Saint Paul's near Gros Ventre-Tothill

A long forgotten cemetery about ten miles northwest of the Cypress Hills in Alberta. 

 

It was active from 1914 to 1947 and, at one time, there was also a small church on the grounds.   

"Heaven is my home" reads the epitaph on this child's headstone.     

Saint Paul's Lutheran Cemetery near Gros Ventre-Tothill, Alberta was photographed on September 9, 2023.

Happy Orthodox New Year!

Almost forgot...Happy Orthodox New Year from Saint Michael's!

Even though it's late...a good bottle of champagne is in order.  Cheers!

Photographed near Rama, Saskatchewan on March 20, 2020.

Yellow-Headed Blackbird

It was late spring, the weather was beautiful and gardening duties were under control...time for a road trip.

Spent most days in North Dakota where they'd had lots of snow and spring rain.  That means all the ponds and sloughs were full of water, which in turn means a habitat for migrating birds.  Saw yellow-headed blackbirds just like this one in most every wetland I came across.  Good for them.

Photographed near Plumer, North Dakota on June 19, 2023.

Big Prairie Sky

We're currently in a deep freeze here in southern Alberta...definitely not good road trip weather.  So, in the meantime, here are a few pictures taken when it was good winter road trip weather.  

Gotta love the prairies...wide open spaces and an even bigger sky.

A five-minute drive will get me out of town and into the countryside.  Everyone should have that luxury.

Photographed near Winnifred, Alberta on January 28, 2017.

New Bruises and Broken Boards

As soon as I pulled up I knew something was distinctly different from my visit of just a few months earlier and quickly realized just what it was...the landowner had let cattle into the area to graze.  

Cattle are not particularly kind to old wooden buildings so the old church endured some new bruises and broken boards.  Sad to see.  

Glad the small cemetery nearby has a sturdy new barbed-wire fence that will keep it out of harm's way for many more years to come.

The Congregational Church near Gros Ventre-Tothill, Alberta was photographed on November 8, 2023.

Vapour Trails

I've always enjoyed watching the vapour trails of jets taking people to faraway places.  And this time the event was quite spectacular.  

The sun was just rising as two vapour trails intersected in the sky...what a beautiful way to begin the day. 

Photographed at Congregational Matthaus Cemetery near Schuler, Alberta on December 10, 2017.

"Щасливого Різдва!"

According to the Julian calendar, it's Christmas today.

"Merry Christmas!" from Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church.

Supper tonight will be perogies and farmers sausage (with all the fixins, of course) followed by traditional Ukrainian honey cake for dessert.  And after all that good food (and something far from traditional)...popping a fine bottle of champagne just seems like the thing to do.  Happy Christmas!

Even though I'm only half Ukrainian doesn't mean I can't celebrate this special day whole heartedly.  Enjoy the holiday! 

Photographed near Boyle, Alberta on February 19, 2021.

Amaryllis Flowers

A few photos of some showy amaryllis flowers that bloomed in my indoor garden a few weeks ago.  Each flower was over six inches in diameter.

The highlights on the blooms were created by narrow slats of light streaming through the Venetian blinds.  

Photographed in Medicine Hat, Alberta on December 17, 2023.

A Beautiful Place out in the Country

Known locally at "The Little Stone Church."

Holy Trinity Anglican Church was photographed at Deer Creek, Saskatchewan on July 16, 2023.

Happy New Year!

All the best in 2024!

Photographed in Medicine Hat, Alberta on August 21, 2023.