First of all I must apologize for taking so long to get a little bit of the local happenings into our local newspaper.
In early spring, Bill and Joan Rayner made a big move from their farm at Baljennie to live in Bill's dad's condo in Battleford. The Brad Heaver family have taken over Bill and Joan's farm.
Richard and Patty Wintersgill and family have sold their farm at Baljennie and now have their move to Battleford. A new family with children on the school bus have made their new home on the farm.
In early April my husband and I decided it was time for us to leave the farm due to health problems we are both having. We spent a lot of time looking and trying to locate somewhere to move to that would suit our needs. The search was long, but we ended up at a new apartment complex in Battleford on Telegraph Road called Battleford West Park Place, but it would not be available until Nov. 1. So, we signed up and the paperwork was all done and then there was the long wait. We had a view of the same type of building finished and just opened in Biggar built by the same company from Winkler, Man. Unfortunately I was not able to do any of my gardening, so that just did not get done, only what little my husband could do on his own.
Then, I had a bad fall the end of July and had to be taken to the hospital by ambulance and was there for two weeks. Once I was well enough to come home, things were not convenient for me to live at the farm, so I was able to get moved into the Battlefords District Care Centre in Battleford for 12 weeks until Nov. 5. Then I moved into our new home in Battleford.
My family was able to come to pack the things we needed to get started Oct. 31 and the move in was on Nov. 1. A very big thank you goes out to all of those who helped us and to Guy and Brenda Steele of Battleford and our family who came to help us. Your help was most wonderful. Everyone catered and we had our first meal in the new apartment.
The last month has been a pretty busy time to get things in order and move things brought in from the farm as needed. It never seems to come to an end.
Our daughter Elaine Therault of Mississauga, Ont. spent a few days helping us to get organized with tables, shelves and cupboards to house all our needs and get everything in place.
I am afraid Baljennie is shy two more people. The area has not too many people left to keep it going.
Baljennie has been the best place to live all my life, and it will be missed dearly. I'm still reporting news items as I get them to the local newspaper, so please don't feel like Baljennie has come to an end. We have to keep the area going. We will be back and forth often. Just keep me informed of the happenings and I'll be most pleased and happy to do the reporting.
Fall work has now come to an end with the last of the bales to be hauled in. Field work is completed and the cattle are in home quarters for the winter. The weather has played the game well, not too many cold days and not too much snow about yet, but that can hit any day soon. We do need the moisture for the farm fields.
Whether you like it or not, Old Man Winter will soon be landing on your doorstep. And if there are air leaks in your house that aren't properly sealed, you can rest assured that he'll do more than just stand on your doorstep.
But, don't fret. You can protect your home against his below zero temperatures and his blustering winds with weather stripping and caulking materials and a little elbow grease.
The ice is forming on sloughs, dugouts and rivers, but it is not strong enough to carry much weight. Just take care as the ice can break mighty fast with extra weight on it. It has not been that cold to make the ice thicker and safe.
White-tailed deer hunting season has taken place and there have been a lot of hunters about. The back roads all have been open to make the travelling much easier. Most years at this time the roads are blocked with snow. Mule deer and moose hunting season are also open. There is a lot wildlife in the area. A few elk have even been seen.
