Green Prairie School Sign

A sign marking the location of a pioneer school in Vulcan County, Alberta.

It's protected with a large tractor tire.

Big prairie landscape with a great view.  This is a very isolated area now...must have been even more remote back in 1917.

Photographed in on October 28, 2018.

White Barn

It was the first photograph of the day...a white barn near Andrew, Alberta.  It was clear and about -30°C that morning.

Photographed on January 8, 2019.

Breakfast Time

Bison are fascinating creatures.  From the safety of my car I watched them have their breakfast.

Time for a nap.

This one must be enjoying the view.

Photographed in Vulcan County, Alberta on October 30, 2018.

Then and Now

Remember summer?  This is what the garden looked like then...

...and this is what it looks like now.

Photographed on July 4, 2019 (summer) and December 8, 2019 (winter).

New Brigden Water Tower

Everybody's seen this water tower, right?  This is what it looks like on a very overcast day.

Photographed in New Brigden, Alberta on November 15, 2018.

White-tailed Jackrabbit

A white-tailed jackrabbit that greeted me at the hotel in Regina, Saskatchewan.  They usually move too fast to get a decent photo but this one didn't mind posing for a few.

Photographed on December 13, 2018.

The Elevators in Lepine

The abandoned grain elevators in Lepine (which is just a hop, skip and a jump from Wakaw, Saskatchewan).

When I left Wakaw in the morning it was snowing and blowing.  I stopped to take some photos of a few cemeteries that were covered in fresh snow and then it was off to Lepine.  Pretty well all that's left of the town are a ramshackle house and these two elevators.  But attractive elevators they are.

The northwest corners were plastered with snow.

A little bit of blue sky was showing to the south.

A large pit has been dug out between the two elevators.  This photo shows the pile of soil from digging.  I'm not sure what's up with the pit but I'm sure it doesn't have anything to do with preserving these old beauties.

See them while they're still upright!

Photographed on October 26, 2019.

Liberty School

An old country school near Milo, Alberta.

I don't know if this is the original colour scheme but I like the creamy yellow with sage green trim.

Since these photos were taken the door and all of the windows have been covered with chipboard.

This is what remains of the chimney...

...and this is the top the old bell tower.

The original sign above the front door.

All of the pioneer schools in Vulcan County, Alberta have been marked.  A few of the signs are missing but well over one hundred of them are still standing.

Photographed on September 22, 2017.

Homage to a Friend

May 29, 2019

This is always unexpected...

I had some sad news this afternoon.  A fellow backroads traveler and photographer died in an accident while out on a road trip in the Foremost area.  His name was Tye Carnelli and he was only sixty years old.  My heart goes out to his loved ones.

Tye had a popular Instagram page you can see here:  prairieeyes

Our most common interest was photography so what better way to celebrate his life than with what he loved: photography.  He left this world doing what he loved the most.  Here is a small collection of photos in homage to the "rural tourism" he enjoyed exploring.

Above is Sacred Heart Church near Etzikom, Alberta.

July 30, 2019

Thunderhill School is south of Golden Prairie, Saskatchewan.

April 7, 2019

"The Veranda House" is just up the road from Thunderhill School.

November 23, 2017

Cottonwood Church is north of Havre, Montana.

June 28, 2018

Congregational Church at Gros-Ventre is just north of the Cypress Hills in Alberta.

June 9, 2019

State School is near Medicine Hat, Alberta.

November 18, 2019

An abandoned storefront in Tramping Lake, Saskatchewan.

February 22, 2019

We used to joke about this one..."Tigh" is pronounced just like "Tye."  The Tigh School sign is near Richmound, Saskatchewan.

As a dear friend just reminded me...value each moment.