information overload
The Jesus sign was the reason I stopped. The smell from the dumpster almost made me leave. I was brave, though, and held my breath for this photo and then (still holding it) I walked right through the miasma until I got to Jesus. The sign, I mean – the Jesus sign.
And over there, someone in the kitchen at the taqueria was cooking beans and they smelled so good – even now, three weeks later, I can still recall their fragrance and can still remember thinking how delicious a bowl of these beans would be with a fresh corn tortilla.
There’s a lesson here. It might be that after a stinky trash dumpster anything will smell good. Or it might be that it’s a reminder to keep going through the stinky parts because the part you have to hold your breath to get through will be worth it.
Route 66
El Reno, Oklahoma
photographed 7.26.2026
the BBQ was top level
Parts of Oklahoma have these things the locals call “hills” – a unusual term for people from the Plains, but apparently it means that the land “changes elevation” or is higher or lower than the land right beside it. Crazy concept, but I try to be a good visitor and not feel sorry for them or whatever.
Anyway, sometimes a “hill” will require a “retaining wall” (IDK why) and that might make your neighbor’s grill actually above your own head. Again, a crazy concept. But I saw it for myself so I know it happens.
Route 66
Tulsa, Oklahoma
photographed 7.25.2026
heal thyself
I have decided to interpret this shop window’s signage and decoration as self-help advice. I don’t mean to imply that I’ve healed myself, or anything like that. All I really mean, probably, is that I like the IDEA of it. And the words.
And that giraffe-neck on the dusty mannequin adds a certain flair to the whole thing.
Route 66
Tulsa, Oklahoma
photographed 7.25.2026
hunters
Oh, Oklahoma! Could you even BE more Oklahoma than this – the Arbuckle Coon Hunters place over there in Pernell?
The reward of not scouting out places ahead of time is the sheer happiness of seeing things like this coming into view without advance knowledge. Honestly, it’s the reason I love random drives as much as I do.
And, as a bonus, there was that one folding chair and a window AC unit to add some, uh, authenticity to the whole scene.
Pernell, Oklahoma
photographed 7.24.2026
PS. Actually I think this hot mess might be slight more Oklahoma-y:
But still.
counterpane
I’ve written previously about my affection for old, thin quilts, so I won’t go into all that again.
This photo is not unrelated to the quilts, for reasons that you can probably figure out.
I’ve also written about how my color memory complete evaporates once one of my images becomes black and white, which is why I can’t tell you with any degree of certainty what the colors of these various metal panels are. I could go back and look at the original images, but I don’t really want to. In fact, I don’t even really care.
Velma, Oklahoma
photographed 7.24.2026
One Day | One Image 