MAYFAIR — It’s rare to see robins winter over on the prairies and endure the blustery conditions. I still see many of them around. They are plump, so one can tell they are well fed. With the reasonable weather, I guess migration is the furthest thing from their minds. Bird feeders are big sellers as compared to 20 years ago. One or two hanging from a deck can be a pastime, especially for the elderly. If one has bacon drippings saved over a few days, form in balls and roll them into rolled oats as a meal for hungry birds. They will love you for that.
My House Renovated One Day at a Time is a recently published book by my friend Paulie Rogers who farms east of Mayfair. This six-week Bible study book outlines what it means to be remodelled in Christ. A few ago they tackled remodelling their old farm house, one room at a time, and it is now up-to-date, beautiful living quarters. The entwined scriptures to each of the special rooms of your heart makes it a good read. This book can be purchased through Amazon.
You won’t want to miss a farm auction sale for retired farmer Gordon Sherman of the Rabbit Lake district. It is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 26. His wife, Norma, passed away nearly two years ago.
Saskatchewan Library Week is Oct. 20-26. All branches of Lakeland Library have different programs. The village of Speers library advertises coffee every day just to socialize or play a card game. There are Halloween and Christmas parties for kids and open house for adults. Their days open to the public are: Monday 1:30 to5 p.m.; Wednesday 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Thursday 1:30 to 5 p.m. In a small place where there are no restaurant or confectionary, people take advantage of this opportunity of getting together at the library. What a wonderful gesture on the part of the librarian.
Hafford Vikings six-man senior football team won their home game last Thursday and have one more Oct. 20 before provincial quarter-finals Oct. 29. Provincial semifinals are slated for Nov. 5 with finals Nov. 12. The Vikings’ goal is to be there. Come out and cheer these boys on. Weather will obviously be getting chiller for outdoor sports but this doesn’t deter the local Viking fans.
Not too many can say they’ve experienced the famous hurricane Fiona but a person I know in Chitek Lake can, as she was right in the midst of it. Lynn Quinton and her travelling friend, retired nurse Brenda Crossland from Leoville, were in the middle of this terrifying storm.
On their three-week holiday to the Maritimes, while touring Newfoundland, they called to book a ferry from Port aux Basques, which was all booked up. They stayed a little longer, wanting to flee because of the oncoming hurricane and called again. Someone had cancelled so they got the last booking. The ferry left near midnight and they arrived at Sydney, N.S. at 7:30 a.m.
In Nova Scotia the highlights were Peggy’s Cove and Lunenburg, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Shipbuilding was big in this town years ago and the Bluenose ship is a tourist site. Staying in Charlottetown in Prince Edward Island was a real treat until Fiona struck during the middle of the night.
Lynn recalls moving her bed, which was by a large window, in case debris came crashing through, while howling winds were 150 km/h. Things were shaking in their rented guest house for at least 12 hours. When the hurricane finally left, the front steps were torn off the house, a barbecue was moved into the middle of the yard and garbage cans were strewn down the street. Sturdy trees were torn down, with power lines entwined in the trees.
They moved farther inland to relatives ‘house to end their lifetime experience with no bruises or broken bones. Quintons are snowbirds and are packing to go to their house in Maricopa, Ariz. (part of Phoenix) before the end of October.
A friend and I attended the fall supper in Ranger’s (near Chitek Lake and Pelican First Nation) tiny old hall this past Sunday. Wow, there were vehicles and people to no end. What a great feast and the price was only $10 per adult. This former schoolhouse has been put to good use by the local people and for this annual event that draws people from many, many miles. A big thank you to the hard-working people in food preparation and down to the dishwashers, as there is no running water. I’ll be sure to return next October. It was nice to talk to the ones I knew and wish I could have stayed longer, but once a person ate there were always others in a lineup to sit down to eat.
If you didn’t make it to Ranger, Sonningdale fall supper is Oct. 29 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. — adults $20, children under 10 $10 and five years and under free.
Let us keep doing the necessary annual outside chores before the snow hits the prairies. Warm clothes are a real blessing. Most trees have lost leaves but it’s surprising even the strong, cold winds haven’t blown off everything.
