campfire biscuits

 

The purpose of Ranch Days at the Ranching Heritage Center is to demonstrate the western ways of life.  The Ranch Host bakes biscuits in a buried cast iron dutch oven covered with coals.

 

Ranching Heritage Center

Lubbock, Texas

4.20.2013

patriotic chairs

 

The lawn chairs are lined up on the driveway, as if anticipating a parade.  The barbecue grill and drink table suggest creature comforts.  Or perhaps it's readiness to watch the world go by.

 

1705 46th Street

Lubbock, Texas

mr j'

 

In the rear, off the alley near the former bowling alley, Mr. J's Hair Salon has a bright yellow, formerly lighted sign.  In the front, off busy Avenue Q, the business has pallid, hand-painted signage.  If you look closely, through the hair salon, the logo of the closed Chevrolet dealership is visible.  Disregard the "open" message -- it evidently is a direction for the door, not a description of the business on this Sunday afternoon.

 

Mr. J's Hair Salon

4006 Avenue Q

Lubbock, Texas



along the waterfront

 

Old Montreal, Canada

4.5.2013

117

 

While wandering around Old Town Montreal I had to stop frequently to photograph interesting doors.  What does one do with dozens of doorways?

 

Old Town Montreal, Canada

4.5.2013

forsythia

 

Forsythia is one of my favorite spring flowers. It has been a delight traveling in West Virginia and New York and seeing the masses of forsythia bushes in bloom.  I prefer the shrubs to be naturalized but the pruned and shaped ones are still beautiful. 

 

Rochester, New York



rain

 

This is not a great photograph but it's hard to capture a phenomenon  such as rain.

 

Rochester, New York

mouthful

 

Ranch Days at Ranching Heritage Center

Lubbock, Texas

4.20.2013

great wall

 

Another long-time Lubbock landmark closes.  The Great Wall Restaurant was a favorite dining place for many years  - one of the first in town offering Chinese and Mongolian BBQ cuisine.  With the removal of the brick facade, the iron steer is revealed.  I remember eating at this location in the '70s and it probably was a steak place but the name escapes me.  It had to be after 1972 when Lubbock finally voted in liquor by the drink.  Maybe it was the "Iron Steer."  Just another entry in the long list of restaurant closures -- perhaps we should list old favorites like the Brookshire, Hickory Inn, Silver Spurs, Zuider Zee, et al.

 

Great Wall

1625 University Avenue

Lubbock, Texas

lampshades

 

Every time I drive by the building at 1202 Main, I wonder about the lampshades in the windows.  They appear to be in fair shape despite hanging there for decades.  The Civic Center Inn was built in the early 1970s and was a draw to downtown with its coffee shop, restaurant and night club.  However, although centrally located and near the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center, it was never a hit.  It became an unsuccessful residential substance abuse center (Jim Kimmel Center, not to be confused with Jimmy Kimmel the entertainer).  During planning for the Marsha Sharp Freeway, there were unfounded rumors it was to be a Rodeway Inn.  If you believe in urban regentrification and have investment dollars, here is a property for you.  The lampshades are vintage and may not even need replacing!

 

Former Civic Center Inn

1202 Main

Lubbock, Texas

ranch hand

 

Ranch Days at the Ranching Heritage Center

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, Texas

wanna-be's

 

When I was in Memphis a few years ago, there was an Elvis impersonation convention in the hotel.  It was "dead Elvis" week commemorating his death August 16, 1977.  Tonight I saw Elvis impersonators with talent at the "Elvis Live" show.  Average age of audience was closer to what his age would be today-- 78, than his age at death --42.

 

Memphis, Tennessee

8.11.2011

in remembrance

 

The Lubbock Regional Public Safety Memorial is reaching completion with the setting of the bronze monument.  The memorial at Leroy Elmore Park will honor first responders from Lubbock and 15 surrounding counties who have fallen in the line of duty since the 1940s.  Lubbock sculptor Garland Weeks was commissioned for the bronze sculpture depicting first responders.

 

Leroy Elmore Park

66th and Quaker Avenue

Lubbock, Texas

www.garlandweeks.com

 





chef

 

Jacksons Restaurant
Doubletree Hotel
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

night life

 

We are required to stay at places which honor GSA rates (which translates "cheap rooms furthest from the front desk").  Because of the gas boom, rooms are somewhat difficult to find.  Our motel mates are mostly involved in the oil and gas drill business-- which can be deduced from the ratio of pickups to cars in the parking lot - about 48:2.  This morning while waiting for the ride to the training venue, we observed the night shift of workers coming in to be replaced by the day shift workers.  The night shift guys took over the rooms just left by the day shift guys -- talk about a "hot sheets" motel!!  By the way, after dinner we found a letter under the door:  "Dear Guest - the water will be shut off at 9:30 tonight in order to install shutoff valves.  We apologize for any inconvenience."  I didn't actually visit the High Life Lounge but it is at the bottom of the hill down from our motel.  I overheard a guest say that the walk down wasn't bad but the crawl back up was hell.  Travel is an enlightening experience.

 

High Life Lounge

Fairmont, West Virginia

wallpaper

 

No much to comment on.  Welcoming cows on the wallpaper in the Pittsburgh airport.  I also like the statue of France Harris, Pittsburgh Steeler.  It's hard to be enthusiastic when the Dallas flight is 3.5 hours delayed because of mechanical difficulties and there is still a 1.5 hour drive ahead.  Maybe I can capture the green hills and blooming trees in West Virginia for tomorrow's post.

 

Pittsburgh International Airport

lubbock beach

 

With the drought and receding water levels, Lubbock's playa lakes have developed beaches.  Today's summer-like weather of 87 degrees (compare with 22 degrees and snow on Wednesday), the picnickers, fishermen, strollers and sun-seekers --even the ducks and grackles-- are out in full force.

 

David Casey Park

66th and Avenue W

Lubbock, Texas

jesus saves

 

Need a place of worship on Sunday mornings?  The Truckers Chapel is open.  Located in a semi-trailer parked at a truck stop, the Truckers Chapel is an outreach ministry of the Redbud Baptist Church.

 

Chisum Truck Stop on Slaton Highway

Lubbock, Texas

what's your sign?

 

In its lifetime, the hotel at 6th and Avenue Q has been a Hilton, Sheraton and Radisson. The next phase of its career is pending.  We'll watch for the sign.

 

505 Avenue Q

Lubbock, Texas

heavenward

 

Notre-Dame Basilica de Montreal is in historic Old Montreal. It is a great example of 19th century Gothic Revival style.  It shares only a name with its Parisian counterpart.

 

Montreal, Canada

4.5.2013

http://www.basiliquenddm.org

snowshoeing

 

The Von Trapp Family Lodge is noted for its cross-country skiing.  Although the season was ending, many were still on the trails.  As novice snowshoers, we trekked to the sugar house to observe the maple syrup process.  The elevation of these Vermont mountains is 1200 feet; difficult to contemplate when the official elevation of Lubbock is 3,256 feet above sea level -- and we had snow today -- in April!

 

Stowe, Vermont

4.7.2013

the kissing bridge

 

The sign declares it the "Kissing Bridge."  It was placed there in the 1950's as a prank, which has since become a local tradition.  Also known as the Codding Hollow Covered Bridge, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 1, 1974. On a short trip to Vermont, it's hard to visit all 104 covered bridges, but we had fun finding those along Vermont routes 100, 108, 109, 118.  Oh, to have been there during winter snows or fall foliage for better photographic opportunities.

 

Lamoille County, Vermont

4.8.2013

des rivieres covered bridge

 

The Des Rivieres covered bridge, constructed in 1884, spans the aux Brochets River.  This was the best example of our covered bridge excursion from Stowe, Vermont to Montreal.

 

Des Rivieres Covered Bridge

Notre Dame de Stanbridge

Quebec, Canada

grade a light amber

 

The maple syrup sample on the left is the finest grade.  We sipped straight from the vat -- sure doesn't taste like Aunt Jemima's!

 

Von Trapp Faimly Lodge

Stowe, Vermont

www.trappfamily.com



got an itch?

 

As evidenced by the tufts, a barbed wire fence comes in handy whenever this Scottish Highland cow has an itch.  These shaggy creatures are cute!

 

Von Trapp Family Farm

Stowe, Vermont

along the waterfront

 

The doors of the buildings in Old Town of Montreal along the St. Laurent River waterfront were intriguing.

 

Montreal, Canada

bluebonnets and raindrops

 

Bluebonnets and raindrops are two things one won't see in West Texas.

 

Coppell, Texas

johnny-jump-ups

 

With April's nippy weather, these johnny-jump-ups may have wished they stayed in bed (get it?).   Violas are petite cousins to pansies and cold-weather tough.  The flowers contain antioxidants and are edible. Tri-color flowers on your salad may cure your epilepsy, asthma or eczema. -- maybe even chilblains!

purple chairs

 

Old Town

Albuquerque, New Mexico

3.11.2012

garden art

 

Always a fan of geraniums, the repeating curves also caught my eye.

Joe T. Garcia's Mexican Restaurant

Fort Worth, Texas

4.13.2011