Got my owl

This was the best of a number of fuzzy photos. I was driving on a secondary highway south of Consort, Alberta on February 20, 2017 and hit the brakes when I noticed the owl on top of a pole. I got a few photos at the extreme range of my lens before the owl got annoyed with my presence and flew off.

So I offended a resident of Hemaruka, Alberta . . .

I posted about Hemaruka on November 22, 2015 and stated it was a ghost town. A few days ago I got a comment from someone who owns property there stating explicitly that Hemaruka is not a ghost town, it is in fact a Hamlet, and people still live there.

I therefore stand corrected and will no longer refer to Hemaruka as a ghost town.

Zion Lutheran Church

South of Torrington, Alberta February 19, 2017. Very small church. From what I could find on a quick search it was in use before 1907 and stopped being used on a regular basis in the 1950's. The Lutheran Church in Torrington and this one out in the countryside were almagamated with the one in Torrington seeing regular use.

The doors are locked. Half of the windows are boarded over.

On the side facing the trees I got a peek inside.

I love this kind of place. I was not able to get a view of the altar. It is amazing it was left like this.

There appear to only be ten graves here. There might be some unmarked ones. A couple of the graves are within the last ten years so this place means something to someone in the area.

The wording under the cross is in German. I have seen identical markers in small out of the way places in Alberta. Everybody has to end up somewhere and this is a quiet pleasant spot to be.

Housekeeping notes

For the bale fans I have been going through the posts and tagging the prior posts with a "bale" label. Anything related to Alberta or British Columbia I have been tagging as well. 

The Gray Homestead February 20, 2017

I have been here before and posted it before. The last time I was here it was in September 2015 and it was pouring rain. This time I wanted to see it in better weather. This is along Highway 886 north of Cereal, Alberta. The house sticks out as there is nothing else around in this lonely part of the province.

When I travel I like to have my girlfriend with me. She loves to take photos as well. A lot of times I have someone with me on roadtrips.

The view south of the house along Highway 886.

Mystery sign February 19, 2017

Sometimes you run across something in the middle of nowhere, or in this case near Sunnyslope, Alberta, with no infomation to go with it. It was not marking where an old school once stood. I got lucky with an internet search and I think I found out what is the story behind the sign.

"Mr. McIlmoyle was born at Lakefield, Ontario, 15 September 1876. With the blood of the adventurer in his veins, he joined the Royal North West Mounted Police in 1898. While serving in the police force, he was active in The Pincher Creek area. Later he was placed in charge of the detachment at Banff, Alberta. When Lord Minto’s Party toured the West, Zachariah had the responsibility of guilding and guarding that group. In 1903 he resigned from the force, and engaged in farming. He acquired the N.E. ¼ Sec. Of 5-31-25-W 4 as a purchased homestead. He had previously bought the South half of 24-31-26 W 4 and on this parcel is where he lived and did the most of his farming. The quarter on section 5 was used for putting up hay. He married Cora Scott Rogers June 6th, 1906 and raised six children, Kenneth, Georgie, Marion, Stuart, Mena, and Keith. In 1911 he bought a general store in the hamlet of Sunnyslope. While he was operating this place of business, the farm was run by hired help. In the year 1913 he was appointed Assistant deputy minister of Agriculture which position he held approximately 15 years. Two years before his death he took over the administration of the Dept Adjustment Act. This act was passed to bring aid to the drought stricken areas in the southern part of Alberta. While going about his duties in the government office he was holding, he suffered a paralytic stroke, from which he never recovered. He passed to his death two months later. At the time of his death (6 Jun, 1928), he was a member of the Royal North West Mounted Police Veterans organization." taken from Memoirs of Sunnyslope Pioneers. 

Corinne School 1911 - 1952

Northwest of Hanna, Alberta on February 20, 2017. There are a number of abandoned old schools in the Hanna area. I have seen very few school markers sponsored by groups. The ones I have seen were sponsored by oil and gas companies. This one is by a local women's chapter of the Dundee Women's Institute in Hanna, Alberta. I have not seen their name on any other old school or historical sites.

Jenn at westofthefifthmeridian.blogspot.ca pointed this place out to me some time ago. I was on my way to the Consort area and I made a point to stop here. There are some great old abandoned schools in this area and I was expecting a bit more. The place has a depressing feel to it.

The school operated from 1911 to 1952. After that it was turned into a granary. There is steel piping wrapped around the building. I would guess it is to strengthen the structure. 

Since I did not want to trespass I walked along the side road then through some dense brush to get picture of the other side. All this while I am recovering from a cold. It turns out there was nothing interesting on this side. The one time you do not look you might miss something so I try to get a good look whenever I am at a new place.

Random prairie post

January 28, 2017 Kneehill County, Alberta.

More signage

I have got into the habit of looking for interesting signs. If you keep an eye out you can find lots of interesting things.

Signage

Sometimes you run across some great farm signs. Schetzsle Farm established 2007.

West of Consort, AB February 20, 2017

Abandoned farm February 20, 2017

Northeast of Hanna, Alberta. There are a number of abandoned places in this part of Alberta. This area is Special Area 2, similar to a county, covering just over 3,600 square miles and just under 2,000 people, excluding Hanna, Alberta, the only town of any real size in the area with about 2,600 people. 

Trying something a little different

I am on the fence about liking and not liking this type of presentation.

Lots of nothing punctuated by the occasional something

Parts of Alberta are very flat with lots of empty space that all looks the same. Here and there something will break up the landscape with nothing near by for miles. I often wonder how people kept from getting lost on the prairie years ago with no landmarks to guide them. This is a bit west of Drumheller, Alberta.

West of Drumbeller beside Highway 9, February 20, 2017

Stuff I read

I frequently read this site because I like his posts. 

mydailykona.blogspot.com

5:12pm February 20, 2017 northbound on Highway 886

It is good to get out. I was sidelined for about a week with a cold or something resembling one. I do not do well being sick. By that I mean I am not one that constantly complains and gets on other's nerves. I get bored and suffer cabin fever. I woke up feeling alive and wanting to take on the day. It was too nice of a day to stay home. I drove too far in too short of a time trying to cram too much into the day. When I feel well after being sick I always overdo it. No matter. It is worth getting out.

There is not much along this stretch of highway. In fact there is a lot of nothing. On this day at this time this is all I need.

Return of the scrap post

Various abandoned spots from various spots in Alberta that do not really fit with anything.

St. Theresa's February 4, 2017

This is a little east of Three Hills, Alberta. I believe the church is no longer in use. I was checked out Google Maps and thought I discovered this place. When I drove out here I realized I had been here before. 

I had not seen the cemetery before. This was a mile or two from the church on a different road. I really like the sign. I like the simple straightforward stuff rather than the ornate.

This was lower down on the sign pole. "Made and donated by Joe Nasaska Year 1995."

Someone put up a newer sign. This is a rural area with farms in the near vicinity.

I like lonely empty places.

A few miles away is this different cemetery. I did not see any church to go with this one. I wonder if the same person made this sign.

Great Bend Cemetery

February 4, 2017 northeast of Delburne, Alberta. I saw this on another blogger's site and I wanted to see it as it was on my way to Rosalind, Alberta. There is a Great Bend community hall that used to be a school a few miles away. Other than that there was nothing else nearby. I was interested in the silhouette on the front. I took a quick walk through as I thought there might be something about the history of this place. No such luck.

The place is very well kept and still used.

There are times I see too many children's graves in rural cemeteries from years ago. To see three on one marker is quite sad. No date that I could see.

Salem School

You see various styles of school markers in Alberta. This style is common in my area of the province. This is west of Three Hills, Alberta.

"Salem School, School District No. 1068. First opened as a one-room school in 1908 at SE-10-31-26 and moved to Sunnyslope site in 1931. Two room school built in 1933, at times serving Grades One through Eleven. School closed in 1961 having served many learners well. Building still used as a community hall in 2006." 

There are only a few houses in Sunnyslope. The former school now rural community centre is past the trees.