Summer Landscape

Lovely, n'est pas?

And now, gardening duties beckon.  See you soon.

Photographed near Westhazel, Saskatchewan on July 16, 2023.

Elkhorn Township School #4

The largest of the four schools in Elkhorn Township and it's a real beauty.  The design is one of the grandest I've seen in all of northern North Dakota.

This handsome old school is only about four miles southeast of the third schoolhouse.  And, to see all four schools is only a seven mile trip through the countryside...and a beautiful countryside it is.  Time well spent.  

Little school out on the prairie...

...and bales.

The State Historical Society of North Dakota has done an excellent job of documenting the past, making their website invaluable when it comes to research.  I've spent countless hours "finding" new spots to visit on my road trips.  "Thank you" for all your dedicated work in keeping history alive.   

Photographed in Elkhorn Township, North Dakota on June 18, 2023.

Elkhorn Township School #3

As with the previous two Elkhorn schools, this one stands just to the side of the road in a lush green pasture.

The original building was quite small though obviously there was an addition at some point in time.  Doesn't really look like a purpose-built schoolhouse, does it?  In fact, on my trip through the area in 2017, I drove right past thinking it was probably an old homestead.  Further research a couple of years later revealed it to truly be an historical school.  

Elkhorn Township School #3 is only about a mile southwest of the second one.  

Some prairie roses blooming on the east side of the building.  Yes, I did stop to smell the roses. 

Photographed in Elkhorn Township, North Dakota on June 18, 2023.

Elkhorn Township School #2

The second Elkhorn School stands barely three miles west of the first one.

I love the design of both schools...small but elegant  And here the bell tower is still upright, just as it was when I visited in the fall of 2017. 

East facing windows meant lots of morning light for the kids early classes.  

The many ponds and sloughs all through North Dakota were full from spring runoff and rain so this red-winged blackbird must have felt right at home.

Photographed in Elkhorn Township, North Dakota on June 18, 2023.

Elkhorn Township School #1

Some photos from a spring road trip through parts of North Dakota last year.   

Elkhorn Township is in the extreme northwest corner of the state, and while researching the area, discovered there had been four schools built over the years for the ever growing population in the early days on the frontier.  

I couldn't find any specific dates as to when they were built or how long they were in service but was happy to find that all four were still standing...some in better condition than others.  This is Elkhorn Township School #1...ravaged by time but still holding on.  

This part of the world was settled mostly by people of Scandinavian descent, and going to school here was where all their youngsters learned to speak English...who in turn taught their parents.  Most everyone still living here are direct descendants of those Northern Europeans who originally settled the area.  In many ways, not much here has changed for well over a hundred years.  

Photographed in Elkhorn Township, North Dakota on June 18, 2023.

Spring Flowers

Filled a mini-fridge full of spring bulbs this past fall so I've been enjoying spring flowers (indoors, of course) for the past couple of months.  Still have about another month's worth yet to bloom.  This is the first time I've forced bulbs in years but will definitely be making it an annual event in years to come.   

Photographed on May 25, 2024.