesteading was a tough life. Without their sense of humor few would have made it!

moose	We drove into Uskatik Friday evening. There was a moose lying beside the road, and as we approached it got to its feet and trotted across the road (with that incredible fluid gait moose have) and into the bush. Its head, hump and fronts of the shoulders were dark, but the rest was ash gray, and the poor animal was very thin. We suspect it is the one that has been hanging around the cottages; some people from Uskatik are a bit nervous about taking dogs for a walk.

rabbits	We saw a lot of rabbits, too; most were a dirty, patchy gray, but some were a warm brown color. I suspect they would blend into their surroundings pretty well now.

stotting	A couple of years ago, I mentioned seeing a small herd of mule deer just south of Perigord. Both Merv and Maurice said they see the herd almost every time they drive past there. We were in Kelvington today so watched for them on the way back, and sure enough, they were grazing away on the north side of the bushes. Watching mule deer run (Animal Tracks of Saskatchewan calls it “stotting”) is fun, but we didn’t disturb them.

	Doreen & Jerry Crawford Box 100, Chelan, SK S0E 0N0 (306) 278-3423 http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/crawg