sears is almost gone
At the very end of 2018, the Sears store in Lubbock was closing. I decided to take a series of photographs of its last days, which I thought would be an interesting social experiment. At first I was worried that the store personnel might object to my being there. I think at the beginning of the few weeks I shot there, maybe a couple of employees realized what I was doing, but as the giant Number of Days Left banner counted it down, they cared less and less. Random photographers are not that big a problem, I guess, when your very job is about to evaporate.
The other day, while I was wandering around Maine – the way you do – I pulled into a parking lot to check the map and find out where I actually was compared to where I was more or less heading. At I saw the remains of a Sears store. And because I am easily entertained, I spent some time taking photos before I checked the map and headed on my wandery way.
Brunswick, Maine
photographed 3.18.2026
mud season
We went the entire winter here in my part of Texas without any real snow. And what we did get melted and was gone so fast it was practically like we never got any in the first place.
And then I went to Maine in the middle of March and there were piles of old snow pushed over into the corners of parking lots. Shady sides of things had snow. There was even new (soft, fluffy, beautiful) snow one day. But in general, it was the start of mud season, an aptly-named season if there ever was one.
near Arrowsic, Maine
photographed 3.17.2026
one way
It’s the end of the month, so I figure it’s time to move on from nighttime photos of Portland. I don’t know what I’ll post next. Maybe Portland in the daytime? Or Portland in the fog? Or Portland with daytime fog?
There are so very many possibilities.
Portland, Maine
photographed 3.16.2026
in my secret life
There’s just something about a nighttime view of a restaurant full of people…
Also, if you’re in Old Port and in need of a sweet treat, I can definitely vouch for the cookies from Standard Baking. On a cold day, a cookie and a coffee will turn a Regular Afternoon into an Exception Afternoon. Just like that.
Portland, Maine
photographed 3.15.2026
shadow puppet
I made two shots of this wall; I didn’t care for the first one because it had a person’s shadow on it.
Turns out, I was wrong and could have stopped with the original image, because it was more interesting.
Portland, Maine
photographed 3.16.2026
One Day | One Image 