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

leap into spring

It's the last day of February -- temperature is in the 70s and the Bradford pears are blooming. March will probably blow in like a lion -- it's been practicing all month with sandstorms every other day.

bula cemetery

Although some may think it morbid, my favorite places to visit are cemeteries. Of all those I have seen, the Bula Cemetery is the saddest. Generally, out here on the plains, one can locate a cemetery from afar by sighting the "cemetery trees" (evergreens) which are often planted there. The Bula Cemetery has no trees and there are no headstones on individual gravesites. Instead, only a marker lists those who are buried there. A bench offers a resting place to ponder the history of this forlorn graveyard. Saddest of all are Billy and Bernie, the one year old twins, buried alone with no family.

Bula Cemetery
FM 3397
Southeast Bailey County, Texas
2.24.2012

study in black and white

Gray and dreary day at Conquistador Lake
(Canyon Lake No. 1)
Lubbock, Texas

boot, bench and bail

Bail bonding isn't unique to Texas but this establishment capitalizes on its location. Wonder if it specializes in Tech students? Located at 820 Main it occupies a building that housed a Lubbock landmark -- the Hot Shot Cafe. The Hot Shot at Avenue H and Main and across from the court house was the "go to" spot for decades. Started in the 1920s, it thrived on short orders, survived the 1970 tornado but succumbed to age.

http://www.lubbockcentennial.com/Readers/HotShotCafe.shtml

Lone Star Bail Bonds
820 Main
Lubbock, Texas

all washed up

Enochs Laundry
Enochs, Texas

2-25-2012

Even though the community of Enochs is basically a cluster of abandoned buildings, the spire of this church beckons passers-by away from the intersection of FM 54 and SH 214. The evergreens threaten to overtake the building and the open door invites in varmits, vagrants and vandals alike. The brief heyday of Enochs lasted a couple of decades with a population of 250 at the most. Its businesses are gone, the churches shuttered and the post office is on the USPS closing list. But saddest of all is an empty house of worship.

Enochs, Texas
FM 54 and SH 214

plant no. 1

The Lubbock Power & Light Plant No. 1 is definitely at a dead-end. Constructed in 1929, its six diesel engines supplied power for a growing city. When more modern generating stations were built, its engines were idled and the building sits abandoned if not unwanted. The nearby arts district is interested in the building but there are environmental concerns. It's hard to believe that the first electricity was available in Lubbock just over a century ago in 1909 and that the utility we take for granted today did not exist.

LP&L Plant No. 1
5th and Avenue J
Lubbock, Texas

capsicum cultivar

The sweet red pepper, a botanical fruit, is actually a mature green pepper.

arney school

One objective of photography is to preserve the past. The January 22 posting on Melinda's "One Day One Image" of the burnt out Arney School prompted me to find the photo of the school I had taken -- unaware that I was shooting a piece of history. The Arney School started as a one-room building in 1901 to school children of the nearby ranchers. It also housed the Baptist Church for a while. Arney consolidated with Dimmitt in 1945 and the school building continued as a community center. Arney School received a Texas Historic marker in 1985. Now all that remains of the pioneer community is the marker.

Castro County, Texas
10.9.2005

oil patch sunrise

Midland, Texas
7.02.2006

If of thy mortal goods thou art bereft,
and from thy slender store
Two loaves alone to thee are left,
Sell one, and with the dole
Buy Hyacinths to feed thy Soul.

Moslih Eddin Saadi
Persian Poet

take off

The photo I wanted was of the cormorants lined up along the shore - spreading their wings. Alas, my approach generated a mass exodus.

Mackenzie Park
Lubbock, Texas

Hey Seth, think we'll ever get big enough to drive tractors?

I hope so. I can't wait to farm!

Hannah, look at those babies. They're sitting on grandma's sofa just like us.

William, that's our daddies.

Can't be -- my daddy is real big.

Silly, they were little back in 1983.

You mean this sofa is older than all of us!

Family Pictures:
My nephews Cole and Seth are first cousins born 24 hours apart. Almost 30 years later their babies William and Hannah are posed on the same sofa.

For Sale: Antique sofa and matching love seat -- good condition, slightly used!

st mary of the assumption

Megargel on Highway 114 in Archer County started small, flourished during the oil boom of the 1920s and now is in decline. Current population: 203. The hotel and bank are gone; the school consolidated with Olney; the church is the last bastion of the community.

St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church
Megargel, Texas
2.11.2012

clairemont jail

This is probably the most photographed jail in Texas! Google has over 700,000 hits -- most of them pictures similar to this one. Clairemont was the former county seat of Kent County -- where currently the cows outnumber the inhabitants. The courthouse and matching jail were built in 1895 of red sandstone. Both are still standing - although only the first floor of the courthouse remains. Clairemont was doomed to ghost town status when the railroad bypassed the town in 1909 and then the county seat was moved to Jayton in 1954. Interesting sights abound on the back roads.

Clairemont Jail
US 380 and SH 180
Kent County, Texas
2.13.2012

the color wheel

There is a house in Albany that matches my search for building painted according to the color wheel. In fact, it displays five hues on the color wheel - not including the marmalade cat on the front porch!

North Main Street
Albany, Texas

great blue heron

Eagle Mountain Lake
Azle, Texas

cowboy

Ranchland Store along Highway 82

Benjamin, Texas

cowtown

Off to Cowtown -- the Stockyards, Cowgirl Museum, the Kimbell and other sights.

Fort Worth Stockyards
4.16.2011

sunning along the seine

A cool dreary day like today makes one nostalgic for summer vacation (and makes one forgot how hot and humid it was there!) Each summer Paris builds an artificial beach along the Seine River with tons of recycled sand. Paris Beach has palm trees, beach umbrellas, and sprinklers available for Parisians looking to relax.

Paris, France
8.19.2011

playa abstract

One knows this is an archived photo because the playa lake on FM 1585 is now dried up.

geraniums and brick wall

somewhere in San Antonio
3.24.2009

"he that ploweth should plow in hope"
1 Corinthians 9:10

This Bible verse summarizes the attitude of West Texas farmers. Even in drought conditions, the fields are readied for spring planting -- in hope of rain. Center Church has held services for the farming community since 1925.

Center Church
FM 2902 and CR 5300
North Lubbock County, Texas
2.05.2012

the old emery place
(before they built the new house in 1936 just down the road west)

North Lubbock County, Texas

outdoor living

You might expect dumped furniture along the county roadways, but not a living room tableau. Missing are the coffee table and television.

Somewhere along FM1294
Lubbock County, Texas

remembering buddy
September 7, 1936 – February 3, 1959

Buddy Holly Center Gift Shop
1801 Crickets Avenue
Lubbock, Texas

more winter? order more beer!

The Lubbock version of Punxsutawney Phil is Prairie Dog Pete. I don't think he saw his shadow today because of clouds (yes, moisture in the air but no rain). This prairie dog lived in the original Prairie Dog Town established in 1938 -- before the recent enhancements to the park. There is now a pavilion and viewing area -- but still no grass. For more interesting reading on the history of Prairie Dog Town, check out this 1958 article: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1002330/index.htm

Prairie Dog Town
Mackenzie Park
Lubbock, Texas

gettiing ready for spring planting

Even while waiting for the rains, preparations are underway for next year's crops. The shop is busy getting equipment ready for spring planting. Welding is just one of the skills required for successful farming.

Fortenberry Shop
New Deal, Texas