Tag: saskatchewan

November 18th – Politics

by annemariedemyen, posted in Wisdom - November 2021

My challenge for November is to find ‘words of wisdom’ that I find particularly insightful on a variety of subjects. Some subjects are obviously more challenging than others. That being said, these are the words from the wise and the erudite that I have chosen to share on the subject of politics.

*** Erudite – “having or showing great knowledge or learning” (new word for the day)

“Politicians are the same all over. They promise to build a bridge even where there is no river.”

– Nikita Khrusshchev

“Politics is the art of looking for trouble, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedies.”

– Groucho Marx

“Instead of giving politicians the keys to the city, it might be better to change the locks.”

– Doug Larson

“One of the penalties of refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.”

– Plato

“I don’t think we should go to the moon. I think maybe we should send some politicians up there.”

– Ron Paul

“We believe that to err is human. To blame it on someone else is politics.”

– Hubert H. Humphrey

“Voting is like choosing your favourite mosquito out of a swarm.”

– Unknown (but it was probably a Canadian)

“The problem with political jokes is that they get elected.

– Henry Cate VII

That’s it for today folks! There is plenty to say about politics these days so there was no shortage of material to choose from – unfortunately a lot of it just isn’t fit to print in a family friendly blog. 🤷‍♀️

Family news update – Logan and Mom have scored a couple of more days in hospital due to a couple of minor complications, so Dom will be coming for some Grandma and Grandpa D. time tonight. Fortunately our new stove arrived yesterday so Dom and I will be making pizza for supper. 🍕

Take care and have a great day! 💞

October 26th – Camp Marjorie

by annemariedemyen, posted in News & Views - October 2021

These days, the  news in Regina features articles such as this one found in the Regina Leader Post.

Upwards of a  hundred nylon tents have been set up in a small park at the centre of town  to shelter the homeless in our city.    Sleeping bags, food and other necessities have been donated and secured.  Kitchen areas  and  port-a-potties have been set up.   A windbreak has been built to surround this make-shift community.   Those who are homeless continue to arrive at  ‘Camp Marjorie’ and the camp expands to meet the growing need.

I certainly applaud the efforts of the volunteer organizers and the community groups who have worked to provide assistance for the homeless in our city.   But, this is Regina, Saskatchewan and this is the end of October.   Our temperature is drifting above and below freezing.   Frigid winds whipped through Regina yesterday, followed by rain.    Snow is in the forecast.  I cannot imagine nylon tents supporting the considerable weight of  snow – or giving much protection from the wind and the rain for that matter.

‘Camp Marjorie’ is not a permanent solution for the homeless crisis in Regina, but it is bringing much needed attention to the situation.    The local police and fire department are attending regularly, doing what it is within their jurisdictions to do.   Social service care workers are attending and doing what they can to resolve issues – ma y of which have been created by their government employers.   Some of the needy have been placed in hotels temporarily , while permanent arrangements are being made.   Others wait.

Housing and feeding the vulnerable  in our community is a start – and it is a good start.  But hopefully this is just the start. There is so much that needs to be addressed before our homeless can experience the security and quality of life that they deserve.    There are so many support programs that would provide a hand up to those who have virtually nothing and nowhere to go. And there are those who are, and will always be, incapable of proving for themselves. Our city and our province need to do better to help those who are in need, regardless.

‘Camp Marjorie’ in Core Community Parker

That is my sad, but hopeful, news story of the day.

Take care and have a great day. 💞

September 12th – Simply Sunday

by annemariedemyen, posted in Uncategorized

Some days are just about ‘Peace of Mind’. That is today. Just a day for Sunday morning ham and eggs, spending time with Dan, rest and relaxation, fresh air, and hanging out with our little dog, Kat.

Overcast morning
Kat, hanging out and about
Summer fading
Sunday morning visitor
The sun breaks through

That is it for today. A peaceful, pleasant Sunday. Life is good. 🌞

Take care and have a good day! See you tomorrow. 💞

September 3rd – Off Leash Dog Parks

by annemariedemyen, posted in Uncategorized

Today the ‘Piece of My Mind’ that I have decided to share, is the piece that holds my opinion on the proliferation of off-leash dog parks in our city.  Apparently this is a trend that has been spreading across North America for some time, but as usual we are running a few years behind.

For the record – I am against off-leash dog parks.  We certainly do not need seven (and counting) off-leash dog parks anywhere in Regina. We definitely do not need one in our neighborhood (which is currently in the works). There are as many dogs as people in our area. While we have many responsible dog owners, we also have those who can barely control their dogs on a leash, much less without one. When our neighbourhood off-leash dog park opens, I for one will not be taking Kat into that gong show.

But, we will be helping to foot the bill to build and maintain yet another off-leash dog park that this city does not need. As will everyone else in our neighbourhood – the petless, the cat people, the bird and reptile lovers. We will all foot the bill because some dog owners and city politicians have decided that dogs need their own parks so they can run free and socialize in urban areas. 🙄

Kat – Safe, staying out of of trouble, and happily out walking on her leash.

I realize there are a lot of dogs that are far larger and more active than our Kat. They may well require more intense exercise. In a small city like Regina, it is blocks to the rural area surrounding the city – with ample opportunities to run a larger animal. If that is not an option for anyone (anywhere), than maybe they should have made a more responsible choice when adopting a pet. Just saying!

Patricia Park – acres of on-leash walkways – a couple of blocks from the soon to operate off-leash dog park.

So, that is my ‘piece of mind’ for the day.

Have a great day! Take care and see you tomorrow.💞

August 25th – Time Flies!

by annemariedemyen, posted in gratitude - August 2021, Uncategorized

It seems like we were just cleaning the patios and planting the garden and here we are with autumn bearing down on us! The seasons seem to pass faster every year. 😳

Dan emptied the pool this morning 😥
Grandpa’s Bleeding Heart is done for the year. 😟
The wildflowers around the birdbath are looking rough.

I have never been a fan of autumn but there is still much to be grateful for. I am grateful for the fresh garden produce that we are enjoying every day, grateful that I have Dan to manage much of the heavy fall cleaning, grateful that I am not facing a winter of dark and icy drives to work (YAY), grateful for the end of mosquitoes and other bugs, and of course I am grateful that I am still here to enjoy each and every day!

Kat’s new food chock full of goodness and fresh garden vegetables and herbs.
At least the petunias are still blooming!

Wishing everyone a great day. Take care and see you tomorrow!

August 12th – Moments of Gratitude

by annemariedemyen, posted in gratitude - August 2021

There were many years when Dan and I would barely see each other, except when we took holidays together.   When he was working shifts and I worked Monday to Friday 8-4:30,  we would have a couple of weekends a month that we were both home at the same time.  On the Saturdays, Dan would often golf and I would be out with my daughter – shopping, lunching , or doing something with the kids. 

Since I retired, it is much easier to spend random time with Dan.   On Wednesday morning,  we ran out to do a few errands.  We had to wait a few minutes for one shop to open, so we took a little drive down Pinkie Road on the outskirts of Regina.   

They aren’t the best, but I did snap a few photos to share.

Plants blowing in the wind. 🌬️
Goulet Golf Course
Goose poo is an issue on this course. 🙄
Open fields and blue sky.

We did not have time to go very far, or to linger very long, but I am always grateful for those little times that Dan and I get to spend together now.

I hope this is a good day for all!  Take care and I will see you tomorrow. 💞

“Enjoy the little things in life for one day you will look back and realize that they were the big things.“

– Anonymous

August 10th – It’s Raining Again 🎶

by annemariedemyen, posted in gratitude - August 2021

After a hot dry spell, we had a beautiful, refreshing little rain last night. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Rain coming down!
This rain barrel is full and our big tank on the other side of the garage is looking good too!
I won’t have to water the garden today and rain is so much better for it than city water!
Everything looks cleaner and brighter – even the rocks around the pond.
We didn’t get the front lawn fertilized but Dan got it mowed before the rain.
It will be cool enough to get up and clean the playhouse today. That will be nice for Dom when I have him next week. 🤗

I do appreciate the nice, refreshing rain but that is not all we have to be grateful for today! Dan got approved for time off so we will be attending son Dan’s wedding reception! Three days to celebrate Dan & Amanda and their beautiful (official) family. 💞

Pandemic internet wedding December 31st, 2020. It wasn’t the in-person experience but beautiful all the same! (As lovely as their wedding was, the reception will not be held in their basement 😂)

That’s it for today and that is plenty to be grateful for! 🥳

Have a beautiful day and see you tomorrow. 💞

“It is not the joy that makes us grateful. It is the gratitude that makes us joyful. “

– David Steindl-Rast

August 2nd – Saskatchewan Day

by annemariedemyen, posted in gratitude - August 2021
Saskatchewan Legislative Building – Wascana Park, Regina, SK.

Today is ‘Saskatchewan Day’. It is a stat holiday for those who still work – and get stat holidays. (sorry Dear, not you🥺)

There is so much to be grateful for, for anyone fortunate enough to live in any province in Canada. Saskatchewan has its own special benefits. We have reasonably affordable single family housing, stable employment, short commute times, plus other benefits too numerous to mention.

This year, I am feeling particularly grateful for one of Saskatchewan’s most obvious benefits – our wide open spaces! From virtually any point in Saskatchewan we can see as far as we can see. In northern Saskatchewan we do have solid forests but they are broken up by many vast open lakes. In the heart of our cities, we have a few congested blocks but we can always look up! Mostly, our province is flat, free, and clear.

It seems strange for me to feel so grateful for such a thing as open space. People who ever knew me would find it quite bizarre.

I have never really been a ‘people person’. I find a lot of people to be demanding, overbearing, aggressive, or just a bit annoying. I find crowds of people to be emotionally overwhelming. (I don’t do parades or crowded stadiums well 😳). I have just always been more comfortable in my own space. As life has gone on, I have had to deal with more and more people – my schooling, my children’s schooling, my daughter’s children’s schooling and eventually a more and more demanding career. It got really difficult to avoid people.

I was constantly backing myself into smaller and smaller spaces to squeeze people out. Eventually, I found myself trapped behind my corner desk all day, and stuck in our little house every night. (Our yard was not even a reprieve as we went through a period of seriously sketchy neighbours. 🙄) With this ever shrinking life of mine and multiple respiratory issues, I felt like I was suffocating.

Then, I retired! (And the pandemic happened). I was free to open my mind to meditation, free to venture out into neighbourhood parks, free to enjoy our big beautiful yard. Free to head off on short adventures with Dan when he is off work. Freedom! 🤗

I am finally free to come out of the stifling little spaces that I backed myself into and appreciate the wide open spaces of this beautiful province that we live in. I can never get too much of the open skies, the endless fields, the beautiful lakes and rivers, the long and winding (or relatively straight) roads. We live in a big, beautiful, amazing province! For that, I am truly grateful – on Saskatchewan – and every Day. 🤗

Saskatchewan – Land of the Living Sky!

I hope everyone is having a good day and that you have the time to feel grateful for your province, state, or homeland.

Take care and see you tomorrow!💞

“The more grateful I am, the more beauty I see” – Mary Davis

July 25th – Magic French Courtyards

by annemariedemyen, posted in Magical Moments - July 2021

When we went to Gravelbourg, my biggest disappointment was that the Mayfair restaurant was permanently closed.    The Mayfair was an icon in Gravelbourg and Sunday Brunch at the Mayfair was the stuff memories were made of.   A visit to see my mother always included taking her for at least one meal at the Mayfair.

That being said, amazingly the high point of our trip to Gravelbourg was our breakfast at Cafe Paris.   Not only was our meal perfection but we were able to dine in their very unique and secluded courtyard,  so that Kat could nap comfortably in the shade while we enjoyed our breakfast.

We have definitely discovered a great place to start making some new cherished memories.

One thing I did not get a good photo of was the ‘ceiling’ of the courtyard, which was a lacy combination of vines and patio lights. It was so pretty and I am sure it is gorgeous in the evening when the lights would be twinkling amidst the vines.

Our trips to Gravelbourg will not be as frequent as in years gone by, but I am fortunate to have my own little magic courtyard at home for when I meditate. Maybe next summer, we can get some vines and twinkling lights for my evening meditation. 💞

It is hard to get a photo that shows what an overall cool and pretty little space this is. 😌

Time to head out to my personal little French courtyard! Wishing all a nice Sunday. Take care and I will be back tomorrow!