We're So Close... Let's Do Canada!

Joe, Frannie and Tommy Welcome You To Boissevain
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From the Gardens we decided to head over to Boissevain, Canada in Manitoba after the attendant in the visitor’s center at the peace gardens suggested we check it out. At the border we were met by a pimply faced squat of a guy. We learned later that these border patrol guys are typically hired in the summer from the local college. He must have just finished his training because he went through all the typical questions and then some asking how we knew each other and how we met. Although I love to tell the story of how we met, I don’t really think he cared. He asked us about how much money we had, where we were going, and when we would be back. We didn’t really have the answers to any of the questions for real, but gave him what he wanted to hear. He thumbed through Joe’s passport 2 or 3 times probably wondering why a guy would be traveling to so many Central American countries but after we gave him enough answers he sent us on our way without a smile or a thank you. On our way to Boissevain we passed the sign for the Walkinshaw Place. The home was the original 2^nd settlement from the Turtle Mountain Region and home to the first forest ranger in the Turtle Mountains. The house had been moved 17 miles and resorted into its current beautiful location and condition. The road to get there was another treat, travelling down a wooden lane, seemingly to nowhere or at least into farming country.  We met Peter there, the owner of the house. He welcomed us and gave us a room right away. The house was beautiful with the original hard wood floors and trim work. After a short visit we headed into Bossevien a town that is known for their building murals.

Purple Martin Towers
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Upon our arrival in Boissevain we came to the visitor’s center where a huge turtle, named Tommy watches over the community. While we were walking, a friendly farmer approached us with a handshake and welcomed us his town. He was there on a scavenger hunt find that the local radio was doing for Keith Urban tickets at the State Fair in Minot next week. His wife would be disappointed that he didn’t find them but we couldn’t have been luckier to have this stranger find us. The nicest guy you ever met, Jake introduced himself and told us a little about the town. He wanted us to go see the wildlife museum though I don’t think we were all that interested to begin with. When he found out we were from NJ though, he insisted we see the display. Jake walked us into the museum telling us he would “get us a deal,” the deal was though, that he got us in for free and gave us the full personal tour. We came to learn that Jake and the museum owner were great friends and that all the wildlife displayed the owner had shot most of himself. There were bears, deer, bison, wildcats, and wolverines to name a few but we of course took a picture of Jake under his contribution to the museum, an elk he got up in Saskatchewan. He even offered to host a hunting trip for Joe this winter if he came back for goose hunting. I think Jake would have invited us to his home for dinner too, but we thanked him and said our goodbyes after seeing the museum which is really just a trophy room that a very smart man requires a fee for others to view.

He Was Just A Pimply-faced, Squat Of A Guy...

Mural Artwork On The Grain Mill
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From the Museum we traveled downtown Boissevain. There in the center of town is the largest Purple Martin bird house in the world, I think the correct term would be skyscraper. The birds are welcomed in the community because they eat all the mosquitoes. The bird house is more of a community tower of many bird houses and the chirping from so many birds actually creates a nice backdrop to the town. The buildings live up to their name and are beautifully painted with murals that depict the past and present community. Everything seems to be painted from the grain mill elevator to the civic center and restaurants. The murals add a beautiful touch to the town and along with the all the flowers, make the little town a recipient of one of the “most beautiful cities” according to the providence of Manitoba.

Parkside Murals
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Coming out of Bossivien we traveled off the highway to the Whitewater Lake Bird Sanctuary. The sanctuary appeared quiet at first until we actually started looking around. “There are a lot of birds here” Joe said with a big smile when he realized what we had come upon. We headed back to the car for long pants, bug spray, cameras, and binoculars. Not being into birds at all,  I was surprised at how into the bird viewing I got.  It is hard to not be excited though when we heard and saw all that surrounds this body of water. This lake, like all the lakes around here, is protected deep with cattails. Joe says he has never seen so many cattails in his life and supposes that they are responsible for housing all these different beautiful birds. We spotted a huge flock of white pelicans. I had no idea there were so many different ducks. Ducks with red coloring surrounding tier eyes, ones with babies following close behind, and Joe’s favorite, the ones with beaks blue as bright as a field of Flax with back tail feather stuck high in the air. There were many species we could not name but were beautiful just the same with their colorful feathers and uniquely shaped beaks. I enjoyed watching the muskrats swimming back and forth from one cattail to another. We thought they were beavers at first but Burt, a man who introduced himself much like Jake did, corrected us. He knew Linda and Peter the B&B owners and made sure that we said hello to them for him. Burt it turns out used to live near the lake on the farm that butts up right to the lake but has moved “into town” as he said. Most of the people we meet talk about distance like it is so far away here, and while it is the most vast thing you will ever see, moving 5 miles down the road is a real journey for some of them by the likes of the tales they tell. When someone talks about another town, you would think it was hours away. It usually turns out the town is only around the bend.

Main Street Murals
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Back at the Walkinshaw Place we settled in for the night. We visited with Linda and Peter along with another couple who were on a golfing vacation from Sascatsawan. We roasted some hotdogs and marshmallows around a very cozy fire in the side yard while we listened to the coyotes in the field behind us. The night ended for us with a late night soak in the Jacuzzi that set into the floor of the front porch. We decompressed and relaxed under a full moon while working out the kinxs that our bodies have suffered after 1,400 miles so far on this trip. Breakfast came quickly at 8:30 after sleeping in later than we have yet on this trip until almost 7:30. The Individual quiches, multigrain toast, and juice were all fresh and delicious. Linda and Peter visited with us a bit and we laughed as we shared stories of travel nightmares and border patrol. After a great shower, a restful night’s sleep and a wonderful breakfast we headed out of Walkinshaw Place. We were