International Peace

July 7

We left our beautiful little Couley Park, also known as Souris Ford Park, because it was the only ford for miles to get across the Souris River.


As we continued along the dirt road we saw a sign for Sourisford Burial Mounds and turned in. A few miles later, on a grass track in some rancher's field, we arrived, only to find them- flat.





But it was a nice ride; we saw hawks, songbirds and flushed a grouse. We continued on the dirt road for an hour and a half, through some of the most beautiful ranch land I've seen. No longer flat, but rolling green hills and cattle grazing, oil wells and field crops.


Bill took a photo of two kinds of oil- yellow canola and black crude. Finally we came to a paved road a few miles before the International Peace Garden. The Peace Garden saddles the border between Canada and North Dakota. It was the dream of an American garden club member, Henry Moore, who proposed it to an international gathering of gardeners in Islington, Ontario, in 1930.


It became a reality when it was dedicated on July 14, 1932. When I was in early grade school, I remember learning about the International Peace Garden, which had been rededicated in 1951. By the time it hit our Weekly Readers it was 1952 or 1953, I was in second grade, and all these years I've wanted to see the floral clock. The place is truly peaceful and beautiful, but we were a bit early to see it at it's blooming best. However, we'll post a few photos of the flowers; there were far too many to use them all.





There are many areas to visit, and we did most of them.


We saw the Floral Clock,


the Carillon, the Towers,


the Peace Chapel, and what will become a memorial to 911 victims.


Right now it is a pile of burned steel, a very moving sculpture as it sits, just all piled up. The activities of the Garden have widened, and now there is an Athletic Camp and a Music Camp here using the facilities. The Music camp has enlarged it's mission to include all of the fine arts, though it hasn't changed it's name. Unfortunately the next student concert is after we leave. The Garden was originally constructed by the CCC, and much of the work they did still stands. The plaque at the entrance says it all; a sentiment that means a lot to me, perhaps because part of my family is from Canada.



We are camped in the Park campground, with a gazillion mosquitoes. Alaska was nothing in the mosquito sweepstakes, compared to this! Lastly, the chip of the day, Barbecued Baby Back Ribs.


Not one I'd get again. (Roast Chicken wins). From now on we'll mostly be in the States, so no more wacky flavors.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:North Dakota