Blog Archives
Where do white doors lead?
Near downtown Lamesa, if you wander down the right street, you’ll find this side yard of a business. There’s something about that white door that seems a bit menacing….
Lamesa, Texas
photograped 3.19.2012
Rooflines
I guess that we all knew it was just a matter of time before I posted another shot taken in an alley.
This alley is just off the main street in Marfa; I took the photograph at the request of my traveling companion. I add that to try to show that I am NOT the only one walking around alleys. But my companion would probably not have been in the alley unless I’d turned down it first, so my position re. alleys remains a little weak.
Marfa, Texas
photographed 1.18.2013
Important Update/Rebuttal
The previously-mentioned traveling companion offers the following rebuttal re. alleys and my allegations regarding her use – or lack – of them. Also, her daughter’s name is Allison, which will make sense in a minute:
As a New Orleans native, I absolutely and without reservation argue that I discovered and appreciated alleys long before you, despite both your greater number of trips around the sun and your upbringing in the ever fascinating country of West Texas.
To wit: every space between the shotgun houses of my youth is an alley; I personally explored most of the ones between St. Charles and Magazine, Audubon Park and jJefferson Avenue in my first ten years and haven’t stopped loving that alley feeling since.
Alleys were for forts, hiding, eating candy from Mr. Landry’s so your mother wouldn’t take it away (and eat it herself!), games of little boys and girls, playing our own home grown version of tag called “infintrationality,” hiding, walking through to look for discarded stuff.
Alleys are literally cooler and I remember that physical sense of relief in getting out of the sun.
Also: I named my second child what?
I think she rests her case!
Orange doors: Marfa
I saw these fantastic doors along West Lincoln Street, just west of Highland Avenue. In deference to regular readers of my blog, I am posting the black and white version first: I don’t want to startle anyone.
But I just couldn’t resist the color version. Check out that orange!
Marfa, Texas
photographed 1.18.2013
3 trees, 2 windows, and a door
In the winter, the trees’ shadows claw their way up the front of the building.
Also, maybe I have mentioned that I have a thing about symmetry? That I don’t like it. So, while the window-door-window arrangement here is symmetrical, the spacing’s not, giving it the much-needed (in my opinion) dash of asymmetry.
West Oak Street
Marfa, Texas
photographed 1.18.13
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:
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:
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
