Another year has passed. Much to look back on but many more better times ahead. Our year ended at the Ponoka Stampede Saloon with 350 -400 locals dancing, drinking and wishing all well.
Danny saw some local cowboys and asked if I could get my photo taken with them. The Butterfield's are known throughout the region for their Steer Wrestling and Horse Breeding. I am sitting on the knee of a champion in one photo- Bud and his son Criag is next to us. Bud Butterfield was Canada's champion six times, winning in 1956, three straight from 1958-60 and back to back in 1962 and '63. Craig has been a professional cowboy for over 25 years, and has qualified 10 times in Steer Wrestling for the Canadian Finals Rodeo. He was also the 1973 High School Rodeo World Champion in Steer Wrestling.
Bud Butterfield, Lindy, Craig Butterfield
They didn't want to go in the photo at first and suggested I have my photo taken with their grandson & nephew..I did both.
Jesse Butterflield, Lindy , Chance Butterfield
At one stage Curtis Cassidy (in the attached video below) was sitting next to me - he is the 2010 champion for Steer wrestling.
Curtis Cassidy & Lindy
Curtis' belt buckle.
Happy New Year to you all and we wish you happy & healthy 2011.
We went to Drumheller today to visit the Royal Tyrell Museum to see the dinosaurs, fossils etc. 7 of us in one YUKON van which Danny borrowed from his brother Mark. Danny & Bev's daughter Breanne, her husband Gerry & baby Saraya, flew in for Christmas from Vancouver and are staying till Wednesday. Off we went and firstly visited a colleague of Danny's for lunch - a feast in a beautifully decorated Canadian home. At about 2pm we arrived at the museum and enjoyed the displays till about 4 pm.
Death pose fossil
Snow scene outside museum
Drumheller landscape
We set off for home and expected to arrive at about 6pm. At about 5:30 pm I was abruptly awoken by screams and shouting in the cabin of the van. The van was swerving on the road, Danny had slammed on the brakes and there was an almighty THUD on the drivers front corner of the van. Liquid sprayed all over the windscreen and Danny shouts , " I hope it's blood". I soon knew we had hit a deer but I didn't know what Danny meant by his statement so I asked Gerry. Apparently it would be good news if it was just the blood from the deer (which was dead) but not so good news if it was transmission fluid or petrol etc. Alas it was transmission fluid. Danny got back in the car and turned the engine off in-case the van caught fire.OH DID I FORGET TO ADD THAT IT WAS -11C OUTSIDE.....Danny called his brother to tell him the bad news. The van he had just bought a month ago wasn't going anywhere and we needed a tow.OH DID I FORGET TO TELL YOU WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE!A car pulls up behind us to see if we are okay...I'm hoping it's not someone from Wolf Creek or Barrow Creek Road in the outback...but it's fine the guy just wanted to make sure we were okay.OH DID I FORGET TO ADD THAT IT IS PITCH BLACK IN THE CAR WITH ENGINE TURNED OFF AND THE TEMP IS DROPPING IN THE CABIN AND THAT I PUT MY BEANIE & GLOVES ON TO KEEP MY BODY TEMP UP!The first car leaves and in minutes later another pulls up..it's cool..they are off duty fire brigade personnel just making sure we are fine. It seems folks around here are genuinely caring. I'm thinking in Oz everyone would have kept driving...An hour passes and Mark arrives with a spare van of his to collect us. Danny & Gerald wait for the tow truck.... All is well except we now have to wait and see what damage the deer has done to the van.We have some antler as a souvenir.We buy pizza on the way home...and wait for Gerald and Danny to return...they arrive home later with flushed cheeks...what did they do to keep warm on the HIGHWAY while waiting for the tow truck. I don't want to know because WHAT HAPPENS ON THE HIGHWAY STAYS ON THE HIGHWAY.Good night...OH DEER!
OKay so it's the 26th December 2010 and we are on our way to The Barons Family home in USONA where Danny grew up, to celebrate Christmas. Danny Baron has a plan... on the way he takes us to a friend who just so happens to stuff animals aka Rick - The Taxidermist. It is near Ponoka where Danny & Bev now live. So we look around and we see nothing but white snow and quaint barns and a farm. We hope you enjoy the attached photos. We loved the whole experience. There was a wide range of animals in his workshop - bear, mink, badger, fox, goat, ram and probably more that I can't remember. This is a piece of Candian history! ENJOY!
A real chopping block
Gerald, Lindy, Rick, Jeremy Baron (Danny's son ) & Danny Baron
