Archive for the ‘Cool Things’ Category

Our Third Annual Whitewater Festival will be held on Barker Lake, on the Churchill River system, just a short paddle from C.R.C.O. headquarters on July 3 & 4, 2010. This celebration of whitewater and great music began in 2008, when a group of paddling enthusiasts decided to gather together for some whitewater thrills and spills. Last summer’s event saw a large increase in attendance and a great time was had by all. We anticipate the 2010 Whitewater Festival will be even larger.

All interested are invited to gather upstream from Missinipe for a weekend of fantastic paddling, music, and just generally having a great time! Contact C.R.C.O. at 1-877-511-2726 for more information.

Joanne, who now lives in Melfort, Saskatchewan, is a former employee of C.R.C.O.

Back yard
oasis 
retreat
Grass and trees
Cedar, willow, birch
Spruce and pine
Herbs
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme
Wood pile, fire pit
Bird feeders; bird houses
rail fence, plant pots
Adirondack chairs
Cushions for old bones
Screened deck
Where I sleep & eat & enjoy
The summer days
Treasuring them
Against the cold & snow to come

Overhead
canoe & kayak
Day pack & paddle
Beckoning me
Calling my name
Ducks, beaver, mink & heron
Such a short distance away
Out of sight & sound
Away from this our urban home

No excuse to mourn
The loss of home
In the northern forests & lakes
The memories are mine
And they are good ones
Of lakes, calm or stormy
Of heat, rain & fog
Rivers, wild or peaceful
As the terrain & weather dictate
Ever changing
And yet
Ever the same
Of new friends
Learning to work together
In new ways
Ways not thought of in our city
homes
In our jobs and city recreation
Of meals prepared over open fire
To satisfy appetites
Affected by the air & the effort
Of making our way
Upon waters & trails
With muscle & mind
Working with nature
Rather than against her
More self-reliant
Adapting to our surroundings
Relying on what we find
Or what we brought
Those few creature comforts
We would not, could not
Leave behind

Canadian Shield
Rock, water, trees
Wildlife seldom seen
Avoiding the intruders in their land
Night
Darkness falls
So complete
Broken only by stars & moon
Quiet
So complete
broken only by wolf or loon
And hum of myriad mosquitoes
And then
First light appears
Early risers smile
Now is their time
While sluggards sleep
Rejoice with the dawn
Welcome the new day
Thanking God
The beauty of his creation
Renews & refreshes our souls
Sit quietly
Becoming one with lake & shore
Seeing in the silence
What we missed
In the flurry of activity
In work & conversation before
Too soon
The slug-a-beds are crawling out
Leaving their nests behind
Too soon voices & movement
Silence is gone again
For a time
Too soon
We will head south again
Back to the urban life
Taking with us
The memories
The wonderful memories
Growing more precious with time
And hearts of gratitude
for God given time
To live
To work
To play
To enjoy the northern forests