Autumn explodes in a sea of colour

A speedy recovery is wished to Robert Greer, as he had surgery done on his knee in a Saskatoon hospital. He spent a week recovering with his daughter Christine Greer at Lloydminster and now he is back home.

Sympathy goes out to Jim and Sophia Parkinson and family of North Battleford and Bjelde Creek on the recent passing of Toni Parkinson of North Battleford. Toni spent his school years at Centennial Park School. He worked at a paper recycling plant and spent time helping on the farm. He loved the farm life. Burial took place at the Willowmoore Cemetery.

Get well wishes goes out to Clayton Robertson of Bjelde Creek after spending some days at the Battlefords Union Hospital.

Stanley and Dorothy Mills were recent visitors at Ivan and Deb Towiss of Perdue, also with John and Arlene Rowlands and family of rural Battleford.

The autumn season came in like an explosion of bright yellow, gold, orange and red leaves. To date there has been no amount of frost. The fall dryness has forced everything to change so quickly. The high winds are now scattering leaves and seed pods all over the place. It has brought the combining of the crops to and end in our area. Pretty well everyone has completed their harvest. A few flax fields are left to go yet. Some bales are yet to be baled and hauled in. The fall field spraying has began while it is still dry.

Driving through the countryside, there are still fields of crop out, both standing grain and grain in swath. The high winds did move a few swaths around. Let's hope they are all able to get finished up before the weather does change.

It is very dry as there has been very little rainfall in the local area since July and August. Most years, through the equinox season Sept. 16-21, we get a bit of rain. This year there has been no rain at all, which was a change for the farmers. They could just keep on harvesting. Many sloughs in the fields and roadsides have gone dry.

Ghosts, black cats and witches, too. Until the mid 19th century. All Hallows Day, Nov. 1, was a day set apart for homecoming departed souls. The previous evening, All Hallows Eve, masked townspeople wandered the streets for the purpose of escorting ghosts of the departed from their village. Over the years All Hallows Eve has evolved to Halloween. Halloween, once a time when witches danced with abandon accompanied by sleek black cats, has since been stripped of its most sinister connotations and become a holiday enjoyed by those who like dressing up. Few enjoy dressing up as much as children and Halloween is the perfect opportunity to let the imagination go. Costumes need not be elaborate. They do however need to be safe.

Light coloured costumes are easier to see at night. Make sure they are short enough to prevent tripping. Costumes can be dressed up with reflective tape for added visibility. A made up mask can be more realistic than a purchased one and will not obscure or reduce vision. Make sure all costumes purchased or homemade are flame proof. Fabric can be made flame proof by immersing in a solution of nine ounces of borax and four ounces of boric acid per gallon of warm water. Wring by hand and hang to dry. Halloween is the last outdoor holiday enjoyed each year before the winter season arrives. Hope you all had a happy Halloween.

Children in England are also getting ready to celebrate Guy Fawkes Day Nov. 5. Fawkes was born more than 400 years ago. He was a soldier and an adventurer. Some Englishmen were unhappy with their government. They hired Fawkes to kill the king and his officials. Fawkes tunnelled under the building where the king was to meet with his men. Fawkes planted 20 barrels of gunpowder in the basement. The gunpowder was to explode Nov. 5. Fortunately for the king, the plan was discovered the day before the explosion and Fawkes was arrested. Since then on Nov. 5 people set off firecrackers and build huge outdoor bonfires. They make large figures of Fawkes, a bit like scarecrows, and then they burn these in fires. Children wear masks and walk about begging a penny for the Guy.

Nov. 3, is a special day for another Englishman. It's John Montagu's birthday. If Montagu still lived he would be celebrating his 295th birthday. Montagu invented something that most of us enjoy several times a week. His full name was John Montagu, Fourth Earl of Sandwich. In honour of the Earl of Sandwich's birthday, try inventing a new sandwich every day for a week.