History, culture, scenery - we are enjoying it all on the prairies. In the Battlefords, we took in the Allan Sapp Gallery (a well known Cree painter) and Fort Battleford Nat'l Historic Park while appreciating the views from North Battleford to Battleford across the green North Sask. River Valley. As we drive through the prairies, we are amazed by how green everything is at this time of year and by how many lakes, ponds, sloughs, and water-filled field depressions there are - water everywhere!
I will add some photos from as far back as Elk Island and up to Saskatoon to catch up on the visuals from our trip.
Our trail friend - okay, so we weren't this close to him on the trail but this was probably the same one. We took this from the truck as he grazed roadside.
Shon's grandpa had a buffalo (bison) coat like this one from his early days on the prairies.
We found Shon's mom's father's name (Andruchow) as well as her mother's family name (Halkow) on the plaques at the Ukrainian Heritage Village. Families listed were all early settlers to the east central area of Alberta around the turn of the century. Canada gave 'free' land (for a $10 fee) to prairie settlers from 1896-1914 so many Canadians can trace their family histories to that period of immigration - including both of my parents and both of Shon's.
An example of an early Ukrainian settler's home. Often familes lived in such homes for a year or so until they could build a regular home. The interpreter on the left is actually a Ukrainian girl working here for the summer so her role playing as an early settler came with a very convincing accent!
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