Betty Sawatzky

Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques calls Monday's solar eclipse 'a rare spectacle of nature' and for the Christian community, we include the eclipse as another way for our Creator to show his magnificence and mystery in the sky!

'The heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the works of His hands,' declares David in the Psalms.

Across North America many will be taking their eyes to the skies to experience the partial solar eclipse that will take place to the south!

For Manitobans, we're not fortunate enough to live in, or have easy access to, the full shadow of the total eclipse, but just the same we're excited to experience something that is a 'rare spectacle of nature', as Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques calls it.

The Manitoba Wildlife Federation is hosting their annual Becoming an Outdoors Woman at the end of May, this being their 30th year for the event that instructs and mentors women in a wide variety of outdoor skills.

For the most part, it was a mild winter, and although spring has been a little chilly, it was still fairly good for the calving season!  In Manitoba, March weather can be very unpredictable and you can sometimes experience the good and bad several times a week. 

It was standing room only at Heartland Livestock in Virden recently for the annual ManSask Auctioneer Championships.

The event was hosted by the Manitoba Livestock Marketing Association and the Livestock Marketers of Saskatchewan. 

The Royal Farmyard has been a hot spot for families this week at the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair at the Keystone Centre, offering hands-on experiences for all ages to meet and greet goats, cattle, horses and sheep, and so many more furry and fuzzy friends!

Carman area farmers Rod and Heather Hart have a passion for equine friends that come in small packages, miniature horses!  They were founding members of the Manitoba Miniature Horse Club. Heather Hart says there are now between 45-50 families that belong to the Club, and it is a true passion for each of their member families.

The month of March is Kidney Awareness Month; however the Kidney Foundation of Canada likes to call it Kidney Health Month!

Members of the Bison Association of Manitoba are enjoying this week at the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair!  Their booth in the Royal Farmyard shows a life-size picture of a full-grown bison, and association member, Bridie Ritchie, says she actually had to decrease the picture size to get the bison on the banner!

Jim and Bridie Ritchie raise about 160 head of bison southwest of Brandon, near Souris, with about 85 breeding cows and 3 bulls, as well as a mixture of younger animals.

The Royal Farmyard has been a hot spot for families this week at the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair at the Keystone Centre, offering hands-on experiences for all ages to meet and greet goats, cattle, horses and sheep, and so many more furry and fuzzy friends!

The city of Brandon is bustling with activity as staff and volunteers of the Provincial Exhibition, and everyone involved with this year's Royal Manitoba Winter Fair crowds the Keystone Centre!

Provincial Ex General Manager, Mark Humphries, says it takes 4-5 days to move all the displays, trade show material, equipment and more to prepare for the hundreds of exhibitors, competitors and participants to showcase their skills in next week's event.