MOOSEJAWTODAY,COM — An early June drive into the South Country proved a heartening experience.
Everything looked so lush and green.
The sloughs, potholes and dugouts are full of water. Grass is tall and blowing in the breeze.
The hills haven’t been this green since 2013 when rain was twice the average.
The only exceptions to water bodies were the north end of Willow Bunch Lake where alkali dust hangs in the air and the east end of Twelve Mile Lake.
Recent rains appear to have flooded some farmland around Assiniboia.
The drive sought wildlife photos but the wildlife this day was scarce.
Black terns hovered over water south of Crane Valley. The birds were looking to dive bomb for insects on the water surface. I’ve never seen terns in that area before.
The one white-tailed buck deer we saw was grazing on green grass. Once the car stopped, he bolted and gracefully jumped over a barbed wire fence almost disappearing before the camera was ready.
An antelope was not so shy, standing and staring, running a bit and then posing.
Ducks and geese, not that numerous in the last few years, were abundant.
Several more landowners have ploughed under precious Prairie grass turf to grow grains. Land prices are double on cultivated land so the owners get a bonus by ploughing up the carpet of native grass.
After driving through Willow Bunch, we thought we’d have a late lunch at Rockglen’s Burning Hills Cafe. It is closed Sundays. No gas at the Rockglen Co-op either on this Sunday.
On the way back through Wood Mountain, we were disappointed to see the regional park concession was closed.
Thinking we’d have an early supper at the Limerick Hotel we were again out of luck. The owners had decided to take the weekend off.
Lesson: If you’re travelling in southern Saskatchewan on a Sunday plan ahead for places to eat or buy gasoline, or take a lunch. Things have changed since the pandemic.
Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
