King Buck

King Buck is a respectful tribute to the abundant white-tailed deer that provided the pioneers with food during the early years.

A special thanks to the Troschuk family for acknowledging these beautiful and bountiful animals of the prairies.

Photographed in Poplarfield, Manitoba on October 18, 2022.

Day Twelve (Part Two) - Gimli Seawall Gallery

And now for something more traditional...the feature attraction of the seawall are the numerous murals that make up the Gimli Seawall Gallery.  Enjoy!

By the time I had finished my photography for the day it was time for a nap.  Had a much deeper sleep than is usual for a late afternoon nap...I think the sea air wafting in through the partially open balcony door had something to do with it.  Was slow to get moving but once I was up and at 'em my first duty was to download all the photos taken that day onto a pair of back-up hard drives I carry on road trips.  I wouldn't want to lose all my photos because of some software glitch or other computer ailment.  Backing up the daily photos, along with filling the car with gas, are end-of-the-day road trip habits.  I prefer my mornings to be unencumbered by menial tasks. 

Now, with my duties fulfilled, it was time to eat.  The hotel restaurant offered a Rueben on rye which turned out to be a good choice...with a beer, or was that two.

Photographed in Gimli, Manitoba on October 19, 2022.

Day Twelve (Part One) - Gimli Seawall

I was up early and it was breakfast time.  The previous night when I filled the car with gas I asked the young guys working there if they knew of a good breakfast restaurant in town.  Both recommended the diner out on the highway.  So, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, I was off for the most important meal of the day.  Pork sausages, eggs, toast and hash browns sounded like an excellent way to start the day.  Friendly staff and patrons, a little chit-chat and good food.  Back at the hotel I checked some research, packed up my stuff and was on my way.  The next four hours was a leisurely drive through the countryside visiting numerous old churches and cemeteries.       

It was mid-afternoon of Day Twelve that I finally reached my destination: Gimli.

Checked into the big hotel on the beach then grabbed my camera and was out the door for a walk along the seawall.  The sight of all that water was captivating to say the least.  The angular structure of the seawall tends toward a modern minimalist photography style that I enjoy...everything is made up of angles and converging lines. 

The concrete seawall is a little over a thousand feet long and incorporates two distinct angles along the way.   A pile of large boulders at the end is where the seawall turns into a stone pier that continues for another five or six hundred feet in a loose J-shape.  The combined length of the seawall and pier is just under one-third of a mile.

More tomorrow.  

Photographed in Gimli, Manitoba on October 19, 2022.

Day Eleven - Dancing Forever

I stopped to photograph many places during the day but this headstone was easily the highlight of the day.  

What a beautiful epitaph. 

First rays of sunlight...my first thought upon opening my eyes was "coffee."  On with some clothes, out the door and down the stairs to the lobby where there is always fresh hot coffee.  Over the past few months I've become friendly with the receptionist here and as we have a shared interest in gardening there's always lots to talk about.  Coffee and chat...nice way to start the morning.

The weather report for Gimli and area had improved considerably over the past twelve hours so after consulting a map my destination for the day was decided...I was off to Arborg (a small town about half an hour northwest of Gimli).  After a quick phone call to order a breakfast sandwich I packed up the car, thanked everyone for a pleasant stay and headed downtown.  After picking up my takeout order I drove over to the beautiful old Ukrainian Catholic Church of the Resurrection.  Over the past few months it's become a tradition to park by the church for breakfast.  There's no particular reason I do it...I just enjoy the ambiance.  

With my belly full and a hot cup of coffee in the cupholder I was on the road.  Lots of stops for old churches and even more cemeteries over the course of the day...all of which were new to me.  Made it to Arborg by mid-afternoon and after checking into the hotel went to visit the Arborg Heritage Village.  While walking through the exceptional collection of vintage buildings I met a lady who was out walking a border collie.  We had quite a nice chat, solved all the world's problems and even more importantly, were both very happy that the sun was shining and the sky was blue.  By the time I made it back to the hotel is was time for a nap.  Didn't wake up until it was almost dark and lucky for me there was a Chinese food restaurant just a few blocks up the street from the hotel.  Stopped at the hotel bar for a beer then up to my room to make a few phone calls and look through the photos from the day...it had been both an enjoyable and productive day on the road.       

Photographed at Poplarfield Community Cemetery near Poplarfield, Manitoba on October 18, 2022.

Bunny at the Post Office

After an enjoyable weekend with Daisy out in the Cypress Hills we were back in town and I needed to pick up the mail.  This grumpy looking bunny was there at the post office to greet us...everyone has a bad day once in awhile.  

Photographed in Medicine Hat, Alberta on December 11, 2022.

Day Ten - Saint John the Baptist at Rackham

Woke up early enough to grab a bite in the breakfast room at the hotel.  Amongst the choices were some great little wraps with ham, egg, cheese and chopped green onions and red bell peppers.  A great way to start the day.

The weatherman promised in just another day or two the stormy conditions around Gimli would subside.  Okay Mister Weatherman, I'll hold you to it!  Meanwhile I'd go visit my sister before setting out for the day.  We had a nice time looking through some old photographs then after a bowl of soup and saying our goodbyes I was on my way to Dauphin via Riding Mountain National Park.  It was already early afternoon...time flies.

South of the park were a few places I wanted to see...one of them being Saint John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery.  It's located on a treed hillside at the end of a trail.  I'd stopped here about three months earlier but wanted to see it again once fall had set in.

An ornate crucifix stands between the front gate and the graves.

Fallen aspen leaves scattered over the graves.

The cemetery was established in 1932, is still maintained and in active use.

Two graves stand alone in the northwest corner...

.. along the far edge of the cemetery.

A shot of the crucifix from near the graves.  

This would be a beautiful spot for a summer picnic.

Back to the car and on the road again.  The tree-lined highway through the park is a constant series of twists and turns with a speed limit of only 80 km/h with no passing allowed...saw a black bear and some white-tailed deer along the way.

Upon arrival at the motel in Dauphin my room was ready...my "home away from home" for the night.  I like to fill the car with gas at the end of each day (one less thing to do in the morning) so I did just that then went downtown for a classic Rueben sandwich.        

Photographed near Rackham, Manitoba on October 17, 2022.

Daisy on the Balcony

About 5:30 a.m. and Daisy wakes me up...she needs to go out for a pee.  Groggy, up the stairs, turn on the outdoor lights and she's out to do her business.  She's soon back inside and we're both back in bed for a few hours.  Soon after we get up I receive a text from my brother (who's staying in a condo at the Lodge Hotel in town) with an invitation to breakfast at the 12-34 Cafe...Daisy gets her breakfast (plus a few treats) and I'm off.  Great breakfast of spinach and cheese quiche and black coffee made even better by the company of my brother Robert and his partner Cheryl.  After our meal they head home to Calgary with Susie their young springer spaniel and I'm off to pick up Daisy for a drive and a short walk.  Daisy loves driving around...especially with her window open...lots to sniff and smell.  We had a fun day of it in and around Elkwater.

The photos here are Daisy sitting out on the balcony after dark...she's keeping an eye on me, making sure everything is okay.  She's a sweetie and little gets past her. 

Dogs are funny, curious creatures.  I shovel plenty of snow off the stairs and balcony so she has plenty of clean and dry areas but much of the time she prefers lying in the snow...hmmm.  I keep a few towels handy for when she comes back inside.    

Photographed at Daisy's house in Elkwater, Alberta on December 10, 2022.

An Island in the Ice

Yesterday I took Daisy out for a drive on Reesor Road in the Cypress Hills.  Usually there's little traffic but 'tis the season for people to cut down their own Christmas tree so within the first few miles there were about two dozen vehicles parked along the road with at least two people per vehicle.  There was a bitterly cold wind blowing so I was happy to be inside a nice warm car while watching them scatter about in the snow and cold.  

Anyway...about six miles down the road is this lookout point with an impressive view.  10,000 years is a long time ago in my book.

Then we headed back, weaving through the Christmas tree cutters and back to Daisy's house in Elkwater.    

Photographed near Elkwater, Alberta on December 10, 2022.

Day Nine - Sculptures

Day Eight had been a long day on the road so sleeping in on Day Nine was top priority.  Having accomplished that small feat it was then time to pack up and get  rolling.  The breakfast room at the motel had already closed so I went around the corner for a ham and egg breakfast sandwich.  You gotta love all-day-breakfast.

Not far south of Brandon these stone and concrete sculptures caught my eye and imagination.  A little touch of mystery and intrigue (...and I know what you're thinking) on the prairie landscape.  

It turned out to be my lucky day for exploring as I ran across half a dozen places that hadn't turned up in my research.  

Stopped for lunch in Wawanesa for a slice of delicious homemade lasagna at a great little restaurant downtown then continued on with my day trip.  Had phoned my sister in Brandon earlier and we planned to get together for supper.  It was early evening by the time I got to her place and after going out for a chicken Caesar salad we spent the rest of the night at her house catching up.    

Photographed on October 16, 2022.

Tree

A solitary tree alongside the road in the rolling hills near Heaslip, Manitoba.

This one is a survivor.

Photographed on October 16, 2022.