the smell of a quilt in the sun
I think a lot about the way old, soft, thin quilts smell when they are on a grassy lawn in the sun. The fragrance-memory is powerful.
And that’s why I was happy to discover this old family photo the other day. I’m the kid on the left* and while I don’t have a recollection of this exact moment, the photo evokes the essence of sun-warmed cotton fabric.
My mom was 31 when this photo was made, but she looks heartbreakingly young. And those glasses? I’d wear them right this minute.
vintage family photo, dated 1959
Lubbock, Texas
*I think that, as a three year old, I had a remarkably strong side-eye game.
tell your mom the movie’s out at 9:30
I loved it that a small town still had a movie theater.
But mostly I loved the sign in the window announcing what time the movie lets out. Don’t even THINK about telling your mom the movie will be done at 10:00 so you’ve got an extra half hour to kill before she comes to pick you up. Nope. The movie proprietor is on to your bullshit and ISN’T HAVING IT any more.
Mason, Texas
photographed 4.12.2026
bad-ending vacations
I found these old travel trailers moored behind an abandoned motel. All I could think about was vacations that had a bad ending…
Mason, Texas
photographed 4.12.2026
the significance of the bell
I am not going to tell you why the now-closed Fort Mason Inn has an old-fashioned bell on their sign. But only because I don’t know…
Mason, Texas
photographed 4.12.2026
linked to soil and water
There’s something mysterious about waterlilies, about how they grow by pulling the nutrients they need from…water.
I enjoy visiting the waterlilies whenever I go to San Angelo. The flowers are beautiful, the place is secluded, the sound of water running through the tanks is soothing. It’s the kind of place where I can take a deep breath.
I have some family connections to this exact part of town, too. The church where my aunt Helen’s funeral was held is just across the street. And around the corner is a little rock house where my great aunt Gladys lived.
International Waterlily Collection
San Angelo, Texas
photographed 4.10.2026
One Day | One Image 