Saturday, 28 August 2010

Dear Diary...

Oh wait this is something different!  Hello to the sisters in Houston!!!!  I know that Alton is a little slow when it comes to updating his blog and that you have been referred to this site.  And he started out so strong!  I need to ask you ladies if Dwayne and Alton talk to themselves incessantly everywhere they go or if it's just up here?  I never know when I should be listening!  Then they look at me like I'm stupid if they are talking to me and I'm not responding appropriately.

It is almost the end of August.  I have watched the landscape turn from the bright fresh greens of  spring, to the deeper hues of summer and now I look around and see more and more browns and rusts pushing in.  I can't even believe I have been here for 3 months already.  I can't believe this will all be over in a month...

Our days are pretty routine.  Up, out to the garden, in for lunch, out to the garden, in for a break, wash veggies, in for dinner (usually 9 or 10'ish), and then bed. 

On Thursday the temperature was 93 degrees and I think I broke.  I found myself despising every bean, green and yellow,  in that garden that needed picking!  If the fence had been electric I really think I might have thrown myself into it! Then the guys turned on the irrigation and life got a little better.  My feeling for beans has not changed and I doubt it ever will.  If you can see the look on Alton's face you will understand how very hot it was.  He looks almost orga..., I mean euphoric as that cold canal water hits him.

Now it's time to visit one of the markets!  This is Sheila.  She works for the BC Okanagan Fruit Truck and she's incredibly nice and so funny!  I think I've mentioned we always try to get a spot next to this truck as everyone seems to buy fruit.

On Friday morning Dwayne and I were scheduled to do the Attridge Market, however, upon waking that morning Dwayne was starting to come down with a cold.  Alton immediately gave up his "day off" and got ready and the 2 of us were off to Saskatoon by 7am.  Dwayne's body was calling for a break.  We took off today to rest and get ready for Dwayne's sister, her husband, and Mavis to come for dinner.  I had not met Janice or her husband, Heinz, but now I have! 

We have a schedule devised where we rotate who goes to market and who stays home to pick for the next day if needed.  Sunday and Wednesday are our days off, but that doesn't always happen.  It's all in the hands of mother nature.

This is Jerry.  We call him "Jerry the Fish Monger" (above).  He sells fresh sockeye salmon, gourmet mustard and marinades, as well as fresh wild blueberries and chanterelle mushrooms.  And this is Chantalle.   She sells "stuff".  Another genuinely wonderful person.The gardens, the growing, the picking, the hours, the physical and mental exhaustion, the people I've met...I don't think I will soon ever forget this summer.

I HAVE ARRIVED! MY OWN ISLAND!

I found a little gem that was too good to pass up. Since I was able to dig up enough to buy this little beauty I did! I now own my own little piece of southern Saskatchewan. Ok, it's a little tricky. The water has to be entering the estuary just right because otherwise my island disappears.

Doesn't this picture just say it all?  (That would be the boot picture).

Here we are again playing in the River!  (Don't these kids ever get any work done!?)

Dwayne wants to know if this lesbian makes   him look fat?

Oh my.  It's raining today at the farm.  We're all trying to catch up on everything that gets so far behind when we're so busy.   Dwayne keeps going to the greenhouse to pick cucumbers.  Cucs anyone?

Skeeterhosen

I'd like to introduce to you our latest and most affective defense against mosquitoes, horse flies and deer flies.  Sam, who I had mentioned earlier as Dwayne's oldest friend  (let's see, maybe I should say 'the friend he's known the longest' because I'm sure he has friends who are older and besides Dwayne and Sam are the same age.    I'm even the same age as the two of them for a month.  ANYWAY!...not to get off the subject.  Sam made a purchase at the end of last summer when things go on sale figuring that maybe one of her kids or someone would use them fishing or hunting.  Seeing our dilemma this season she offered them to us to try. 

Here we have Alton Temple modeling the newest SKEETERHOSEN!  Some of us only have the pants, but that's end of the season sale racks for you!  Even just having the bottoms help tremendously.  Thanks Sam...
And in the background is my best friend, and whorer, OOPS, hoer, Dwayne.

An Incredible Day!

Getting through last week was quite an achievement for all of us.  We managed to pick and prepare for 4 markets!  Our produce usually runs out, however, and we should be doing more but there is only so much time and so much help.  We try to make sure we're set up by the British Columbia Fruit Truck because it draws a lot of people and also because the woman who works it is a lot of fun.  On Saturday when we all got home we high-fived on a job well done and collapsed.  However, on Sunday we played!  We all went down to the river.  Now going down to the river means first taking a gravel road, then opening a barbed wire gate, driving through, closing the barbed wire gate and following a little dirt grass road for a bit.  Then you get out and walk.  But this is where you end up! 

There is not a single soul anywhere, but for the 4 of us.  I'm actually surprised we all kept our cloths on, however, we all have such farmer tans there would be far too much virgin skin exposed.  We aren't actually on the river.  We are at a river inlet.

Ok, here's me with no hair.  It's starting to grow in enough now that it lays down some. Dwayne took this one and is very proud of it.  You won't be seeing any more of me for awhile now. So, after a glorious afternoon we packed up and headed back to the farm.  The guys went into Outlook and picked up some groceries and Mavis, Dwayne's mother, and brought her back out here for a barbeque.  We were so busy last week she didn't get the time and/or attention a mother needs!

It is now Monday, August 9th, and the start of another week...oh boy!  The nights are starting to get dark earlier, and the sun is not coming up until around 4:30 or so.  Things change so fast here.  A season change lurks just over that horizon.

On A Personal Note....

I am seriously considering making a new life here in Canada.  Losing my mother has changed me in a way I really can't explain yet.  I knew that I was prepared to take care of her.  What I wasn't prepared for was how badly I was going to miss her.  My "mom, " and one of my very best friends.  I'm different now, here.  I feel like I am back to the person I was before there was so much death and dying.  There is something about being under this really big sky that makes me feel closer to her, and my dad, and my brother.  And of coarse to the God/Goddess.

I have such good friends in Waukesha, and really awesome cousins (!) scattered about, who totally understood what I was going through and who stood right by me and didn't let me fall to deep.  You all know who you are.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.  I regret informing you of this potential direction change via a blog, however, I thought it would be better than just showing up to pack and leave!  Just think!  Whenever any of you get that overwhelming urge to garden and weed, you'll have an awesome place to come visit!


Back to work!

xxoo

5 August 2010 - Part 4

CLETIS ANN OR ALIEN LIFE FORM?

This picture was in no way staged.  I know it's hard to believe or explain.  You tell me.  I told you Cletis was a very efficient huntress, but this is carrying it a bit too far I think.  Now she's just showing off.

5 August 2010 - Part 3

FARM CASUALTY

Ever since the last campaign for president I have worn a hat "Hillary for President."  This was a gift from my friend, Chris, and it had great historic significance to me.  Unfortunately, it was recently consumed and digested by the "44-inch rough cut Swisher"....Damn!

5 August 2010 - Part 2

AURORA BOREALIS: 

So,  for the past couple of nights the infamous northern lights have been at a peak viewing stage.  I have not seen them as of yet, so I'm  not so sure how "peak" this peak is.  Last night I even slept out in my tent and woke up occassionally to sit up, look, fall back down and back to sleep.  I suppose I will try again tonight.  It actually was just really cool sleeping outside.  No noise.  Well, coyotes howling, but that's not really a noice.  I had the rain tarp off the tent so all I could see was a whole lot of stars against a whole lot of black sky.

Look how angry Max looks in this picture! (LOL)  Just thought I'd throw this in.

5 August 2010

Good morning from the  prairies of Saskatchewan!  First of all, CONGRATULATIONS to Steve and Karen on their new baby boy, Casey Reed!  He was born on the 31st morning of July.  He's so beautiful and looks just like big brother Oliver did when he was born. 

We are doing markets now!  I did my first on Tuesday and I really enjoyed it.  It is a lot of work, but it's fun work if that makes sense.  Most of the day is spent picking then washing and bagging.  Some nights we don't get to bed until midnight or later, and whoever is going to market usually is up by 5:30-6am.  But how can you complain when you can eat, drink, and smoke on the job!  And it doesn't even matter what you're drinking or smoking!  It's crazy as Mel!  Instead of crazy as hell, Alton decided it is now "crazy as Mel" based on the recent insane behavior of Mel Gibson.

I turned 52 here on the 30th!  Thank you for the cards (email and old fashion mail) and all the good wishes.  As I started going backwards at 50 I am actually 48 now.  And, as I've been talking about for quite a while  I have finally shaved my head.  Not razor cut, just short!  Don't hold your breath for a picture anytime soon.  No big psychological issues behind it, as "they" tried to pin on Brittney Spears.  It was simply because.  And it feels so good!

Since my last posting, the guys did decide that it was time for Newt to run free in the vast pastorial prairies of the sky.   She now rests on a beautiful hill next to her mother, Ripley, and brother, Spunkmeyer.  We miss her.  Poor Max went from being a member of a pack to being an only child.  One step forward, two steps back... 

Anyway, as we worked on my birthday we took a play day on Sunday and we all went on a fishing picnic!  I know.  It just keeps getting better and better.  They took me to Riverhurst.  Just another big, beautiful open area with lots of water, only this one you have to get to by ferry.  We didn't catch any fish, but it was fun.

 Brother's, ey?