Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Saskatchewan - Land of the living Skies


100 great things about Saskatchewan

There are many more out there. What's your favorite thing about Saskatchewan? What do you think sets us apart from the nation and the world?

1. Thunderstorms! The best show on earth.

2. The easiest province in the country to draw.

3. Get your binoculars out! There are 427 documented species of birds in Saskatchewan.

4. Scotty, the T.rex skeleton discovered near Eastend. The remains are 65 million years old, and they grabbed the world's attention when they were unearthed.

5. Olympic gold medallist in women's hockey, Hayley Wickenheiser, is from Shaunavon. She's judged to be the best female hockey player in the world right now.

6. Lorna Crozier, the winner of the 1992 Governor General's Award for Poetry, was born in Swift Current.

7. Prince Albert is the only constituency in Canada that has ever been represented by three prime ministers (William Lyon Mackenzie King, John Diefenbaker and Sir Wilfrid Laurier).

8. Actor John Vernon (National Lampoon's Animal House, Wojeck and Dirty Harry) was born in Zehner.

9. You probably don't know this, but Saskatchewan is one of the few places in North American where you can see magnificent whooping cranes relatively up close.

10. 100,000 lakes and rivers (beat that, Minnesota).

11. Famed folk singer Joni Mitchell was raised in Saskatoon.

12. All RCMP in Canada are trained in Regina.

13. Regina's Wascana Centre is one of the largest urban parks in North America.

14. More doilies per capita than any other province.

15. The Saskatchewan Roughriders.

16. Saskatchewan Roughriders fans.

17. We have spaces between communities, not suburbs.

18. One of the best places to live in the world according to the United Nations Human Development Index.

19. A host of former hockey greats are from Saskatchewan - Gordie Howe (Floral), Wendell Clark (Kelvington), Bryan Trottier (Val Marie), Johnny Bower (Prince Albert) and Eddie Shore (Fort Qu'Appelle) just to name a few. Other NHL notables include Doug Wickenheiser (Regina), Dirk Graham (Regina) and Theoren Fleury (Oxbow).

20. Two national parks, 34 provincial parks and over 100 regional parks.

21. The first Ukrainian Governor General of Canada was from Saskatchewan (Ray Hnatyshyn).

22. While we're at it...the first female Governor General of Canada, Jeanne Sauvé, was from Prud'homme.

23. Author Guy Vanderhaeghe from Esterhazy (the 1996 recipient of the Governor General's Literary Award for his novel The Englishman's Boy).

24. The Regina Five - Ken Lochhead, Art McKay, Ron Bloore, Ted Godwin and Doug Morton - five painters who received international acclaim in the 1960s for their artistic and creative works.

25. People who can overcome drought, tornadoes, wind, minus 40 degree weather, earthquakes, grasshoppers, mosquitoes, BSE and anything nature can throw our way.

26. We're home to the Notre Dame Hounds in Wilcox who have produced such great hockey players as Brad Richards, Rod Brind' Amour, Curtis Joseph, Wendell Clark and Vincent Lecavalier.

27. The state-of-the-art First Nations University of Canada is in Regina.

28. Actor Leslie Nielsen, star of Airplane and Naked Gun, is from Regina. His father was an RCMP officer and his brother, Erik, was a former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada.

29. We make great jellied salads, and we're okay with calling them "salads" even though there isn't one lick of lettuce in them.

30. Allan Fotheringham, the long-time smart and sardonic columnist for Maclean's, is originally from Hearne.

31. Actor Kiefer Sutherland is the grandson of one of our premiers (Tommy Douglas).

32. No hurricanes or volcanoes.

33. We can smell when it's going to rain. You can't do that in Toronto.

34. Where else can a whole generation of people recite every episode of The Flintstones? (Except for the first seven minutes of each one; we were still on our way home for lunch then.)

35. A low cost of living. We can afford homes in Saskatchewan that people in Vancouver, Victoria, Toronto and Montreal can only dream of owning.

36. Because of our strong agricultural community, we have a good sense of earth, land and where our food comes from. Whether you live on a
farm, in a town or in a city, you know whether it's good that it rained or that it's sunny or that the frost is early or late.

37. If you get into car trouble on a highway or road, invariably someone stops to help you.

38. An array of First Nations cultures - Woodland Cree, Swampy Cree, Plains Cree, Saulteaux, Dene, Dakota, Nakota, Lakota, and the Métis - complete with rich cultural histories.

39. W.O. Mitchell, author of Who Has Seen the Wind?, was from Weyburn.

40. Dry cold.

41. Dry heat.

42. Author Sharon Butala from Nipawin. (Twice short-listed for the prestigious Governor General's Award.)

43. We're glad to report that renowned journalists Pamela Wallin, Keith Morrison and Eric Malling are all from Saskatchewan.

44. The first co-operative oil refinery in the world was built in Regina in 1934.

45. The idea that rang around the hemisphere: no one should ever die because they didn't have enough money to see a doctor - our medicare system.

46. We don't have rush hours. We have rush minutes.

47. Wanuskewin Heritage Park - findings older than the Great Pyramids of Egypt make this area unique. Tipi rings, stone cairns, a medicine wheel and many more artifacts dating back more than 8,000 years.

48. The Big Muddy (near Big Beaver) in south central Saskatchewan was the only Canadian stop on the Outlaw Trail - a trail that ran from Canada to Mexico and was used by Butch Cassidy and his gang to elude them thar authorities.

49. The Qu'Appelle Valley.

50. A multitude of incredible festivals ranging from Dragon Boat Races and the Festival of Words to the Saskatoon Fringe Festival, the Regina Folk Festival and Ness Creek Music Festival (complete with bears).

51. Lake Manitou near Watrous, complete with legendary healing powers. Plus it's almost three times saltier than the Dead Sea in Jordan, making it impossible for a person to sink. That's cool.

52. Saskatoon berries. Yum.

53. Saskatchewan is the site of North America's oldest bird sanctuary, established in 1887 at Last Mountain Lake. An important breeding ground for approximately 100 species, this area is used by over 280 species of birds during migration. From mid-August until the end of October, a breathtakingly more than 75,000 sandhill cranes and 400,000 geese use the lake as a stopover.

54. The farm mentality of "we can fix anything."

55. Saskatchewan is Canada's sunniest province.

56. Saskatchewan produces more than 54 per cent of the wheat grown in Canada.

57. A key part of Canadian history occurred in Saskatchewan - the North West Rebellion of 1885, led by Louis Riel.

58. Saskatchewan has more road surface than any other province in Canada, with a total of 150,000 miles (250,000 km).

59. The first Girl Guide Cookies in Canada were baked and sold in Regina in 1927 by Christina Riepsamen. She started baking cookies in her home to raise money for camping equipment for her Girl Guide group. The cookies were sold in brown paper bags for 10 cents a dozen.

60. The first air ambulance service in North America (and the Commonwealth).

61. Internationally known singer/songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie was born on the Piapot Reserve in the Qu'Appelle Valley.

62. The first Automated Banking Machine (ABM), or Automated Teller Machine (ATM), in North America was implemented in Saskatchewan. We debuted the first debit cards and debit card transaction in North America as well.

63. Comedian Brent Butt, star of the TV show Corner Gas, is from Tisdale.

64. In 1947, Saskatchewan passed the first general human rights act in North America. This was one year before the UN General Assembly passed its Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

65. No bugs in the winter.

66. Unique events - like the Wynyard Chicken Chariot Races and the Lumsden Duck Derby.

67. If you're shut in with a sick kid, people know somehow, and things show up on your doorstep - fresh bread, books to read, soup...and hundreds and hundreds of pounds of lasagna.

68. Powwows.

69. Cabbage rolls and perogies made by hand - and the hands belong to Baba.

70. Flat is great... flat is what you want when you're cycling for hours.

71. Drive half an hour out of town and take a walk.

72. The Hanson Buck - Milo Hanson of Biggar is a virtual celebrity in hunting circles. He holds the world record for a white tail deer: its inside spread measures just over 27 inches, and six of the rack's 10 main points exceed 11 inches.

73. Saskatchewan's north - one of the last wild and beautiful places on the earth.

74. More writers than you can shake a stick at.

75. The colour of our summers - the exquisiteness of flax fields, the sunshine yellow of canola, the amber waves of wheat...all contrasted with rich, dark earth.

76. The smell of freshly cut hay.

77. Saskatchewan is a you-can-do-anything-you-want kind of place. There is so much opportunity. Because we're friendly, helpful people, it's easy to make connections to get you started. You can break from your family tradition to do any career or start any business...and do well at it.

78. Canada's first heavy oil upgrader was built in Regina in 1988.

79. On any given weekend, you can hop in your car and then eat your way around the world (French food in Gravelbourg, Thai in Moose Jaw, Dutch-Indonesian in Lumsden, Ukrainian in Yorkton, Ethiopian in Regina, Japanese in Saskatoon...).

80. Our whole arts community - the idea that a place needs more than an economy - it needs a soul - and artists are necessary to that.

81. People care.

82. Perch, trout, walleye. Need we say more?

83. Community. We show it over and over again - Saskatchewan people give more time and money to help others than anywhere else in Canada.

84. No tropical plants that eat people.

85. No tropical animals that eat people.

86. If you're a fisherman, Len Thompson, a farmer from Abernethy, invented the legendary "five of diamonds" or "red & white" fishing lures here.

87. The former Governor of the Bank of Canada - Canada's chief banker and monetary policy maker - Gordon Thiessen, grew up in a number of Saskatchewan towns and graduated from high school in Moosomin.

88. We boast our own fashions - Farm Eye for the City Guy - jeans, a good shirt and a jean jacket, even in minus 40 degree weather.

89. Allan Sapp - the world-renowned, Plains-Cree artist and painter grew up on the Red Pheasant Indian Reserve.

90. Saskatchewan is "can-do-co-operative country." We know how to get the job done, together, to the best of our collective abilities.

91. Tell the Energizer Bunny to move over: from minus 40 to plus 40 degrees Celsius (with or without 30 kph winds) - Saskatchewan keeps going...and going...and going...

92. The fastest woman on ice is from Saskatoon: Olympic gold medallist/speedskater Catriona Le May Doan.

93. We can see all the stars at night.

94. The relentless, yet comforting sound of crickets, no matter where you are.

95. Olympic gold medallist and three-time world champion curler, Sandra Schmirler and her team from Regina.

96. The fact that people still wave hello on country roads - whether they know you or not.

97. The northern lights.

98. Incredible sunsets.

99. Amazingly friendly people who always have coffee on.

100. Our big sky...as far as the eye can see.


Sunday, April 22, 2007

New day brings a new blog entry !!!

To start this off I would like to say ...

So well, atleast I need someone grew balls and gave an opinion to my blog haha. Yes she is a woman, thanks Mallory. I appreciated everything you wrote and understand. I thank you for actually standing up and voicing your opinion.

What else is on my mind, well Misty Lynn will be here in 16 days, wow can you believe it. It has been over 6 months since I last seen here, so far away but yet soo close to my heart, and now she will finally be here with me. Im so excited, can't wait.

To add, questions questions questions I know they are gonna arise, when people read her msn name, or see the picture in my blog, well let the questions come in, and the answers to them will be given. Never let a question go unheard.

Yup you seen right, it sure is an engagement ring, yes its for Misty Lynn, the one I will marry. First things first, is for me to propose to here, well, I got lots of places to choose from, so it shall be a surprise, to when I bend down on one knee and say Misty Lynn Scopie, Will You Marry Me ????

I can hardly wait for that day. It will truly be a wonderful day, very special indeed.

I love this girl soo much, I care for her soo deeply, always wondering if she is safe, and healthy, and when she is here, I will be her safety, be her armor, and keep her 100% healthy. By all means neccessary.

I tend to take after my dad, so I have been told, I see it alot to, I care deeply for people, my family, my fiance Misty Lynn. I care that the are safe and secure, I care that they are healthy. I just watch out for others more then myself. I am a supporter, and I will fully support Misty Lynn, as does my dad with our family, you just learn to respect everyone, not take things for granted, and keep the ones safe that are close to you.

At times I am meek and quiet, other times, I speak out and let people know whats on my mind. They are both good things in different situations, the other thing I do good, is listen, I was told I am a very good listener, that may be why my hearing is very keen, I believe in a relationship communication is key, be it the one whos speaks, or the one who listens.

Relationships are built on trust, honesty, communications, with all those build a solid foot print, not one in sand as it washes away, but in stone so it will last forever. Well you love someone you shouldn't really write in in a heart, as they can break, you should write in in a circle, as it goes on forever.

We have been together since January 11, 2006, Wow, can you believe how long it has been.

Thats all for now,

Signed off

Saturday, April 21, 2007

Lil about me !!!

Well I know I already added two blogs today, so why not make a charming third. To clear things up.

What more would I have to say in this third one you.

Well, I would like to tell people who don't know me a bit about myself.

They always say one can never have enough knowledge, people hunger for knowledge, for truth, me being one of those people that do. So what do I do to do that, I continually educate myself on every subject I possible can, be it human behavior, politics, computer, entertainment, sports, finance, health, and the list goes on and on.

I myself am never short for answers, you ask me a question, guaranteed you get an answer right back, if not at the time, you will soon thereafter. So when people make assumptions and or try and hide things they don't want me to see or others to see, I spot it, no hiding it from me, so people please do not beat around the bush. Its not worth my time to have a scallywag say all this stuff or possible nothing to my face, but behind it, and not have a difinitive answer to back it up.

I myself am not perfect, no one is quite frankly, but when I say something, I can back it up, as I do my research more then people think

On top of that I have about 3-4 years of schooling, from 3D animation to Network Administration as well as programming.

So is this me bragging about what I have, no actually it isn't at all, just mostly me saying, if you got something to say about one of the topics I study, please have evidence to back up your case.

And as well people should not make judgements whether or not a person goes to church, where in church a person sits, be it the back or the front, God is all around us, He is in us. So please don't limit Him to being only in one place, cause He isn't.

My faith, all my life I have believed in Creator God, if it wasn't for Him none of us would be here. Yes its true I did not attend church until I met my amazing fiance Misty Lynn, but does that make me a different person, because I never went to church, but still believed in God Almighty. And I thank her with all my heart and soul for all the help she has helped me with and taught me spiritually, cause honestly without her I don't know where I would be right now.

So I shall be there to visit those ney sayers, who I love to prove wrong, its so fun, and to those who support us 100%.

God Bless those who read this and in all things, live for the truth

Seek the truth, live for the truth in all things

Signed Off

Update 2

More on my mind, so here goes.

Misty Lynn moves here in 17 day, can you believe it 17 days. WOW, I am soo excited for when she finally gets her, to finally see her again, last time I saw her was in Nov of last year, can you believe it has been that long already.

The best things in life are worth waiting for, I am so glad and thankful I followed through on that, Cause I truly love this girl with all my heart.

No one can tell me I don't, no one can break us apart, that is only up to God. He makes the decisions He is the one the judges, its not up to others to do, which they are doing. Yes people do do that.

This is the girl for me, we have now been together since January 11th, 2006, wow can you believe it has been just about a year and 4 months since we met.

When I met her, I knew from the start, the no matter how hard this was gonna be, no matter the distance apart from us, that this was the one for me, the one I wanted to share the rest of my life with, the one I want children with, the one I wanna and am gonna marry.

She was everything I was always looking for in a lady, caring, compassionate, sincere, trusting, spiritual, loving, giving, funny, intelligent, and many more to list. Out of all the girls I could have chosen, I am glad it was here, all she has taught me, all she has given me, everything she has done for me, I am soo very thankful for.

There are people that support her moving here, and some that don't. God Bless those that do. To those that don't, why, I would really like a answer to why you say no, stand up be a man come on, one of the worst things to do is beat around the bush. Its very immature, playing these little games, oh I am not telling him, Im not chicken, I can't speak up for myself, I left my voice be heard, you wanna be meek and not say a thing but have something against us, be a man COME ON, seriously, don't beat around the bush, cause seriously all in all, I know hate is a strong word, but I do hate people who can't speak up, Im an interagator, and need answers to (why)

As well, I guess people now are finally realizing, that she is moving, yup her plane ticket is paid for, was purchased over a week ago, and is for the beginning of may. Its a early flight, see how many people show up to see her off, those would be her true friends, the ones that care. You one of them.

And as well, to the ones who have used her, grow up, like come on, act your age not your shoe size, using people should not be, but it happens, and I seen it happen time and time again, do this do this do that do that. Is it not your responsibility, did you not choose to do that in the first place, don't DON'T push it off on another person, own up to it,

The only reason I can say this, is because I was used over and over, walked all over, that was many years ago, and happened pretty much through all my school years, I learned to stand up for myself, stand up for what I know is right, yea I do burst out and tell people how it is, isn't it a good thing, as some people just need to be put in there places so they can hopefully grow up. Looking back on how people used me, saddens me, to have to have gone through all that, using you and then dumping you trash.

There is a point in your life as well, well you come to realize, just who your real friends are and aren't. Lets start off by saying, TRUE FRIENDS, stand by yourside no matter how hard life is, through the thick and thin of times. There always there to support you, to help you, to guide you. (they give you advice, give you strong, give you faith, they keep your spirits up) there the positive ones, the help you as you help them.

Now to the others, the not loyal friends, who are they, well they are the ones that come to you, only when it is there convenience, only when they come crying to you for help, but when you need help, they don't have time, there busy, or this or that, these ones just be there at there own convenience when they think its about them only.

So now is the time to sort them out, who is loyal and there when you need them, to who is just using you as a pushover when there in need of you.

God Bless all those who read this blog, Take it with a grain of salt if you wish. But remember, I will speak the truth even if it hurts.

Signed off

Blah blah blah

Well well well, guess I am back on the blogger with more on my mind, why else would I be on.

So what more is on my mind, read and ye shall find out.

I have this thing about, I can walk up to a person, talk to them for 5 minutes or less, and tell you the kind of person they are, I can do it on the phone, and IM as well.

And as well I can senses things in my spirits, no matter what it is. I can sure say I have felt alot of negativity from people as well as not so good thoughts.

So there is two things I do when I usually sense that, go after the matter or let sleeping dogs lie, with the second one being the better idea, if I know I am right.

And there is people that could very well be against what I have right now, but thats there decision, they can go royally fly a kite and get lost, cause I sure don't care.

May be there jealous, may be its for other reasons, which ever it is, they can think what they wanna, cause I am gonna keep my chin up and move forward with the one I love.

People that do that tick me off, say this or say that, without anything backing it up, come on grow up, are you a coward, you can't say it to ones face, you gotta beat around the bush, BE a man already.

If there is something you gotta say, SAY it. No need to screw around,

Thats about it for now, but there definately will be more, just have to wait and see.

Comments these days as well are few if any, come on, can't nobody stand up, I like opinions, comments, just be a man, if you read this,

Signed off

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Well didn't think I was gonna use it and now look !!!

So what is it I am back on here for this evening.

Its just to straighten out things that have been said and such. You know what gets me mad, people that judge, be in cause of your skin color, your race, your education, if your poor or rich, and numerous others things, We people are not ones to judge others, thats only up to one person God.

What else do I have to say, I will just say I will let sleeping dogs lie,

If people are against something, should you not keep it to yourself rather then blow it at others. Sure everyone has opinions, but they are like donkies. Everyone has one.

I love Misty with my whole heart, I have never in my life loved a young lady this much. She is moving here in 21 days, actually 20 days now, going by your time over yonder. I knew that from day one, right then, I knew this girl was different, I knew this was the girl I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.

So to all you ney sayers, go float, With Misty and I's strength, will power, faith, and God by ourside, anything is possible, Nothing is impossible with Him by yourside.

You can think all you wanna think, think negative that is entirely up to you. People meet for a reason, God knows who needs who, and I am with the one God sent to me,

I am so thankful, so happy, and so glad that he sent me an angel. I truly am, I give Him the highest praise and Glory.

Thats about it for now, just had to get some of my chest, will be more in a bit.

Peace out Ya'll

Signed Off