Another week has just about gone by so it’s time for my viewpoint news to get out once more. To start with I would like to thank the nice ladies at the Lakes District News for helping me out with my news as my machine was haywire for a couple of weeks and they put my news in order, a big thank you to you.
Spring has sprung
So far it’s got the earmark of a dry summer. The usual runoff has not happened so far. The days are sure nice and lots of sunshine. By the time my news gets out Francois Lake will be clear of ice and the fishermen will be out in full force. This means spring has sprung.
Sad News
We got some sad news today when we heard of the passing of my good friend, R.K. Brown. What a man and what a life. His talent with his hobby of making the most beautiful jewellery was out of this world, I kid you not. He was at the top of the list. Our family held him in respect as a teacher. He was my friend for many years and I will miss that friendship we shared.
Hungry Deer
Last night I got a phone call from my good friends back on the prairie and they are really having a problem there with their deer population as they are starving to death with no feed for them. Dead deer all over the fields. Most all of the last year’s fawns are all gone. They are moving into the town looking for food. Lots of folks are feeding them to see them through until the grass comes up. One person bought a pail of grain and the deer were eating out of a pail while they were feeding them, no fear at all. This is the first time this has happened that they can remember. One farmer put out hay for the deer but the deer are too far gone and they all died. Bill told me if this keeps on there will be no deer left. Our deer here are in very good shape as we have lots of feed for them. There are a few around the landing but they seem to be doing well as folks slip them treats on and off. A few moose are hanging around the Brown Rd., a cow, calf and bull. A whole family. It’s good to see there are still a few moose left.
Francois ice gone
Francois Lake has beat me, the ice is gone, the lake is clear. That’s good news for us all. There was a very strong wind today and the lake is very muddy and really dirty. Let’s hope the water pumps keep going.
Bird sightings
A lady told me today she saw two lots of Sandhill Cranes fly north. This is a rule that spring is not too far away. Another party told me she had a hummingbird stop over. The hummingbird came to visit the same time as a flock of geese passed, she wondered if the hummingbird had hitched a ride with a goose and decided to stop off here. Stranger things have happened in our world as I have heard these little birds come with the geese. Nature has ways to protect its little ones. This has come to my mind that very often hummingbirds travel with the geese.
Kite flying
Today just outside my window there were folks flying kites. Reminds me of my days as a kid. These were very pretty but ours were homemade and they sure were not pretty but they would fly. Lots of fun too.
Spring cleaning
A number of caring folks met for a cleanup of St. Luke’s one the lake. The yard and the inside, new steps as well, it looks great. Thanks to you all.
Moose story
Here is another little moose story and this happened years ago too. It was a nice spring day and my brother-in-law John Keefe came down off the hill with his rifle. He said “Come on back up the hill as I have something to show you.” So we went up the hill and there by the line fence was a cow moose laying down. So we walked over to see what was wrong as she did not try to get up. She was a sight, just covered with ticks sucking her lifeblood away as she was so thin and needing help. So john said “What do we do?” I said “Shoot her and take her out of her misery.” So that’s what John did. I had never seen anything like this before, she was loaded with them, even the ground was covered. John and I had to be careful walking as the ground was covered too. So we went on home. In late afternoon John phoned up and said he had a sore behind his ear and he was feeling a bit on the tough side. So I walked over and his mother had located one of the moose ticks buried in his neck. You must get the tick out and not leave its head in the sore or you can become very ill. His dad was familiar with these things so he got a big darning needle with a pair of pliers, heated the needle red-hot and John sat in a chair and his dad took the needle and touched what little bit of the tick that was showing and it backed out in a hurry. John was glad to get that tick out of his neck. John has made a study now years ago, on moose ticks and it seems that if they can get into the small lakes they can roll in the plants, like water lilies and many other plants, the moose blood changes and the ticks drop off, another one of natures wonderful ways. That’s why very often you see these animals rolling in the small lakes.
The deer also have ticks and as they are much smaller the ticks brush off on the lower brush. And folks dogs are coming home with ticks, so it might be a good idea to check your dog after it’s been outside playing.
TV show
There is a program on t.v. every morning and it’s called The Doctors, lots of funny things are brought up and very interesting too. Lots of the things brought up to make the ladies beautiful and for the men too. We have lots of things in the kitchen that we can use and save money. One thing they said was good to use was peanut butter for shaving cream. I watched them use it and it worked ok. It’s better for your skin than shaving cream. What a mess it looked like. I think I’ll eat my peanut butter and buy my shaving cream. What a waste of good food. They also mentioned how bad high heels were for ladies posture. I think that one went over like a lead balloon. High heels are part of woman’s beauty. I think I had better stop here.
Windy days
This last week we have had our share of wind and big time. It reminds me of the prairie and the wind storms we used to get. A power outage for a short while but all was back to normal in the morning. This was a little story that happened when I was a kid. One Sunday we went to visit some friends and when we got home our garage and workshop was in our garden, all in one piece. Just like a giant had picked it up and moved it. We did more damage putting it back than the wind did. A neighbour lost his big barn and he had a calf tied up in the barn. When the storm was over they looked through the remains and the calf was fine, not a scratch. Funny this can happen.
Take care now and always remember God loves you and so do I.