Three native species of poplar grow in Saskatchewan: cottonwood, trembling aspen and balsam poplar. They are fast growing trees that can attain heights of 25 to 30 metres (80 - 100 feet) and a diameter of 100 cm (3 feet) at eye level. The balsam polar is more slender. Cottonwoods send forth their seeds … Continue reading The dying poplar
Saskatchewan
We shall have music
These plain looking birds are brown thrashers, an adult and a juvenile. They are long-tailed birds, a little bigger than a robin. Brown thrashers are rather shy about letting themselves be seen in public, but they fill the air with beautiful song, especially in the mornings and evenings. My wife saw one this evening, the … Continue reading We shall have music
Compassion for a magpie?
A magpie is one of the most striking and beautiful birds that you will see in our parts. Its iridescent feathers may appear blue or almost black, depending on the way the light falls on them. Adults are 46 cm from beak to the tip of their long tail. The wingspread is 64cm and they … Continue reading Compassion for a magpie?
Moving on, or pressing on
I really thought that spring would be here in just a day or two. The sun shone warmly on Saturday, the few patches of snow left were becoming smaller and smaller, we heard of birds coming back to a place just a few hours south of us. Alas, it was but a dream. We awoke … Continue reading Moving on, or pressing on
Reflections on turning 75
I remember the exact moment when I realized I was edging into the senior ranks. It was in 1992 and I was explaining to a younger friend how things had been when I was a boy. All of a sudden there was a little voice in my head saying, “Wait a minute! What’s going on … Continue reading Reflections on turning 75
Maple bug lament
Boisea trivitatta - box elder bug - commonly known as maple bug in Saskatchewan They come marching into the house in fall. They can fly, but mostly I see them plodding up the walls, down the walls, across the ceiling, across the table, across the back of my hand. They are so light-footed that I … Continue reading Maple bug lament
Moose Jaw Memories
I was seven years old when I got my first train ride. It was back in 1949 and my mother and I boarded the train in early morning for the hour long ride into Moose Jaw. When we arrived in the city, the conductor held out his hand to help my mother and me down … Continue reading Moose Jaw Memories
The sound of not so distant thunder
We are into the gloriously long days of a Saskatchewan summer, where the sun rises before 5:00 a.m. and doesn't set until 9:30 p.m. Since we live on the flat, open prairie we have an extra three quarters of an hour of full daylight before sunrise and the same after sunset, giving us 18 hours … Continue reading The sound of not so distant thunder
Robins and skunks on O’Malley Road
The songbirds are back: robins, meadowlarks and others – spring has come to Saskatchewan. Sometimes we can even tell it by the weather. Last Saturday was a beautiful sunny day with a high of 22° Celsius. That would be 72° in Americanese. This morning the ground was white again for several hours and the high for … Continue reading Robins and skunks on O’Malley Road
Is morning coming earlier?
Most readers of this blog will now be on Daylight Saving Time. Here in Saskatchewan we didn’t set our clocks ahead. When I was a boy, the province was on Mountain Time and towns and cities could choose whether to go on Daylight Saving Time. In addition, the eastern half of the province lies … Continue reading Is morning coming earlier?
Flatlander Faith 