In the 19th Century, before Saskatchewan was settled, a survey expedition led by John Palliser was sent west to evaluate the agricultural prospects of this country. They reported that there was a huge triangle of land starting along the southern border of the Canadian prairies with its northern point near Lloydminster that would not be … Continue reading Revival!
Saskatchewan
I didn’t get the message
Way back when I was still single, some time before 1970, I was living alone in a little Saskatchewan town and running a grain elevator. Well, I wasn't completely alone — there was a cat sharing the house with me. If you're a regular reader of this blog, you know that there would have to … Continue reading I didn’t get the message
Grace for daily life
We have gone hurtling through the sky in a series of hollow metal tubes and are now safely home. We left a week ago today, flying by WestJet from Saskatoon to Winnipeg and Winnipeg to Montréal and came home two days ago by the same airline, flying Montréal to Toronto and Toronto to Saskatoon. We … Continue reading Grace for daily life
Double-decker church planting
I grew up in a town I shall call Seagull, Saskatchewan. This is a fictional name, as are all the other names given in this account, but the events are true to life as best as my memory serves. Like all other prairie towns, there were a number of tall wooden grain elevators lining the … Continue reading Double-decker church planting
There’s a twittering in the trees
The snow is gone, lawns are starting to turn green, but the trees still appear brown and lifeless. Yet there is definitely life among the trees. From the open window we can hear are loud and continuous chorus of bird songs. There are robins, meadowlarks, blackbirds, juncos and others that we haven't identified. The juncos … Continue reading There’s a twittering in the trees
Back to work
Early in the fall of 2007, I became aware of distorted vision in my right eye. I went for an eye exam and was referred to Doctor Kevin Colleaux, a specialist in Saskatoon. Within a few days I received the first injection in that eye. Over the next three and one half years I had … Continue reading Back to work
Saskatchewan speak
We speak normal Canadian English here in Saskatchewan — for the most part. There are, however, a few words familiar to residents of this province, that are largely unknown elsewhere. A survey released a few days ago checked on how familiar same of these words are to Saskatchewanians. We all know what a bunnyhug is — … Continue reading Saskatchewan speak
Daylight Saving Time is hazardous to your health
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 in … Continue reading Daylight Saving Time is hazardous to your health
Why learn French?
The World Almanac says that there are only 70 million French-speaking people in the world. That's not very significant, why should I bother learning it? Not so fast! If you look closely, the World Almanac is giving the estimated number of people for whom French is their mother tongue (even at that it is questionable, … Continue reading Why learn French?
All of a sudden it’s spring!
In books the scenario goes like this: the trapper / prospector / homesteader (choose one) is shut up in his isolated cabin in the north country. The snow gets deeper and deeper, the temperature gets colder and colder, the wood pile gets smaller and smaller, his winter supply of food is almost gone. The days … Continue reading All of a sudden it’s spring!
Flatlander Faith 