Buildings With History

Although photographing wildlife will always be my first love, I also enjoy looking at and photographing "old" buildings.  In doing so, it wakes you wonder about the individuals that once inhabited the building, their dreams, and hopes.  It also makes you to take a little time to contemplate why they had left their home, abandoned, and slowly disappearing into the soils on which it stands.  What was their story in life? 

Although the sign still hangs over the door, the hotel has been vacant for many years.  Must be so many stories involved with this hotel, why did the owners leave it without even taking down the sign?  

 "Wilson Hotel ~ Southern, Nebraska

This was a prairie farmers dream, a nice home and large barn yet abandoned to disappear into the prairie soil.

"House and Barn ~ Filey, Nebraska ~ Highway 4"

One has to wonder, was it a trading post or perhaps a saloon?  The name of the community intrigue me.  The norther American Indians would move to lower elevations during the winter months.  They measured the distance of their trips by the number of nights or "sleeps" that it took.  This site was their 10th night of sleep on their southerly journey. 

 "Old Store ~ Ten Sleep, Wyoming

A ranchers pride and joy, typical of the era, the barn was much larger and nicer than the home in which they lived.  what intrigued me about this barn was the rock foundation and the cross mounted where the rock and wood joins.  Did someone die while building this barn or was it their way of blessing the building?

 Barn ~ South of Custer, South Dakota ~ Highway 285

Beautiful little barn and ranch, again the barn is the most important and majestic building while the house was just large enough to survive.

 "Ranch In the Valley ~ Osoyoos, British, Columbia"

Once a beautiful home in the Cottonwood Grove on the prairie. Why did the family leave this nice home?

 "Kansas ~ Highway 99"

A little cabin in the Aspen Grove, I walked through this property, I can only imagine that it was possibly a prospectors cabin, a beautiful stream was just a couple of hundred yards from the cabin.  Perhaps, a ranchers line shack.  Inside, was a natural rock fireplace the only source for heat and cooking. 

 "Highway 14 ~ Northern, Colorado"

This house was unique in that the Kansas and Nebraska Border went through the middle of the house.  Was this a mistake or were the state borders established after the house was built.  

 "Two State House ~ Straddles Kansas and Nebraska Border"

This is the first house that you see when entering the State of Alaska.  Why did the family build here, just a small house but trimmed out.  Was it their dream to establish this location as a business?

"First House In Alaska ~ Yukon and Alaska Border"

Winter Moose

WINTER MOOSE

With the recent increase of snow, it has been enough to start pushing the Moose down to lower elevations and their winter feeding area.  Having completed the rut and with the onslaught of winter, the Bull Moose are just now starting to shed their antlers.  Today, I had the opportunity to do a little Moose Hunting.  Staying within a distance of 12 miles of my home and in less than two hours, I had the opportunity to view seventeen Moose.  Predominantly Cows and Calves, with the exception of two small Bull Moose.  One Bull had already shed it's antlers while the second one still had his antlers in tact. 

"Young Bulls In The River Bottom"

The Bull Moose in the lead has shed his antlers, it is not unusual to see young Bull Moose hanging out together. Taking solace with one another after being chased away from the Cows during the rut by the larger Bulls.  In a couple of years, these Bulls will be large enough to be contenders as breeders, as long as they can keep their Cows away from the larger Bulls.

"Buddies For Now"



"Cow In The Willow Patch"