gear shift

 

When going to an event like "Junk in the Trunk" it's not surprising to see a junked truck out front.  This 1940s International pickup will never be driven again -- but it makes great yard art.

 

Crosbyton, Texas

3.4.2017

city power & light

 

Today the community of Crosbyton, population less than 2,000, is surrounded by wind turbines and the municipal power company is out of business.  Nice jaunt today for "Junk in the Truck."

 

Crosbyton, Texas

parking lot abstract

 

The red wheel on this vintage pickup caught my eye.  In high school I drove a similar-colored pickup -- it wasn't vintage though, just a used '59 Chevy Fleetside with yellow wheels.  It had "four on the floor" but no horsepower.  We got it up to 78 mph once coming off the overpass.

 

Lubbock, Texas

spring iris

 

You might think this is the ubiquitous spring iris photo.  Think again.  This is the end result of the first steps to reach a desired goal.  I have long admired the digital photographic art of Roxi Hardegree and wished to do something similar.  To get this far, I had to learn how to use the camera on my new tablet.  Then I had to upload the  Snapseed app (with more apps to follow) and then play with its applications.  I know there is an easier way to get the photo from the tablet to the blog but until I know how, this was a four-step endeavor!

 

My Backyard

x marks the spot

 

A handy way to remember where you parked your pickup is to put it under the red X.  This building, currently serving as a garage, probably had a multitude of lives from gas station to cafe to whatever Red-X is.  A google search only raised questions because the place probably didn't sell smoke shop vapors nor testosterone steroids!

 

Floydada, Texas

2.19.2017

picket fence in front of red building

 

Wolfforth, Texas



frontier jail

 

While in Motley County, I did not do anything to be put in jail.  (Did you know Motley County is one of thirty prohibition or entirely dry counties in the State of Texas?)  I wouldn't have been incarcerated here anyway; this jail was erect in 1891 and was in service until 1984.  Cells were on the top floor with the jailer's living quarters on the lower level.  There was a handy trap door if needed for a hanging.  If you go to Matador, may be you'll be lucky enough for a day pass to tour the jail. (I had to peer through the first floor windows)

 

Matador, Motley County, Texas

2.19.2017

This 2-story jail was erected in 1891, the year Motley County was organized, after County Judge H. H. Campbell and commissioners Dan Browning, A. B. Cooper, J. J. John and W. E. Power awarded a construction contract to local builders J. F. Aiken and J. T. Cornett. Cells were on the top floor of the structure and jailer's living quarters on the lower level. The first courthouse, also built in 1891, later burned, but this jail remains as a symbol of Motley County's frontier heritage.
Built in 1891 and in service until 1984, this sandstone citadel marks the time when the Ol' West transitioned from lawlessness to order Motley County is one of thirty ^[4] prohibition, or entirely dry, counties in the state of Texas.

spot cash

 

Don't plan on buying your groceries at the Spot Cash - not only is it closed, it's only a shell of itself.  The grocery store served downtown Matador, according to newspaper ads, from the 1950s to the 1970s (they even gave Green Stamps).  But surely these elegant brick buildings housed other concerns during the heyday of the ranch town.  The owners proudly claimed the storefronts with their initials--their names probably lost to forgotten history.

 

Matador, Texas

2.19.2017

eternal view

 

For many, the road only leads in -- not out.

 

Roaring Springs Cemetery

Roaring Springs, Texas

stop sign

 

Wish I would have had time to stop in this pizza place for a Schlitz!  Looked like fun.

 

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

1.31.2017

chain chain chain

 

Did you realize that Aretha Franklin sang "chain" 19 times in the refrain of "Chain of Fool"?  That song went through my head when I shot this and then then I looked up the lyrics!  Caption and trivia in one post!

 

Lubock County Museum

Shallowater, Texas

 

 

Ever wonder where John Deeres go in the off season?  Must be like a spa for tractors!  The sign on the lot across the street says "Finished."

 

Hurst Farm Supply

Abernathy, Texas

2.11.2017

lose your hat?

 

Lose your hat?  I spotted it yesterday on this post near FM 2060 and Sun Road east of Abernathy.  Of course, with the winds today, it's probably in Petersburg!

 

Hale County, Texas

2.11.2017

jam session

 

When the bowling alley was built in Abernathy in the late '50s or so, it was THE place to go.  Everybody had a bowling ball and was a member of the men's, women's, church or youth leagues (me included).  The building languished but today it houses the Texas War Veterans Thrift Store, operated by a couple of Viet Nam vets. What used to be the lanes is filled with "thrift" merchandise, but the area where the pin setting was is different.  It serves as a "club" of sorts with a bar, tables and chairs and a small stage with sound equipment, the piano and guitars.

 



 

Texas War Veterans Thrift Store

Abernathy, Texas

 



when I see your light it stains my soul with color

 

The sun shining through the stained glass window in the Old Capitol ballroom was too bright to photograph but it cast great reflections.  I borrowed the photo below from eyewanderphotoblog.com just to show you what a great place it would be for a wedding.

 

 

Old Capitol

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

2.1.2017





some days are just like that!

 

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

1.31.2017

stylin'

 

His red shoes caught my eye but I couldn't surreptitiously shoot them.  So we talked and I asked if I could take his picture.  Bur I really just wanted a close-up of those shoes!

 

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

1.31.2017



sleeping lion

 



Lions have long been a symbol of royalty and nobility and guardian lions are an important architectural theme.  But according to researchers, the expressions on the lion's face say a lot. If they are roaring, they are seen as a symbol of power, prestige, or courage. This rather somnolent lion doesn't seem very powerful.  Perhaps he thinks being on the side entrance, rather than the front of the Capitol Building, doesn't require as much vigilance. 

Old Capitol Building
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
2.1.2017

knock knock

who's there?

lion

lion who?

lion on the doorstep, open up!

 

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

2.1.2017

workin' on the railroad

 

Almost a mile of yellow equipment sits on the tracks off I-27 north of the airport.  Ties lie along the tracks all the way to Plainview so work should commence soon.  This is the area known as the "Rail Port"-- you may remember that project.  Unfortunately the southbound tracks end at FM 1294.

 

Lubbock County, Texas

 



child to child

 

 

A child's grave is always sad but to find a tribute placed over 150 years after the death is poignant.  In 1858, the these three children--ages 7, 6 and 5-- died within months of each other  No wonder the parents erected a pillared monument with statues of the children within.  The Magnolia Cemetery, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, dates back to 1852 and the Battle of Baton Rouge.

 

Magnolia Cemetery

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

2.1.2017

old state capitol

 

Having visited both the Old State Capitol and the current 1930s version State Capitol, I know that the grandeur of the past trumps the modern.  Constructed between 1847 and 1852, the Old Capitol on a  Mississippi River bluff resembles a medieval fortress. The interior is decorated in marble and wood paneling, with a commanding cast-iron spiral staircase and an awesome display of stained glass in the main gallery.  And the admission was free!

 

Old State Capitol

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

2.1.2017

jolie pearl

I had intended to post an image of the Old Capitol Building rotunda but my new laptop had other plans. Photoshop is loaded but won't read the images from the card. And if I could figure out Windows 10 I might be able to navigate better. So here's the oyster bar as seen by my phone.

Jolie Pearl

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

1.30.2017 

bridge over the Mississippi from the hilton hotel

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

bless this empty building

 

Someone once had plans for this empty building in downtown Idalou, as evidenced by the outdated building permit.  Now Mary stands watch.

 

Idalou, Texas

1.27.2017

a to z

 

Although azaleas don't grow in our part of Texas, it's still a popular street name, especially in country cemeteries.  You'll find Azalea next to Edelweiss.

 

Idalou Cemetery

Idalou, Texas

hoss

 

Have you missed this landmark in O'Donnell?  They tore down the gin with the welcome sign.  Now motorists passing through this small town don't realize it was the home town of Dan Blocker, better known as Hoss.  You have to go downtown to Heritage Park to see his statue or visit the Dan Blocker Museum--whenever it's open.  I found this photo while going through old files.

 

O'Donnell, Texas

9.10.2006

ouch

 

Pincushion Cactus

Phoenix, Arizonia

12.12.12

cool wind in my mane

 

With apologies to the Eagles

Somewhere in Lubbock County

non-paying patrons

 

These pigeons could be eating up the profits--but they are limited to the spillage from the forklift.

 

New Deal Grain Company

New Deal, Texas

don't follow the arrow

 

Prior to the 1960s one had to know a bootlegger to buy beer in Lubbock County.  Then a few precincts went "wet" -- notably "the Strip"-- but package stores sprang up along other roads.  I don't know what the Imperial Package store was named originally but it's location wasn't ideal -- especially when Lubbock voted to sell liquor everywhere in 2009.  One could readily pick up a six pack at Walmart or CVS without driving all the way out East 19th Street until it became County Road 6700.  The sign remains but there's nothing imperial about the empty, weedy building.

 

6002 E, CR 6700

Lubbock County, Texas

barn and cotton stalks

 

The derelict barn (and pickup chassis) has been put to pasture.  Adjacent is the newer barn and equipment, signs of prosperous times.

 

Lubbock County, Texas

brrr!

 

Today the Canadian geese must have felt like they hadn't flown far enough south!  It did warm up to 36 degrees after a low of 9.  Just wait until Monday when the temperature is predicted to be in the 70s.  What snow?

 

Dunbar Historic Lake

Lubbock, Texas

civic improvement?

 

When I photographed this church on the main street of Hale Center in 2013, it had been long abandoned, but still had some dignity.  Some one is repurposing this old building - which is a good thing.  However, I question their color choices for a civic improvement project (and those aren't even Hale Center Owl colors!)

 

Hale Center, Texas

11-17-13 and 1-2-16



module builder

 

Cotton stripping requires a combination of both high tech and low tech equipment.  Or, in this case, a medium tech module builder and a low tech rake.

 

Lubbock County, Texas

br-br-br-bridge

 

In the spirit of New Year beginnings, I was purging files-- many of those I "might do something with someday."  I kept coming back to this one and decided it was a keeper.  I like the rhythm of the  distorted lights on the Oakland Bay Bridge caused by the ferry's engines and the bouncing of the waves (trying shooting at dusk on a moving boat!)

 

Oakland Bay, California

1.17.2016

tumbleweed road

 

2016 has reached the end of its road.  Many times it might have been tough to travel -- with ruts, sand pits and obstacles.  The 2017 road has to be smoother!  I helped pave that road by eating my black-eyed peas today!  (I recently read that the state tree of West Texas is the telephone pole -- as evidenced by this photo)

 

Lubbock County, Texas

sunrise at the boneyard

 

My favorite excursion in 2016 was a trip to Georgia's Golden Isles - St. Simon, Jekyll and Cumberland.  We watched the sunrise at Driftwood Beach, better known as the Boneyard. I hope 2017 brings equally exciting adventures.

lookout mountain

 

From atop Lookout Mountain at Chattanooga, Tennessee one can see seven states on a clear day.  During 2016 I actually visited seven states -- including three of those states  viewed from Lookout Mountain.  There was Tennessee, of course; a great trip to St. Simon Island in Georgia and fall sightseeing in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina.  There were work trips to Ogden, Utah and West Palm Beach, Florida.  Raton, New Mexico was the annual Memorial Day benchrest shooting match.  A long weekend was spent in San Francisco, California with Lou in January and I journeyed with Margaret to Toronto, Canada and used my passport!

 



"in tall cotton"

 

 The expression "in tall cotton" means "having it made" or "on easy street."  They stopped cotton stripping this weekend in order to take family photos in the cotton.  Great niece Ava was "in tall cotton."

 

Fortenberry Farms

Hale County, Texas

12.10.2016

boll buggy and pivot

 

Fortenberry Farms

Hale County, Texas

12.10.2016

harvest at sunset

 

Farmers don't quit at 5:00.  This crew may be stripping until midnight to get the cotton harvested.  The boll buggy, pulled by a tractor, follows the stripper, which dumps its load when full.  The boll buggy then transports the cotton to the module builder.  A completed module (on the left) contains 13-15 bales and a bale of cotton typically weighs about 500 pounds.  In case you didn't know, Texas is the leading cotton-producing state.

 

Fortenberry Farms

Hale County, Texas

auto abstract

 

Watermelon Festival

Plains, Texas

8.30.2014

greetings from the hughes boys

 

Alongside the interstate, near a small farming community, this Christmas display greeted passersby (who probably didn't make a U-turn and follow the access road to get closer!)  Other than "neat", I have no idea what this is -- 1930s truck, hay baler/spreader nor Hughes Boys had any hits.  Seasons Greetings from Swisher County (December 11, 2015)

too wet to plow

 

Great gallery talk today by sculptor Garland Weeks.  He discussed his works like "To Wet to Plow" seen here.  The "Balance of Nature" series depicts life and death through bronze skulls and indigenous animals.  His emphasis on design and composition is also applicable to photographers.  See these sculptures by a native Texan, represented across nationwide, through February 12 at the Buddy Holly Center.

 

Buddy Holly Center

1801 Crickets Avenue

Lubbock, Texas