Blog Archives
Ponytail
The wind, coming through the broken glass, had whipped the windowshades into a weird ponytail of desolation.
Melvin, Texas
photographed 2.25.2018
A great deal of confusion
Every time I drive from Lubbock to Austin, I go through the tiny town of Melvin, Texas. Almost the only thing there is an out-of-business store, and it’s been out of business since I can remember. And if you can believe it, with my love of out-of-business businesses, I’d never even stopped to look around.
But last month, I had the opportunity to rectify my error. It was worth the stop – this confusing situation right here, with reflective glass and boarded-up windows, made it worth the brief delay in getting home.
(The place is for sale if you’re interested.)
Melvin, Texas
photographed 2.25.2018
Under the direction of
I haven’t ever seen anything like this – funeral notices are posted outside the doors of businesses on the courthouse square. In the era of instant electronic notifications, it seems like a quaint throwback.
Mason, Texas
photographed 2.25.2018
The Grotto
Down the hill a short way from this giant cross, there are a couple of grottoes, shrines to Our Lady of Guadalupe. This one had a small rack of devotional candles (some of them lit), a bench, and a broom.
near Ballinger, Texas
photographed 2.24.2018
A religious destination
So, this cross.
It’s six miles south of the town of Ballinger, Texas, and from a certain vantage point in town it appears to hover above the county courthouse. I am not sure what message that sends, but there it is.
On maps, the cross shows up with the notation “religious destination.” And this article about it lists the names of the people who paid for its construction, but never mentions why. I guess we can each fill in that part of the story.
near Ballinger, Texas
photographed 2.24.2018
