And then there was Manitoba and Ontario

July 28th
Drove 3 miles back into Sioux Narrows to do a little shopping. Kind of a neat little tourist town.

Left a little money with them for a few momentos, and a burger, then drove south 20 miles to Nestor Falls, just to see the Falls. Drove right past it, or rather over it as it is right under the bridge spanning a channel between Kakagi Lake and Lake of the Woods. After driving another 3 miles stopped at an info booth, and directed back to the right place. A nice Falls. Took a few photos, and the returned to ELTORO.

I said I wasn't going to do this, this year, talk about what we ate, but just this once!! Bar-B-Qued a big steak for dinner. Was it GOOD!!


July 27th
For those that are following my Blog, you can see how far behind I am. No updates, No pictures, No excuses. Just not getting around to it. Anyway for the 27th, nothing really to report. Retired and doing nothing!!
July 26th
This morning saw us on the road again into Ontario and the toward Kenora and on to Sioux Narrows where we had reservations at the Tomahawk Resort for 3 days.

We followed Highway 17 through the center of Kenora, and then to Highway 71 south to Sioux Falls.


July 25th
A couple of days ago we left Saskatoon Saskatchewan, and planned on heading east on the Yellowhead Highway to Manitoba via Yorkton and beyond, but by some glitch in the GPS (at least I'll blame it on that lady that talks to me from behind the unit) somehow we ended up on Highway 11 to Regina. Poor Saskatchewan road signs didn't give me an indication of going the wrong way until it was too far to be bothered turning around, and finding the proper route. Oh well, what the heck, lets just go to Regina, and then on to Brandon and Winnipeg on #1. Brandon was about a 400 mile day, so we hunkered down there for the night at the Meadowlark RV Park there. An odd charge there was that when I reserved the night before they indicated that for reservations they charge an extra $9.50, but if you just show up, they only charge to going rate of $30. I've never heard of that before, and still do not understand the rational of it. However we paid the extra $9.50 to ensure we had a spot. In fact we stayed another night at the $30 rate so we could drive down to the International Peace Gardens on the North Dakota and Manitoba border. To get there you drive right past the Customs Station from whichever country you are leaving which is a short distance from the entrance gate to the International Peace Garden. While in the Garden you will travel from American to Canadian soil and Canadian Soil to American Soil freely within the park, and not have to report in at any Customs Station. After you leave the Garden, whichever country you are entering after leaving the Peace Garden, you must stop and report at that station.
Here is a sampling od what there is to see. More is available at:
http://www.peacegarden.com/sights.htm

THE CAIRN

In June 1932, the Cairn of native stone was hurriedly constructed by stonemasons, William Paterson and his son, Edroy, of Rugby, North Dakota for the July 14, 1932 dedication. Over 50,000 people gathered for the dedication of the International Peace Garden. The Cairn is located directly on the United States and Canadian Border, flanked by each country's flagpole on the designated side. The Cairn is built of aboriginal hammerheads collected by children in the surrounding areas. In July 17, 1960, the globe of red granite with etched meridian lines, a gift from Great Northern Railway company of St. Paul, Minnesota, as a memorial to its founder, Canadian born James J. Hill, was added to the top of the Cairn.

On the face of the Cairn it states: “To God in His Glory… We two nations dedicate this garden and pledge ourselves that as long as men shall live we will not take up arms against one another.''

FLORAL CLOCK

The large clock received from the Bulova Watch Company in 1966 was a duplicate of the famous Bulova Floral Clock at Berne, Switzerland. It was replaced the summer of 2005 with a new clock of St. Louis, Missouri. The Floral Clock, 18 feet in diameter, is a popular attraction at the International Peace Garden, and displays a unique floral design each year. The number of plants on the clock can range from 2,000 to 5,000, depending on the type of plant and design on the face of the clock. Typically the first week in June, 150,000 flowers are planted at the Peace Garden, and best viewed full bloom from mid-July through August. However, the park has its own distinctive beauty all around

FORMAL GARDEN

One of the Special attractions was the 9/11 Memorial

On June 3, 2002 the International Peace Garden received ten, 10 from the Trade Center
wreckage. The girders lie at rest at the 911 Memorial Site at the International Peace Garden
everlasting reminders of the human tragedy that occurred one quiet September morning in New
York City, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C.
A 9/11 memorial competition was held, open to students registered at a recognized educational
institution in either Manitoba or North Dakota. The competition was organized by Professor
Charlie Thomsen, the Associate Dean of Faculty of Architecture at The University of Manitoba, in
Winnipeg, Manitoba.
The object of the competition was to develop a permanent memorial to those individuals who lost
their lives in event of September 11, 2001, incorporating the steel girders. There were 19 entries;
the first place winner went to Derrick Wolbaum, Marcus Lund, and Tim Kennedy, 4th year
Landscape Architecture Students from North Dakota University in Fargo, ND.
On November 26, 2002, their design, with the message of recall, reflect, remember, understand,
forgive, and grow selected as the first place winner. The winning presentation is displayed at the
International Peace Garden Center. The design is composed of three separate, yet
interdependent chambers titled Recall, Reflect, and Remember.

RECALL: allows visitors to recall their emotional responses to the tragedy. Six girders extend
from the ground and as a gateway into the memorial.
REFLECT: identifies the importance of self-reflection in coming to terms with the tragedy. Here a single beam filled with water lies on the ground, where visitors can make a person connection with the tragedy by touching both the and the soothing water that lies within.
REMEMBER: allow visitors to remember those individuals lost in the tragedy. A bronze plaque will stand in remembrance of those who perished in the attack, while a native oak tree stands as a living memorial and a reminder the power of life and the benefits of growth through tragedy.
Those who lost their lives will not be forgotten.
Just a few random shots of the Gardens:

The Entrance

The 49th Parallel
The Peace Towers 911 Memorial Beams from the Towers

After leaving the Gardens we returned toward Brandon, stopping at Boissevian, where there were a bevy of Murals. Now my good wife is very much into taking pictures of a variety of different things. Birds, murals, unique mail boxes, birds, flowers, scenery, and birds. So it was without a doubt a necessity to stop in this small town and take those that were along the main and side streets on sides of buildings. Also had to take some of the biggest turtle in Canada, "Tommy Turtle" who must have stood 20 ft tall. At least this one was off the Highway and Denice did not have to stop traffic to save him!! Then there was the Birds. Hundreds of Purple Martins, living in the biggest Bird Condo you could imagine. Then back to Brandon.

Purple Thrusher Condo

Mural - Can you identify the real from the painting?

Tommy Turtle