2009-03-27

Oh The Places You'll Go - Red River Rising‏

I don't know how many of you have paid attention to the widgets on my side bar over there, but one of them is the slide show, "Oh the places you'll go," which is filled with pictures I've taken. I am NOT a photographer. I use cheap point and shoots, but these pictures mean something to me, either the time, the place, or the people. They take me back. I have been planning on explaining them for a while, but never have gotten around to it.

But at least some of them are topical now, so I figured it was time to do it.

If you didn't know, the Red River in the center of North America is flooding, and threatening Fargo at the moment. While there are a lot of factors, recent heavy snows, a slow flowing river on extremely flat land, and the fact that the river flows NORTH so that the snow melts in the upper part of the drainage basin first, sending the floods and ice dams "down river" where it is still frozen all contribute.

Last time I was up for a family reunion, it was summer (Poo, that 4 months that you DON'T use the block heater in the Pontiac and the sun doesn't set until 10:00 pm), but the Red River was flooded then too.

We were getting together in the border town of Emerson, Manitoba (Yes, named after Ralph Waldo). One of the events was supposed to be a golf scramble. It was called off, because the water hazards were a little large.



Look carefully: That tiny red spot out there? Yes, that's a flag on top of a green pin. Emerson is a cute, but dying town. The border crossing used to funnel traffic thru town, but now, it runs west of town a little bit. Progress can be sad.



This shot has nothing to do with the flooding, it's just one of the old family churches out toward Ridgeville with the beautiful blue prairie sky in the background.

After we left Emerson, we drove north a bit to the largest cultural and metropolitan area for hundred of miles. The Mecca that is Winnipeg. You laugh, but get out a map. I think Honolulu may be a slightly more isolated metropolitan area. Barely.



There is a beautiful bridge downtown over the Red River. (Yes, I know technically, the pedestrian bridge and the vehicular bridge are separate, but they form a whole.) The weather that day sucked. Off and on thunderstorms which couldn't have helped the already overflowingness of the river. But still nice down there by "The Forks".

This last shot isn't on the Red River. It's only about 325 miles due west. But that ditch between the highway and grain elevator is the mighty Souris River, so I'll toss it in, too. Weyburn, SK. My dad grew up outside of town. For all the nothing that you drive thru to get there. Some of the nothing can be pretty darn spectacular.

(Yes, I was very unlinky for me. But, you're at a computer. You've got Google. Go for it.)

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've always thought those wheat stalks in Weyburn would be awesome to scratch my back with.

Hey, bring your canoe for golfing!

Cora said...

"It was called off, because the water hazards were a little large." Umm, yeah, I would say so!

Great pictures!!

Sass said...

I love that last picture. I don't know why...I just do.

I think the best pictures are the ones that mean something to the person taking them...you can feel that when you look at them.

I like this post, Scope. You get the Sass seal of approval. ;)

Candy's daily Dandy said...

The great thing about photos is that they can take you back to a time and place or a fab memory.

The photo of the church is peaceful and beautiful in a very simple way.

MJenks said...

Hmmm...those pictures of the Nature around Emerson certainly are transcendental.

Sassy Britches said...

I like going on these little trips with you, Scope. It's a fun peek into your past and your sentimentality. Have us along again soon!

Char said...

Water hazards are the very center of my golf game!

I like your pictures, maybe you Are a photographer after all.

Soda and Candy said...

I think your photos are great!

: )
S&C

Anonymous said...

I once took a picture of a tornado in rural Oklahoma. It was the first tornado I had ever seen in real life and it was pretty cool. I will send you the picture.

I love your pictures.

J.J. in L.A. said...

Great photos! My mom grew up in a small town (80 pop.) named Loretto, MN. I think there are 200 people there now.

I'm doing a photo blog pretty soon and I want to do something like your 'places you'll go'. If you have any advice, I'd be glad to learn. : )

Anonymous said...

Yes, we here in "the Peg" (check out how hip I am!) are expecting the floods to reach us in a week or so. Plus once all the snow outside my window currently, melts, it will be the OCEAN of WINNIPEG.

Nice photos! That bridge is the Riel Esplanade and it's kickass. And the Forks has good fudge. You heard it here.

Scope said...

Veg - The Riel Esplanade is really cool, and that picture doesn't really do it justice, but we were on foot, and it was a real rainy day, so I just couldn't find the right angle.

And spent a lot of time down at some converted warehouse or something that is a Welcome Center and tourist mall thing.

Whenever I read someone else's stories about driving and running over frozen pedestrians, they are always getting slaughterd on that bridge.

Poobomber said...

If you're ever in Winnipeg again, check out the tower that you can see way in the background of the picture of the bridge.

It's got a restaurant/lounge in it, so you can sit up there and eat nachos, drink margaritas, and watch the whole city flood for cheap!

Bea said...

hey,
cool pictures. i linked to you on my blog today, check it out if you get the chance!
love The Gnu

tinkalicious said...

Love your photos, aren't digital photos the best? You can just click and click, then instantly check what you took, and take another one if it sucks!

Vodka Mom said...

That puts a little spin on "make sure you clear the water..."

great shots!!!!!!

Zani said...

Nice pics! I really love the one of the church. I have been praying for those people in Fargo. I found your post today as I was thinking about them even.