Day Ten - Saint John the Baptist at Rackham

Woke up early enough to grab a bite in the breakfast room at the hotel.  Amongst the choices were some great little wraps with ham, egg, cheese and chopped green onions and red bell peppers.  A great way to start the day.

The weatherman promised in just another day or two the stormy conditions around Gimli would subside.  Okay Mister Weatherman, I'll hold you to it!  Meanwhile I'd go visit my sister before setting out for the day.  We had a nice time looking through some old photographs then after a bowl of soup and saying our goodbyes I was on my way to Dauphin via Riding Mountain National Park.  It was already early afternoon...time flies.

South of the park were a few places I wanted to see...one of them being Saint John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery.  It's located on a treed hillside at the end of a trail.  I'd stopped here about three months earlier but wanted to see it again once fall had set in.

An ornate crucifix stands between the front gate and the graves.

Fallen aspen leaves scattered over the graves.

The cemetery was established in 1932, is still maintained and in active use.

Two graves stand alone in the northwest corner...

.. along the far edge of the cemetery.

A shot of the crucifix from near the graves.  

This would be a beautiful spot for a summer picnic.

Back to the car and on the road again.  The tree-lined highway through the park is a constant series of twists and turns with a speed limit of only 80 km/h with no passing allowed...saw a black bear and some white-tailed deer along the way.

Upon arrival at the motel in Dauphin my room was ready...my "home away from home" for the night.  I like to fill the car with gas at the end of each day (one less thing to do in the morning) so I did just that then went downtown for a classic Rueben sandwich.        

Photographed near Rackham, Manitoba on October 17, 2022.

Daisy on the Balcony

About 5:30 a.m. and Daisy wakes me up...she needs to go out for a pee.  Groggy, up the stairs, turn on the outdoor lights and she's out to do her business.  She's soon back inside and we're both back in bed for a few hours.  Soon after we get up I receive a text from my brother (who's staying in a condo at the Lodge Hotel in town) with an invitation to breakfast at the 12-34 Cafe...Daisy gets her breakfast (plus a few treats) and I'm off.  Great breakfast of spinach and cheese quiche and black coffee made even better by the company of my brother Robert and his partner Cheryl.  After our meal they head home to Calgary with Susie their young springer spaniel and I'm off to pick up Daisy for a drive and a short walk.  Daisy loves driving around...especially with her window open...lots to sniff and smell.  We had a fun day of it in and around Elkwater.

The photos here are Daisy sitting out on the balcony after dark...she's keeping an eye on me, making sure everything is okay.  She's a sweetie and little gets past her. 

Dogs are funny, curious creatures.  I shovel plenty of snow off the stairs and balcony so she has plenty of clean and dry areas but much of the time she prefers lying in the snow...hmmm.  I keep a few towels handy for when she comes back inside.    

Photographed at Daisy's house in Elkwater, Alberta on December 10, 2022.

An Island in the Ice

Yesterday I took Daisy out for a drive on Reesor Road in the Cypress Hills.  Usually there's little traffic but 'tis the season for people to cut down their own Christmas tree so within the first few miles there were about two dozen vehicles parked along the road with at least two people per vehicle.  There was a bitterly cold wind blowing so I was happy to be inside a nice warm car while watching them scatter about in the snow and cold.  

Anyway...about six miles down the road is this lookout point with an impressive view.  10,000 years is a long time ago in my book.

Then we headed back, weaving through the Christmas tree cutters and back to Daisy's house in Elkwater.    

Photographed near Elkwater, Alberta on December 10, 2022.

Day Nine - Sculptures

Day Eight had been a long day on the road so sleeping in on Day Nine was top priority.  Having accomplished that small feat it was then time to pack up and get  rolling.  The breakfast room at the motel had already closed so I went around the corner for a ham and egg breakfast sandwich.  You gotta love all-day-breakfast.

Not far south of Brandon these stone and concrete sculptures caught my eye and imagination.  A little touch of mystery and intrigue (...and I know what you're thinking) on the prairie landscape.  

It turned out to be my lucky day for exploring as I ran across half a dozen places that hadn't turned up in my research.  

Stopped for lunch in Wawanesa for a slice of delicious homemade lasagna at a great little restaurant downtown then continued on with my day trip.  Had phoned my sister in Brandon earlier and we planned to get together for supper.  It was early evening by the time I got to her place and after going out for a chicken Caesar salad we spent the rest of the night at her house catching up.    

Photographed on October 16, 2022.

Tree

A solitary tree alongside the road in the rolling hills near Heaslip, Manitoba.

This one is a survivor.

Photographed on October 16, 2022.

Day Eight - Pipestone Creek Bridge

Found this scenic little spot late in the afternoon of Day Eight.

Morning...

Up early and after  checking the weather forecasts near and far my destination for the day quickly became clear...off to Brandon where the weatherman promised mild fall weather.  But first I needed a hearty breakfast so back to what had become my "go to" restaurant in Yorkton.  I love the "build your own omelette" choice available on many breakfast menus...omelettes are always a good choice in my world.

Back at the motel that couch looked awfully inviting (again) but decided to pack up my stuff and hit the road instead.  I had several sites marked for visits between Yorkton and Brandon, some of which I'd seen before and others not, so I chose those that would be new to me along with a few return visits to favourites.

Already past midday...

Once on the road it's easy to lose track of time while weaving through the countryside visiting historic schools, churches and cemeteries and before I knew it, it was already past 3:00 p.m. and lunch was long overdue.  A quick search for restaurants nearby gave me a hit in the town of Wapella which was only about twenty minutes away.  It was a Saturday and the place was packed with young teenagers.  Do you remember how loud a group of young teenagers can be?  I was very quickly reminded so retreated to a table in the quietest corner to enjoy a classic Denver sandwich...but you know, that said, kids need to have their fun and I wish them the best.  As for me, good diner food just hit the spot on a cool October day.  

Was soon back in the car and in less than half an hour spotted the one-arch bowstring bridge you see here.  The valley setting with an array of fall colours, the creek and the bridge all made for a captivating sight to say the least.  This was a lucky find.  

A note: The road is not closed even though there is a sign that says just that.  (I think the sign is there for legal liability concerns..."we're not responsible if the bridge falls into the creek while you're crossing it" and all that.)  My guess is the farmers in the area are the only ones who use it on any regular basis.  I drove across it and it worked just fine! 

Evening...

Made it to Brandon just before dark.  After checking into a motel I went to an all-you-can-eat sushi place for a late supper...great food that just kept coming.  By the time I finished it was late and I was too tired to go visit my sister...I'd call her from the road tomorrow, maybe we could get together for supper the next day.

Photographed north of Langbank, Saskatchewan on October 15, 2022.

"З Днем Святого Миколая!"

"Happy Saint Nicholas Day!"

December 6th is widely celebrated in Europe as The Feast of Saint Nicholas.  

In brief...the history of Saint Nicholas can be traced back to a bishop of the fourth century who was known for his generosity.  When his wealthy parents died young, Nicholas used his inheritance to help the ill, the struggling and children in need.  He is believed to have died on December 6, 343 and was canonized as a saint within a century.  Over time, celebrations and traditions developed to honour his spirit of generosity.

There are many stories and legends about Saint Nicholas.  One such story has Saint Nicholas tossing bags of gold through open windows...on one occasion some of the gold pieces landed on the wet shoes and socks drying by the fireplace.  That led to the custom of hanging stockings or leaving out shoes for Saint Nicholas to fill with presents.  On the eve of his arrival, children would place their clean and polished shoes outside the front door filled with carrots, an apple or hay for Saint Nicholas' donkey.  

Share a meal with a friend to celebrate.

Saint Nicholas Ukrainian Orthodox Church was photographed near Drobot, Saskatchewan on December 19, 2019.

Day Seven - Holy Trinity in Canora

This lovely church is the central feature of the Ukrainian Orthodox Heritage Church Park of Hope in Canora, Saskatchewan.  Whenever I'm staying in Yorkton I do my best to drive the short distance north to visit this Byzantine-styled church attractively painted pure white with pale azure blue trim.  It is adorned with three magnificent domes incorporating two different diamond designs and the trapezoidal-shaped windows are inset with stained, frosted and clear glass.  The design elements combine to give the church a definite "old world" presence.    

The church faces west and there are many tall trees close around it as well as a hedge and a few large lilac bushes (making it a bit of a challenge to photograph).  The best time to get photos is late in the day according to the season (but not too late as to cause shadows over the front of the church).  These shots were taken in the early evening and highlight the facade of the building along with the dazzling domes.  

As you can see here, the southern side of the church had already fallen into deep shadow but the silver domes coruscate in the evening light.

The view from the street.

The adjoining park area is small but there's plenty of room to have a summer picnic in the shade of the big old trees...or maybe build a snowman in the winter (in that case, don't forget to bring along a thermos full of hot chocolate and some shortbread cookies). 

Earlier in the day...

I went down to the breakfast room around 8:30 a.m., collected a light meal and took it back to my room.  After eating I decided to lay down on the couch for a minute....just for a minute.  Well, I'm glad I'd left the "do not disturb" sign on the door handle because I didn't wake up until past noon...sometimes a three hour nap is just what the doctor ordered, so to speak.  Anyway, even with that late start I still saw several of my favourite sites and even found a few new ones before sunset.  Holy Trinity in Canora was just the best ending for my day trip.  

Then it was back to Yorkton and a return to the same restaurant as the night before...this time for a chicken Caesar salad.  Not having a schedule to follow is the most enjoyable way to travel.

Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Heritage Church was photographed on October 14, 2022.

Day Six - Holy Trinity at Grifton

There's an excellent breakfast restaurant on Main Street where, after ordering eggs and toast, I checked the weather forecast.  My hopes of arriving in Gimli later that day were soon dashed...Gimli was experiencing rain and or snow, high winds and freezing temperatures for the next few days.  Well, that wasn't going to work for me so, after checking the forecasts in the surrounding area, my new destination for the day was Yorkton, Saskatchewan where it looked like the weather would be considerably more pleasant .  Disappointment of not being able to visit Gimli aside...I always enjoy a trip to Yorkton; many of my favourite destinations are nearby.  

And along the way...

...I stopped at one of the most dramatic and austere Ukrainian churches I've had the pleasure to visit.

An imposing structure where a little colour...

...goes a long way.

The view from the back...

...and the view from the front.

The graveyard is south of the church where...

...old fashioned cast concrete headstones dominate the cemetery.  The small white crosses mark "unknown" graves.  

The bell tower as seen from behind a collection of both new and old headstones.  The mostly obscured and weathered building behind and to the right of the bell tower was the Parish Hall. 

The miniature replica of the church in the foreground accommodates the guest book.  Don't forget to record your visit for posterity.

After an enjoyable day zig-zagging through the countryside revisiting several of my favourite spots I was off to Yorkton for the night.  I'd booked a room at a nice motel (which would become my home away from home for the next couple of days).  I'd stopped in Roblin for war won ton soup in the early afternoon but was now hankering for something more substantial...a rib-eye steak supper sounded like just the thing.  I asked the desk clerk for a recommendation and she said the "best place in town" was only a short walk from the motel...and she was right.  

Photographed at Grifton, Manitoba on October 13, 2022.

Cypress School

A little country school that was open from 1900-1958.

The concrete well cap can be seen midway between the school and the fence.  Also, on the right, are the remains of a foundation where a teacherage once stood.

Photographed north of Elkwater, Alberta on November 26, 2022.