Saddle Hills resident Anna Richard arrived in the county about seven years ago from the Ukraine, and upon her arrival, she was struck by the county’s beauty.
From her doorstep, she is greeted by landscapes unlike any she has seen in her world travels; by day, clouds fill the skies, and at night, the northern lights dance above her home.
“When I came here, and I saw all this beauty, I just couldn’t live without my camera,” she said.
Although her screams of excitement at first startled her husband, Mike, thinking there was a problem, in reality, the sunset or northern lights above were just too exciting for Anna to contain.
From her own backyard, she has been able to photograph a wide variety of wildlife, including bears, moose, elk, deer, marten, squirrels, various migrating birds, and even a groundhog, whom she presumes may also be enjoying her garden.
It was in Saddle Hills that she first saw the northern lights; the lack of light pollution allows the show to unfold, unlike any other in the region.
Saddle Hills County supports the arts — they are essential to a strong, connected community. Arts and culture reflect local identity, tell local stories, and create shared experiences that build pride, belonging, and community well-being.
The County supports the arts in practical ways—by hiring local photographers, sponsoring a yearly photo contest, purchasing work from local artists, and investing in the arts through program and activity grants. Supporting arts and culture keeps resources local, contributes to economic resilience, and strengthens the social and cultural fabric of Saddle Hills County.
Anna has participated in Saddle Hills County’s annual photo contest, which led to her selling photos to the county for use on its website and publications.
She said it was exciting to see the county supporting artists such as her.
Anna enjoys that there are so many places to go and photograph the beauty of the county, such as Moonshine Lake, which she says is “very beautiful in any season.”
Her practice includes visiting sites around the county in different seasons to see how the beauty changes year-round.
The same beauty keeps Anna inspired creatively, and she finds it in the wildflowers around her home, her garden, and the flowers her husband brings home to her, too.
“When you are taking pictures in nature, you see how everything lives in harmony, and trees are supporting other trees.
“Everything lives in harmony.”
“It’s very important to have time to stop and leave all your thoughts behind and just enjoy the day, the nature, where we often are so busy,” she said.
Living in Saddle Hills County gives her that opportunity as “Wilderness is Our Backyard.”
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