------By The River

FTLComm - Saskatoon - July 8, 2000

Come with me for a walk down to the river, it won't take long, come, on.... The hush of early evening seems only to muffle the grundge sound of a motor driven city that echoes down the corridor of the Saskatchewan River valley. The light West wind made the final approach to the airport over the river and its surrounding trees with the temporary crackle of jet and piston exhaust. The late sun blasts its way through the dark damp banks of the river valley setting each touched leaf ablaze with the glow of visible and invisible light. As we descend down the little pathway the trail narrows and shade and

shadow mark our movement below the surrounding horizon. Here, in steps and levels down to the shore line the ubiquitous cottonwood/aspen , or what we all call poplars stand in uniform almost measured rows leaning toward the water and away from the standard assault of the Saskatchewan NorthWest wind. Here it is quiet, the trees absorb the rumble of the city, the trucks and even the approaching aircraft. These oxygen producing wonders of nature support us giving every breathing one of us more tomorrows. Let's stop for a moment and look back up the slope. Behind us the sun still holds its gaze on the tree tops and

sends us warmth down into the shadowy river bank. Another ledge, some riverbank errosion and tall grass define the margin of the unrelenting force of gravity that sucks that water down the channel, ever tumbling downward toward a frozen sea a thousand miles away. Pelicans ride down the current snacking on little fish that get to close to the surface while Franklin gulls patrol the waterway inches from the surface scouping up bugs as they relish the bounty of tonights bug world. The water runs smoothly but strongly North at this point tumbling over an eratic well out in the main stream of the river.

You see, that didn't take long, let's make our way back up the bank and see if the day will end without a shower.