Yorkton This Week | www.YorktonThisWeek.com | Wednesday, August 29, 2018
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SENIORS Our Monthly Feature
…For Seniors and about Seniors
Hobbies connect to love of nature By Calvin Daniels Staff Writer In retirement Morley Maier has returned to his love of nature in varied ways. “I can do a lot of things now I didn’t use to,” said the former principal at Yorkdale Central School, adding it is a matter of having time now. As an example, Maier said he has always liked birds and now a typical warm season day is to rise at 5:30 a.m. make coffee, and then head to the backyard, or one of several other spots he frequents to spend an hour or two photographing birds. “It’s a very nice time of day, a great way to start most of my days in the summer time,” said Maier. In the winter he turns crafty, an area he has become wellknown for. “My father was a carpenter so I got to see lots of building. He built this barn, this house. I was always helping my father,” said Maier sitting in his recliner in the home he was born and raised in, a home built by his father Alvin. “Even as a child I was nailing two boards together so I could call it a bench.” But the crafty roots didn’t
bear fruit until many years later. Maier said it was some 15-years ago that he was in North Battleford at the Saskatchewan Craft Council Show and Sale, “and there’s this guy making willow baskets. “I was very taken with them. I remember thinking if I could ever make something like that it would be amazing.” As it happened a willow basket weaving class was held in Yorkton shortly after, and Maier was an eager student. “I took the class and learned what I needed to know,” he said, adding that he was still working, and running cows, so the skills learned were not used for at least another year. Once Maier started weaving baskets, he developed a passion for it. “When I tackle things they become a bit of an obsession,” he admitted. In fact he added, “Paula, (his wife), would say I wasn’t safe to go driving with because I was always looking in ditches at the willows.” Whether passion, or obsession, Maier found he was good at weaving baskets, and within two years he had a piece in the same juried show where he
Morley Maier collects the materials he uses to create function, yet artistic baskets. first became interested in the baskets. “I’ve won some awards,” he said, adding it is a matter of pride admitting over the years others things have piqued his interest but he has not followed through with such effort.
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Maier said perhaps it was the history of baskets locally that subconsciously pushed him to follow through on his interest. “This area has a history with baskets,” he said. The typical basket locally is
what they call hoop and handle style. “It’s a simple enough basket. It’s called a farmer’s basket is some countries,” explained Maier, explaining they are utilitarian in nature, used to Continued on Page B6