Ho hum, yet another week of sunshine and lovely weather, with a brief interlude of a little overcast and cooler temperatures on the weekend. My basil is still untouched by even a hint of frost, something I don't think I've ever been able to say before in October, although it is looking rather exhausted, not aided by the fact that I keep forgetting to water since that isn't generally in the cards at this time of year. Usually by now the hoses are put away, underground water systems drained, and exterior taps turned off until the spring due to the cold. Guess we'll get all those chores done in due course.
I had one final art deadline to meet, which was to sort out the works for a show at a local mall gallery space. Despite me having had a full year (or more) head start, I ended up rethinking the game plan and working to finish new pieces right to the last minute, which was latish last night. Got the work into the gallery space this morning, and now I can forget about it for the next six weeks. If you're in Saskatoon, check it out at the Sienna Gallery (near the movie theatres) in the Circle Park Mall on 8th Street. None of this last-minute frenzy was helped by the fact that I have picked up a cold (almost certainly from one of the masses at last weekend's art show and sale) and feel pretty feeble and pathetic, not to mention that much of my brain seems to be wrapped in cotton wool. I'm in "flop around and read" mode now, with the occasional poking at the computer to edit client horse show shots from the summer. Some day I may reach the end of that job.
Shot one today was taken at Ebon Stables on Saturday. I didn't plan on riding but usually I go out to deliver treats and worship the horse even on non-riding days. I was mildly surprised to note a stretch limo parked out front until I remembered that one of the young woman riders was getting married that day, and had planned on "wedding party with pony" photos. I caught this shot of the departing wedding vehicle as it turned in front of the paddocks, doubtless heading back to town for the reception.
The first weekend in October is our annual family and friends outing to Pike Lake (a small provincial park about a half hour from the city) for a Sunday morning breakfast to commemorate various birthdays and an anniversary that cluster in late September and early October. This year our numbers were a bit smaller due to the anniversary couple (my sister Jean and her husband Warren) having moved to Vancouver Island, but we threw a few logs onto the fire on their behalf. Shot one shows my grand-dog Arrow enjoying the leaves near the picnic site.
Shot two is of a view I particularly enjoy of a little finger of bay stretching off from the main body of the lake. "Main body" is a loose description as it is a very small little lake, but in the south and south-central parts of this province we take our bodies of water where we can find them. Northern Saskatchewan is a different story with huge numbers of lakes, some very extensive in size by any standard.
As per usual on the trip to and from the picnic breakfast, we spotted Sandhill cranes in many of the harvested fields, as in shot four.
Because of the lack of frost and the ongoing mild weather, it's been a bit of an odd fall so far. Some trees (mostly native species) have changed leaf colour and lost their leaves. Some are just turning, and some are still totally green. Some of our roses have given up and gone to bed for the winter, and others, as in shot five, are still blooming nicely.
