Greenwater Report for July 3, 2000

The Greenwater Report for July 3, 2000

Greenwater Provincial Park - July 3, 2000 - By: Gerald Crawford

Canada Day
We thought summer was here for sure last Wednesday, when we went on the Parkland Photography Club's field trip. It was a ride on the Saskatchewan in a houseboat at the Nipawin Regional Park. Sunny, warm and not too windy, though it clouded over later in the afternoon
and let go with a few drops. Then on Thursday, we went to Humboldt for our grand daughter's graduation, and it was sunny and very warm. Friday, we spent working around our cottage at the lake, and it was good and hot. People were streaming into the Park in droves. But yesterday, Canada Day, was very cool, foggy in the morning and overcast and drizzly in the afternoon. I went down to the beach hoping to get some pictures of the face-painting, but there weren't many vehicles there and I suspect most of the Canada Day celebrations were cancelled.

Sand
Sculpture contest
It was a bit cool today, and it clouded over later in the afternoon, but the sun seekers were not deterred. I estimate several hundred people were on the beach this afternoon, some swimming, lots sunning, and a whole bunch involved in the Sand Sculpture contest put on by the recreation staff. I went down after lunch to watch the constructions; there must have been close to forty entries, and they ranged from snails to turtles to octopuses to dolphins; there was an eagle, a couple of mermaids and quite a few castles and forts. One excellent sculpture was a relief sculpture of the Canadian flag.

Weinberger
and Andreychuk kids
My intention was to get a photo of the winner and his or her sculpture, but it got a little crazy as the winners were announced. First was won by a group of young men (think their names were Jared, Jean-Paul, Adam and Brian, but I can't swear to it) and they asked that their prize be awarded to the second place. So, second place became first; it was won by some kids from Estevan, and they took off before I could ask them for a picture. Third place, which actually took the second prize, went to the Weinberger and Andreychuk kids for their modest mermaid, and I did get them to pose for a picture.

cloudy
and cool
I suspected the sculptures would be demolished almost immediately, but I biked by there this evening and all seemed to be intact. Of course, it had turned cloudy and cool, and was getting close to suppertime when the prizes were awarded, so expect everyone took off for supper and/or warmth.

Bike Ride
The reason I got my bike out (first time in two years!) was that I had met Robert Howse (Bicycle Bob) at the beach; he had biked down from his home north of Carragana, planning to have a swim, a bite of supper, and bike home again. He is in training for some race that would be at least that long, but without the swim and supper break. That reminded me that I had promised myself I would be in shape to ride in the Annual Herman Duerksen Participaction Bike Ride on the 16th. I had topped up the tires a couple of days ago, but that was as far as I got. Tonight, I rode a mile or so, and it really felt good. Maybe, just maybe, I can get into the habit of a ride each morning; if so, I should be able to tackle the ride on the 16th.

wuss
By the way, Rob decided it was too cool for a swim. What a wuss!

small, dark brown duck
Returning home from the Park this morning, I came upon a very small, dark brown duck with an entourage of six tiny dark brown balls of fluff. That was at the dead end just south of our place. They really boogied when I came in sight, and could they ever go! They disappeared into the tall grass before I could get a decent look at the mama, so I don't know what kind they were.

Stacie Patton
We met the new Park Naturalist last Tuesday at the Park Store. Her name is Stacie Patton, and as far as I know she will be working out of the old Interpretive center, overlooking the marina. I noticed the Park has an ad in one of the weeklies, looking for a Campground Host. By that, I assume they haven't got one yet.

Visitor Centre
There was a crew working at the new Visitor Centre today, doing landscaping from the look of it. The Park has a master gardener on their maintenance staff by name of Brian Shuya who would have been fully capable of doing their landscaping. He would also likely have a far better idea of what kinds of plants would be best for our climate. However, the bureaucrats would never think of the obvious; unless they paid some consultant a huge retainer and brought in a crew from hundreds of miles away, the job just wouldn't be good enough. Use local talent? Never!

Living Sky
I know it has been cool and wet, not ideal lake weather, but those fantastic cloud formations almost make it worth it. "Land of the Living Sky" turns out to be a pretty apt slogan for our license plates.

Gerald B. Crawford
Box 100, Chelan, SK S0E 0N0 (306) 278-3423
Check out my Webpage: http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/crawg

The Greenwater Report for July 3, 2000

Greenwater Provincial Park - July 3, 2000 - By: Gerald Crawford

Canada Day	We thought summer was here for sure last Wednesday, when we went on the Parkland Photography Club's field trip. It was a ride on the Saskatchewan in a houseboat at the Nipawin Regional Park. Sunny, warm and not too windy, though it clouded over later in the afternoon and let go with a few drops. Then on Thursday, we went to Humboldt for our grand daughter's graduation, and it was sunny and very warm. Friday, we spent working around our cottage at the lake, and it was good and hot. People were streaming into the Park in droves. But yesterday, Canada Day, was very cool, foggy in the morning and overcast and drizzly in the afternoon. I went down to the beach hoping to get some pictures of the face-painting, but there weren't many vehicles there and I suspect most of the Canada Day celebrations were cancelled.

Sand Sculpture contest	It was a bit cool today, and it clouded over later in the afternoon, but the sun seekers were not deterred. I estimate several hundred people were on the beach this afternoon, some swimming, lots sunning, and a whole bunch involved in the Sand Sculpture contest put on by the recreation staff. I went down after lunch to watch the constructions; there must have been close to forty entries, and they ranged from snails to turtles to octopuses to dolphins; there was an eagle, a couple of mermaids and quite a few castles and forts. One excellent sculpture was a relief sculpture of the Canadian flag.

Weinberger and Andreychuk kids	My intention was to get a photo of the winner and his or her sculpture, but it got a little crazy as the winners were announced. First was won by a group of young men (think their names were Jared, Jean-Paul, Adam and Brian, but I can't swear to it) and they asked that their prize be awarded to the second place. So, second place became first; it was won by some kids from Estevan, and they took off before I could ask them for a picture. Third place, which actually took the second prize, went to the Weinberger and Andreychuk kids for their modest mermaid, and I did get them to pose for a picture.

cloudy and cool	I suspected the sculptures would be demolished almost immediately, but I biked by there this evening and all seemed to be intact. Of course, it had turned cloudy and cool, and was getting close to suppertime when the prizes were awarded, so expect everyone took off for supper and/or warmth.

Bike Ride	The reason I got my bike out (first time in two years!) was that I had met Robert Howse (Bicycle Bob) at the beach; he had biked down from his home north of Carragana, planning to have a swim, a bite of supper, and bike home again. He is in training for some race that would be at least that long, but without the swim and supper break. That reminded me that I had promised myself I would be in shape to ride in the Annual Herman Duerksen Participaction Bike Ride on the 16th. I had topped up the tires a couple of days ago, but that was as far as I got. Tonight, I rode a mile or so, and it really felt good. Maybe, just maybe, I can get into the habit of a ride each morning; if so, I should be able to tackle the ride on the 16th.

wuss	By the way, Rob decided it was too cool for a swim. What a wuss!

small, dark brown duck	Returning home from the Park this morning, I came upon a very small, dark brown duck with an entourage of six tiny dark brown balls of fluff. That was at the dead end just south of our place. They really boogied when I came in sight, and could they ever go! They disappeared into the tall grass before I could get a decent look at the mama, so I don't know what kind they were.

Stacie Patton	We met the new Park Naturalist last Tuesday at the Park Store. Her name is Stacie Patton, and as far as I know she will be working out of the old Interpretive center, overlooking the marina. I noticed the Park has an ad in one of the weeklies, looking for a Campground Host. By that, I assume they haven't got one yet.

Visitor Centre	There was a crew working at the new Visitor Centre today, doing landscaping from the look of it. The Park has a master gardener on their maintenance staff by name of Brian Shuya who would have been fully capable of doing their landscaping. He would also likely have a far better idea of what kinds of plants would be best for our climate. However, the bureaucrats would never think of the obvious; unless they paid some consultant a huge retainer and brought in a crew from hundreds of miles away, the job just wouldn't be good enough. Use local talent? Never!

Living Sky	I know it has been cool and wet, not ideal lake weather, but those fantastic cloud formations almost make it worth it. "Land of the Living Sky" turns out to be a pretty apt slogan for our license plates.

	Gerald B. Crawford Box 100, Chelan, SK S0E 0N0 (306) 278-3423 Check out my Webpage: http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/crawg