Blue Skies ...

The sun was out ... the wind was blowing ...

... it was a beautiful prairie afternoon.

A River of Many Moods ...

The Mighty, Little Saskatchewan River, as we've observed before runs through the very heart of town, and on any given day you can find reflected in the flowing waters the mood of the day ... if you watch carefully you may see muskrats, fish, ducks, geese and the occasional beaver paddling and swimming through the water anywhere along its course ... and on a good day you'll perhaps catch a fisherman somewhere on the shore hoping that this one won't get away ...

It's not a HUGE river ... but it's a river with a lot of life ...

Four Square ...

One building and four very different types and styles of wall ... the Courthouse is one of those buildings that many of us pass without giving a second glance ... and heaven forbid if we have to actually darken its door for an official visit !!!

Periodically the street in front is crowded with cars and groups of people mill around the front step catching a smoke ... such days tell us that "Court is in session ..."

But otherwise it sits quietly down the street from the down town, watching over the huge spruce trees out front and the four-way stop at the corner ...

It's a beautiful building, both inside and out. Although the white paint covering everything in the interior does little to the wood work that is so obvious when you step in the door ... fortunately the exterior remains a magnificent stone and brick edifice worth seeing ...

Down the Barrel of the Gun ...

Just off Main St sits a World War Two Vintage Sherman Tank,

decked out in the colours of the Prairie Comman, it sits

as a Remembrance to the Men who served in the Manitoba Dragoons,

and as a Memorial to their comrades who didn't come home.

It is also a favourite place for the kids and teens

to hang out in warm weather,

it's not uncommon to see a half dozen climb over it,

and no doubt imagining driving it into an imaginary battle.

Thanks to the sacrifices of the few,

we, the many can continue to dream and play in Peace.

An open mind is like ...

... a parachute !!

I only works when it is open !!

And one of the best places to open a mind is a library.

Minnedosa's Public Library is filled with

books, videos, dvds, music, art, and magazines,

the staff will find it if they don't have it,

and it is a place to exercise your mind and spirit.

And with exercise, a mind and body are able

to achieve and accomplish marvelous things.

At the Crossroads ...

The Train Theme Runs Through Town,

just like the tracks !!

The street signs got a make over downtown

a couple of years ago with the little engines put on top.

Now we can find our way while being reminded

that Minnedosa owes much to the old CPR

that continues to run through town!!

Breath-taking ...

Built in 1903, and opened in 1904 St Mark's Anglican Church with its beautiful stone walls and stunning pink mortar is a memorable building in Minnedosa.

The story is still told that the Rector of the time encouraged his parishoners to take their horse drawn wagons out into the country to gather the stones deposited there millenia ago, for use in the construction of this exquisite stone building. Whether the story is true or not, the Church was built of stones gathered near and far, and through generous volunteer labour, constructed into the beautiful church that still serves the parishoners of St Marks today.

It is a spine-chilling side note to consider that in the early morning hours of February 12th 2006 a flip of a coin decided between trashing gravestones in the cemetery, and burning down a church ... the coin came up "burn down a church", and minutes later three misguided souls were setting the United Church aflame ... It is fortunate for the folks of St Mark's that they turned right on Main St, otherwise it might well have been their unique stone church that was lost to the flames ... had they turned left instead of right, Minnedosa United Church might have been spared, and this distinctive heritage building could have been lost instead ...

The loss of either building can only be regarded as senseless, tragic and devestating ...

A River Runs Through It ...

In Minnedosa the town seems dominated by four entities ... The Mohawk Expansion looming on the western horizon, the CRR cutting through town down one side of the valley and up the other, the Co-op with its multiple locations and large staff and the majestic Little Saskatchewan river that wends its way through town ...

The river often reflects the mood of the community ... it glimmers like a silvery ribbon under a sunny sky ... while in the cold of winter it peeks through holes in the ice with a dark grey sheen ... the river's colour and mood changes with the passage of the days and seasons ...

A NOT-So Secret Garden ...

In places like Minnedosa, it is the work of voluneers that often keeps things running smoothly and helps make new things happen ... The CPR Station, The Heritage Village, Playgrounds and gardens are just some of the the things you find around town that owe thier continued existence to the tireless effort of volunteers.

One of the latest additions to the stable of volunteer created and maintained features in the town's fabric is the Ishii Garden found tucked behind the Minnedosa Library.

Created by the group who have maintained a Town twinning with a city in Japan, the traditional Shinto style garden will provide a peaceful and tranquil refuge.

With its bridges, walk ways, water fountains and a diversity of plants, the Ishii Garden will be a "must see" site in this small prairie town. With the donations and effort of dozen and dozens of volunteers the garden is slated to open in time for the Homecoming 2008 celebration when the heritage and history of Minnedosa is displayed for all to see.

A Golden Wall ...

----

In the waning afternoon sun a long meandering line

of stacked hay bales lies glistening in the sun.

After the rain ...

... comes a GOOD time to reflect.

It's funny what you can see in a puddle

on the side of the road.

Nature's White Noise ...

It cuts through town from the north-eastern corner, wending its way from the dam past the Bison Enclosure, the Heritage Village, the CPR Tracks, the downtown, the schools, the golf course, then the Ethanol Plant before continuing its journey south-west towards Rapid City ... Along the way there are several crossings, bends and curls, and quiet corners to watch the resident musk rats, beavers, turtles and other animals, or to just sit and listen to the soft gurgle as it dances over and around rocks deposited a millenia ago by passing glaciers ...

Known as a misfit stream ... the Little Saskatchewan wends its way across the prairies of west man in the bottom of a wide, deep and magnificent valley, until it reaches the Assiniboine River, which in turns winds its way to the Red River. The two great rivers meet at the crossroads of the continent called "The Forks" in Winnipeg, before journeying north intermingled to Lake Winnipeg on its journey to Hudson's Bay ...

It's hard to imagine that the drops of water we watch flow past us here, will one day be part of the vast salty sea where Polar Bears, Seals and Whales frolick ...

And yet, such is the interdependent nature of the world ... what we do here ... has an effect somewhere, very far away ...

It's a web of connections worth considering as we sit by a babbling stream and hear the soft soothing noise that nature offers ...

The Work Continues ...

Even though the station has been saved ... the work on restoring this gem to its former glory continues, with even more work slated for spring.

The roofers are busy installing the beautiful BC cedar shingles on the roof and dormers ... with weather permitting (a few sunny days would be lovely) they should be done before the snow flies. Then in the spring the Minnedosa Heritage Committee will start working to have the INTERIOR of the Old Station completed for its Grand Re-Opening at Homecoming.

Today's Special ...

For more than a Century, Burgess Quality Foods - or Burgess' as locals know it, has served the grocery needs of Minnedosa and area. A long standing family business it is still owned by a member of the Burgess family.

Rick and his staff are open from 9 till 9 almost every day of the year, and are there to provide you with your every grocery needs. With the creaky wooden floors, and the high Edwardian ceilings, and the long thin aisles, it hearkens back to the "way things used to be" ... Burgess offers small town service, with big city savings, and service offered with a smile ...

And if you're wondering what this week's specials are ??

Well, just walk on down Main St and check out the sandwich board out front ... nothing high-tech here, just a simple advertisement to catch your eye ...

Foggy Manitoba Morning ...

Since the fire on February 12th 2006, that destroyed the 105 year old building of Minnedosa United Church, the former Post Office, now the Town Hall, stands as the most distinctive building on Main Street ... Recently refurbished, the majestic Town Hall complete with the working four sided clock adds much to the street scape of our little Prairie Town ... Towering over over the street, it is visibile from many corners of town ...

Just dying to get in ...

Today is a two-for ... I couldn't decide which picture to use,

so I've cheated a bit ... and used both!

I love older sections of cemeteries.

There is something equisitely picturesque about the old style

of headstones, or to use the original word:

Tombstones!

Cemeteries are a helpful reminder that life is short,

precious and to be cherished,

because one day we will all end up here, one way or another.

Minnedosa's cemetery is perched on a hill on the

south-east corner of town with the BEST view of the Lake.

Visitors often find themselves disturbing deer,
and other assorted animals like

magpies, ravens and the occassional hawk.

If you'll pardon the pun:

It is a restful place!!

Fall Fishin ...

With the sun shining,

the air warm,

and the water waiting ...

... can there be a better way to pass the day

than getting in a little fishing ??

From our fields to your tables ...

A tiny fraction of the national fleet of rail cars

sits on the siding waiting to be filled with grain.

Grain that is destined for far away markets,

and corners of the world many miles from here.

The life's blood of the Prairies

continues to be the farms and the families who run then.

The future, like the destination of the grain in these cars,

is uncertain ... but we will always need to be fed,

and the vast rolling prairie fields lie each season

waiting for the sun to stir the growth that in time,

puts the food upon our tables, both at home and abroad ...

Workin' Before the Snow Flies ...

With a warm sunny day late in the fall,

the workers are trying to get the job done.

It was a good day for it !!

Old Crow's Last Run reminds us all ...

You can't talk about the past in Minnedosa without mentioning the Railroad ... It runs through town and for generations has been one of Minnedosa's main employers ... Some families have had multiple generations of Railroaders ... and most days you can't go far without encountering a Railroader, either active or retired ... in the summer time the "Train Park" is a favourite place for the little people who enjoy climbing the equipment displayed along side the river, alongside the Main Line.

Last year, the former Newspaper editor Bob Mummery authored a book of photos, memories and stories about the History of the RailRoad in Minnedosa. It was put together as a fundraiser for the effort to Save the Station, and helped to remind EVERYONE how important the Rail has been to the little town called Minnedosa. But then, this revelation really isn't news to most people in town ... the daily interuptions as trains rumble along the Main line, the seemingly endless supply of grain cars that line the tracks at Pionner and the song by the late Rick Everett and Dave Proven called "Old Crow's Last Run" serve only to remind us, and to to celebrate the legacy that the Rail Road has left Minnedosa, and the potential it continues to offer !!