roses are red, my love

Do you remember this Bobby Vinton song?

self-titled

As we made plans to travel back to Columbus via Route 33, at least five students told us to be sure and stop in Nelsonville at the Rocky Boot Outlet Store. Being avid bargain-seekers, we did. ROCKY ® Outdoor Gear's corporate office, warehouse, and distribution center are in a complex with the original manufacturing building that goes back to 1932. (My colleague scored a pair of sandals on the clearance rack that were originally $114 -- half off of $4.99)

Nelsonville, Ohio
3.29.2012
www.rockyboots.com

french farmhouse

We had dinner this evening at a delightful place with wonderful ambiance. The 94th Aero Squadron is located between the runways of the Port Columbus Airport . The old country 1917 French Farmhouse is full of military memorabilia and aviation relics depicting the WWII era. There was a live band in the bar and the dance floor was filled with couples dancing to "Big Band" tunes. The 94th Aero Squadron was the most famous unit of early American air power, featuring Columbus native Eddie Rickenbacker who flew combat over the skies of France during the "Great War."

94th Aero Squadron
Columbus, Ohio

www.9thaero.com

row row row

Rowing on the Muskingum River
Marietta,Ohio

flowering quince

The Holiday Day Inn in Marietta, Ohio is not much but it backs up to the Marietta Golf Course with green grass, flowering trees, forsythias and a warm spring day.

holy horse

The fence surrounding the horse's pen at the Santuario de Chimayo is adorned with crosses -- most very simple and the majority fashioned from twigs. The horse is a very obliging model as he welcomes visitors to the shrine.

Santuario de Chimayo, New Mexico
3.10.2012

trabant

The Trabant ride at Joyland oscillates, rotates and lifts -- giving riders a sense of weightlessness. The amusement park at Mackenzie Park has been a Lubbock institution since the 1940s. For the end of school picnic, we'd pack our sack lunch, load on buses and venture to the park for a day of games. We'd taunt the goat lady on top of the hill, play baseball and then, after lunch, came the biggest treat of a couple of hours at Joyland. The biggest dare was riding the "hammer" and of course the boys always rammed you at bumper cars. My favorite ride was the Tilt-a-Whirl and I think the current ride is the same piece of equipment we went 'round and 'round on!

Joyland Amusement Park
Mackenzie Park
Lubbock, Texas

spring festival

Holi is a religious spring festival celebrated by Hindus. Holi is also known as the festival of colors. The central rite is marked by joyous participants throwing colored powers on friends and family. The clouds of colors carry the message of love and happiness. The Texas Tech South Asian Student Association hosted Holi today with hundreds of students and other participants daubing each other and their free white tee shirts with red, blue, green and purple powders.

oak bloom

Do oak blooms count as spring flowers?

My backyard
Lubbock, Texas

blowin' in the wind

Bob Dylan looks for answers in the wind; around here we mostly have sand in the wind. Today was breezy but thankfully no dust. Generally tulips are short-lived - blown by the wind.

Texas Tech Campus
Lubbock, Texas

monarch

Today's cold rainy weather didn't feel very springlike. I'm ready for blue skies, warmer weather, flowers and butterflies.

state flower of texas

Bluebonnets are not widespread in our part of Texas but a lavish display is expected in the Hill Country around Austin and San Antonio this year. I think a road trip is in order.

identity crisis

In my quest to find structures painted in the hues of the color wheel, I came across this building. Evidently when the gift and flower shop moved into the building formerly occupied by the hair salon, they could not afford to paint over the leopard print exterior. It's certainly eye-catching for the traffic on 19th Street.

Das Blume Haus
7212 19th Street
Lubbock, Texas

happy birthday, pop

My dad celebrated his 88th birthday today. Still farming . . . . .

foggy morning

This March has strange spring weather -- fog in the morning, 85 degree afternoons with a bit of rain and hail. Yesterday my photographer friend caught excellent images of the cypress trees at Higginbotham Park. This morning I thought I would emulate her I couldn't find her tripod holes on the shore.

Higginbotham Park
19th and Vicksburg
Lubbock, Texas

expressions of faith

A tree outside the Loretta Chapel is adorned with rosaries -- left by the faithful in prayer and supplication.

Loretta Chapel
Santa Fe, New Mexico
3.10.2012

holy chile

When you make your pilgrimage to the El Santuario de Chimayo and visit the "el pocito" or small pit of Holy Dirt with curative powers, be sure to cross the street to Medina's. Charlie will lead you through the ritual of chile tasting. He’ll have you smell powders and give you a pistachio, but ask you not to chew it. Filling the half pistachio shell with chile mix, he’ll tell you to chew it with the nut. Then you'll understand the expression "holy chile" as your tastebuds explode.

Chimayo, New Mexico
3.10.2012

spring blossom and adobe wall

Chimayo, New Mexico
3.10.2012

chirologist

Chiromancy is the practice of "reading" the palm of a person's hand to determine the future. Can you guess which one is the palm reader?

Old Town Plaza
Albuquerque, New Mexico
3.11.2012

ride 'em cowgirl

Cowgirl BBQ
319 S. Guadalupe
Santa Fe, New Mexico
www.cowgirlsantafe.com

3.11.2012

photo shoot models

These photogenic sheep at the colonial reenactment museum were excellent models. Their curiosity in staring at the photographers afforded good poses. The nine students probably took hundreds of images of the willing sheep.

Los Golondrinas
Santa Fe, New Mexico

kokopelli

Kokopelli , the fertility deity, is represented by a hump-backed flute player with feathers on his head (the Spanish missionaries convinced the Hopi to omit the phallus on their representations). These stylized Kokopelli on a stair railing are chilly as snow dusted Santa Fe last night. My photography workshop of Santa Fe light and strong contrast took on a different aspect under snow clouds.

morado de la conquistadora

We didn't have typical Santa Le sunshine and light for the excursion to Las Golondrinas. It was overcast and spitting snow until about 4:00 when the big, feathery flakes began falling.

Penitente Meeting House
El Rancho de las Golondrinas
Santa Fe, New Mexico

the obligatory santa fe photo

Purple is the new turquoise -- at least during Lent in Santa Fe. What the photo doesn't show is the March snow. At least the wind has diminished from 45 mph. The photo trek tomorrow should be interesting!

a change in the weather

March weather is unpredictable. Today's 78 degrees will be replaced tomorrow with temperatures in the 30s. The wind is a constant and will blow away the 10% chance of precipitation. Too bad the camera did not pick up the sun's halo.

construction zone

along the santa fe trail

Fort Union National Monument

Las Vegas, New Mexico
10.30.2010

mi paz os doy

On the rear of an empty building, a fresco Jesus offers peace to the pedestrians and passers-by on Baylor Street. Whether the former occupant was Anaya Design or American Therapy, they evidently decided that we all need more blessings.

My Peace I Give to You
2200 Baylor Street off Clovis Road
Lubbock, Texas

symphonic rhythms

Tree trunks and grasses outside the offices of the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra -- which offered a wonderful presentation of La Traviata this evening.

Lubbock Symphony Orchestra
601 Avenue K
Lubbock, Texas

texas independence day

From the Texas Declaration of Independence - March 2, 1836

"When a government has ceased to protect the lives, liberty and property of the people, from whom its legitimate powers are derived, and for the advancement of whose happiness it was instituted, and so far from being a guarantee for the enjoyment of those inestimable and inalienable rights, becomes an instrument in the hands of evil rulers for their oppression. "

These words, written 176 years ago claiming Texas' independence from Mexico, have a contemporary ring.

Lone Star Flag, Fort Worth Stockyards
4.16.2011

wagons ho

Many a wagon never made it past the Mountain Branch of the Santa Fe Trail.

Cimarron, New Mexico
5.28.2010