Once again I have taken a long time to get my report into the newspaper. I have been in the Battlefords Union Hospital for a few days.
How nice to see the winds pick up to blow out all the heavy thick smoke from the northern fires, and it did keep a few hot days away. Lots of big dark clouds were about the area, but we are sad to say there has not been any rain fall in the local area. There have been lots of showers all around the area where the clouds build up heavy and dark, but no rain.
The crops are really starting to suffer. They all need rain badly. Just hope when the rains come it will not be too late to help them out.
It's so hard to believe in spite of all the dryness that there is a large amount of lovely big saskatoons and pin cherries on the bushes. There have been a few berry pickers about, but nothing like the past years. When there was a good crop of berries, there would be many pickers. The younger people are not so much after the berries like they used to be. I used to love to go berry picking, but cannot do it like I used to do in the good old days. I did have a neighbour lady and her children pick an ice cream pail for us. They were lovely big juicy berries and I made good use of them. I froze some for later on in the winter time. The hot days are hard on the wild fruit.
It's haying time if you can find enough to cut and bale for winter feed. There will be a shortage of feed this coming winter. The cattle pastures are starting to take a beating from the dryness. Some herds are being moved to new areas to feed. Watering holes are getting low and some are dried up already. Some farmers are at the point that they have to do some culling and take the meat to the market to sell. Feed is not an easy thing to buy right now and is going at a high price per bale.
Kim and Melody Dumont of Kindersley have been recent visitors with Stanley and Dorothy Mills and to look over their land close by. They also spent some time with their friends in North Battleford.
Phil and Lorna Bater were recent visitors with Bob and Mary Bailey of Sonningdale. Phil Bater celebrated a birthday in mid-July. The family had a surprise birthday family get together at the farm. Those attending included Phil's sister Gwenda Rondesveldt of North Battleford, Grey and Laurie Bater, Chantel Bater of Bonneville, Alta., also Amanda, Dwayne and Cheryl Bater and some close friends of the family.
The RCMP Musical Ride went over well at Fort Battleford after a big rain shower. It had to be delayed, but a lot of people sat in the rain and waited for it. Later in the week, the Saskatchewan Handcraft Festival started up at the Dillabough Centre in Battleford for three days. The annual Battleford Parade followed and was a good parade for a small town. That was followed by the fireworks. They were spectacular and many people came out to see them.
There have been plenty of wildflowers along the roadside ditches. They all seem to be blooming so well. In some areas the wild fire weed flowers are full of bright purple blooms. The wild marigolds have put on a colourful display. Some areas are lines of pink and white roses. A few popular Western Red lilies were spotted in the meadows in wet areas, but there are not so many this season.
In my garden there seems to be a lot of different coloured butterflies. Now there seems to be a lot of grasshoppers about, and they are getting big and hungry. Haying is in full swing. Crops are all at different stages. Some early crops are nearing swathing stage, while some are going to be done up for cattle feed. There have been some rain showers, but will certainly help some things and a start for next year's moisture.
