Greenwater Report for September 25, 2000

The Greenwater Report for September 25, 2000

Greenwater Provincial Park - September 25, 2000 - By: Gerald Crawford

bonus
September 24th, 2000: A lovely, sunny day, with not much wind. One of those days that seems like a bonus at this time of year. Someone reported seeing combines at work today; I guess the past windy days would have been good for drying crops.

hundred miles of vapor trail
Some sunset last night! Some fluffy clouds over the lake were blood red; driving home and looking at it through a screen of trees, you would swear it was a forest fire! At one point, the vapor trail from a jet ran through it and clear across the sky. In the red sky, it looked like a white-hot lance. I wonder how many gallons of water would be in a hundred miles of vapor trail?

rummage sale
Last Monday, we went to Perigord, to a rummage sale and lunch in the church hall. It was quite a sight, there were three tables stretching from one end of the hall to the other, and piled high with (mostly) clothing. I could see why they are called rummage sales, because when we got there the tables were solidly lined on both sides with people flipping articles of clothing, turning them over, holding them up, and either discarding them or putting them in garbage bags. The whole hall seemed afloat on waves of clothing. How I wished I had brought my camera! I gather it didn’t matter what you bought, the price was 25 cents per item. Lunch was a very nice sandwich, piece of cake, and cup of coffee, all for $1.50! Who says I don’t like rummage sales?!

highway construction
There is some highway construction taking place at the junction of highways #38 and #349. (picture at top of page from along #49) The bush has been pushed back and that hill is being used for clay to build up #349 just west. If you have driven that road in the spring, you would swear the sloughs on either side of the road were actually higher than the road, and that the ducks were looking down at you. Nobody remembers the road actually flooding, but that is where they are building it up. Someone said the construction would extend a mile west. Hope they remembered to put in some culverts.

patching
There is also some work being done on No. 38 south of Perigord. I suspect it is just patching of the worst sections, though.

Connie Schmidt
I’m sorry to say that Connie Schmidt will no longer be operating a craft shop and coffee house (Coffee Plus, just south of those Co-op fuel tanks). The building has been sold and will be moved soon. Gary was complaining that people still stop in looking for the store; Doreen pointed out that if he would take down the sign on the highway, people may stop coming in.

This is Lucy the easily frightened stray who has been adopted and continues to assert her tempramental personality in Gerald's column from time to time.

blackbirds
Last Wednesday, a good-sized flock of Brewer’s blackbirds descended on our yard. They hopped around picking at something on the driveway but we couldn’t see what. It could have been gravel, or possibly some bugs out on the wet gravel. They were very nervous, and if one of their number flew a few feet, the whole flock would take off. Just a few seconds and they would be back, though. We don‚t often see blackbirds in the yard.

heading south
There have been many different kinds of birds at the feeder, two several kinds of sparrows, two kinds of juncoes, sapsuckers, etc. I guess the time has come for them to start thinking of heading south.

projects
A couple of projects are under way at the Park. The beach changehouse has gone, and a new one is being built. So far, it is just a cement pad. And, a bike trail is being built from Hilltop Campground to just west of the service center, where the old pedestrian trail was. Lots of trucks, tractors and graders coming and going for just a little trail. I understand it will serve both cyclers and pedestrians, and will be paved.

first snow
We got the first snow of the season, at least the first we have seen, on Thursday night. We came home late and ran into a flurry just about when we turned onto Elk Ridge Road. Next morning, there was a little left on some leaves, but none on the ground. Doreen was talking to a friend at North Battleford, and she had to shovel off her deck that morning. After coffee Friday, we went for the mail; the overcast had broken up, the sun was shining brightly, and we drove through quite a heavy snow flurry. With the bright colors lit up by the sun, it was quite an experience.

fall photos
With that high wind early in the week, we thought we were going to lose all our brightly-colored leaves, but it hasn’t been the case. They are brighter than ever. I suspect the colors are at their peak now, so if you want some fall photos, now is the time to take them.

geese
At least some of the geese are still hanging around the beach area. We counted five this morning, so there are likely lots more.

Gerald B. Crawford
Box 100, Chelan, SK S0E 0N0 (306) 278-3423
Check out my Webpage: http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/crawg

The Greenwater Report for September 25, 2000

Greenwater Provincial Park - September 25, 2000 - By: Gerald Crawford

bonus	September 24th, 2000: A lovely, sunny day, with not much wind. One of those days that seems like a bonus at this time of year. Someone reported seeing combines at work today; I guess the past windy days would have been good for drying crops.

hundred miles of vapor trail	Some sunset last night! Some fluffy clouds over the lake were blood red; driving home and looking at it through a screen of trees, you would swear it was a forest fire! At one point, the vapor trail from a jet ran through it and clear across the sky. In the red sky, it looked like a white-hot lance. I wonder how many gallons of water would be in a hundred miles of vapor trail?

rummage sale	Last Monday, we went to Perigord, to a rummage sale and lunch in the church hall. It was quite a sight, there were three tables stretching from one end of the hall to the other, and piled high with (mostly) clothing. I could see why they are called rummage sales, because when we got there the tables were solidly lined on both sides with people flipping articles of clothing, turning them over, holding them up, and either discarding them or putting them in garbage bags. The whole hall seemed afloat on waves of clothing. How I wished I had brought my camera! I gather it didn’t matter what you bought, the price was 25 cents per item. Lunch was a very nice sandwich, piece of cake, and cup of coffee, all for $1.50! Who says I don’t like rummage sales?!

highway construction	There is some highway construction taking place at the junction of highways #38 and #349. (picture at top of page from along #49) The bush has been pushed back and that hill is being used for clay to build up #349 just west. If you have driven that road in the spring, you would swear the sloughs on either side of the road were actually higher than the road, and that the ducks were looking down at you. Nobody remembers the road actually flooding, but that is where they are building it up. Someone said the construction would extend a mile west. Hope they remembered to put in some culverts.

patching	There is also some work being done on No. 38 south of Perigord. I suspect it is just patching of the worst sections, though.

Connie Schmidt	I’m sorry to say that Connie Schmidt will no longer be operating a craft shop and coffee house (Coffee Plus, just south of those Co-op fuel tanks). The building has been sold and will be moved soon. Gary was complaining that people still stop in looking for the store; Doreen pointed out that if he would take down the sign on the highway, people may stop coming in.


	This is Lucy the easily frightened stray who has been adopted and continues to assert her tempramental personality in Gerald's column from time to time.

blackbirds	Last Wednesday, a good-sized flock of Brewer’s blackbirds descended on our yard. They hopped around picking at something on the driveway but we couldn’t see what. It could have been gravel, or possibly some bugs out on the wet gravel. They were very nervous, and if one of their number flew a few feet, the whole flock would take off. Just a few seconds and they would be back, though. We don‚t often see blackbirds in the yard.

heading south	There have been many different kinds of birds at the feeder, two several kinds of sparrows, two kinds of juncoes, sapsuckers, etc. I guess the time has come for them to start thinking of heading south.

projects	A couple of projects are under way at the Park. The beach changehouse has gone, and a new one is being built. So far, it is just a cement pad. And, a bike trail is being built from Hilltop Campground to just west of the service center, where the old pedestrian trail was. Lots of trucks, tractors and graders coming and going for just a little trail. I understand it will serve both cyclers and pedestrians, and will be paved.

first snow	We got the first snow of the season, at least the first we have seen, on Thursday night. We came home late and ran into a flurry just about when we turned onto Elk Ridge Road. Next morning, there was a little left on some leaves, but none on the ground. Doreen was talking to a friend at North Battleford, and she had to shovel off her deck that morning. After coffee Friday, we went for the mail; the overcast had broken up, the sun was shining brightly, and we drove through quite a heavy snow flurry. With the bright colors lit up by the sun, it was quite an experience.

fall photos	With that high wind early in the week, we thought we were going to lose all our brightly-colored leaves, but it hasn’t been the case. They are brighter than ever. I suspect the colors are at their peak now, so if you want some fall photos, now is the time to take them.

geese	At least some of the geese are still hanging around the beach area. We counted five this morning, so there are likely lots more.

	Gerald B. Crawford Box 100, Chelan, SK S0E 0N0 (306) 278-3423 Check out my Webpage: http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/crawg