Roadside desolation
It was a desolate little building, that’s true.
But I actually liked it. I liked it a lot. See how the metal’s not even – one side is higher than the other? And the top of the tall part is all patched, like the first go-round wasn’t quite tall enough? And the stonework on the columns? And those other columns made from weathered wooden posts? And look at how the green moss on the highest sections of the metal roof are the same green as the new spring weeds?
Inside was just as good.
After I walked around (and looked around back, too), I stood on the porch and watched the traffic go by. It felt right.
near Lake Travis, Texas
photographed 3.9.2013
My friend Laurie recently gave up email, the internet, her blog – the whole thing. She says she likes it that way. Me? Not so much. I will return to internet-land on July 7; any comments on the blog will wait patiently until then. (At least, that’s what I asked them to do.)
Posted on July 3, 2013, in Photography and tagged 365 photo project, abandoned buildings, architecture, black and white photography, lake travis, lake travis texas, melinda green harvey, one day one image, photo a day, photography, texas. Bookmark the permalink. 12 Comments.
One Day | One Image 
I was surprised it was in color until I read your post – aha! I guess you could have said the moss and weeds were the same shade of gray, but it would lose something there.
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I tried it in black and white, back in March when I first shot it, and it was sort of a disappointing result. This time around, I was a lot happier with it!
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Now I’m excited to see the inside!
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I have some shots of the inside – I’ll try to remember to post them one of these days. You may have to remind me.
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But what was it in its heyday of stone columns and corrugated metal ? a car wash ? a sandwich shop with droopy ice cream dispensers tucked inside ? this skeleton that once lived usefully amongst us brings out the anthropologist in me.
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I really don’t have any idea what it might have been, and there wasn’t anything that helped me figure it out. I think it was probably a small grocery store, or something similar. The interior was divided into four room, but the walls didn’t go all the way to the ceiling. It would make sort of nice little house, except for the part about how the roof’s about to cave it.
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Such an interesting building, I like it too!
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Thanks, Karen. It was interesting inside – most of the places I find are full of junk, like someone said, “The hell with all this!” and just walked away one day. But this place was clean, with just a couple of beer bottles just inside the front door.
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Speaking of inner professions, this shot brings out more of the pathologist in me. What life history is evident in this cadaver, what is the cause of death. It is an intriguing building, and very nice shot. Such a strange combination – quite careful stone work, or faux stone (I think it must be real to have survived so well) combined with corrugated iron.
Surely those ratty little bits along the top are the result of a repair to wind damage, or maybe that’s just what the builder wanted us to think.
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Yes – it was real stone. It seemed like the sort of place that was without builders’ pretensions. The inside was nice (for an abandoned building), with some very nice colors.
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I just need me a comfy sofa there to make that real homey. A quick tetanus shot, a fridge and a long extension cord to run to the TV and I’d be set! What an interesting find, Melinda, quite honestly this is one of those shots that really really delivers more as you spend time absorbing those finer details. You’ve certainly got a special knack for this stuff!
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Thank you kindly, Mr. Toad! For the reminder about a tetanus shot, I mean – I really should check on that, with all my stomping around and so forth, it’s probably a good idea to stay up to date!
I am always happy when I spot someplace like this – I don’t know where my attraction to old place came from, but it’s a strong pull.
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