Muleshoe and a Musical

It looks like we missed the "new musical" by about ten years, but is nice that the mural is still around to remind us.

But the best part, don't you think, is the name "Paula Paul"?

December 2009
Muleshoe, Texas

Sunday morning in Bridgeport, Nebraska

Sure, the Rock N Horse Lounge is closed on Sunday mornings, but the Midtown Diner, just across the street is doing a brisk breakfast business.

I can recommend the biscuits and gravy.

Bridgeport, Nebraska
October 2009

Pink Agave

Wouldn't it be cool if agave really DID look like this?

McCamey, Texas

A Garage in Marfa

If you are coming into Marfa from Fort Davis, and it happens that the Marfa Lights Festival's street fair has the main street through town closed (where it makes that dog-leg onto Highland Street), and you decide to park and check out the Festival (Because what the hell? You're on vacation.), you might notice this little garage, with a tenacious spike of greenery poking through the weathered wooden doors.

Marfa, Texas

An announcement

1. Some months ago I entered a photography book, Where the Spirit Left, in a contest sponsored by blurb.com and Photography.Book.Now.

2. On Wednesday, I got an email that the book had been named as an honorable mention.

3. Yesterday, I got an email that included things like "egg on our face" and "database error" and "isn't cool" and the news that my book wasn't, in fact, any kind of a winner.

4. What a bunch of idiots, specifically Mike Barash (mbarash@blurb.com).

The racetrack on the south side of town

The concession stand at a racetrack on the south side of McCamey, Texas

Old Chair in a Sad House

A flock of vultures rose from a dead tree, spiraling skyward, complaining all the way.

The brown lizard guarded the gate to the abandoned house, but the gate was redundant: the fence on either side had fallen over and a single high step could grant admittance to the yard, the house, the ghosts.

Sears bills from 1970 were scattered on the floor in a room that no longer had an outside wall. On the other side, this chair, pushed close to what had been a window, suffered the ill effects of decades of rain, and mice.

County Road 219
Hays County, Texas

Somewhere in Central Texas

near Manheim, in Lee County, Texas

National Ranching Heritage Center

A stone wall, and a roof made from logs.

National Ranching Heritage Center

Lubbock, Texas

Outriggered Arrow

This is the best arrow I have ever seen. It's got good colors, with fine contrast. It's got an outrigger to help stabilize. It stands out against the surroundings.

The only thing missing is my understanding of what it is pointing to!

June 2009
Lake Ransom Canyon, Texas

Comfort AND Value...

This is a suggestion for those folks who find the 15 minute walk from their hotel rooms to the street at those big hotels to be a little much: this cozy street-side room at the Yucca Motel. The Yucca is located on the Strip, so you aren't going to sacrifice any of that famous Vegas excitement.

I imagine this room gets booked up pretty fast, so you may want to plan way in advance.

May 2009
Las Vegas, Nevada

Desert Color

The Springs Preserve in Las Vegas is wonderful. It's an oasis from the lunacy of the strip, and you can see all sorts of desert landscaping.

And, a parking lot shaded by rows and rows of solar panels.

May 2009
Las Vegas, Nevada

Wind chargers, and a storm

Wheat and wind chargers before the storm.

near Snyder, Texas

May 2009

Britex Fabrics

Britex Fabrics may not be the most popular tourist destination in San Francisco, but if you like color and texture and contrast, there may be no better place.

On the third floor, you can see ribbons, braid, trim, appliques, buttons, fringes, tassels, and rhinestones.

Check out their website: http://www.britexfabrics.com/

Or, better yet - go there in person. The store is at 146 Geary Street. Tell them the odd woman with the camera sent you.

San Francisco, California
March 2009

California Cemetery

We went to the tiny central coast town of Pescadero because we'd heard about a good place to eat.

But what we enjoyed the most was the cemetery on a hill above the town - and the profusion of red flowers caught our eye.

Pescadero, California

Round is the shape of hope?

Glass mosiac tiles on the wall of a law office in downtown Lubbock.

Las Vegas

I tried. Really, I did. But I just can't understand Las Vegas.

There are, however, lots of things to photograph.

Las Vegas, Nevada
2009

Under the milky sky of winter

Under the milky blue-white winter sky, last summer's weeds creep toward the abandoned farmhouse.  It won't last much longer:  the dead elm tree has delivered the coup de grace.

There are thousands of houses like this on the Great Plains.

Lamb County, Texas

2008