Since this coming weekend is the Ukrainian Easter weekend, I am going to take this opportunity to tell you about the largest Easter egg in the world.
A few years ago, we travelled to Alberta, Canada. We drove through Banff and Jasper National Parks. We visit the largest Easter egg in the world, situated along the Trans Canada Yellowhead Highway in Vegreville, Canada. The Ukrainian Easter egg is also called Pysanka. In Vegreville, a small town, there was nothing really interesting except the egg monument.
Simple facts about this Pysanka: height: 31.6 feet with support [and I am only 5.4], made of aluminium metal sheet pieces. Is hollow. The egg shell alone weighs 2000 lb and is also able to turn in the wind. Very impressive design, unique construction, and excellent result.
All this construction was done in 1974. This Pysanka is one big 3D puzzle, and apparently it wasn't that easy to assemble, especially making an egg-like shape, which is already complicated geometry to start with. The Pysanka design was developed using a newly developed computer program back in the 1970s [1974] and is made of 524 star patterns, 2206 equilateral triangles, 3512 visible facets, 6978 nuts and bolts, and 177 internal struts. Thumbs up to Professor Ronald Resch, a computer scientist from the University of Utah, for this design.
Also, a few months ago, I had this poll on my blog to guess my nationality. The results, not a big pool of numbers, were 9 votes for Polish, 7 votes for Ukrainian, 1 vote for Italian, 1 vote for Japanese, and 9 votes for Canadian.
Each of your guesses had some truth to them, and this may be a good time to tell you more about me. There is a reason why I chose Polish, Ukrainian, Italian, Japanese, and Canadian nationalities in my poll. To start, I was born in a beautiful country called Poland and lived there for 14 years. However, by blood, I am Ukrainian. I've never been to Ukraine. All I know is that when the borders were changed after the war, all Ukrainians were welcome to stay in Poland. My grandparents did stay.
My only connection to Italy is that my husband is Italian and was born in Canada. Okay, now you may ask, "Where do the Japanese come from?" I thought I would add this for fun because, once working for a Japanese trading company as a receptionist, all callers thought I was Japanese until they met me in person. I still don't know how, but it must have been this Polish-Ukrainian accent I have. Finally, right now and for many years now, I am a Canadian citizen.
"No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow." ~ Proverb
~ Anna
A few years ago, we travelled to Alberta, Canada. We drove through Banff and Jasper National Parks. We visit the largest Easter egg in the world, situated along the Trans Canada Yellowhead Highway in Vegreville, Canada. The Ukrainian Easter egg is also called Pysanka. In Vegreville, a small town, there was nothing really interesting except the egg monument.
Also, a few months ago, I had this poll on my blog to guess my nationality. The results, not a big pool of numbers, were 9 votes for Polish, 7 votes for Ukrainian, 1 vote for Italian, 1 vote for Japanese, and 9 votes for Canadian.
Each of your guesses had some truth to them, and this may be a good time to tell you more about me. There is a reason why I chose Polish, Ukrainian, Italian, Japanese, and Canadian nationalities in my poll. To start, I was born in a beautiful country called Poland and lived there for 14 years. However, by blood, I am Ukrainian. I've never been to Ukraine. All I know is that when the borders were changed after the war, all Ukrainians were welcome to stay in Poland. My grandparents did stay.
My only connection to Italy is that my husband is Italian and was born in Canada. Okay, now you may ask, "Where do the Japanese come from?" I thought I would add this for fun because, once working for a Japanese trading company as a receptionist, all callers thought I was Japanese until they met me in person. I still don't know how, but it must have been this Polish-Ukrainian accent I have. Finally, right now and for many years now, I am a Canadian citizen.
~ Anna
Comments
Banff and Jasper is a wonderful place to visit, it is my home area and I recommend that everyone visit it at least once in their lifetime!
A beautiful post!
BTW, I've been following your blog for a while, I live in aurora and was googling trying to find a picture of the heron that we see behind Shepherd's Bush and found you! Great blog!
My husband and I would like to travel across Canada and the Rockies in particular, one day. Thanks for the links to check out!
The egg is fascinating in terms of its geometry and size. Pretty neat creative stuff. It must have been enormous work to construct!
Health informationHumor & Fun World
My best friend is polish and this baloon looks sooooo artistic
I would have guessed you were a grand citizen of this wondrous place called the Universe.
That is certainly one big egg. It is definitely a good symbol for the beginning of Spring.
So you celebrate both Easters? :)
Oh my, I love that photograph of the sun flower! (At least, I think it's a sun flower.)
I have lived only in Canada - as far east as Nova Scotia, and now all the way west to B.C. I feel as though I've lived in Newfoundland, after my mother's stories of "home" and with a sister in Ottawa, there's a central connection as well. But, strangely, I have never visited Jasper or Banff. I did not know about that Easter egg, so thanks for an interesting blog!
Some of the things that we done in the previous decades are amazing considering we didn't have the technology that we have today.
Glad you posted this beauty!
Forehead Stamp
Interesting to know about you nationality.
Love the colors, I wonder who and how longed worked on that one.
Those egg shots are super. Pity the poor hen!
Yes spring always arrives eventually. Some years it is only a brief period between the winter and summer weather. Other years, spring is ling and glorious. This year is a short one, I think. This week we had two days with low 20's in the morning and snow during the day. Yesterday and today are warm, though. Today in the 80's!
Thanks again for being such a valued and regular visitor and commentator on my site!
-Will
Take care
XX PC
I missed the poll, but I remember you telling me that you are Polish. Personally, I've never been there, but I hear it's a beautiful country.
Now that huge Easter egg is something to behold. I would loved to have seen that baby when I was a little kid on Easter egg hunts.
Happy, happy trails.
I also enjoyed in your story about your nationality. That really is very nice, interesting and a great life experience of being connected with many other different nationalities and cultures. I thought you were Polish girl who live in Canada. By the way, a good friend of mine is going to Toronto to visit her sister who lives there with her family. She is very exciting and happy about that trip.
Your flower photo is also great; full of spring sunshine!
Thank you Anna, so very much for visiting my blog. Your nice comments always make me happy.
Susanne
Sue's Daily Photography
That is one big egg, girl! I gather you had a great Easter, darling!
But you are right: it is a fine work (congratulations Prof. Resch)!
I was one of the people who voted for your Polish nationality. There was one vote for Japanese? Seriously?
LOL LOL oh, so the Polish-Ukrainian accent made people think you were Japanese? LOL LOL *nodding*...those people must have known little of East-Europeans and Japanese people, eh?
Oooh, what a gorgeous flower, Anna: it is so springish!! :D
Ok, you have Ukrainian blood, which I already knew, but was your nationality Polish?
This was an amazing post, loved it :D!
Big hug and cheers
A lovely flower photo also!!! Very vibrant and beautiful.
My dad has been ill. Sorry I am behind with the visiting. Playing catch up now. :D
Hugs, Nancy J/JJ
And interesting about your nationality, and how you put the poll together too.
--JB
It is always nice to hear from you, and glad that you enjoyed my post. Anna :)
Ostatnio fascynują mnie takie formy przemysłowe, kolejowe, opuszczone miejsca, itp. Nie wiem co się dzieje, bo uciekam od piękna warmińskich pól na rzecz powyższych zjawisk:)
Kwiatki i zdjęcie jak zawsze super...pozdrawiam.
Always Welcome.
why worry?
Creator in you
bestows them all
in all seasons too!
Anna, dear
blessed are you
with visions to capture
the best as it is...
Lor you said: 'BTW, I've been following your blog for a while, I live in aurora and was googling trying to find a picture of the heron that we see behind Shepherd's Bush and found you! Great blog!' - this is very nice of you, glad you found me, so may be one day we will bump into each other, lol. I am going over your blog now! Thanks again for your comment, and following me. Anna :) BTW Shepherd Bush Park is amazing, many times I walked there.
You said: 'All of us are so mixed, and it is very natural since history has seen lots of shifts all the time.' - yeah so true, one day we all be 'one' nation. Anna :)
My accent is sometimes strange, most of the time in pronunciation, and sometimes broken English. I still mix stuff, as Ukr and Polish words are reveresed often, like letter head, I call it a head letter, lol.
Lynda you will love Canada, but I think North America in general is amazing place to travel.
Yeah that egg is something else, no wonder everyone commenting here want's to eat it, lol.
Lynda thanks for your lovely comment!
Anna :)
Thanks so much for your nice visit, and yes the spring is around the corner, and the eggs definitly symbolizes it. Anna :)
Sorry Carol, but it is not sunflower. This flower is actually interesting, because once its blooms its petals are always dry, and stay like that through out the fall. We used to collect and keep it in the vase in the winter. Sorry, but I don't know the name.
Wow Carol you lived in many places in Canada, but if you do get a chance I would visit Jasper and Banff, especially Banff.
Carol dear thank you so much for your thoughts, appreciated. Anna :)
You said: 'Pity the poor hen!' - lol, but no pity if the hen is bigger than this egg, lol.
Oh Will we just had spring yesterday and now back to cold, and then heat wave again in the next few days. We had some crazy winds over 100 km in hour, my poor parents lol finally lost the sour cherry tree, I guess it is time for sweet ones.
Hey Will no problem, I became aware of many things by visiting your blog, so thank you.
Anna :)
Anna :)
You said: 'I would loved to have seen that baby when I was a little kid on Easter egg hunts.' - lol lol me too, but then we never hunted for easer eggs, however, we had this tradition to go and pour buckets of water on each other just for fun, I don't know why, but it was fun....
Thanks again Swubird.
Anna :)
Yes you are so right, it has been great experience, it teaches you a lot. BTW your friend will like Toronto. Great city with many nice landmarks. Thanks for sharing your thoughts Medam, it is always nice to see you here, and also to visit you on your blog. Anna :)
Thanks for dropping by my friend and letting me know about Idaho feathered friends, as mine was close enough, lol, in the egg shell of course. Anna :)
John as always thank you so much for your kind words. Anna :)
Anna :)
I don't know, but it seems like Japanese know little about Europe - at least that is what I got out of them.
You said: 'Ok, you have Ukrainian blood, which I already knew, but was your nationality Polish?' -yes I guess so, since I was born there, and was citizen for 14 years.
Thanks Max, I hope I clarified my heritige, lol, or confuse you even more, lol.
Thanks for wonderful comment my friend. Anna :)
Dziękuję. Wiesz, to jest ładnie widziec nowe zdjęcia od różnych rzeczy, wyglądają wspaniale. Ty masz dobre oko do tych rzeczy. Dziękujemy za wyjaśnienia i mam nadzieję widziec wiekszy rodzaj fotografii na twojim blogu. Anna:)
LOL no, you didn't confuse me...:)
Thanks for the clarification, girl :D!
Have a great week!
Cheers
:) Hope all is well.
:)
Pozdrawiam.