Our country of Canada offers so much beauty from sea to sea to the far north. It would be so wonderful to experience it all, one bite at a time! Unfortunately, I haven’t made it past the middle east yet (Ontario), but looking forward to someday getting to the east coast, God willing. The majesty of the mountains is spectacularly breathtaking, with much of our country remaining fairly pristine wilderness, and every vista in-between boasting its own beauty.
But for me, my heart belongs here on the prairies. Just celebrating Saskatchewan Day, I thought it was time to pay homage to my home province and the land that I love.
For the 13 years we lived on the north coast of B.C., I couldn’t wait for the opportunities to come home to the prairies, to see the living skies open up. It was as if a weight was lifted off my shoulders, to be back where my roots were established and the beauty of the prairies rolled out to greet me.
This past weekend I took a roadtrip to Lethbridge with my sis to deliver our pops to our other sister’s home for a little reprieve from our house. He has been with us since mom passed away on June 25th.
Under bright sunny prairie skies and the XM Radio channel belting out the 60s oldies, it was a happy drive in good company. I must admit the drive may appear boring to some but looking beyond the windshield, there was beauty everywhere. Fluffy white clouds danced across the sky as ripened crops gently swayed in the breeze. The rolling hills were covered in prairie grasses grown to maturity, giving movement to the landscape and then from there to the irrigated regions of Alberta where corn crops are now boasting their delicious golden offerings. Hay crops lay across the land and huge bales litter the fields providing winter feed for cattle.
I absolutely loved what my sister’s grandson called these bales of hay when he was about three years old. The conversation went something like this: Grandma Cindy asked him if he knew what those things in the field were. He shook his head knowingly and answered, “They’re dinosaur poops!” Sooo…funny and endearing; in the mouth of babes, children’s imaginations abounds.
I also think how wonderful it is in this time of pandemic that we can embrace the beauty around us and take opportunities to get out in our local areas, go for drives and take up activities that offer us an occasion to be out and about. There are so many things we can still do. We here in Moose Jaw are so blessed to have a river running through it and a place for kayakers and paddle-boarders to go for a paddle. As well, this edition features a regular summer column by Ron Walter, “Where we can go” that offers some ideas to embrace during a summer’s drive.
But whatever you do, take some time to get out and do what you can and appreciate where we live in the here and now.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
