March 31, 2010

dawn in the depot district

The past few days while driving to work, I've had the sunrise in the east and the full moon in the west. I wanted to catch the full moon over the Depot District, Lubbock's entertainment venue; however the full moon (over the Tornado Gallery) isn't any bigger than the street lights!

The Depot District refers to the Fort Worth & Denver train station, built in 1928, which now houses the Buddy Holly Museum. Avenue H was a main Lubbock street in the town's growing years; the street's name was changed to Buddy Holly Avenue in 1996. The Cactus Theater was constructed in 1938 as a motion-picture theater and today features live entertainment. The Tornado Gallery was originally Greer Ironworks, established 1946.

March 30, 2010

outre outhouse
Alderson Mercedes
1702 Texas Avenue

outre - Fr., unconventional; eccentric or bizarre

outhouse - syn. shed, barn, lean-to, outbuilding, privy

March 29, 2010

heifer ranch

arroyo seco ltd

hale center, texas

March 28, 2010

5 'til 5

For generations, motorists on US 87 (now I-27) south of Hale Center were encouraged to watch the letters "CONE" on the grain elevator morph into a stylized clock with the time of 5 minutes until 5 o"clock (or 11:25 depending on your perception). It must be like a Rorschach test because many people never see it. With the elevator in disuse and the paint fading, future generations won't be able to tell the time on the elevator.

The Cone elevator was built probably in the early 1940s. The federal Commodity Credit Corporation was established in 1936 to "stabilize supplies against variation in production due to good and bad weather." What the CCC did was stabilize grain prices and produce a proliferation of grain elevators for storage across the country. Current economics dictate immediate hauling of grain and prohibitive costs for storing.

I did not realize until I googled that, just like football or windmills, there are grain elevator aficionados. There are sites galore on grain storage history and historic elevators including the now-demolished Burrus elevator in Lubbock. I learned that the Cone Elevator on County Road 225 in Hale County is actually in Underwood -- which I had never heard of (there's nothing there now but what might have been a country store). The Cone Elevator was on the BNSF tracks, had a capacity of 1,000,000 bushels and could handle 16 container cars.

My dad recalls at least three car crashes, possibly with fatalities, occurring when the gawkers were hit trying to see the clock. Can you see it?

March 27, 2010

spring medley

March 26, 2010

empty seats on the back dock

March 25, 2010

spider rope

While the concept is similar to the thread bobbins used in your grandmother's Singer sewing machine, these giant "bobbins" contain what electric utility workers call "spider rope." This LP&L lineman is threading spider rope as an initial step in relocating electrical lines along the Marsha Sharp Freeway at Avenue H.

March 24, 2010

spring sky

After a balmy 70+ spring day on Tuesday, Mother Nature turned fickle with blustery 50 degrees. The snow didn't get this far south and the predicted rain didn't fall.

March 23, 2010

only cabin cruiser in captivity

Lubbock, Texas

The newest Lone Star Oyster Bar at 18th and I-27 brought in this derelict boat to add ambiance to the outdoor patio area. If it ever breaks free, it's headed in the right direction.

March 22, 2010

intersection:

Avenue J and 5th Street

pop art and highway patrol

1920s LP&L power plant and 2010 Underwood art center

March 21, 2010

jump for joy

kingdom kids pre-learning center

March 20, 2010

the obligatory first daffodil of spring photo

Many springs, the first daffodils are battered by sandstorms. A couple of inches of snow on the eve of the vernal equinox brought this bloom down. But daffodils are hardy and this one will be basking in the 70 degree weather predicted for Monday.

March 19, 2010

spanish moss

maclay gardens

tallahassee, florida

March 18, 2010

Camellia

The Camellia is a beloved Southern evergreen which blooms in the early spring. However, recent rains have wreaked havoc with the flowering shrubs, which have more blossoms on the ground than on the bush. Photographed at Laurel Hill Cemetery, Thomasville, Georgia.

March 17, 2010

the big oak

Today was gray and rainy all day in Thomasville, Georgia - however, I spent 8.5 hours indoors instructing on how to set up mass prophylaxis dispensing centers to counter a bioterrorism attack. Tomorrow I am returning to the Big Oak to check out having my picture taken by the Big Oak cam. Watch this space for results! Today's photo choice (with limited shooting opportunity) was the Big Oak or the place where we had dinner - Jonah's Fish & Grits.

March 16, 2010

georgia cuisine

It's surprising to find Maryland fried chicken in Georgia - but hey, we have Kentucky fried chicken in Texas! Is it "home cooking" if it's not from your home state?

March 15, 2010

pizza chef

Villa Gargano

Albany, Georgia

March 14, 2010

ray charles

albany, georgia

Ray Charles is Albany's Buddy Holly, complete with statue. Ray is literally on a pedestal at the Riverfront Plaza by the Flint River. Loudspeakers play Ray's tunes and folks listen while sitting on the black keys of a piano-themed pedestrian mall. "Georgia on My Mind" was adopted as the state song even before Willie made it famouser.

March 13, 2010

spring!

The greenhouse had tables of blooming geraniums for sale at the Downtown Art Market. Spring break - balmy weather -- bright blossoms. Can winter really be over?

March 12, 2010

DAM man

Larry was hard at work in the bucket truck hanging the new sign for the Downtown Art Market tomorrow. Larry, Tony and friends have created a successful venture at the Tornado Gallery on the corner of 19th Street and Buddy Holly Avenue. Second Saturday of the month finds artists, musicians, chefs, green producers and assorted others selling their wares. Check it out!

March 11, 2010

nephthytis leaf

The arrowhead philodendron survives mistreatment including irregular watering, poor soil and harsh backlighting by experimenting photographers.

March10, 2010

deals machine shop

March 9, 2010

stetson

a glimmer of an idea for a photographic project -- watch this space for updates.

My dad always wears hats - felt Stetsons in the winter and straw in the summer. This vintage Stetson was worn by my grandfather, circa 1950s. Stetson has become synonymous with "cowboy hat."

March 8, 2010

victory life

This evening's spring storm brought strong winds, dust, rain and a 180-degree rainbow in the eastern sky. Despite appearances, the rainbow did not originate at the Victory Life Church.

March 7, 2010

lakewood

The Deco-style Lakewood Theater, built in 1938, dominates the Lakewood Shopping Center in east Dallas. The revitalized Lakewood neighborhood sports trendy restaurants, boutiques, and gorgeous houses. Unfortunately, I did not have time to explore but highly recommend Angelo's Spaghetti House.

March 6, 2010

ready to rock at White Rock Lake

I had a consulting/training job in Dallas this weekend at the White Rock Lake Pump Station, built 1911. As we were leaving for the day, the evening's festivities were just beginning next door at the Boat House. Too bad I couldn't crash that formal affair with outdoor music.

March 5, 2010

lowrider

Manuel with Xplosive KustomZ cut down this Blazer for "cool wheels."

Even if I had selected a motor motif for March, I don't think I could have found all the vehicles I have ventured across!

March 4, 2010

bel air

Early 1950s Chevrolet (1950-1954?) discovered on East Ursuline Street. I don't know what it is with vintage vehicles lately. I'm not a car buff but am attracted to the graphics and color.

Educational Note: The City named streets in this part of town after colleges east of the Mississippi; as opposed to the section of town where streets, in alphabetical order, are named after cities east of the Mississippi. Streets on the east side are named for trees. The east-west streets are numbered.

The Ursuline Sisters founded the college in 1871 in Cleveland and it was one of the first colleges for women in the United States.

March 3, 2010

glass buildings
Sentry Plaza

March 2, 2010

yellow truck

This appears to be about a 1959 4400 Chevrolet truck. In high school I drove a 1959 Chevrolet pickup. My parents never bought me a car but I could drive whatever wasn't being used on the farm. I wasn't proud. The pickup was green with yellow wheels; my dad had wrecked it so the driver's side was crinkled. It had 4-in-the-floor but that just meant first gear was for grannies and pushing over telephone poles. It's one-time max speed was 78 mph down the overpass at the Shallowater road. The radio worked great if you remembered to put a fuse in and you had to check the brake fluid under the driver's side floor mat often. For one who valued transportation, the pickup was great. It made a few circles around the Hi-D-Ho and the Abernathy Dairy Mart.

March 1, 2010

a patch of blue

Double Mountain Fork of the Brazos River

at Avenue P