Bowstring Bridge

A bowstring bridge...

...a goose...

...and two ducks.

I love these old bowstring bridges and this one I hadn't seen before.

Photographed near Piapot, Saskatchewan on April 4, 2020.

Charles School

A one-room schoolhouse in southeastern Alberta.

This is Charles School and was named after three school trustees with same name.

I was out for a "Sunday drive" on a warm winter day.

It was the first spot in the area to host the popular sport of baseball, although players were soon attracted to the nearby burgeoning town of Nemiscam.

I found this one by chance near the end of a dead end road.

Information courtesy of "Pioneering with a Piece of Chalk" by William Peter Baergen.

Photographed on February 12, 2017.

Saints Peter and Paul at Kaleland

A beautiful stone church near Kaleland, Alberta.

Striking is an understatement!  The rounded apse is remarkable.

The church and bell tower

The black and white wedge-shaped stones and keystones above the arched windows and door are eye catching decorations.

The cemetery is directly behind the church.

A married couple's headstones painted with stars and enclosed by a woven wire fence.

The outdoor altar is dated 1929 and is attached directly onto the fenced grave plot behind it.

I don't tend to pick "favourites," but if I did, this would be one of them.

Photographed on February 23, 2020.

Warwick Grain Elevator

A well-weathered grain elevator at Warwick, Alberta.

Photographed on February 23, 2020.

A Spring Flower

I saw the first spring flower of the season growing by this vintage tractor.

This bright yellow flower may just brighten up your day as it did mine.

Our usual spring weather is very late this year.

"Thank you" to the Eccleston family for cheering up my day.

Photographed south of Piapot, Saskatchewan on April 4, 2020.

Allemand

A handsome ranch sign south of Dollard, Saskatchewan.

Photographed on April 4, 2020.

Concordia Cemeteries near Ordale

The Concordia Cemeteries are associated with the Concordia Lutheran Church near Ordale, Saskatchewan.  This is the first of two cemeteries and is known as Concordia (North) Cemetery and is the original site of the church.

Many of the graves here still have concrete grave covers.

Similar but not the same...

...two marble headstones from 1913.

The dark areas in this photo are a low-growing juniper that turn blue-green in the summer.  Junipers also smell heady and fresh.  If you've ever smelled gin, you've smelled juniper.

South Concordia Cemetery is the second cemetery of the church.  The north and east sides are heavily treed.

Even though this is the "new" cemetery there are several "old" headstones.

A yellow stubble field seen just outside the fence.

A child's headstone in rare dark-coloured marble from 1957.

The eastern-most part of the cemetery where the trees and shrubs are at the foot of some graves.

The church mentioned above was eventually moved from its original location to a spot nearly midway between the two cemeteries.  You can see the church here:  Concordia Lutheran Church

Photographed near on October 25, 2019.

Holy Trinity at Irwinville

This lovely little country church at Irwinville, Alberta was built between 1938 and 1940.

A project was undertaken in 2008 to restore the church to "its former glory."

These enamelled signs are often seen at old Anglican churches.

Late afternoon light warms up the woodwork.

The stained glass window was installed in 1960 and restored in 2009.

A pump organ is "standard equipment" at many country churches.

Long blue shadows in the snow.  The cemetery was established in 1935.

Photographed on February 20, 2020.

Across the Border

The east side of Empress, Alberta runs along the Alberta/Saskatchewan border.

This big old house sits just across the border in Saskatchewan.  Nice day too!

Photographed on June 2, 2017.

Thunder Hill S.D. No. 4539

A few photos from last summer.

This is Thunder Hill School, a one-room schoolhouse near Golden Prairie, Saskatchewan.

Photographed on July 30, 2019.