Monthly Archives: March 2025
saddle shop
All I can tell you about this is that it is definitely not a standard-issue let’s-sew-up-a-Butterick-pattern-this-Saturday sort of sewing machine.
Big Bend Saddlery
Alpine, Texas
photographed 2.20.2025
bus
As some point, people had been living in this bus. By the time we found it, the household’s items were strewn about and it’s seeing the things left behind (one tennis shoe, a kid’s homework papers, a tube of SuperGlue) that speak to me the loudest.
Pyote, Texas
photographed 2.18.2025
your sweet and shiny eyes
Our “hometown bar” during our time in Alpine… This scene reminds me of the song “Your Sweet and Shiny Eyes” – and I don’t even care if it’s Bonnie Raitt or Jackson Browne or Gretchen Peters and Tom Russell singing it. (Although I prefer the Gretchen/Tom version if I’m being honest).
In my sweet dreams we are
In a bar and it’s my birthday
Drinking salty margaritas with Fernando
Alcove Social
Alpine, Texas
photographed 2.21.2025
virgil, reading by a tree
This kid was amazing – he was garbed up in his cowboy gear and seemed to feel really at home talking to all the cowboys at the chuckwagon breakfast. He liked to pose for photos, a thing we noticed and that was independently confirmed by his mom.
And when he’d had enough of all of that, he sat under a tree and read his book (a graphic novel about dragons).
Alpine, Texas
photographed 2.22.2025
a degree of concentration
Every time I go to Alpine I make a stop at the Big Bend Saddlery. I like looking at the stuff, most of which I can’t identify, but that I nevertheless like to see. I’d guess I generally stay about a half an hour.
This time, with my friends in tow, we made a stop…and stayed two hours. The staff were friendly and accommodating about letting us go back into the workroom, where we visited with saddle-makers and leather-toolers and tried to juggle staying out of their way as they worked while still getting photos.
We didn’t just take photos, though: we all left with purchases, too. And those leather gloves I got sure are warm…
Alpine, Texas
photographed 2.20.2025
One Day | One Image 