This is REALLY flat land! When I was growing up in Manitoba, in school we were taught that the Canadian Prairies were called the bread basket of the world. As we drove through both the middle agricultural production areas of the provinces and the southern agri areas we saw the golden wheat at its maturity and the equipment used by the farmers to harvest not only wheat but many other crops. In some areas, where the ground itself was not so great for crops, there were many thousands of cattle, both for meat production and for milk. We saw, bison ranches in southern alberta and lamas or alpacas in southern Manitoba. Food on the hoof, was everywhere around us.
The prairie was not just prairie, but great expanses of water -- lakes and rivers, creeks and ponds -- how could any of these crops be grown without WATER? The fun part of water is the beaches, Grand Beach about 75 kms north of Winnipeg has been an attraction for many years. Manitoba's summer equivalent for those within an hours' drive to the hot winter resorts of Mexico and other summer climates. The white sand dunes are something special to me; I have photos of my parents at Grand Beach in the 1940's, and pictures of my sons building castles in the sand, and now a few shots of the beach today.
And a couple of BIG THINGS we saw along the way. The World's Largest Tomahawk in Cut Knife, Saskatchewan, where my grandfather's sister Rose lived. Because we were there on a weekday at the end of the summer season, there were no people about, Cut Knife is a very small village but their display was a wonderment and an unexpected treat. Surrounding the tomahawk, but set back a bit was some orginal buildings from the town area - a general store, an early settler's log cabin, a church and a school. Cut Knife is tucked away down a back road and is not a destination one would specifically head for, but if it is on your way or not too far out of your way, stop in for a bit of a picnic an to wander amongst the old buildings and history of the town...
Another, unexpected surprise, was the World's Largest Elk. This worlds largest was not on our list but there it was, in the town, or more like, the village of Onanole, Manitoba. Just as we came out of Riding Mountain National Parks (a mountain in Manitoba is quite a different concept from a Mountain in British Columbia) this Elk with a big blue sky backdrop came into view as we came down on #10 highway. The oddest things make your heart sing -- this was one of them!
What I learned on this Trip: I love the prairies, but now I love my home in the Fraser Valley even MORE!
The prairie was not just prairie, but great expanses of water -- lakes and rivers, creeks and ponds -- how could any of these crops be grown without WATER? The fun part of water is the beaches, Grand Beach about 75 kms north of Winnipeg has been an attraction for many years. Manitoba's summer equivalent for those within an hours' drive to the hot winter resorts of Mexico and other summer climates. The white sand dunes are something special to me; I have photos of my parents at Grand Beach in the 1940's, and pictures of my sons building castles in the sand, and now a few shots of the beach today.
And a couple of BIG THINGS we saw along the way. The World's Largest Tomahawk in Cut Knife, Saskatchewan, where my grandfather's sister Rose lived. Because we were there on a weekday at the end of the summer season, there were no people about, Cut Knife is a very small village but their display was a wonderment and an unexpected treat. Surrounding the tomahawk, but set back a bit was some orginal buildings from the town area - a general store, an early settler's log cabin, a church and a school. Cut Knife is tucked away down a back road and is not a destination one would specifically head for, but if it is on your way or not too far out of your way, stop in for a bit of a picnic an to wander amongst the old buildings and history of the town...
Another, unexpected surprise, was the World's Largest Elk. This worlds largest was not on our list but there it was, in the town, or more like, the village of Onanole, Manitoba. Just as we came out of Riding Mountain National Parks (a mountain in Manitoba is quite a different concept from a Mountain in British Columbia) this Elk with a big blue sky backdrop came into view as we came down on #10 highway. The oddest things make your heart sing -- this was one of them!
What I learned on this Trip: I love the prairies, but now I love my home in the Fraser Valley even MORE!
