This has been the subject of many of my photographs at the beach in the last 10.5 years. Here’s another.
I will admit, I was waiting for the heron to come out of its hiding spot!
THE BOAR HOUSE
This house has been on my list for some time. There’s a good chance you’ve seen it before. I will tell you that as of yesterday, November 23rd, the owner called me to make sure I had been out there as he was burning it down! Cade and I are heading to Winnipeg this week and it’ll be different not seeing it there.
A month ago when we had our big snow storm, I called about getting onto this property. I was told by the first person I spoke to that under no circumstances was I allowed onto the property as it was unsafe and wild boars lived behind the house in the bushes. The idea of meeting up with a wild boar should have been enough to scare me off but I don’t typically like to be told no so I kept calling around. If I couldn’t get onto the property I was going to fall back onto the good old Sigma 600mm.
A couple weeks later the owner called and said that I could go on to take whatever photos I wanted but that I was not to go into the bushes as he wasn’t sure if the well was covered and he did advise me that he has seen boars around the house but that they typically come out at night. His biggest concern was the state of the home and the fact that the floor was caving in. He advised me that because people continue to trespass he had decided to burn it down, soon.
Last weekend I called him to find out that he was planning on burning it down but that the wind was to high so he would give me the weekend to get out there.
Cade and I drove out last Sunday. I have to admit that I was afraid of every little noise and was on high alert. I didn’t get close enough to see what was going on inside. I was just happy that I was given the chance to take photos before it was gone.
The owner of the home purchased the land in 1982. The house has been vacant since 1971. He couldn’t tell me much about the home or its history and I couldn’t find anything about its history.
As I write this post, I realize that there may be a way for me to find out more about this home. I guess I’ll leave it as stay tuned!
CLICKITY CLACK
Mr., born in Crewkerne, Somerset, England in 1884 came to Canada in 1902 and worked at Pilot Mound. In 1908 he moved to Glenboro but went back to England when the war started and as enlisted in the Royal Artillery for 5 years. While there he met and married his wife. They returned to Canada from Liverpool with their two children on March 27, 1925 upon the S.S. Montclair.
I can’t say for certain that they built this home but research tells me that after the sale of this property, it was mostly used as farm land and not a homstead.
Mr. & Mrs. & their children were active in their community and were members of the local Church of England.
The family fondly remembers Christmas Concert and picnics held by their school.
Their son worked for different local farmers in the area but when his father was no longer able to farm the homstead, he took over the farm in 1947.
The farm is now home to a new owners and his herd of cows.
On the property, there remains a lot of the old equipment, much of it overtaken by trees and barely visable.
Mr. died in 1984 at 100 years of age.
THREE LITTLE PIGS
I found this house this Summer, on the way to the fallen house.
This I stopped again for a look around. From far away I thought the “brick” on the house was asphalt siding. It was real, red brick.
Oddly enough, the brick is only missing on the North and South sides of the house. I did not have permission to enter the house but was happy with the exterior shots.
I could see from a distance, two Corel coffee mugs hanging on the side of the house.
On the property there was also an old stone foundation but I couldn’t tell what it was.
Again, I could not find any history on this house. I do know that the first registered owner was George Robinson who claimed this land in 1894. He sold the house 6 years later in 1901 to the Towns family.
WE ALL FALL DOWN
Cade & I found this house in April. I settled for a road shot, made a note of its location and started the search for its land owner. I couldn’t wait to get closer for some better shots of this house.
I went back a couple weeks later and the crop was already sprouting so I decided I would wait and not attempt to cross across the crop. I would wait until the Fall.
One late Summer day the sky was fabulous and since this isn’t far from my house I went for a ride to take some more photos. This is a completely unedited shot. I LOVE this photo.
This weekend, I went back and she’s gone. All that’s left is a small pile of rubble where she used to stand. Tonight while searching the history of this property, I didn’t find much and really can’t confirm anything except to say that the first land owner took possession of the property in 1894. 6 years later land owner number 2 took over.
I’m happy that I didn’t find anything more as not getting closer kind leaves its history as a mystery that will always keep me wondering. I’m happy for the shots I got though.
BUBO SCANDIACUS
This Snowy Owl, which I have been referring to as a “he” in all of my other postings is actually a “she”. How do I know this? The male Snowy Owl is mostly white while the female has more flecks of black in its plummage.
Cade, Makenna and I were out and about, touring around for houses that I had permission to shoot. We pulled up to my final stop of the day only to discover that I would be soaked and covered in mud after getting through the ditch and then across the section of land to the house. Cade started to drive around the section of land to see if I could get in easier, from another angle. While driving around and contemplating just making the trek to the middle of the section Cade spotted this Snowy on the pole.
I got my camera ready, lens extended and Cade slowly turned the car so that I could roll down the window. I thought for sure I’d get it on the fly, the shot would be blurry and I would be pissed. She didn’t move. In fact, she wouldn’t turn her head and look at me. I started to make noises and whistle. I walked some distance and was pretty much under her when I got this shot. I wanted her to fly. She finally did and it wasn’t until we were driving away and I went through the shots that I found this.
This was worth my numb fingers and sore shoulder from carrying my 600mm and trying to support it and hold it still in the wind.
Once she flew away I figured our photo shoot was done for the day but nope, she landed on an old fence post off in a field, not out of reach of my lens. At this point, Cade had to drive back to get me, I had followed her that far by foot. And of course, I didn’t have mitts and my hands were frozen.
We ended our session with this. Cade figures this should be framed and displayed in the house as well.
If I were to have this printed, I may crop it a tad. What a day. This is exactly why I bought this lens and I’m sure happy I did.
CRUMBLING MEMORIES 