A Pigeon Lake break

Lee and I decided we needed a little break from the city this weekend, so we booked a B&B at Pigeon Lake for two nights and spent a lot of time in the great outdoors on a lovely day in early May. Baby green started to show itself in the trees, and the sun was warm. Below are some pictures of our Saturday...

It was a gorgeous morning. 

We drove to the Provincial Park and walked the beach

until we found a curious sight...

These yurts, complete with wrap around deck,

fridge, barbecue, dining set and bunks that can sleep 4-8 people

are part of the "glamping" (glamourous camping) craze, 

costs ranging from $120-140 per night. 

I guess they're heated, too!

So nice to sit in the warm sunshine, listen to the birds, 

and watch the ducks on the lake...

Ice piled up on the beach...

but it won't last long... lots of open water.

The buds on these trees probably popped on Sunday...

We drove around to the northeast side of the lake to

see Rundle Mission, part of Alberta's colonial and missionary history.

Not enough Indigenous history for my liking, but interesting all the same.

I love red Adirondack chairs! 

Especially when contrasted by weathered wood.

The stories of the missionaries who came 

to convert the "heathens" made me so sad...

especially when I read that Chief Maskepetoon 

was a peace loving man called 

'the Ghandi of the Prairies' by Grant MacEwan.

We spotted a bald eagle on the edge of the lake

but she flew off before we got a really good picture.

When I was in my teens, I drank from this artesian well...

but it wouldn't be a good idea anymore.

We drove west to Alder Flats, and found Ponderosa City, 

population 2, as far as we could tell.

It's a little mock up of a Western town 

in almost the middle of nowhere, 

but when you walk into the mercantile,

this is what you see:

Everything a cowboy or cowgirl could ever need, 

plus a little restaurant with excellent cinnamon buns!

But the lake called us back east again... the melting ice 

was so interesting. Chunks of it...

or finger-like shards. It was like the ice was alive,

moving, crackling, tinkling, roaring.

Really, the whole day was a perfect break.