Epiphany

Sion Epiphany Lutheran Church on a late winter afternoon.

I love being able to catch the failing light through the trees just to see those long blue shadows on the sparkling snow...it's one of those things that just never gets old.  

More long blue shadows stretch across the cemetery behind the church...

...and looking closely to the left you can see a well traveled trail in the snow made by friends and relatives.

The church and grounds are still maintained by the German descendants and pioneer families who settled the area.  That in itself is worthy of at least a little praise.  

Inside reveals a feature I have found in only one other church...a corner altar.

And a lace valance curtain on each and every window.

A stark view from the altar.

Last look at the little country church in the snow.

Photographed near Sion, Alberta on February 17, 2021.

...and Gently God took the Reins

A sorrowful grave marker in Spring Valley Cemetery near Ravenscrag, Saskatchewan.

Photographed on June 5, 2020.

Wilke Pool Elevator

The old Pool elevator in Wilke, Saskatchewan.  Missing a few pieces of siding but still looks great against the big prairie sky.

Photographed on November 18, 2019.

Daisy at Hillside

A warm sunny day in late winter and perfect for taking Daisy for a walk.  This time we went to Hillside Cemetery where...

...she stopped right at her family's headstone.

Sometimes I think she knows more than she's letting on, if you know what I mean.

Photographed in Medicine Hat, Alberta on March 16, 2021.

Birch Creek Bridge

A two arch bow string bridge near Elfros, Saskatchewan.

This is Birch Creek Bridge and was built in 1931.

A photo taken from the new highway.  The railway line is in the background.

The fresh snow of the previous evening was followed by very cold weather the following morning.

Photographed on January 20, 2021.

святий параскевія

Saint Paraskevia is a Ukrainian Catholic Church near Cossack, Alberta.

The cemetery is behind the church.  A large path and portion of the cemetery had been cleared of snow for a recent burial.  Always nice to see a country cemetery still in use.

This small church built in 1930 replaced the tiny log chapel that had been raised in 1913.  

Both the church and bell tower have recently received new roofs and siding.  While I didn't see the interior, I understand that it remains much as it was in 1930 with an iconostasis added in the late 1950's.  

More recent photos of this lovely little church can be seen here: 

святий параскевія (у вересні)

Photographed near on February 21, 2021.

Immanuel Lutheran Church

A warm fall day in Admiral, Saskatchewan.

Immanuel Lutheran Church sits on the eastern outskirts and is one of three churches in town.

The church was moved in from nearby Instow.  A large apse (which would serve as the new kneeling altar) was added to the rear wall and the former flat bell tower was augmented with a tall spire.  

And this is the view inside. All that red is startling...at first.

Photographed on September 29 (outside) and 30 (inside), 2017.

Advice for the Young at Heart

The New Brigden Water Tower.

Whenever I drive north on Alberta Highway 41 I like to make a stop here.  It's reassuring to see a solid piece of history in the real world.  Photos are great but you can't beat the real thing.  Take a road trip...you'll be glad you did.

Photographed in New Brigden, Alberta on December 16, 2020.

Ermine

I saw this ermine in the bell tower at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church and Cemetery.  He's pretty cute...

...and partially hidden in the shadows is his black tipped tail. 

Encountering wildlife always puts a positive spin on the day.

Photographed near Wishart, Saskatchewan on November 28, 2020.

Wally

Inside Holy Ghost Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church.

Look up and...

...you will see Heaven.

Seeing the interior of the church was a stroke of good luck.  I had stopped to get a few exterior shots when I noticed someone shoveling fresh snow off the sidewalks.

We talked for a few minutes and then Wally looked at me with a smile and said, "I have a key...would you like to see inside the church?"  He saw me light up at the opportunity.

The altar behind the royal doors.

Wally wanted me to see the church as it would appear during a service so we turned on all the lights.  This is a shot of the lighted chandelier from the balcony.  When Wally was just a boy an artist came all the way from Russia to paint the interior of the church.

The exterior of the church is plain, as are many Ukrainian churches, but does have a central dome and another smaller dome over the entrance.

You can see Wally hard at work on the right hand side of the church.  I forgot to mention...he's eighty-seven years old.  He knows the meaning of commitment.

The bell is mounted on a stone cairn.

This small double gate is the formal entrance to the church  The lettering is an abbreviation of Українська греко-православна церква (Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church).

And now it's time for a break...new posts will be infrequent at best.

Photographed in Hafford, Saskatchewan on November 23, 2020.

Easter Monday

The Easter Bunny!

Photographed in Medicine Hat, Alberta on August 10, 2020.

Easter Sunday

An open doorway.

Photographed at Saint Peter's Lutheran Cemetery near Melville, Saskatchewan on October 9, 2020.

Holy Saturday

The stained glass at Saint Peter's Abbey Church (1990) in Muenster, Saskatchewan.

Above is an assemblage of twelve square windows on the west wall of the church.  Each one is subtly different than the next.

The window over the front doors.

A sample of the clerestory windows.  As the windows wrap around the walls the design and colours slowly change.  This is an exquisite example of modern stained glass windows.

A wide view of the church interior.

Photographed on March 21, 2020.

Good Friday

A hand carved crucifix in Saint Joseph's Cemetery at Frenchville, Saskatchewan.  

Among the hundreds of crucifixes I've seen over the years, this one captures the moment like no other.  

Photographed on June 12, 2020.