Finally, a Storm!

Project 52 - Sweet Shot Tuesday

Outdoor Wednesday

Walk and Click Wednesday

Ruralty Blog Hop Wednesday

Skywatch Friday

We are located in an area  of Alberta right now that is famous for its fast and furious storms, so needless to say we have been waiting and waiting for one to show up. Finally we were rewarded! It was amazing how this storm blew in in about ten minutes time, chilled the air and darkened the skies, winds blew like crazy, and hail and snow fell. At the peak of the storm we were rewarded with one big flash of lightning and a crack of thunder so loud and powerful that it shook the house and rattled the china in the cabinet. I've never heard a crack of thunder that loud!

 

 

I ran out the front door to snap a few pictures, and almost got blown off my feet with the force of the wind. Two big tumbleweeds rolled down the street so fast I never managed to catch a photo of them. The clouds went from white and puffy, to grey and ominous, to black.

 

Some other brave souls out on the street checking out the incoming storm.

 

When the hail started it dropped pea size hail balls and they came down almost sideways.

 

My hubby and I were so excited to see our first storm, we were running back and forth between the front door and the back door to try and see as much of it as we could. My sister, who lives here and has seen many a storm just shook her head at our little back and forth frenzy to take it all in!  It's not new when you have seen lots of storms.

 

A half hour after the storm started it moved on. We only had that one crack of thunder, and it was gone. Now I am waiting again for storm number 2!!! 

Hopefully the Last Winter Walk

P52 Sweet Shot Tuesday

Outdoor Wednesday

Walk and Click Wednesday

I hope that this particular winter walk is the last of the winter to walk in!!

 

We parked at the top of the cliffs of Echodale, and walked along the bluff to take these photos.

 

Looking down on the parking lot below. I was trying to find my sister's truck in the parking lot!

 

Somewhat of a fence along side of the road.

 

My Hubby up in the lookout at the top of the hill.

 

The Red Cliffs of Redcliffe where my kids live.

 

The sparse trees on the sides of the hill is spindly, sparse, and bent to the winds that blow a lot around here.

 

Everything here is brown, brown everywhere. Except for the white of the snow!!

The sun shines all the time out here, or so it seems. I love heading out for a walk in the sun each day. 

Deer Me

P52 Sweet Shot Tuesday

Our World Tuesday

Outdoor Wednesday

Walk and Click Wednesday

On one of our excursions out to see this new province we are in, we went to Elkwater, which is out of Medicine Hat and going toward the Saskatchewan border. It had snowed quite a bit the day before we went, but was nice and sunny on this day.

 

One of the things that continues to surprise us here is the number and frequency of deer sightings we see. We see them by themselves or in groups of two or three. We see herds of deer as well.

 

They don't seem too concerned having us close enough to take photos of them. 

 

While one watches us, the others take their time eating their meal.

 

We have also seen herds of deer in the farmer's fields here in Elkwater and also by Echodale just outside of Medicine Hat. I'm sure in these herds there are a hundred or more deer milling about. 

 

These deer were hanging out in one of the yards along the main road of Elkwater.

 

I have photos of the herds of deer we have seen that I will post at a later date!

St. Margaret's Historic Church

 

St. Margaret's Anglican historic Church is located in Medicine Lodge Coulee in Alberta Cypress Hills. The church was originally built in 1907 and fully restored in 1992.

My hubby and I chanced to see a sign advertising the church on a recent drive, so we went out in search of it.

 

The Church was open to the public, honestly I think it is never closed as there were not any foot prints around it at all, just huge snowbanks and drifts. We had to plow our way through them to get up into the church.

 

Outside of the church is a Cemetary. Some of the stones were quite recent. A note inside the church said you can still get buried here, ashes only. No coffins.

 

The inside of the Church was still decorated for Christmas. A decorated tree up in the corner and decorations on the alter as well.

 

Standing just inside the door looking into the Church.

 

The decorated alter and the tree.

 

The old Organ. My hubby wanted to play it in the worst way.

 

A note inside also said that there weren't any regular scheduled services anymore, and that the only people who came to worship now were those, like us, that came to visit. 

 

 

Stained glass windows adorned each side of the church. Hard to see them here, as the light coming through was very bright.

 

The Church is heated by a wood stove. 

 

After leaving the Church to go back to the car, my hubby kindly plowed a path through the drifting snowbank for me to walk through. On the way in to the church I managed to find a hole and fall through up to my hips in snow. Hard to extricate myself from that! 

I still managed to find another hole and land on my derriere in the snow on the way back though, despite his clearing an excellent path for me to walk in. 

 

A view of some of the tombstones and further of the view from the church.

 

The Church Bell.

 

Another view of the gorgeous view!

If you would like to read up on the history of this little church further, please go and visit 

St. Margaret's Anglican Historic Church

 
 

Our World Tuesday 

Tuesday Around the World 

 

 

A couple of days ago we went for a walk out at Echodale Park in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Beautiful sunny day with temps above freezing. The snow was melting revealing some treacherous patches of ice underneath, but careful footing made for a beautiful walk around the lake. 

 

We took my sister's dog Molly with us and of course my camera, which has not been out much for a walk lately!!

The frozen lake above.

 

Loved the way the light played off the bare limbs of the tree.

 

A small bridge to cross over to the frozen lake.

 

Another group of visitors to the park had built a big fire and were making lunch.

 

My sister and I - shadow shot!

 

Molly the fearless Maltese!

 

My hubby and I are really enjoying the sunshine here. It rains a lot in B.C. where we are from.

 

Farming artifact parked along the road entering into the park.

 

You can see how much of the snow has gone. 

 

Just playing with framing photos, here trees framed between trees.

 

My hubby off in the distance coming toward us.

 

Which branch to take???

 

Reflections in the water under the table.

 

 

 

The red cliffs behind gave thier name to the town of Redcliffe, just outside of Medicine Hat, where both of our kids live.

The end of a beautiful walk on a beautiful day!!