Driving in Alberta on a November Weekend: A Photo Essay

Text and images (c) Robert Barry Francos/FFanzeen, 2010
These lo-rez version of the photos can be enlarged by clicking on them

At the end of November of 2010, we traveled out to Alberta for personal reasons. Along the way, I snapped. Note that just about all these photos were taken out the car window while going at least the speed limit, so you will see some blurriness. It was cold that weekend, and over the two nights, there was a fog which led to some very beautiful hoar frost.

The first day we drove through some small towns on our way to Edmonton. These photos are only one way, as it was dark by the time we returned.

Riding along, we passed through the town of Ohaton. I've always liked the shape of the car repair garage centered in the distance, with it's three-level roof facade.

The Ohaton public school is old enough to have once had separate entrances for genders. I can't make any snide remarks, because the elementary school I attended in Brooklyn (PS 128) had the same thing.

The small city of Camrose has the beautiful Mirror Lake and bridge in the heart of it, in Jubilee Park. Along the same lake is the Ukrainian Catholic Parish church that I've found to be charming, including the fancy metal work around the steeple.


Out in the countryside, this new style of grain elevator is becoming increasingly common, as the old fashioned iconic wood elevators are disappearing at an alarming rate.

The weather-beaten look of this farm house and barn is both rustic and lonely. The lines across the picture are from the heating elements along the back car window.

The distance one can feel as you look out over the snowy fields is staggering and beautiful all at the same time. In a climate like this, it seems infinite.

Rolls of straw covered with snow is reminiscent of breakfast cereal with frosting.

Many farms use more equipment than can fit in their own storage, so they park the implements outside for the duration of the winter, ready to hit the fields again once spring has sprung.

More breakfast cereal-inspired hay, a common sight outside of city limits.

Is it me, or does "Whitemud" seem like an oxymoron?

The fake tree-like smokestacks hide behind their models of reality (or, perhaps, humanity vs. nature?).

Smokestacks are also a common sight in the prairie cities and countryside, between oil, natural gas, potash, and other natural products that are in need of processing. Industry always wins.

A train trestle over the North Saskatchewan River.

Almost missed this one: yes, that is a road named after Mr. Hockey.

Obviously part of New Jersey's attempt to take over the world!

Somewhere there is an adolescent laughing at the combination of "Humpty's" and "Yellowhead." For those who don't know, one of the main arteries in Edmonton is known as the Yellowhead trail.

This reminds me of a sign at Coney Island's boardwalk (not sure if it's still there). It's definitely a cool logo for this company. I understand the whole double meaning of "space" indicated here, but does one want their stuff sent off to the galaxy, or to stay put/ This image could work both ways.

I liked this sign. Northern Lights is also the name of a Casino near Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, though I'm sure they are both in reference to the Aurora Borealis. Interestingly, both the cemetery and casino have a similar message of eternity; the one here is "The care is everlasting," and for the casino, it's a disingenuous "Where the winning never ends."

The second day we headed out again, with the foliage covered with hoar frost, which is incredibly beautiful as they are encased in snow and ice, giving them a white casing. Here we are back on the road to Camrose.




One of the bigger modern-style grain elevators, in Legacy Junction, just outside of Ohaton.

An abandoned farm is not all that uncommon, unfortunately, as the Canadian farmers are also in financial straits between rapacious banking loan regulations and big agri-business pressuring independent farmers by trying to buy out everyone.

Camrose has all their Christmas themes up right after Halloween, since Canadian Thanksgiving falls in mid-October.

The sun sits behind this octopus elevator.

Another abandoned and graffiti covered farm along the Camrose area correction line.

A lovely spot, but this truly is the middle of nowhere.

Hoar frost in all its glory, lining the road and keeping a barrier between the cars and the farm.


A lone farmhouse in the distance near the town of Round Hill.

In Round Hill, two churches sit along the same road. Note the sign is old enough to have the distance in miles rather than kilometers.

St. Stanislaus in Round Hill. We did not go inside.

I love the feeling of distance one gets looking out the window as the car rolls along. It's beautiful in any season.

Stacks of hay surround a mound of dirt, though keeping with the theme, it could be a lump of sugar among the Weetabix cereal.

Some lonely trees stand shorn and waiting for spring, as are we all.

More hay bales spread throughout a farm.

On our trip home heading east, we actually drove through the fog bank we had been in the night before on the return from Edmonton. Luckily, it passed quickly and we arrived home that evening. Special thanks to Ayrin for watching our cats, Ming and Memphis, while we were gone.

Spontaneous Combustion at Saskatoon's Le Relais Centre, Aug 14, 2009

Text and photos (c) Robert Barry Francos

Other than Sunny Rollins at the Saskatoon Jazz Festival, I have not had a chance to see live music since moving away from New York. Thanks to an invitation, I found myself in the downtown area at the Le Relais Centre, on 4th Avenue N, on August 14, 2009.

The lower floor of Le Relais is essential a big room, which had a series of (appx) 6'x3' wooden boards that made up the stage, with rented speakers and sound system that so reminded me of many of the shows I've seen in Brooklyn over the past few years. Similarly, this was a showcase put together by a group called the Possessed, who also closed the show. More on them later.

Moxon Quartet



First up was the Moxon Quartet, who were a trio this eve. All of their jazz-fusion is made up on the spot, but the group plays together so well, it almost seemed to be rehearsed. The keyboardist, Ray, posited that they "have been playing so often together the last few years that we’re comfortable enough to improvise music in response to what the other players are doing in the moment. It’s a bit like not knowing where you’re headed in your car but somehow arriving at your destination all the same!" Guitarist Lee called out for words from the audience to which to give them a direction, some of which included "duck," "rain" and "basement." One of the interesting aspects of it all was the physical language of Duane, the drummer. Sometimes he would turn his back on the particular part of the kit he was playing; other times he'd use his hands rather than sticks, and he also play the instrument in innovative ways, like using the edge of the cymbal, or the stands. It was, needless to say, very eclectic, but also cohesive. Miles would be proud, I would think.

Jeff Morton and Susu Robin




Next were the duo of Jeff Morton and Susu Robin, up from Regina. Using refurbished organs (including a Wurlitzer), found objects, a simple snare drum, and tambourine, they played standards by the likes of Billy Holiday, Cole Porter, and Bobby Hebb's "Sunny." However, they also did an improvisational take on them, plunking away at the keyboard and drums, changing rhythms and timbre to make it unique, but still recognizable. Jeff was more of the "plunker" as he did instrumentals, and occasionally Susu would play the keys closer to true (and yet not) versions, singing with a lazy-yet-sexy way reminiscent of Billy Holliday or Danielle Brancaccio (of Staten Island, NY-based Professor & Maryanne). Her vocals were very well received by the appreciative audience. One moment I thought weird was when Jeff and Susu announced that they had never actually heard a song they performed, "You'll Never Walk Alone," done by anyone else. Do they have the Jerry Lewis Telethon up here? And what about Gerry & the Pacemakers' or even Elvis's version? Maybe it part of what gives them their unique "flavor." It was an enjoyable set.

The Possessed


Last up were the sponsors of the gathering, The Possessed. This sextet included two guitars, a bass, keyboardist, banjo player, and drummer. The bassist commented that their sound has been described as a cross between Rush and Chick Correa, but I believe it would be better described simply as "astral," and reminded me a bit, at times, of either the early Velvet Underground or Red Crayola (specifically with the Familiar Ugly, on The Parable of Arable Land release). The clearest instrument was the banjo, which was used as part of the rhythm section. In fact, one may argue, that many of the instruments were used in ways that one would not expect, especially the guitars. One guitarist sat on the ground at the far right, using her strings as some kind of synthesizer sound by playing with the speaker and a piece of hand-held electronics with which I'm not familiar. The other guitarist also remained on the ground, but she gravitated around it, using her body, a number of metal instruments, and kitchen devices to produce, well, noise of varying types. Mostly this felt like what many in the '60s used for zoning out while using pharmaceuticals, and towards the end, when everything went wild and distortion ruled, it leaned more towards Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music. Nice to see that tradition carry forward.

One aspect of the evening of which I was well aware was that these were three experimental bands, and yet each filled its own genre, none treading on the others. It was a nice choice of across-the-board-ness by the organizers. This felt like the beginning of entering into a new music scene that is vibrant and certainly not static.