WEST RESERVE
Finally a post from this adventure that is actually IN Winkler.
I had left Greenfarm, wondering what I would do next. By 8:20pm, I realized I had arrived at the Discover Nature Sanctuary, and I figured hey, why not?
The sign above was a good place to stop and consider as I chase my own family history in this area. It says: “The First Peoples living on this land had an intimate relationship with the prairie. They shaped it and were shaped by it as they followed bison herds through the seasons. The prairie continues to shape their descendants today. The arrival of explorers, and eventually settlers, changed the land forever. In the course of only a few decades, most of the prairie disappeared beneath the plough and wildlife began to disappear.”
I continued on.
I was definitely seeing Winkler in its best light, taking in the mid-summer sunset at the Discovery Nature Sanctuary.
There are enticing paths and waterways throughout.
Honestly, from driving by on the highway, I couldn’t tell this place was so pretty. I’m so glad I stopped in.
A quick note on the feature photo: I think it captures how I was feeling at that moment (8:24pm to be exact) in being there alone, thinking it would be nice to sit on that bench with Andrew.
Those who know this nature sanctuary well, will know that I didn’t see all of it (or, at least, it’s not represented in these pictures) and that is true. Elated from having discovered the beautiful cemetery of Greenfarm, I felt compelled to continue exploring. The sun was sinking, but my day was not done yet. Much like The Littlest Hobo (remember that Canadian gem?), I had to keep moving on.
There was something I still needed to do.