Blog Archives
fireworks, stars, and trash
This was fun – we found a place out on the very edge of town where people congregated to shoot fireworks and we spent at least an hour out there watching all the fun. I took 805 photos, deleted all but 52 of them because they were (a) just dark empty sky; (b) blurry only not in a good way; or (c) stupid. And of those 52, I edited TWO of them.
So congratulations to this photo for beating some pretty tough odds. This one made the cut because it had a lot going on that told the story – lots of fireworks all at once, tail lights streaking by, headlights cutting through the smoke, fireworks trash in the parking lot, and a light sprinkling of stars.
Lubbock, Texas
photographed 7.4.2025
drive-by
The highway heading south out of Lubbock (it has a number* but we call it the Tahoka Highway, but only because that’s the next town) has a lot of seasonal fireworks stands. At this particular one, I guess someone couldn’t wait ONE MORE SECOND to light up some sparklers.
Lubbock, Texas
photographed 7.4.2025
*My brain refuses to complicate things by learning highway numbers; it would very much prefer to know the names of the towns a particular highway goes through. That led to many circular conversations with my father-in-law that went this way:
FIL: What road did you take? 86? 239?
Me: I don’t know. Tell me some towns I would have gone through…
FIL: So, then 44, maybe?
Me:
We each thought the other one was ridiculous, and in a rare agreement, we were both right.
ice flower
The same year local farmers grew sunflowers there was an early-season ice storm. The ice made this lone flower look almost like a windmill.
Here’s a couple of things about sunflowers as a farm crop that AI thought I needed to know; I cannot vouch for the veracity, so my apologies if I’m just spreading rumors.
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Soil Health:
Sunflowers have a deep taproot that helps with soil conservation by improving soil structure, reducing compaction, and bringing nutrients from deeper soil layers closer to the surface.
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Pollination:Sunflowers are attractive to pollinators, beneficial insects, and birds, making them a good choice for biodiversity.
Lubbock County, Texas
photographed 10.27.2020
franky
There is something heartbreaking and endearing about homemade cemetery markers, and I have never seen a fancy granite (or whatever) carved stone that I liked even a little bit.
And I am sorry for the loss that Franky’s family experienced.
unnamed cemetery
Cedar Crest, New Mexico
photographed 7.1.2016
land lease
One Day | One Image 