Blog Archives

The back of the store

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The front of the Napa Auto Parts store has a shiny sign with the logo and corporate colors. It’s all tidy and business-like.

I don’t really like it.

But this? The back? Oh, yes, I like this.

The back of the store
Alpine, Texas

photographed 1.18.2013

White on white 2

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Second in the series of white/white.

This is the door to the hotel room, which was actually an apartment in a building that used to be a hospital. If you ever find yourself needing overnight accommodations in Alpine, go to the Holland Hotel and ask for room 103 of the Wright Building. Then you can see this for yourself.

Alpine, Texas

photographed 1.18.2013

White on white, 1

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How to know you’ve gone crazy with the picture-taking:
1. You stand in the bathtub to take a picture of the hotel bathroom, because you “like all the shades of white.”

2. Really? That wasn’t enough evidence to convince you?

the Holland Hotel
Alpine, Texas

photographed 1.19.2013

Two chairs, one story

In November 2011, my writing group (her name is Jenifer) and I went to Marathon, Texas, for a few days. We went to write – we ARE a writing group! – and maybe drink some wine. One day, we took a break from that rigorous schedule and headed over to Alpine for the afternoon. Naturally, while we were in Alpine, we found a bar. A really nice one, called the Saddle Club. We sat outside on their patio, and (between margaritas) I took a picture of a couple of chairs that had been made into a bench:

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And then, just last week, my friend (her name is Martha) came out from Washington DC and we spent a few days in Alpine. The first morning we were there, I took my camera and walked down the alley taking pictures, which probably doesn’t surprise any of you. I wasn’t that familiar with the alleys in Alpine, and was never sure what businesses I was walking behind. And then this happened: I saw those exact chairs from the other trip, only this time they were broken, abandoned in the alley:

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My pal Ehpem, in relation to something else on this latest trip to West Texas, said, “Melinda owns synchronicity.” (See this for further support of Ehpem’s claim; I am beginning to agree.)

Alpine, Texas

photographed 11.12.11 and 1.18.13

An alley? Yes, please!

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I can’t think why it took me until about five months ago to figure out how fascinating alleys are. But I did finally get it, and so here’s another one.

It goes with ones in Los Angeles, Albuquerque, Lubbock, Austin and – well, you get the idea.

Alpine, Texas

photographed 1.18.2013