Blog Archives
the preparation
The cheerleaders were getting ready for the dunking booth.
I think those things would be a lot more fun if they’d let you pick who sits on the platform waiting to land in the water. Apparently, however, that’s “not how it works” so they missed out on my interesting list of participants.
Slaton, Texas
photographed 7.4.2026
the real show
Remember a couple of days ago when I confessed that I had a bad attitude about the 4th of July celebrations this year?
A few minutes of watching things like a mechanical bull ride at a street fair helped me feel better.
Now, about this triptych…I thought initially that the story was that guy on the bull and his inevitable slide from the bull. However, check out the kid on the left. His facial expressions and gestures are really the story. Zoom in, if you want: I think it will be worth your effort.
Slaton, Texas
photographed 7.4.2026
he had some opinions
This guy had plenty to say. He was quite verbose on the subject of highway speed limits, particularly the way the speed limit is 75 mph in Texas and then immediately drops to 55 at the New Mexico state line, even though the roads are otherwise exactly the same. Anyone out here who’s ever driven to New Mexico shares his pain. And, yes, random dude on a bike, it DOES feel like a speed trap.
Slaton, Texas
photographed 7.4.2026
as american as a car wash
I was waiting for the small-town July 4 parade and street fair to start, so I took a photo walk. I specifically walked directly from where the car was parked to this out-of-business car wash. My eye was caught by the word “American” and it seemed like July 4 was a pretty good day to look around at something that was dilapidated: it matched mood.
However…the town’s street fair made me feel better.
Slaton, Texas
photographed 7.4.2026
the future of water
Water is already scare out here; there are portions of Lubbock and Wolfforth that are already running out of water. An estate-lot subdivision in Lubbock County was recently annexed into the city because the wells out there were dry; the property owners are paying over $33,000 each to buy into the city water system. Housing developments continue, though, with most of them featuring giant lots with water-sucking green grass lawns.
Data centers are here; counties are excited about the revenues these centers will produce. However. HOWEVER. There’s not any credible record of eventual water or electricity use by these places. Not much mention of the loss of dark skies in rural counties that’ll have these giant developments. We’re not (officially) especially concerned about electricity even though Texas’s power grid is famously unstable ALREADY. Will local residents still have jobs after the big construction push is over and how many people does it take to staff a data center? Probably not many. Will the data centers be active and important parts of these communities? I think we know how this’ll play out.
And water? Just don’t get used to it, I guess…
Monotype print using original photo of water tank – Hockley County, Texas
photographed 6.14.2026; monoprint 7.3.2026
One Day | One Image 