The Past Year...Blue Skies and Green Grass

A chronological collection of favorites from the past year...blue skies and green grass.  Enjoy!

May 18, 2021

Saint Michael's Roman Catholic Church near Lemberg, Saskatchewan.

A grand stone church with twin spires.

May 19, 2021

Holy Ghost Ukrainian Catholic Church near Candiac, Saskatchewan.

The lady mowing the lawn took the time to open the church so I could have a look inside.  Thank you.  

July 28, 2021

Tombovka Cemetery near Runnymede, Saskatchewan.

A beautiful spot for a cemetery...on a hill with panoramic views in every direction.  

September 18, 2021

Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church near Krakow, Alberta.

Leaves were beginning to fall and autumn was just around the corner.

September 18, 2021

Saint Nicholas Russo Greek Orthodox Church of Bukowina near Wostok, Alberta.

The peachy-pink church contrasts nicely against the bright blue sky and rich green of the lilacs.

September 18, 2021

Saint Elias Russo Greek Orthodox Church of Pakan near Pakan, Alberta.

The original church built in 1902 burned down in 1954.  The fine structure you see here replaced it only a few months later.   

September 18, 2021

Holy Trinity Russo Greek Orthodox Church near Smoky Lake, Alberta.

Just by chance I met someone who was working at the church that day and was lucky enough to be invited inside for a look.  Thank you Ron.  This is the beautiful hand-painted iconostasis.

September 18, 2021

Holy Trinity Russo Greek Orthodox Cemetery near Smoky Lake, Alberta.

This is believed to be the largest Russo Greek Orthodox cemetery in all of Canada.

September 19, 2021

Saint Mary's Russo Greek Orthodox Church near Shandro, Alberta.

A handsome gate-sign framing the church that is now almost hidden behind a row of evergreens.

September 20, 2021

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery and Bell Tower near Star, Alberta.

The congregation was established in 1897 but the impressive stone bell tower wasn't built until many years later in 1949. 

September 20, 2021

Saints Peter and Paul Russo Greek Orthodox Church of Dickie Bush near Bellis, Alberta.

This is grand prairie architecture built completely of logs by local farmers in 1909.  Just to give an idea of scale...the ceiling of the large central dome reaches over sixty feet above floor level.  

October 9, 2021

Sacred Heart Ukrainian Catholic Church and Cemetery near Burr, Saskatchewan.

A bold hand-hewn cross stands at the far end of the cemetery.  Fall was getting underway.

All the best in the new year!

Святий Володимир

Welcome to...

...the wide open spaces at...

...Saint Wolodymyr Ukrainian Orthodox Church and Cemetery near Cappon, Alberta.

A weathered sign on the south side of the church.

On the north side of the church there is a cairn beside a large mound...

...where the remains of Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Oyen, Alberta are now buried.

The view looking southwest.

The entire church building is wrapped in metal siding and covered with a metal roof.  Note the wrought iron Orthodox cross standing at the front corner of the church.  At one time it may have been mounted on the roof peak above the door.

The stunningly ornate cemetery marker stands well away from the church.

The most recent burial in the cemetery was 2004.

The church and cemetery occupy about four and one half acres...  

...with the church at the top of a low rise.

A look through the windows reveals simple plywood pews and an oil burning heater.

A communion table stands on a raised platform...nothing fancy here.

Looking south from beside the church.  Desolate and Isolated.

The road northwards.

Photographed on October 6, 2021.

Haig School

Located midway between Maleb and Foremost, Alberta.

I hadn't been through this part of southern Alberta for a few years so about a month ago I decided to rectify the situation and revisit.  In that short period of time dozens of wind turbines have popped up on the landscape.

This sign is unique amongst the hundreds I've seen in that it is one of only a handful that lists the names of the students that attended the school.  Thoughtful!

Photographed on November 28, 2021.

Jasman

A handmade sign commemorating the location of a pioneer school.  

Every once in a while I run across a school sign that really stands out from the others.  This is one of those... a modern folk art tour de force.

Photographed south of Juno, Alberta on November 28, 2021.

Who's Hoo

A great horned owl perched in a stand of aspens near Milo, Alberta.

Photographed on October 28, 2018.

Peter and Nellie

A large tiger lily decoration at the gravesite of Peter and Nellie Stanicki.

Photographed at Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Cemetery in Gorlitz, Saskatchewan on July 27, 2021.

Над верхівками дерев височіють куполи Сходу

Domes of the east rise above the tree tops.

This beautiful church of Byzantine architecture is the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Elia in Wroxton, Saskatchewan.      

 

The cornerstone.  This is the third church of the congregation and was built in 1953.  The two earlier churches were built in 1902 and 1913.

The bell rang with a pure tone all through town and into the distance.  Chances are I woke up a few sleepyheads that early Wednesday morning.

Photographed on July 28, 2021.

Saint Elias near Wroxton

Welcome to Saint Elias Ukrainian Orthodox Church and Cemetery.

The church is in a grove of trees set back from the road.  

The headstones in the left foreground are atypical of those usually found in Ukrainian pioneer cemeteries.  Someone took the time and made the effort to build custom molds for these distinctive markers.

The bell tower is just above the hall entrance.

The outdoor altar stands just behind the church.  In the warmer months I'm sure many weddings, baptisms and funerals would have taken place here.  

The blue-framed window is the only exterior church decoration. 

The congregation formed in the early 1900's and built their first church of logs.  The church seen here was constructed in 1938.

Cool shade under the trees was welcome on what was quickly becoming a hot summer day. 

The sign is almost hidden by trees.

Photographed near Wroxton, Saskatchewan on July 28, 2021.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from Saint Margaret's Church.

Photographed in the Cypress Hills of Alberta on November 12, 2021.