What do you make of this?

On the way home from a truly delightful "Bailey Christmas" in Eatonia yesterday, we came across a rather bizarre and unexpected sight. About ten km. south of Unity, we saw what we first thought was an Eagle on Hwy. 21. Upon closer inspection, it was a turkey vulture! On the road was the subject of his attention, a newly deceased jackrabbit. A couple of magpies were trying to share in the bonanza as well.

This was a juvenile turkey vulture, and like his kin all over the world, was evidently unaware that his continued presence in a hostile environment may have less than desirable consequences for his health. Nevertheless, he did seem delighted with his lagomorphaic discovery.

We troubled him no further, but I couldn't help but ponder whether there was a prophetic message in such an unusual encounter. After all, this is Saskatchewan in mid-winter (-18C), and this fellow is far from his normal roosting spot at this time of year. Perhaps a reader of this blog might offer an opinion or insight?

What a Show!

Some of you may have heard reports of the meteor sighting over the prairies last night. I'm pleased to report that, not only did it miss us, but we had a great view of the whole show!

We were driving westward on 44th Street, just opposite the Lloydmall at 5:26 p.m. when the whole sky lit up. There was still a bit of twilight to the west, but this flash changed the sky to a grey-white, mostly white. Our first thought was that an electric transformer had shorted out directly overhead. Thoughts of recent stock market behaviours, and the Eskimo's last game against the 'Riders also danced through my head. Looking south over the Lloydmall, I saw the last second or so of the meteor as it descended, breaking into three or four pieces just before it winked out. It was a yellow in color, kind of like the end of a fireworks shot. We've seen lots of meteorites in the skies but nothing remotely comparable to this. It was like the night launch of the space shuttle!

Apparently people in Medicine Hat, Calgary, Vulcan, Edmonton, Cold Lake, Beauval, The Pas, Brandon, and Saskatoon (to name a few) also observed it. It looked like the thing may have landed a few kilometers away, but apparently it is very difficult to judge distances of meteors as there is no way of knowing how bright or big these things are at the time. People figure that it probably landed somewhere near the Sask-Alta border, south of Lloydminster, but north of Alsask. I figure, maybe Vulcan.

What Would Bambi's Mother Say?

Bambi's mother would say "Winter has come to the meadow"

With the first snowfall of the season worthy of getting out the snow shovel, we awoke this morning to the sweet, sweet sound of the neighbour's snow blower moving up and down the sidewalk of the whole block. Now that's when one really appreciates the good neighbours we have here. Thank you Ernie!

Actually, this image is for Doug and Lenore to enjoy. I'll be putting out the bird feeder tomorrow Doug.

Oktoberfest in Lloydminster

Last nite mein frau and I enjoyed Lloydminster's Oktoberfest for the first time.
Here are a few of the delightful new friends we met last nite. Everyone seemed so friendly and happy, we decided we must go back again next year!

Although not quite as famous as the Munich Oktoberfest, I thought you might like to knows some of the essential facts concerning the two celebrations.

First Oktoberfest celebration .... 1810 in Munich (1992 in Lloydminster)
Length of Festival .... 16-17 days (5 1/2 hours)
Record attendance .... 7.1 million (458)
Record beer consumption .... 6.7 million litres (9.5 kegs)
Record # of chickens consumed .... 807,710 (0)
Record # of bratwurst consumed .... 721,468 (480)
Number of oxen consumed .... 104 (0)
Number of times cancelled .... 24 (NEVER!!)

Finally, a useful phrase should you ever find yourself amongst the crowd pictured above - "Hol mir ein Bier, bitte!" (get me a beer, please!).

Secrets of the Crooked Bush

A few months ago, Mom showed us an article on the famous "crooked bush" of Hafford. Since we were passing nearby on our recent trip to P.A. we decided to give it a look. You follow a gravel road 16 km. north of Hwy 40, near Speers and then 2.5 km. east. Keep a keen eye out as it is not well marked.

After a couple of diversions, we finally come upon the "crooked bush". This poplar bluff is perhaps 75 meters long by 50 meters wide, right beside the grid road and with another small road circling it. And it is exactly as advertised. Poplar trees of all ages twist and bend along all sorts of angles and shapes. They are a bit smaller than normal poplar trees, some perhaps 25 feet tall, but normal in every other way except for the way their trunks meander from the normal. Other trees not 50 meters away look completely normal. Young poplars on the edge of the bluff also exhibit the twisting growth of the larger ones, but no other ones that we saw that day were anything but normal.

Mom on the boardwalk

A community group has built a short boardwalk to minimize damage from the curious. There is a sign with a brief history, stating that it is one of the "54 wonders of Canada" as selected by the CBC program 'Morningside". Here is a link to some much better photographs, taken on a cloudy day: http://www.pbase.com/sjvucko/crooked

Evidently, cattle avoid the place, even without a fence around it, and some people have reported dizziness and light-headedness while walking amongst the trees.

Many theories abound as to what would cause such a prominent distortion in such tiny confines. They include radioactive soil, a genetic cause, a former landing spot of a UFO, a lightning strike that changed the soil chemistry, and others. The truth, however, is even more fantastic.

Apparently a UFO was observed hovering over the area. Since that time, men have reported problems with, how shall I put this, ..... the Man Downstairs, ... the old bush-whacker,.... that one-eyed trouser snake, .... Dr. Wang,.... Uncle Throbby,.... the bald avenger. I'm sure you get the idea. Of great significance however, is that these problems occur not with the men that visit the crooked bush, but with their siblings! Isn't that amazing?

So, Lenore and Colleen, if your man is experiencing any signs of "E.D.", you should get in touch with me as the cure was posted on a sign there as well. I'll be happy to pass along that information. Just send me an email briefly describing the problem and circumstances and I'll get you fixed up right smartly.

A Visit to Birch Hills

Yesterday Roni, Grandma Clara and I drove from N.B. to Birch Hills, via Crooked Bush, Blaine Lake and Prince Albert (more on Crooked Bush at another time). We visited Aunt Caroline, one of the world's nicest people. She received us in the Sr. Citizens Home at Birch Hills, and treated us to tea and a cookie, and a wonderful visit. She recently celebrated her 90th birthday and is looking great. Here's a photo of us in the dining/visiting room in Birch Hills.

Its "Name That Tune" Time!

One of the great things about traveling is the opportunity to experience different cultures and participate in local customs. Faithful readers of this blog will recall my experiences with little old ladies in Mississippi, our adventures with alligators, my dancing with snakes at Sanibel Island, and our revelry on Bourbon Street, among others. Here are a couple of our recent activities for you to name that may challenge your skills.

Photo Number 1. If you look carefully, you can just barely make out Ray and Roni on the left side, about three rows back. What is the occasion?

Photo Number 2. Not many people can make me feel small. Who is Ray's new found friend? Hint - he was born in Kinshasa.