1918, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. People began dying from the Spanish Flu in the first week of October. Sick soldiers returning from the European front were housed at the Moose Jaw Armoury and the disease spread from there. The Moose Jaw and District Medical Officer, Dr. Turnbull, ordered all gathering places closed until further notice. That … Continue reading Good news, somewhat disguised
Saskatchewan
Shelley didn’t live in Saskatchewan
Image by Richard Duijnstee from Pixabay If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind? That line comes from Ode to the West Wind by Percy Bysshe Shelley. This morning, here in Saskatchewan, spring seems far away. It'll be five months until this snow is gone.
STATISTICS DON’T LIE
BUT HARDLY ANYONE UNDERSTANDS WHAT THEY SAY Public opinion polls are not infallible. At best they give a snapshot of what people are thinking at the moment the polling agency spoke to them. At worst, the snapshot is poorly focussed and the results unreliable. Polling results are presented as being accurate within a certain range … Continue reading STATISTICS DON’T LIE
Seldom Seen Saskatchewan fauna
I have hardly ever seen a live porcupine. They are nocturnal, reclusive and prefer wooded areas. We know they are around by the steady stream of dogs brought to veterinary clinics with their snouts full of quills. We occasionally see a porcupine lying by the side of the road, a result of trying to cross … Continue reading Seldom Seen Saskatchewan fauna
It took twelve years
The photo is from Shutterstock, not from our garden, but we finally have a rhubarb plant worthy of the name. We moved onto this yard in the fall of 2007. The house had been placed here a few years earlier and trees planted around it — poplar, caragana, lilac, Manitoba maple — the kind of … Continue reading It took twelve years
Listen to the falling rain
In the nineteenth century an expedition was sent to survey the Canadian prairies to determine its suitability for agriculture. They reported that a large part of the prairies were far too arid to be farmed. That area is still known as the Palliser Triangle, after the leader of that expedition. The Triangle has now been … Continue reading Listen to the falling rain
Another blind lady
Rose Goodenough, widow of my cousin Ron, has written the history of her family and the community at Barrier Ford, Saskatchewan. Her parents were born in England, to families who lived comfortably, but were not wealthy. They thought to better their lot by coming to the Canadian prairies where free land was being offered. Rose’s … Continue reading Another blind lady
The COVID conundrum
Saskatchewan doesn't have a huge population, perhaps we're an anomaly in the big picture. The COVID infection rate is edging up to 0.05%, the death rate is 1 for every 200,000 people in the province. The seasonal flu has infected far more people, the death rate is much higher — even if half of us … Continue reading The COVID conundrum
A flatlander looks at life
I am a native of the Canadian prairies, like the young fella gazing across the plains in the picture above. We call him a gopher, technically he is a Richardson ground squirrel. When the government asked people to vote for an animal emblem for Saskatchewan, some folks suggested the gopher. He is kinda pesky, kinda … Continue reading A flatlander looks at life
Swan sightings
There is a pond 15 km north of us, near Frontenace Road, where swans pause every spring on their northward migration. I saw a dozen there on Thursday, Chris saw 20 yesterday and today the number was up to 30. I was disappointed when I looked on Pixabay for swan photos. They have very few … Continue reading Swan sightings
Flatlander Faith 