Freezing weather across western Canada may be a rough start to 2022, but it’s actually a welcome New Years bonus for an Alberta family.
The cold is helping them cope with COVID-19.
The last part of the family’s survival strategy in the face of a pandemic is creating an igloo on their rural property north of Calgary.
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“If they’ve given us a bad cold, you better go out there and do something beautiful,” Cody Shepherd said.
Shepherd has spent the last few days creating his multi-colored structure, which he calls a ‘rainbow igloo’.
“(That’s) 400 individual ice blocks that I put together,” Shepherd said. “It’s not perfect, but it’s the first igloo I’ve ever made, so I think it’s okay.”
It’s all part of an ongoing ‘pandemic turn’ at Homestead Market, which Shepherd operates with his wife Holly and mother-in-law Joy Soepolo.
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The creation of the market came after the collapse of the family’s main source of income – host dogs.
“A couple of weeks after COVID (started), no one was bringing their dogs, so we quickly had to decide what we were going to do to make sure we can survive the pandemic,” Soepolo said. “So we changed the kennel into a market.”
The family then transformed an old farmhouse into a series of sets to rent to photographers.
“They do lifestyle, business, boudoir, family photos, anything that has to do with Christmas,” Soepolo said.
The family also hosts outdoor photo shoots after a major transformation of their property.
“We took care of and planted tulips, sunflowers and 1,000 peonies,” Soepolo said. “They blew up the Calgary Fire 2022 schedule here.”
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And now Shepherd has his rainbow igloo ready to be the centerpiece of some winter wonderland scenes.
“You probably don’t get lingerie photoshoots on days like today, but family photoshoots would be great,” Shepherd said. “I mean, go out there and enjoy it. (The igloo is) something fleeting.
“It will soon melt and go away, so enjoy it while it lasts. Be positive about it. “
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