An Afternoon in Daisy's Yard

Daisy was good company while I was weeding under the lilacs this afternoon.  

When it's time for a drink I pour bottled water into the cup of my hand and she laps it up until the bottle is empty.  She's a thirsty girl on warm days.

Photographed in Medicine Hat, Alberta on June 13, 2025.

This Morning at Saint Margaret's

Tiny cathedral out in the hills.

Everything is lush and green this spring...

...and the lilacs are coming into full bloom.

The columbarium tucked away in the southwest corner of the grounds.

Peaked roof in front of a peaked hill.

Heather's Garden...new plants and field stone border.

Sage keeps his vigil under the limbs of a spruce tree.

More lilacs blooming.

The view across the coulee.

If and when you're in the area, stop in for a visit.

Photographed at Saint Margaret's Church and Cemetery near Eagle Butte, Alberta on June 3, 2023.

Balloons!

Last weekend was the Balloon Festival in Medicine Hat, Alberta.  Unfortunately they couldn't launch for Friday and Saturday due to wind and lightning, but...Sunday was the perfect day.

I was out gardening early when I heard a big "whoosh!"  Only a few hundred feet above me was this big beautiful balloon sailing through the prairie sky.  We were close enough to pass a few words...a great way to say "Good Morning!"

Photographed in Medicine Hat, Alberta on May 25, 2025.

Another View

The day before "Lunch View" I had another view.  

This time with hills...and buffalo beans!

Photographed in the Cypress Hills near Eagle Butte, Alberta on May 26, 2025.

Lunch View

Took a friend out for lunch today and this was the view we enjoyed from the south window of Elkwater Park Golf Club Restaurant.  Pretty nice, if I do say so myself.

Photographed in the beautiful Cypress Hills of Alberta on May 27, 2025.

Grape Hyacinths

Fresh blooms in Heather's Garden.  They have a lovely fragrance too.

Photographed at Saint Margaret's Church and Cemetery near Eagle Butte, Alberta on May 14, 2025.

Heather's Garden

An early and most welcome colourful spot in Heather's Garden this spring.  As any gardener will know...plant fall bulbs for spring blooms.

The perennials are slowly coming to life.  

As well as the crocuses shown above, I planted about a dozen saffron crocuses which I didn't get so see blooming because a deer ate all of the flowers before I got there.  That's a pretty exotic taste treat for a deer.  Hope he or she enjoyed them.  Maybe next year.

Some hyacinths popping up.  They should be blooming in about ten days.

A lamium groundcover plant was thriving as soon as the snow melted.  

The pasque flowers should bloom the same time as the hyacinths.

Photographed at Saint Margaret's Church and Cemetery near Eagle Butte, Alberta on April 26 and 27, 2025.

Technology Invades the Landscape

The old Congregational Church near Gros Ventre-Tothill has some new neighbours...and not the kind of neighbours anyone wants.

My usual jaunts southward on either Eagle Butte Road or Buffalo Trail used to have the most beautiful views.  Clear sailing southward with unobstructed views at they wound their way up higher and higher into the Cypress Hills.  

But now, these massive turbines have invaded the landscape as far as the eye can see.  They're just everywhere now.  

Progress? Looks like landscape pollution to me.   

Photographed near Gros Ventre-Tothill, Alberta on April 27, 2025.

Earth Day

A couple of landscape photos to celebrate Earth Day.  Our planet has so many beautiful landscapes.  

The ones shown here is where I feel both at home and on vacation all at the same time...in a word, comfortable.   

Photographed near New Kiew, Alberta on September 21, 2021.

Easter Monday

Hope everyone enjoyed the long weekend.

Malin Cemetery was photographed near Saddle Creek, Alberta on November 9, 2024.

The Old Shishkovchi Church

When settlers from western Ukraine arrived in 1903 they soon formed the parish community of Shishkovchi, Alberta.  Later that same year they secured forty acres of land from the government for the construction of a temple and establishing a cemetery, and over the next three years they worked hard to build their place of worship.  In 1906 the temple was complete.  Even though no official plans for the church building were ever drawn up they created a truly "Byzantine" temple in their new home in central Alberta.  

Of interest, the shingles for the roof were paid for with eggs. 

Years later...

When the new Shishkovchi church was completed in 1963 the old church building was donated to the Shandro Historical Museum, where it still stands.  Above is the plaque identifying the handsome old building at the museum.

A look inside the old church.  Still beautiful.

The new church...

Construction on the new Shishkovchi Church commenced in 1953 and was completed in 1963.  A brief history and some photos on the new church can be seen here: Shishkovtzy 

Shiskovchi has many different spellings including Shishkovtsi, Shishkovtzi, Shishkovtzy and most likely a few others.

Information courtesy of the Canadian Orthodox History Project.

Photographed near Shandro, Alberta on November 9, 2024.

More About the Bell House at Saint Elias

Last fall I revisited Saint Elias near Pakan with the main purpose of exploring the old bell house.  See some history of it here:  "Щасливого Різдва!"

The new wooden siding is already starting to have that weathered look.  I believe the interior is mostly original to when it was built in 1906.

Just inside the door there are a number of interesting objects.

These are some of the shingles from the original bell house roof.

These are some of the old shingle nails.

I wonder how much they cost now?  When the bell house was completed in 1906, Alberta had only been a province for one year.

The bell house served many purposes.

This was the sign attached to the bell house when it was part of the Shandro Museum. 

A couple of montages on the walls.

The stairs are just inside the door and lead up...

...to where the bells are mounted.  The bells were purchased at a cost of $170.00 and installed in 1906.  I'll bet the ladies in the congregation sold a lot of cookies and Christmas cakes to raise all that money.  Good on 'em. 

This is a photo (of an historical photo inside the bell house) of the original church that burned down in 1954.  I would have loved to see the old church but I wasn't even born at the time.

And this is the beautiful church the congregation built after the fire.

As it happens, I was misinformed about how the bell tower came home to Saint Elias.  The truth of the matter is that when the Shandro Museum disbanded, the right of ownership reverted back to Saint Elias.  And I, for one, am glad they brought is back home.  Even though I am in no way connected to Saint Elias, seeing the new church united with the old bell tower left me with a sense of satisfaction.  One of those little things that brings such larger joys.

Over the years I've had the privilege and pleasure to visit dozens upon dozens of churches and cemeteries, bell towers and memorial sites all across the prairie provinces and states.  Every one is special in its own way but Saint Elias is one of a tiny handful that is unforgettable and, dare I say, precious.  Heartfelt thanks to all those who care for this beautiful place out in the country.  

 

Historical information courtesy of the Canadian Orthodox History Project.

Photographed at Saint Elias Russo Greek Orthodox Church and Cemetery near Pakan, Alberta on November 8, 2024.

My Tour Guide at Saint Mary's

Do you remember the wet dog photos I posted a couple of years ago?  Click the following link for a refresher:  Wet Dog

She lives just down the road from Saint Mary's and is friendly as friendly can be (and this time she wasn't wet).  After parking the car and a few cuddles she gave me a tour of the grounds.  

I hope to revisit Saint Mary's later this year to see first hand how the new church building is coming along.  Hopefully she'll be there to accompany me on another tour.

This last photo is my favourite of her...majestic and free, handsome and mysterious.  

Photographed at Saint Mary's Romanian Orthodox Church and Cemetery near Boian, Alberta on November 9, 2024.

We Will Rebuild

On Tuesday June 6, 2023, Saint Mary's Romanian Orthodox Church of Boian, Alberta caught fire and was damaged beyond repair. The fire was caused by an electrical short circuit.    

Click the following link to see what the one hundred and eighteen year old church looked like before the fire: What A Shame

The congregation was determined to rebuild and only fourteen months later they broke ground for the new church.  Following are some photos taken last fall that show how much progress they've made on the new building (and in such a short time).  God bless them all.

Photographed at Saint Mary's Romanian Orthodox Church and Cemetery near Boian, Alberta on November 9, 2024.