Saskatchewan - hidden spots - Stephanie Kauffman

2/25/2024 1 Comment

Saskatchewan - hidden spots

SASKATCHEWAN
Do you like being able to see? And see for a long distance, not just see what’s next to you? Then go to Saskatchewan!
I’ve never lived in SK, but I wouldn’t be able to count the number of times I’ve driven through it. The main two roads are the TransCanada (#1) and the #16 for the northern route – but I’ve started trying to take multiple other roads that connect on and off those two just to see other fields. This verse seems to exemplify SK to me. (I Sam 26:13) Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of an hill afar off; a great space being between them.
A large portion of Saskatchewan is wide open as far as the eye can see. In the lower part of this province I always thought it was as flat as a pancake with just a couple hills when you go through a river cut like the Battlefords, or farther north in Prince Albert is a big hill in the middle of town (it’s great to ride a bike down it; but not the other way!) However, just this past year I was invited to Fort Qu’Appelle to speak at a church. I was shocked at the huge valley I had to drive through – it just came at me right out of the blue. One moment I was driving on the plains with not a hill in sight; suddenly I dropped down, down…and drove half an hour along a narrow twisty road at the bottom of this valley. It’s a beautiful area; just a real shock as I didn’t realize such a place existed in SK. I guess one is never too old to learn something new!
I had a friend that lived in Prince Albert for a number of years, so I’d go and visit her. She’d take me north to the national park for some biking and a picnic supper. Then if you want to feel a real taste of wilderness, take the #55. You can catch it at the AB/SK border east of Cold Lake and it takes you through Meadow Lake, Big River and finally down into Prince Albert. It is miles of nothingness. The first time I drove it, I spent hours without even meeting another vehicle. That gives you a bit of a creepy feeling. What if I’m suddenly going to drive off the edge of the earth into a massive void? Why are there no other people on this road? Is something going to suddenly blow up? The questions swirled in my mind. I guess the Lord knew I needed a distraction, because in the midst of this slightly panicky feeling, suddenly a little mouse popped up on the outside of my windscreen. “Aaaaahh!!!” I nearly ditched the car, he scared me so badly! At that precise moment I was thankful there were no other cars around as I was using the entire road. I involuntarily jerked the steering wheel hard, then overcorrected and swerved to the opposite ditch. Meantime little Mighty Mouse held on to the wiper blade with all his strength and stayed nose pressed to my windshield in front of my face. When I finally got the car stopped, I jumped out and strode up to the windscreen. Mighty Mouse had disappeared. I popped the hood and looked everywhere. He was gone. I checked inside. Nothing. I finally started on my journey again. I didn’t realize how tense I was about that missing mouse until about half an hour later I felt something crawling up my right leg. “Aaaahhhh!” Another ditch to ditch encounter before I stopped. Only this time, as soon as I looked down – I realized it was just the lanyard that I use on the car key dangling against my leg! Duh!
Moral of the story: Explore Saskatchewan. There’s lots of interesting adventures to enjoy under the surface! :0)

1 Comment

Connie

2/25/2024 09:52:48 am

Thankyou for that laugh

February 26, 2021

For a time in life when we supposedly have nothing to do because of Covid restrictions, it's amazing that I have trouble finding time to write here!
Life in the classroom is exceedingly busy as the students are pushing to make up the beginning days we couldn't be in school. So there are no extra moments there. I still work/volunteer at the local thrift shop regularly and deliver the newspapers. Then any spare time I have, I have been working on book #2. The Girl with Nine Lives has sold well; I still need to get some more sold, but do hope to see book #2 hit the printers sometime this year, if possible. To that extent I have a poll to take. Titles are hard for me. This book starts where the first one left off. Tales of my adventures in teaching in at least six places. So with that in the back of your mind, what would be your favorite title out of the following:
1. The Teacher with Nine Lives
2. Lessons Learned Along the Road
3. What is Going on Here?
4. Around the World in Many Schools
Send me your vote on the best title in your opinion!

February 12, 2021

Where does the time go? It feels like I should be frozen in time. After an extra mild winter, we were nailed with minus 47 wind-chill and -33+ temperatures for a week now! Makes it hard to do anything except get to work, and come home and wrap in a cozy blanket.
The blog definitely took 2nd place.
But I'm so thankful and humbled at the wonderful remarks and reviews I've been receiving from people. It makes the struggles I've gone through worthwhile when I hear how people have identified and laughed and cried over incidents. That was my prayer when I first started writing.
For all those who have asked, yes, I'm working on book #2. It will be slightly different as it is more the adventures of a teacher and the various cultures I experience along the way. When it will come out? Totally up in the air!

January 24, 2021

Well, I have managed to get my books! It is an exciting moment when you have a physical visual of fifteen boxes waiting to be loaded into your vehicle full of your books with your name on them! It is also a huge blessing to immediately need to divest yourself of half of them because they have sold to various people and two bookstores. Thanks, Lord! Another blessing is that I'm receiving comments from various buyers that they had trouble putting the book down until they had it finished! I pray the lessons I learned the hard way will be of help and comfort to others who read this.

January 16, 2021

For those of you who have read my book "The Girl with Nine Lives", or are reading it, or are waiting to read it and have wondered what that crazy little kid looked like, I have put two photos here for you. The little girl in the red dress on the horse is 'Stacy', shortly after she was adopted. That is the horse they gave her to help work her leg muscles. The black and white photo is almost two years later. It was taken for the immigration application to get Stacy into Canada. You notice she is smiling here. The doctors hadn't started sticking her with all those horrid needles yet!
I do not like to have my photo taken, but this will give you a visual to keep in your mind as you read about Stacy's adventures, or misadventures. As an adult, I have to admit, looking at the four-year old's picture - I can see her attempting to walk on air.

January 12, 2021

What a week! As a teacher on a Hutterite colony for grade 5-12, life is non-stop from 9:00-3:30. This coming Friday is the end of quarter, so report cards will be due. So that always makes one extra busy.
But I had 2 highlights in this week.
The first: I came home and stumbled over something on my step. When I picked it up and entered, I found out I was holding MY copy of my book! I felt like a mother receiving her first child. The awe and wonder of holding something I'd created and labored over for - yes, about nine months- well, that is quite the feeling.
The second: Last night the doorbell rang. I answered and a man stood there with a floral arrangement. I was sure he'd come to the wrong house, but he had the right name. Imagine my amazement when I saw that friends from the States had arranged these lovely roses to be delivered to celebrate this milestone in my life. In today's Covid restrictions, such a thoughtful, kind gesture means SO much! I never get flowers, so I'm still just smiling over it.

January 5, 2021

How many of you make New Year's Resolutions? How many of you don't because you know you won't keep them?
As I look at 2021 and wonder what this year will bring, I've decided to try a couple resolutions.

A poet once said, "It is better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all." I feel that can be applied to resolutions too. As I start this year as a new author, I'm scrambling to figure out what I'm doing! This has definitely pulled me out of my comfort zone. I've asked the Lord, "What have I done? Am I stepping off this cliff to float or fly?"

So my New Year's Resolution is to have a website and put a blog on it. Will this last? It will be interesting to look back in December 2021 to see what has happened here! Tech stuff is NOT my thing. But as a teacher, I always tell my students, "Just try. You never know what might happen." So how can I do less than I preach? I will try this. No guarantees, but I've made a start! Happy New Year to you all!

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