Blog Archives
Building Permit and the Madonna
That’s a building permit taped into the window next to the madonna. The permit’s from a least a decade ago – it’s almost too faded to read but I was able to make out a few things: new roof, new ceiling, new floor, new plumbing were all listed. I am reasonably sure that none of those things have been done. I am less sure that there even still is a roof, actually.
Idalou, Texas
photographed 5.16.2021
Cart Barricade
A couple of times a month, I drive by this tableaux, and for probably a year I’ve thought, “I should photograph that.” So, spurred on by on online photography class assignment to “take yourself on a photo field trip” I finally made it over there to get this shot.
My photography practice regularly involves taking myself on field trips so I’m not sure what it was about having that as an actual assignment that made me do it. But anyway, here’s the scene of some TJ Maxx shopping carts barricaded against a door. (But now that I think about it – surely this door’s not a fire exit??)
Lubbock, Texas
photographed 5.8.2021
Picture Show
I don’t know. Sometimes when I travel around my part of Texas it starts to get easy to believe that it’s all going to crap. These little towns, with their declining population and shaky economies, just look sadder every time I see them. Businesses go way leaving their now-useless husks behind. Yet out on the edge of town, dollar stores are sprouting up like weeds.
But on the other hand, if they were all precious little towns with wineries and boutiques and quaint overnight accommodations, I wouldn’t really have anything to photograph.
All of that is a sort of long way to get around to this photo of what used to be the Sky-Vue Drive-in Theater. It opened in 1948 with a capacity for 583 cars and seating for 320 walk-in patrons and remained in business until a fire destroyed the concession stand in November 2015.
Lamesa, Texas
photographed 5.2.2021




