Blog Archives

A two bulb fixture

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Corrugated metal. Weathered wood. An sun-lit weed. Conduit nestled into the valleys of the metal.  A peeling sign.  A partially-boarded window.

And presiding over it all – a two bulb fixture.  (To be correct, I guess it’s a ZERO bulb fixture, but you know what I mean.)

Santa Rosa, New Mexico
photographed 9.21.2013

A general sense

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Things I like to find (that I saw here):

1. Broken pavement with weeds growing through the cracks
2. Concrete blocks
3. Diagonal shadows
and
4. A general sense of desolation

(This is the same abandoned motel as this place. In case it seemed familiar.)

Santa Rosa, New Mexico
photographed 9.22.2013

Rose of Lima

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This is part of what’s left of the old church at the St. Rose of Lima cemetery; a marker just inside the fence says the cemetery was established in the early 1800s, and was “replaced to its current location” in 1907. I don’t know how long the church has been without a roof. Or a floor. Or windows. But it’s still standing, maybe out of habit as much as anything else.

This is another example of the way a building can eventually devolve into just its textures – and this one’s got plenty of textures, with the weather-rough wood, the initialed plaster, the stones.

And it even has a flower, tucked into a break in the plaster underneath the window.

Santa Rosa, New Mexico
photographed 9.21.2013

Duplex

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Meanwhile, back in Santa Rosa, New Mexico, this place slowly falls apart.

It’s got a lot of company:  there are many buildings in town that have seen better days. But you know me:  I love places like this.  I like the way they fall apart, the way someone tries – without success – to stop the decay, the way even the patched parts start to fall apart, too.  I love the textures of the different building materials. And the way the weeds grow up, seeming to guard whatever’s still inside.

And, I love the mystery of the two front doors.

(My weekend was a WordPress weekend. I met up with blogger Donna Catterick in Santa Rosa and we spent Saturday and part of Sunday taking pictures. And, also had a couple of great phone conversations with Ehpem and Brett Erickson. What a weird thing, blogging!)

Santa Rosa, New Mexico
photographed 9.21.2013

Some things that make me stop

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An asphalt parking lot, being overtaken by weeds? A painted-over front door? A sign painted right on the concrete block wall?  Ghostly evidence of previous signage?  Wispy clouds?  A goofy awning?

Yes, all of those things are connected.  And all of them will make me stop and take a picture.  Or a dozen.

Santa Rosa, New Mexico
photographed 5.4.2013