Blog Archives

waylon’s town

 

Oh, Littlefield. Poor Littlefield. The town just can’t seem to catch a break.

This is last image (for now) from the incredible trip that Don Toothaker, Chuck Doughty, and I made across a little part of Texas. It is hard to describe how much joy the three of us got from just wandering around. Sure, it was like a million degrees outside. Sure, there were some long-ass days. Sure, we probably missed as many shots as we took. But still: so many good things happened; most of them aren’t quantifiable by any traditional metric. But if you’ve ever been on a trip that was totally new adventure every hour, a trip that you were sad to see end, a trip where your group was stronger friends at the end of it all, a trip where visions of the Next Place To Go was a constant visitor, then you’ll know what I mean.

My greatest thanks to Don and to Chuck, who were great traveling companions and who were willing to make as many u-turns as we needed.

in-camera double exposure
Littlefield, Texas
photographed 8.3.2024

room with a (bad) view

For some reason this particular abandoned farmhouse had a concrete foundation and floors, unlike many that have crawl spaces below rotted wood floors.

And for that very reason, I went ahead and stepped in for a look around. I can’t explain why, but this scene has a certain weirdness about it – the view, the angles of the window and mattress, the mattress itself, the dead tree…or maybe all of it.

Additionally, there were quite a few single shoes lying about. I don’t want to know why.

Lubbock County, Texas
photographed 8.3.2024

at her church

 

We’d been to the POW chapel, about 25 miles from this church, earlier in the afternoon. It was sad and bleak and was in need of upkeep (but it IS almost 80 years old). But it gave us a space to think about the five Italian prisoners who’d died there, so very far from home.

And in Umbarger, the cool air and the colorful light led us to think about prisoners from that same camp who painted frescoes on the church wall.

It was a day of many contrasts.

St. Mary’s Catholic Church
Umbarger, Texas
photographed 8.4.2024

tru ex

 

This was the same spot where the store clerk told me that another customer’s dog had jumped right out of the truck window and came on in the store. Not a service animal or anything – just a dog. In the store. He said, “It was real hoppy.”
 
And then to leave that conversation in time to see THIS? Oh, Clarendon: you’re a treasure.
 
Clarendon, Texas
photographed 8.5.2024

earth’s reflections

 

We spent about twenty minutes lying in various road puddles trying to get the Most Awesome Photo Ever.

That was enough time for the entire population of Earth (898 people) to drive by to look at us. And I know for sure that one person (I’m looking at you, woman in a black Bronco) went by more than once.

Earth, Texas
photographed 8.4.2024