Trust our Government?

   Question: When is a deal not a deal?
    Answer: When you make it with the government.

The fuller answer to this can be found on my other blog, Bears Noting. It has to do with a deal negotiated, then broken, by the Saskatchewan government.

It raises questions I have asked before, about who governments really serve, and where people fit in the overall scheme of things.

And beyond that, it is the conservative Provincial government's  first step towards privatizing health care. As such, it is the beginning of the nightmare for the elderly and the chronically ill.

DIY OF A DIFFERENT SORT

Despite the freezing weather last night, and the fact that there is still snow on the ground, one member of our community was very busy.

Yup, the resident Beaver was doing his thing,
leaving all the evidence behind.

The really interesting thing was that he decided to drop a tree right beside the walking path, . . .

meaning he (or she) had to climb up a fairly steep 25 foot embankment, drop the tree, and haul all the goods back down.

(This picture doesn't do justice to the steepness of the climb.)

But that wasn't the first time.

The night before, Beaver had been busy too.

J and K (our granddaughter) found this work

when they were walking home to our son's last evening.

This was, actually, just a bit of an afterthought.

 The real prize lay about 50 feet north.

Those six were about the diameter of your forearm. Not small stuff at all. Not only cut, but hauled down to the river.

So far, the lower trail (just a muddy footpath along the river's edge) hasn't been walkable. Now, I'm going to have to go down there and find out where the Beaver's lodge is.

I don't think Beaver will mind a visit from Bear,
though Sadie might be upsetting.

ALL IN THE MERRY MONTH OF APRIL

We awoke this morning to a glorious spring day.

 

Thought I suppose "glorious," like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. Admittedly, Sadie was a little perplexed, but  I didn't try to explain; she's much less concerned about weather than I am.

  

Anyhow, had breakfast, got dressed, cleaned the show off the wagon, and went to worship at St. George's Anglican Church — all of six blocks from our house. (I'd have walked if there was less snow.) My friend, Fr. S, recently became Associate Priest there, which I just learned a few days ago. So I went to early Communion. And I'm glad I did.

  

Well, then, what to do with the rest of the day, when it's not the right weather for working outside. 

  

I did something I haven't done for 20+ years. I got out my art supplies and put some paint on paper.

This isn't art. Art is what artists (or "artistes") do. Putting colour on paper is what Bears do. J was already painting when I got home from worship, so I decided to join her, and we had a grand morning. 

  

After lunch I had a snooze, and when I woke up, I put the roast, potatoes, and yams on the roasting pan (then in the oven) for supper. I went upstairs and found K, our granddaughter, had joined us for the afternoon. So she played at a whole range of things, and I played a bit more with paint. Then I got my banjo out (something else I haven't done for a while) and we sat in a circle and sang. (We got out some rhythm instruments so we could all sing and play.)

(Just to make sure you understand, I am not the re-incarnation of George Formby or "Banjo" Patterson.)

  

After supper, K went home. J and I focused on some DIY projects — and by then it was bed time. So I quick finished this off — and now it's yours. 

  

(BTW, by mid afternoon the snow melted, then it started snowing again. That's when I decided to take Sadie for a walk — bad planning. After that, the snow turned to rain, about the time Sadie and I went for our evening walk. Yes, more bad planing.)

   

It was a very different day, but a very enjoyable one. I think I'm going to try this more often. I think J is, too.

AH, SPRING . . . THE OTHER SIDE

"March winds and April showers bring forth May flowers."

That's the way it should be.

But this is RIDICULOUS!
     

This is a "Winter Storm" in April. ("Winter Storm" according to the meteorologists at Environment Canada.) 

Moderate to heavy snow. High winds (up to 107 km/hr). 

Snow blowing sideways instead of falling downwards.

"Whiteout" (blizzard) conditions on a number of roads

(including Highway 16, the equivalent of a British Motorway,

that connects Regina and Saskatoon,

Saskatchewan's two main cities).

Cars and trucks (lorries) in the ditches.

Her Ladyship, Miss Sadie, doesn't even want to go out in this. 

Nor does the Bear.

Sigh! Grr @$#%$^rr!

Today was set aside as a day to start getting

our vegetable and flower gardens ready

(though way too early to plant vegetables —

as you can see).

Next week, I guess. 

I'm not going to shovel the snow; we might get more over night.

Or it might all melt tomorrow.  

Time to hang out with J and Sadie, have a hot cuppa tea,

and read a book. 

AH, SPRING . . .

Spring is sprung

  

(last patch of snow in our yard)
   
The grass is riz
  

  
 
I wonder where the birdies is?

(certainly not at our feeders)

They say the bird is on the wing,

but that's absurd

'cause everybody knows

the wing is on the bird.

  

  

(Or perhaps the Gryphon.)

  

  


I hope you are having a wonderful spring,

wherever you are!

(or autumn, if you're in the south.)

EASTER BLESSINGS

Though some may say that God is dead,
  
And replaced by a bunny,
  
I'm here to say that Christ's alive,
  
And will make your life sunny.

May this Easter be a time

of blessing and refreshment

for you and all people.