Saturday 31 July 2021

Sign

There a quite a few Dutch farmers in Alberta. I saw this sign while going to visit one of them.

Friday 30 July 2021

Ghost town Saskatchewan

Whitkow, Saskatchewan is practically a ghost town. There are a few people that live here. A rail line once ran through here. The elevator and the church are basically what is left of the old buildings. There was another church here that was ceremonially burnt down by the congregation in 2013 as they could not afford to repair the dome and restore the church.









Thursday 29 July 2021

Music post

Wetaskiwin County Alberta Canola


 

Kutawa School 1921 - 1963

Rural Saskatchewan. If you type "Kutawa Saskatchewan" into Google Maps the school is actually 1km east of the red pin on the north side of the road. I did not bother to check if it was open.



Wednesday 28 July 2021

Random barn

South of Watson, Saskatchewan.

Tuesday 27 July 2021

Victoria Trail - Kalyna Country, Alberta

Dale and Lynn Redekopp took a recent drive through this part of Alberta which is east of Edmonton. They saw a few interesting sights in this part of rural Alberta.




Monday 26 July 2021

Lunner Norwegian Church rural Saskatchewan

Last service September 15, 1968.

It is about 9.5km northwest of Southey, Saskatchewan.

It is an out of the way place and the side road to get to it is not a well travelled road. Some of the roads Google Maps says are roads on the way there are not roads I would travel on. I had to make one detour to get there. I was here on July 3, 2021 on an very hot day.

There is a guestbook in the church and it is looked after. Nice spot in the middle of nowhere.





Sunday 25 July 2021

Take a ride

Yesterday was the day to take the bike out for a ride. It was about eight hours of highways and byways from Leduc to Drumheller and back. A bit of haze in the sky from forest fires the next province over, 28C in Drumheller. and sunny skies. I thought I would be stiff today and I am not.

The photo is just outside Drumheller.

51.539734, -112.847065


 

When rural people get bored

Near Dewberry, Alberta.

Saturday 24 July 2021

Hello Earthlings!


Along the main drag through Riverside in Medicine Hat, Alberta.

I've passed by dozens of times but decided to stop a few days ago to get a closer look.  The aliens and mushrooms light up at night too!


Maybe one of Ziggy Stardust's spiders from Mars escaped?


Obviously lots of fun can be had with some scrap metal, acetylene torch and welder. Good on 'em!

- Michael Truman

Thursday 22 July 2021

Riverton School 1911 - 1948

Not far from Derwent, Alberta. Now a rural hall.


Wednesday 21 July 2021

Immaculate Conception Church 1920 - 1957

Abandoned Catholic Church at Fish Creek, Saskatchewan. It is on privately owned land with lots of "No Trespassing" signs posted so I could not get close.

Rear view.



Tuesday 20 July 2021

The barn post

On Romaniuk Road northeast of Edmonton, Alberta.


A happy place

Spotted at the entrance to a farm on Romaniuk Road in rural Alberta northeast of Edmonton, Alberta. This was cute and too good to pass by.

Monday 19 July 2021

Holy Ascension Ukrainian Orthodox Church near Maryville, Saskatchewan

This had been on my list for some time. It is northeast of Melfort, Saskatchewan. I was not able to find how long it has been abandoned or when it was built. A plaque on the grounds says the area was settled starting in 1935.

As abandoned churches go this one is wonderful and even better in person. My only complaint is that the day was too bright for photos. I really want to visit this again.

I know there used to be a school and teacherage close to the church. I do not know if much else existed here. On the same north south road there is a church a little bit south and one a little north of this church, all within a mile. This church is by far the most interesting and photogenic of the three and of many churches I have encountered.







Sunday 18 July 2021

Very hazy in my part of Alberta

The air is dry with the haze of smoke from forest fires in the air. Air quality notices have been issued and when I was out and about visibility was limited in some places. Not pleasant. On the plus side it is summer.


Quick take - Our Lady of Mount Carmel

This is not far from Raymore, Saskatchewan. Could not really get photos from other angles as the trees are close to the church.


The door was not locked. I got a few steps inside and did not step any further. The church has the walls and ceiling braced in multiple spots so who knows how safe it is. I got a couple of shots of the interior and left.

Saturday 17 July 2021

Random abandoned Saskatchewan


 

A different abandoned post

This abandoned house is the house my father grew up in. Years ago it was a farm. Many years ago. The house is the only thing that remains of the farm. No one has lived in it for over a decade. It sits on an a quarter section of land. I never met my grandfather, he died of cancer before I was born. My father was the last of six children and he was the one that helped look after him in his final days. He drove him to the hospital for cancer treatment in his parent’s car.

After that Dad met mom, got married, and me and my sister followed. My grandmother lived in the house for many years. My father’s brother bought the land many years ago and grandma lived in the house. Dad died in 1997. My grandmother died in 2003. His brother that owned and farmed the land with his other holdings died in 2014. He was the last one of the six, three men and three women. His daughter has that land now.

As a kid growing up our family lived in British Columbia. All the other relatives lived in Alberta. Dad would say that he felt more comfortable being in another province. Through the years I got to know why. He would never talk about it however he would on rare occasions let slip that his father was physically and psychologically abusive. Sometimes I would hear bits and pieces from relatives as to what kind of man my grandfather was. He was the kind of person that never talked about certain things. Dad once kind of stated he felt relieved when his father died.

When we visited relatives as a kid we would always visit his mother at this place. I do not think he ever liked coming here. I do not recall him having any fond memories of the place.

I had not seen it for a few years until a few weeks ago. Time and nature is taking over and it will eventually fade from memory. 

Friday 16 July 2021

Out to Pasture


A row of old bales near the turn-off to the south entrance of Cypress Hills Park in Alberta.


They've literally been put "out to pasture." 

- Michael Truman