Gentle Spring
Tisdale,
Sunday, April 13, 2014
by Timothy W. Shire
Tisdale,
Sunday, April 13, 2014
by Timothy W. Shire
.
Some time spring comes with a fair amount of violence or at the very least some hostility. However, the spring of 2014 is all in all remarkably peaceful. Throughout March the temperature each day remained well below the freezing mark but most days were sunny so even though it was fairly cold the snow in the fields and back yards steadily became thinner and thinner.
On Thursday, April 10 I took a look around and to my surprise discovered that most of the winter's snow was now liquid and flowing in ditches and streams. I even met this tractor (below) hustling home with some new field equipment. Saturday, April 12 I snapped the two pictures below left of our back yard at around 7:00 AM and we had received about four inches of fresh snow turned the world quietly all white again.
On Thursday, April 10 I took a look around and to my surprise discovered that most of the winter's snow was now liquid and flowing in ditches and streams. I even met this tractor (below) hustling home with some new field equipment. Saturday, April 12 I snapped the two pictures below left of our back yard at around 7:00 AM and we had received about four inches of fresh snow turned the world quietly all white again.
Thursday, April 10 I drove out to the new acreage development just west of the Tisdale airport which is called Megan Landing in recognition of a rural school district located east of Arbourfield. The young spruce trees and the sign had some snow about them but below you can see the newly installed SaskPower transmission line marches across a black field.
The 34 second video at the top of this page was made of the water making its way north from the CN railway tracks where it crosses Heritage road in the same area the two images below right were taken. Meanwhile, the Dog Hide river is flowing gently with the run off being gradual enough not to cause flooding. This is actually more of an exception then a rule.
The geese normally return to Tisdale and surrounding areas about the second or third week of March but as they did last year they have waited patiently for the open water to begin to show up before moving north. We did see a flock of geese south of Prince Albert a week ago today but Prince Albert and area had lighter snow cover then the Tisdale area this winter so there was water for the birds to land and get busy building their nets for this year's goslings.
The town of Tisdale have done a great job this spring keeping the ice from building up around the storm sewer inlets. Below left you can see a pair of workmen with their steam unit as they worked on clearing up a large puddle in the ditch along the highway in front of Robin's Donuts.
Each Spring Riverside Golf course is under water but in 2014 (below right) it appears that this is not the case in 2014. Not only is the snow clearing from the fairways but where ever the snow leaves the grass is turning green almost immediately. Certainly, the green grass makes us all start looking for the first robins to show up, but so far no sign of them.
Each Spring Riverside Golf course is under water but in 2014 (below right) it appears that this is not the case in 2014. Not only is the snow clearing from the fairways but where ever the snow leaves the grass is turning green almost immediately. Certainly, the green grass makes us all start looking for the first robins to show up, but so far no sign of them.
The snowfall that came during the night early Saturday morning was not in the form of a storm although there was some drifting and a fair accumulation on our roof, the pictures below are all taken around seven Saturday morning and there was more light snow fall through out the day. More than enough snow to get most people reaching for the shovels to clear off their driveways and sidewalks.
The picture below is on the street just north of McKay Tower as it appeared on Thursday morning. This home owner has a couple small pumps moving the water from the huge puddle on the street in front of his driveway and dumping it down the manhole in the middle of the street.
The two pictures below that were taken around 1:00 PM today and show the fresh snow on BowMar's truck line up while the picture below that is a nearby back alley.
The temperature is expected to remain fairly low for the next few days which is just fine as it will just moderate the rapid movement of water in the streams and reduce flooding. We are all expecting that the whole business of farming is going to get going in good time this year because the fields are draining and we noticed in areas like the area east of Porcupine Plain where the snow cover was not deep that it could be only ten days or so until field work begins.
Truly this is a fine time of the year, filled with hope and promise and no mosquitoes. Speaking of mosquitoes. There were significant numbers of cases of West Nile in Saskatchewan so plan now to protect yourself and your family from this very dangerous disease. Start by getting rid of spring puddles in your yard and keep that grass short. If you are not aware of the dangers of this disease read up on it because with people with reduced immune response West Nile is most often fatal.
The two pictures below that were taken around 1:00 PM today and show the fresh snow on BowMar's truck line up while the picture below that is a nearby back alley.
The temperature is expected to remain fairly low for the next few days which is just fine as it will just moderate the rapid movement of water in the streams and reduce flooding. We are all expecting that the whole business of farming is going to get going in good time this year because the fields are draining and we noticed in areas like the area east of Porcupine Plain where the snow cover was not deep that it could be only ten days or so until field work begins.
Truly this is a fine time of the year, filled with hope and promise and no mosquitoes. Speaking of mosquitoes. There were significant numbers of cases of West Nile in Saskatchewan so plan now to protect yourself and your family from this very dangerous disease. Start by getting rid of spring puddles in your yard and keep that grass short. If you are not aware of the dangers of this disease read up on it because with people with reduced immune response West Nile is most often fatal.
