Blog Archives
one’s a perfect number
Here’s some junk I saw on the ground the other day – it’s in front of a street-side memorial across from the police station in downtown Lubbock, if you’re looking for it…
Lubbock, Texas
photographed 1.17.2026
the string band got a cold gig
To save time, I’ve shortened the name of my new favorite book* to WNoCwaaaaaatrihutthAASpZBCMaMAtaesfwkitAVAMK. No need to thank me.
This is a lovely piece of public art, made by BC Gilbert, called the Friendly Cowboy Western String Band (or, if you want, TFCWSB.) The guy on the left is definitely Colour 76, Dutch Orange, which as you probably already know is “the orange yellow of Werner…gamboge yellow, with carmine.” It resembles, of course, the Seedpod of the Spindle-tree.
the snow day series
Lubbock, Texas
photographed 1.24.2026
*More commonly known as simply Werner’s Nomenclature of Colours, but it’s got one hell of a subtitle.
orange and blue and green
Now, then, about this book Werner’s Nomenclature of Colours…the full title has 44 words, which makes me realize how the title for my masters thesis fell far, far short of an impressive length.
I believe that the flower-painter* dude would agree that this shade is similar to Colour 78 – Orpiment Orange, described as “the characteristic color…about equal parts of gamboge yellow and arterial blood red.” That description raises a couple of questions:
- What is it characteristic OF?
- And gamboge yellow is what color?
- “Arterial blood red” – do what, now?
- And, the obvious question – what/who is an “orpiment”?
But I guess we can all agree that the book got it right when it says the color (“colour”) is similar to the “Belly of the Warty Newt.”
the snow day series
Lubbock, Texas
photographed 1.24.2026
*When my granddaughter Hannah was little, she aspired to be a flower-picker. She’s now in college studying international politics, which is practically the very same thing.
sign maker, searching for words
I watched this young man take a very long time, scrolling through his phone, looking for the words he needed to say.
Finally, he found what he wanted and began making a sign.
Lubbock, Texas
photographed 1.11.2026
Orwell: a prophet
I read 1984 while I was in high school, when the dreaded year was still a decade in the future. The book scared me and I never reread it.Scenes from it are still vivid in my mind and the awful feeling Orwell’s words gave me has never completely left.
Anyway, here we are in 2026, a fucked-up year (already) and the words are, sadly, relevant. And even more frightening.
at the Renee Good protest
Lubbock, Texas
photographed 1.11.2026
