Land of the living skies...............................

That is the saying on the Saskatchewan license plates.  And it is so true.  I was driving back from Moose Jaw late yesterday afternoon and the sky was constantly changing.  Here are a couple of pictures (OK - a LOT of pictures) that I took on the way home.  Of course - the weather was stormy and honestly - I could watch those clouds all day long.

This was the view on my left

The view on the right

And the middle

In Qu'applle Valley

Another one in the bottom of Qu'appelle Valley

We rode through this valley last year on our bike trip.  It really is something to see and it goes for a VERY long way.   Of course there is a big hill into the valley and equally big hill on the way out.   There has been so much rain in the area that one side of the road on the north side of the valley is starting to cave in.  ONly one lane is open to traffic in this section.  It looks like it will be a big job to stabilize that road and get it back functioning normally.   I believe the cycle group was NOT able to take the same route that we did last year due to major flooding.

Here is a news paper clipping that shows the flooding in the area that we rode last year.

Flooding in Crooked Lake (in Qu'Appelle Valley)

Hillsides - oh yes Saskatchewan is NOT all flat land

More hillside

Of course while one can watch the sky - it does get boring after while.   I had a book on my iPod so I plugged that into the car stereo and I had a book to listen to all the way down and back.  I will finish the last twenty minutes today on the way to the airport.  But wouldn't you know it - I had already listened to this book - but I couldn't remember who the bad guys were.   I listen or read, but obviously do NOT retain when I read a novel.  My brain is too busy to retain all that unimportant stuff anyway.

But I was impressed at how easy it was to hook up this book.  I just plugged the darn iPod in and the book started immediately.  I do not think it is nearly that easy on my own car radio and it is not that old.   This is a puny little Chev Sonic that I have rented.  

With the small car and cheap gas (compared to back home where we are in the 140.0 range) - doesn't cost much to get around

Stopped for a break at the big snowman in Kenaston.   Again - we rode past this place on our bikes last year.  I  don't have the pictures of that day with me and by this point, I wasn't putting pictures on the blog last year. Drat - have to find those pictures. 

Anyway - it was a good day despite the rain.  Oh yes - with all those clouds - there was rain. I actually didn't have to drive in a lot of rain (and thankful that I was in a car), but once I hit the gravel roads - oh yes - you could tell it had rained.

This was the back of the car - before the rain.  Just the dust from the gravel roads - caked on the back window

And this is the back of the car after the rain. 

At one point - I stopped to take a picture of a deer crossing the road and it was only after I snapped two pictures that I realized someone was BEHIND me.   I had no idea - I was so focused on driving in the mud.

Deer crossing the road

And let's not forget about the bugs.  Oh my god - someone is going to have to scrub the bugs off the car

And yes I was NOT kidding.  My suitcase is CRAMMED full and I still have this to pack.  I guess I will have to cram as much as I can in my backpack and I got another bag yesterday (which I will show you later). I will have to cram my purse in the other bag and fill it with the remaining stuff.

Stuff yet to pack

Granted - I did bring a tiny suitcase and it doesn't help that I got a few things from my mom, two bottles of OLIV olive oil/balsamic vinegar which I can get in Niagara on the Lake, but seemed like a good idea at the time and let's not forget my two meters of boucle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Those items filled my suitcase!!!!!!!


On that note - have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!