happy halloween

 

The zombie population of Lone Star, Texas is more than the human! Some of the 125 souls from decades ago assemble for a homecoming.

 

Lone Star, Texas

Floyd County

FM 378 

the world on texas avenue

 

This morning while eating breakfast at the Ranch House, I saw the world roll by on Texas Avenue.  Not one to pass up a photo op, I ran to the car and got my camera.  Erik and his dog Nice (as in "nice doggy") are on a personal mission of diabetes awareness.  They have logged thousands of miles with today's goal of Albuquerque -- or at least the KOA campground on US 84.  To learn more about the world guy, visit his blog.  His message -- go for a walk.

 

Texas Avenue and 15th Street

Lubbock, Texas

 

 

 



three-quarter Quonset

 

To reach the commercial district of Lone Star, take FM 378 then turn east on Spur 378 not quite a mile.  There you'll find this three-quarter Quonset hut.  If you look beyond the Gillette tire sign, you'll see the faded lettering for the Lone Star Chemical Company.  Other than this building and the defunct Baptist church, there's not much left in Lone Star.  According to history, the community began in 1892, boasted of a two-story brick school,a community store, a gas station a gin, an elevator and even a beauty shop.  Very little evidence of Lone Star remains except the star atop the church steeple.

 

Lone Star, Texas

Floyd County

FM Spur 378

10.26.2013

hope abandoned

 

I imagine that those parishioners who erected the Sandhill Church of Christ in 1924 had great hopes for their community.  The Depression took away much of that hope.  As the once-hopeful farmers moved away, the house of God became a house of tenants--until they also abandoned the place.

 

 

 

Sandhill, Texas

Floyd County

FM 378 and 784

 

open door to education

 

The first school in Sandhill was built in 1892 and schooling continued in the community until consolidation with Floydada in the 1950s. Today the school's portal and back wall are all that are left standing.  The post office closed in 1943; the store closed in 1984, but it appears the grain elevator business is still in operation.  The elevator, one occupied house with three dogs and an abandoned church are all that is left in Sandhill.

 

 



 

Sandhill, Texas

Floyd County

FM 378 and 874

school graze

Today I did a "dot tour" -- those dots on the map that represent early communities of the South Plains.  Like Lubbock County, Hale and Floyd counties had numerous small schools -- go about 10-15 miles and there's another cluster of civilization with names like Carr's Chapel, Sandhill, South Plains, Lone Star and Providence.    Each place is marked by maybe a church, a school, a gin or elevator, a store -- what determined if the town thrived or died?  Some places have only have a marker to indicate a school was there, like Pleasant Valley or Providence.

South Plains  flourished in the 1920s.  The post office was moved twice before settling by the Fort Worth and Denver railroad.  Today the railroad is gone but South Plains marks the western terminal of the Caprock Canyon State Park Trailway which follows the former railbed.  South Plains school opened in 1928 and closed in 1978.  Instead of the laughter of children on the playground, the schoolhouse echoes the mooing of cows.

South Plains, Floyd County, Texas
SH 207

ironing drives me to drink too

 

Ranching Heritage Center

Lubbock, Texas

for the directionally challenged

 

For the conscientious driver, road signs are a good thing.  They advise of the speed limit, the route you are on, the distance to the next town or road dangers ahead.  But, sometimes, one needs more information than just "west."

 

FM 1729

Lubbock County, Texas

violas and pansies

 

A nice fall afternoon spent planting violas, pansies and kale.  Purple is my preferred color palette.

 

My front yard

Lubbock, Texas

letters from viet nam

 

The 1960s were a lifetime ago.  In fact, John Richard’s life time.  John was born Oct 20, 1968—the first baby  born in our crowd of college friends.  His birthday this month unleashed memories.  John Richard shared a name and an October birthdate with John Leo Minor, whose lifetime was cut short in a one-car rollover in 1969.  How ironic to survive Viet Nam then to die on a West Texas highway.  We kids of the sixties learned the fateful twists and turns of life.

amber rows of grain

 

Although this field of grain in not quite mature, all across the plains combines are harvesting the crops.  Too bad there aren't that many cotton strippers in action.

 

Lubbock County, Texas

 planting winter wheat

 

Today's farmer relies more on technology than back-breaking labor.  Seth purchases wheat seed in bulk boxes rather than 50-pound bags.  To fill the wheat drill, a belt conveyor on the seed tender transfers the seed to the planter boxes.  And GPS allows for efficient planting and applications.

 

 

 

Lubbock County, Texas

chinese donuts

 

This was an interesting small town eatery and I wanted to work it better, photographically.  Alas, the next trip through Seymour and the place was not just closed but shut down.  I guess it was too hard to compete with the Rock Inn Cafe.

 

Seymour, Texas

2003

section 7

 

My grandfather acquired Section 7, east of New Deal, in February 1939 from Mrs. Myrta Bacon at a price of $16,000 -- or $25.00 an acre.  For decades this was viable farmland producing bales of cotton.  After his death, the land passed into different hands and was parceled.  Last year my nephew Seth, Mr. Bill's great-grandson, purchased the northern portion of the section.  The south half is no longer farmed; horses graze the reverted pastureland.

 

My dad was released from the hospital today about noon--by 1:30 we were in the pickup surveying the crops.

 

Section 7

Lubbock County, Texas

 

 

planting pansies

Courtyard, University Medical Center

 

Photography on hold while my dad is hospitalized.

 



water for sale

 

Water versus oil is a Texas dilemma.

 

Midland County, Texas

(so named because it is halfway between Fort Worth and El Paso)

billboard

 

At first glance, this billboard looming over the intersection of 19th and Buddy Holly Avenue is an advertisement for tattoos.  A visit to the website reveals that this is an evangelistic outreach appealing to the popularity of religious tattoos.  I was amazed at the millions of results that came up with a google of "jesus tattoos."

 

 

Jesustattoo

19th and Buddy Holly Avenue

Lubbock, Texas