It is spring in Manitoba. I love this time of year:  pruning, planting, preparing for growing your garden, inch by inch, row by row.  We on the prairies experience every season to its fullest.  This is one of the reasons why I love Manitoba. We are not just observers; we are participants in this annual changes.  For children, this is a delightful time of year.  They are the essence of growing and discovering.  So, welcome to my province.  Enjoy!

Spring is in the air. Winter’s mantle of white has melted away and a whole new world is revealed. There is that wonderful sense of rebirth everywhere you look. A few days ago my eldest daughter Hayley and I were taking a friend’s two year old child to her daycare.

We were a little too early, so we decided to go on an adventure before dropping her off. Just a few blocks away was a huge open field that I had visited before when I had taken our dog Bella for a walk. Before arriving at the field I told everyone about this beautiful space and what I thought we might see: songbirds, geese and maybe even a rabbit. Sure enough, there were lots of birds, robins, white throated sparrows, meadowlark, and plenty of Canadian geese landing in the field and honking as they waddled to catch up with their friends, but not a sign of a rabbit.  

I was disappointed because we had just been to the Manitoba Theatre for Young People’s production of The Runaway Bunny and now to discover a real rabbit in the real world would have added another dimension to this little girl’s memory. But, it was time to go to school, so we would have to look for the long eared hopper another day.

With Hayley holding one hand and me holding the other we were swinging the little one in the air. She would touch down for a moment and then hop and fly again. (I remember my wife and I doing this with our own children.  I am sure this is a shared memory with many families). Simple fun! Boing, boing, boing.

We were making our way across the field when all of a sudden there it was!  A beautiful long eared, big footed, white tailed jack rabbit bounding across our path. Startled and excited we watched every leap until she was out of sight. The memory was made. Perfect timing! Welcome to Manitoba.

Hi, my name is BRUCE and I am so proud of the team at the Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre in Morden (CFDC). In case we haven’t had the occasion to meet before, please allow me to introduce myself.

I am the largest mosasaur ever found in Canada! I am 43 feet long and could have got even bigger had we not gone suddenly extinct. I am the feature display at the CFDC and it’s a role I embrace. I even have my own page on Facebook, just search for Bruce Mosasaur. It’s a great challenge to keep my voracious appetite under control as I watch so many tasty school children parade before me.

I am a marine reptile and some people refer to me as the T-Rex of the Deep. While the dinosaurs roamed the earth a large portion of North America was under water. The Western Interior Seaway, in fact. I am more than 80 million years old and come from the late Cretaceous period. I was the top predator of the seaway and was always hungry. If you like trivia you’ll enjoy the fact that I derived my name from a Monty Python movie.  

Well, enough about me. The team at the CFDC continues to work tirelessly to unearth many of my friends and family. The CFDC operates an incredibly success Fossil Dig Adventure Tour from May – October of each year.  These tours uncovered fossils 100% of the time in 2009. It’s only a matter of time until they find a mosasaur bigger than I am. My goodness...

The good folks at Macleans Magazine recognized the value of our museum in 2009 as we were named a ‘Top 5 Travel Destination’ in Manitoba for the summer.

Our dig season was officially launched on May 22nd and we’re poised and ready to make the next big discovery.  We invite the people of Manitoba and beyond to join us at the CFDC this summer. There are many great new exhibits on display and the Manitoba Escarpment continues to yield great fossil finds. We offer a once in a lifetime fossil digging experience. I challenge you to find a fossil bigger than me!

If digging isn’t your thing, you may want to book a guided tour of our museum or send your children to our entertaining summer programs. The staff at the CFDC have built a great website that is full of great information. We are after all a Manitoba Star Attraction for a reason!

For over 10 years the Native Orchid Conservation Inc. (NOCI) has been working to protect Manitoba’s unique mini-ecosystems and their plant communities, primarily native orchids. The non-profit membership group aims to identify, protect, research and increase awareness and appreciation for rare plant species in Manitoba. One of these areas is the Brokenhead Wetland, located northeast of the Brokenhead Ojibway Nation Reserve in Scanterbury, Manitoba.

First Nations communities have been gathering plants in this wetland for medicinal and cultural purposes for thousands of years. A botanical survey conducted by NOCI revealed that the area contains 28 of Manitoba’s 37 native orchid species, as well as 23 rare plants and eight species of carnivorous plants. Due in part to the work by the NOCI, an area of 536 hectares is designated as an ecological reserve, preserving this incredible natural haven.

Every summer, when the majority of plants are in bloom, NOCI offers guided fieldtrips to the Brokenhead Wetlands and to other important ecological sites around Manitoba. These tours offer a great opportunity to learn about native plant species and the importance of preserving these plants and their habitats for future generations. For fieldtrip locations, times and more information on the NOCI go to www.nativeorchid.org.

Summer is near! That means it’s time to plan some fun family outings to festivals and events around the province.

Storytelling with Robert Munsch
June 9, Centennial Concert Hall

Join everyone’s favorite storyteller as he brings his loveable and relatable characters to life. Go to www.ticketmaster.ca for tickets.

Winnipeg International Children’s Festival
June 10-13, The Forks

If it’s fun, you’ll find it at the Winnipeg International Children’s Festival. Head down to The Forks for all kinds of exciting performances, activities and crafts. Visit www.kidsfest.ca for a full line-up of events and activities.

PortageX
July 10-12, Portage la Prairie

Marking its 138^th year, the PortageX has something for everyone: midway rides and games of chance, a petting zoo and family entertainment. Check out details at www.portageex.com.

Winnipeg Fringe Festival
July 14-25, Winnipeg

The popular theatre festival returns with free Kids Fringe activities and performance at Old Market Square. Every day from noon until six, check out the music, the magic and the buskers on the outdoor stage. Plus, don’t miss family-friendly shows at the indoor Kids Venue. Visit www.winnipegfringe.com for more information.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
August 3-27, Rainbow Stage

Rainbow Stage presents this family-friendly tale of Joseph and his coat of many colours that comes to life. Set to an engaging cornucopia of musical styles, from country-western and calypso to bubble-gum pop and rock ’n’ roll, this Old Testament tale is both timely and timeless. For show times and ticket information, go to www.rainbowstage.net.

Wasagaming Weekend
August 7-9, Wasagaming, Riding Mountain National Park

This is the perfect weekend to get out to Clear Lake for family-friendly activities and events. The Family Street Dance, Kiddie Parade, storytelling, campfires and a performance by Fred Penner are on the jam-packed schedule for the weekend. See the whole schedule at www.discoverclearlake.com.

Camp Familial
August 14-15, Oak Hammock Marsh

Spend the night in the marsh with the whole family. A two-day adventure filled with games, discovery and outdoor activities. For more information, call (204) 467-3248.

Free Family Attractions Included With Red River Exhibition Gate Admission.

At the Red River Ex, the fun begins right out of the gate! This year's fair, running from June 18-27, offers an array of free, family-oriented attractions (on top of free gate admission for kids six and under).

In Prairie Town Adventures, a themed, interactive area, kids and parents can learn and play together. Created for children between three and ten years old, the area invites participation in a myriad of fun, hands-on activities. In Prairie Town Farm, kids do chores like gathering eggs, planting veggies and selling products at a Farmers' Market. In exchange for their hard work, they get Prairie Town Dollars to spend in the Grocery Store.

They can dig for dinosaurs in the Fossil Find area, learn about fire safety at the Rescue Station, and do demolition and building projects in the Construction Zone. In the Itty Bitty City, they can cool off in the Spray Park and enjoy a picnic lunch with their parents.

The Kiddie Land rides are designed with little ones in mind, so they're not too big or scary! All kids' rides are discounted by one ticket on Family Day, June 24.

Family-friendly acts, like Splash 'N Boots and The Freddy Fusion Science Show, get star billing on a brand-new stage.  Doo Doo the Clown will be back, doing comedy and  magic, and Dora the Explorer will make special guest appearances June 24-27.  

Kids of all ages can get up close and personal with the cuddly critters in the Ken Jen Petting Zoo and learn how animals are cared for at the Touch the Farm exhibit. Families can cheer on their four-legged friends at the Extreme Canines Show and vote for their favourites in the Kidz Quest competition.

At the Fishing Pond, kids can practise casting in a pool stocked with live fish (if they manage to catch one, we'll release it back into the water).
 
But that's not all! The EX will treat everyone to a pancake breakfast at 11AM on Sunday, June 20 and give free gate admission between 10:30AM and 11:30AM that day in exchange for a non-perishable food donation. To celebrate National Aboriginal Day, admission is free from Noon-3PM on Monday, June 21. For daily event listings, special offers, and information on advance tickets (available May 17-June 17) visit redriverex.com.

We’re exploring the province and blogging about it:  the province’s hot spots and hidden gems, great golf courses, favorite fishing spots and more. You can also share your own stories!

Something Afoot at Whiteshell Provincial Park
Over the years I’ve had the pleasure of trekking to wonderful destinations all over Manitoba with a group of walkers called the Prairie Pathfinders. Usually these sojourns focus on hiking: many, many kilometres of hiking. It figures then, that just when you think you know the formula, the co-founders of the Prairie Pathfinders mix it up. READ MORE