S & Q Clothiers

 

It's ThrowBack Thursday!  While looking for images for another project, I came across this picture taken a decade ago.  Broadway may be the main drag, but the alleys still have character.   S & Q Clothiers, part of a chain, was a premiere men's clothing store downtown about 1950-70s.  I haven't checked recently but assume the sign is still on the backside of the empty building.  Lubbock laid its first brick streets in 1920. One of the first projects was Broadway from Avenue F west to Avenue K. In all, 20 downtown blocks were paved with bricks at a cost of just less than $200,000.  And yes, the alleys were paved as well.

S & Q Clothiers
1112 Broadway
Lubbock, Texas

carousel

 

The merry-go-round is one of the original rides at Joyland Amusement Park dating from the 1940s. The modern carousel emerged from early jousting traditions in Europe and the Middle East and by the early 18th century carousels were being built and operated at various fairs and gatherings in central Europe and England.  The Flying Horses Carousel in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts is the oldest platform carousel in the U.S. and has been designated a national landmark. Constructed in 1876, it originally operated as a Coney Island, NY amusement park and was moved to Oak Bluffs in 1884.  In 1884 the only horses in Lubbock were Indian ponies.

 

Joyland Amusement Park

Mackenzie Park

Lubbock, Texas

jesus sales

 

Thre 14th annual High and Dry Photography Exhibit has come to an end.  I was fortunate again this year to have an image selected.  Olton in Hale County qualifies as a "semi-arid" land - a qualification of the exhibit.  The unique business perspective of this place also appealed to the juror.

 

Olton, Texas

9.23.2014

hiatus

 

Its empty parking lot dotted with puddles from the recent weather, the amusement park silently waits for opening of the spring season in March. Shuttered and sometimes disassembled, the rides rest for the upcoming onslaught.  Joyland Amusement Park started out in the late 1940s as the Mackenzie Park Playground.  When I was in grade school, the spring highlight was the school picnic at the park followed by an afternoon at the amusement park.  When purchased by Jimmy Dean (not THAT Jimmy Dean) in 1973, the amusement park had 13 rides -- including the carousel, the bumper cars, the Tilt-a-Whirl, and the Hammer (which was too fearsome to ride).  Today the attractions have expanded to more than 30 with a log flume, gondola, and a roller coaster.  The carousel is advertised as "antique" and  I think the Tilt-a-Whirl of my day is still operating!  But I bet the kids are still as excited as we were to ride!

 

Joyland Amusement Park

Mackenzie Park

Lubbock, Texas

1.25.2015

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sunday afternoon drive

 

After a week of house confinement, it was a nice afternoon for a drive through the park.  Members of the Lubbock Unique Car Club were also enjoying the sunshine.

 

Mackenzie Park

Lubbock, Texas

loose gravel

 

Sometimes the juxtaposition of signs and reality tickles me so much I have to stop and take a picture!  In my next life I'm wishing for good bronchial tubes that don't catch every bug and render me voiceless and supine on the couch-- like the last two days!

 

Somewhere in Tucson, Arizona

2.28.2014

danger

 

In the Oregon countryside, red barns with moss-covered wood shake roofs were not unusual.  What was unexpected was the longhorn cow skull hanging on the side of the barn -- shades of the Southwest!  The "danger" sign in the window and the skull are sufficient to deter trespassers.

 

Highway 202

Jewell, Oregon

10.19.2014

adios detroit

 

We bid Detroit farewell early this morning.  Only a bit of snow each morning and the temperature reached 18 degrees our last day.  There wasn't much sightseeing -- only journeyed about 11 miles between the airport, the hotel and the Downriver Campus of Wayne County Community College. It was nice to return to 56 degrees in Lubbock!



winter sunset

 

We awoke to a smattering of snow but the day ended with bright sunshine -- high 13 degrees.

 

Romulus, Michigan

view from 37,000 feet

 

The exit row allows more leg room but the view over the wing is not so hot.  Combined flying time for two flights from Lubbock to Detroit is 2 hours and 52 minutes.  Today it took me 12 plus hours to accomplish that.  Mechanical delays!!

sunset at haystack rock

 

I've been browsing the catalogues looking for my next photography tour.  Sunsets, beaches, congenial camera enthusiasts, new adventures -- it's fun just reading and wishing.

 

Haystack Rock

Cannon Beach, Oregon

10.15.2014

horse gear

 

The horse halters and lead ropes are elegantly tied to the fence, waiting for the next day's exercise.

 

Texas Tech Equestrian Center

Lubbock, Texas

yard art

 

Whether you call it a sculpture, whirligig, thingamabob or junque, this metal piece adds appeal to the garden.

 

Barb's Garden

Lubbock, Texas

9.6.2014

railroad crossing

 

The town sprang up in 1909 along the tracks of the Southern Railroad.  Between 1940 and 1970 the population tripled to over 500.  First known as Monroe, the name was changed to New Deal after application for a post office revealed that a Monroe already existed.  The first school was built in 1917.  The district was named New Deal in 1936 after county consolidation of schools.  During the mid-1900s New Deal was a town with cafes, grocery stores, churches, lumber yards, gas stations and gins -- rather than the primarily residential community that exists today. When I-27 went west around town, businesses died.  Today one can only buy gas at the truck stop on the interstate. What was once the Owens gas station stands overgrown with weeds, peeling paint and a forlorn air.  Reflected in the window is the railroad crossing sign - a reminder of what once brought about prosperity.  Also reflected is a house across the train tracks -- once the home of the gin manager of the Fortenberry Gin.

 

New Deal, Texas

Lake Ontario

 

About this time last year I was in Rochester, New York.  Funny but it wasn't as cold there then as it is now in Lubbock.  The recent snow and ice are mostly gone but current temperature is 23 degrees with wind chill of 7.  Brr!

 

Rochester, New York

1.16.2014

lou's

 

Many years ago on a trip to Big Spring, I ran across Lou's and took a photo to make a personalized birthday card for my friend Lou.  On the recent trek to Big Spring, I wondered it Lou's was still there (thinking about a follow-up card).  It was -- and the door was open.  Being an intrepid photographer, in the middle of the afternoon-- I ventured inside, curious what the interior might be like (since this wasn't the type joint I usually frequent).  Now we know:

 

 

After the initial once-over when I stepped through the door and asked if I could take pictures, the occupants pretty much ignored me.

 

PS - Lou's has karaoke on Thursday nights.

 

Lou's

1012 West 3rd

Big Spring, Texas

12.29.2014





amaryllis

 

One of my favorite holiday traditions is the forcing of bulbs.  Last week the room was scented by the blooms of the paper-white narcissus.  Today, as I sat at the computer, I admired the sun backlighting the newly-bloomed amaryllis

go mustangs!

 

Almost every school in Texas, regardless of size, fields a football team and builds a stadium.  Sands CISD is no exception.  Located in Ackerly which sits on the Dawson-Martin county line, Sands is a consolidated district drawing students, all 224 of them, from the corners of four counties --Dawson, Martin, Borden and Howard.  This year the Sands Mustangs six-man football team lost the play-off game to Lorraine 82-70.  Back in the day, New Deal played Sands, which then had an 11-man team.  It was our furthest away game -- which doesn't seem so far today. As a majorette, I twirled on that field - probably sans improvements.  I remember the comments about the sandburs on the field!

 

Sands Mustang Stadium

Ackerly, Texas

12.29.2014

Lubbock's winter waterfall

 

 

After dreary days of ice and snow, the sun came out today.  As a tourist this past year, I photographed waterfalls in South Dakota and Oregon and now I paid homage to the hometown waterfall , albeit man-made.  The Canyon Lakes, now known as the Jim Bertram Lake System, enhanced the waterways along the Yellow House Canyon.  Dunbar Historic Lake is the sixth lake at the east end of the canyon.  When I conducted new employee orientation for City of Lubbock, one of my bingo questions was "Where is Lubbock's waterfall?'  Shame on you if you didn't know the answer!

 

Martin Luther King Memorial Waterfall

Dunbar Historic Lake

Lubbock, Texas

Off the main highway, along County Road U, in Ackerly (pop. 220) stands a jewel of a Sinclair gas station-- but don't expect to buy gas there!  This step back in time includes Dino the Dinosaur, S&H green stamp signs and a couple of vintage van/pickups (Chevy, not VW).  People who speed by on US 87 don't know what they miss.

Ackerly, Texas
12.29.2014

eye to the future

Happy New Year 2015

 

I don't know if the optician couldn't afford a replica eyeball for his advertising so went with just the word "eye."  In any case it caught my eye. As the new year rang in, I had a mental debate about continuing the photo blog.  The past 5 years, according to BlogSpot, I've posted 1,700 images -- just missing a few days due to technical difficulties or illness.  I have decided to perservere and continue posting.  I started this project as a way to improve my skills and have been grateful that my daily statistics are growing.  Photography is a way I experience the world and the blog allows me to share my images and thoughts.  Please keep an eye on me in 2015.

 

Hughes Optical

Big Spring, Texas

12.29.2014