I recently walked over to one of our many parks because I learned that this past spring, murals had been painted on the backs of some of the baseball dugouts.
The one in my cover photo spells out our city (Weyburn) in symbols.
These works have brought art, colour, and fun to the site.
There are a few more dugouts in this park, slated for completion next year.
Sticking with my Monday Murals theme, I decided to feature a few from where we live.
This mural was completed in panels by the community. The artist who created it, made it a paint by number, so that anyone who wanted to, could paint a part of it.
That artist/designer won a $1,000 award for her idea and for including community involvement.
Each hand is holding something that defines our community, and the tiger lilies scattered throughout the painting are our provincial flower.
The sunset in the background gives a shoutout to our province’s motto “The Land of Living Skies” (our sunrises and sunsets are nothing short of spectacular).
There are a few places here in our province where Canada Geese have moved in and taken over. One place is the beautiful Wascana Park in our capital city, Regina. Another is a beach at Kenosee lake, a popular summer destination here in the southern part of Saskatchewan.
Don’t get me wrong – I love everything nature related, including these magnificent birds … I’m just not all that fond of trying to avoid their droppings on the walking paths and beaches.
Our prairie city seemed to be spared … until recently.
On a recent walk alongside the river, I was greeted by this squad and they were so bold that they barely moved as I walked by. It was like they were daring me to make a move.
The only move I dared make was to raise my phone camera to get a couple of shots, and then move along as quickly as possible.
These big birds can be aggressive, and I wasn’t eager to tangle with their mob.
Late yesterday afternoon, a call was interrupted by the loud honking on my cell phone of an Environment Canada tornado warning for our area.
Within an hour, the eerie calm set in and the sky darkened.
My feature photo is looking east from our balcony. Soon, the wind picked up, and the nimbus clouds moving in from the west started attacking the fluffy white cumulus clouds, threatening the formation of the dreaded combination: cumulonimbus. The cloud formations I learned in science class so many years ago have stuck with me. That’s a testament to a good teacher.
Thankfully, our only outcome from the ominous warning, was a ten minute episode of heavy rain, wind, thunder, and lightning; then it just carried on moving east.
I’ll admit I was more than a bit anxious for a while.
In my world, it’s the best time of day … quiet, except for the waking birds, peaceful thinking time, and that consistently soft glowing light, illuminating everything it touches to welcome a new day.
These days, it’s just before 5 am.
Last week, I was happy to return to (brisk) walking the developed trails that follow the outskirts of our prairie city.
As I was walking along one of these trails, I looked up to the side and saw this big new build. I can’t begin to guess the square footage of this three and a half story house that looks over a trail by the river.
I couldn’t help thinking, “I wonder if they’re installing an elevator.”
Is my age showing?
Yesterday, when I walked to my downtown physio appointment, I came across a new structure that has popped up right smack in front of a major bank. It’s around two vehicles in length and is quite narrow. There may be a plan for a little patio, but it’s at an intersection at what’s often a high traffic area, so it would be a less than pleasant place to stop for a coffee.
Why this was allowed in an area that already has limited parking and in a spot that should be designated as handicapped parking, is way beyond me.
I’m normally a person who is excited and positive about anything new in our little prairie city – this thing … not so much.
Hubs and I enjoy hours of entertainment watching squirrels, and that’s a good thing because our little prairie city houses a large population of these frolicking and mischievous little critters.
Radically Retired 