Friday’s Fave Five – September 29

It’s the last Friday of September, already; the month whizzed by in a blur. Oh, how I’m looking forward to October and a different pace—though I’ll have to make it intentionally so. I hate to use the “b” word but I can’t help but attach the busy label to the coming month as Gerry and I continue with twice weekly murder theatre classes and Molly starts puppy class.

Meanwhile, let’s look back at the week with a Friday’s Fave Five post.

On Saturday morning, I drove to Regina, through the Qu’Appelle valley, to the Echo Lake Bible Camp for the last day of InScribe Christian Writers Fellowship fall conference. It was time well spent listening to songwriter, storyteller, and recipient of the Order of Canada, Steve Bell and Moose Jaw resident, Ellen Duffield, Coordinator of the Paul E. Magnus Centre for Leadership Studies at Briercrest Seminary in Caronport. It was also a gift to have face-to-face time with like-minded people, many of whom I knew exclusively online via Zoom meetings etc. I came away inspired and knowing I need to be intentional about creating space for my writing in the midst of a season where there seems to be much happening. That’s my October goal.

I harvested and cooked the last of the beets (and there were a lot of them) from the garden yesterday. Today, I plan to make beet pickles—using the same recipe my mom used. I say “plan” because I’m under the weather so holding the intention loosely.

Gerry and I did a Costco run to Regina this week. It’s always a treat to enjoy the prairie scenery along the way. A trip to the Queen City usually includes a few things. This time it was shopping for lotions and foaming soap at Bath and Body Works, and a stop at Bulk Barn for things to make a cereal Gerry’s been wanting. It’ll probably be the la$t time I make that particular cereal because the ingredient$ are $uper-expen$sive.

Molly is growing fast! Now that she’s had her last puppy shots, we’re looking forward to being able to take her out to puppy class and for walks. One more week to wait! She’ll also need a trip to the groomer—her first—and she’ll come away looking very different as her coat is already changing. For now I’m cherishing the sweet puppy look she’s sporting.

I don’t have a photo to accompany the last thing on my list this week and that’s by design. One afternoon, I went for a solitary drive through the Wakamow Valley and happened upon the community food farm. It must have been a special day because the people were whooping and making celebratory noise as they gathered. I stayed out of the way and wandered in a field next to the garden. There, I spied a squirrel scurrying along a wire. I watched as he neared the closest pole and wondered if he would continue his adventure on another wire. I imagined he could traverse safely far and wide atop telephone and electrical poles. Perhaps, he would climb down the pole and forage for something to eat. I never did find out what choice he made as I lost sight of him. That’s okay. The moments I watched him—not thinking about digging out my phone to capture a not-so-good photograph—were respite in the middle of a(nother) busy day.