Blog Archives
Who am I to doubt these mysteries?
It’s been a while since I’ve posted song lyrics that (in my mind) relate to the day’s image. This photo made me think of the song “Guadalupe” with the fantastic line “Who am I to doubt these mysteries?” and here are two versions of it. This one is by Tom Russell, and this one is by Gretchen Peters, with Tom Russell. (If you like the way Tom and Gretchen sound together, you should look for their album One to the Heart One to the Head.)
I found these well-used candles in the church in Terlingua, Texas’s most famous ghost town.
Terlingua, Texas
photographed 1.20.2013
Implied electricity #2
These outdoor outlets are on the same block as yesterday’s electrical cable: another implication.
All of this talk of electricity reminded me of a song – “Stealing Electricity” by the great Tom Russell.
Quitaque, Texas
photographed 2.14.2015
Sky above, mud below
Another picture, another song reference. It must be my new thing, but I’ll try to not let it take over the blog. After all, it is called One Day | One Image, not One Day | One Song-that-only-marginally-relates-to-the-matter-at-hand.
I think this building used to be a church, or maybe a school. Now it’s used to store farm equipment but the way those overhead doors are falling down makes me think whatever’s inside may be permanently stored.
The song reference? This shot reminded me of the excellent Tom Russell song The Sky Above, The Mud Below. (Just the title – I didn’t think about Mexican horse thieves or braided ropes or any of that.) Go here if you want to hear the song. One of the comments at the link says, “I’ve seen movies with less plot than this song.”, which is an excellent observation.
Crosby County, Texas
photographed 1.31.2014
The Crazy Water Hotel
The ballroom at the Baker Hotel in Mineral Wells is well past its prime.
But in its prime, the Baker Hotel was grand, and folks came from far and wide to “take the waters” the town was famous for. Now, I think Mineral Wells is largely famous for having once been famous.
The great songwriter Tom Russell has a song about the place, and the ghosts that haunt it. Reading the lyrics doesn’t convey Tom’s talent, and there’s no video of it that I could locate. So instead – and pardon this abrupt digression, but he got in my head and wouldn’t leave until I agreed to post a link – here’s Tom Russell and Andrew Hardin with The Ballad of Edward Abbey. (Here’s his website.)
Mineral Wells, Texas
photographed 8.15.2010
February 26
The back of the Baker Hotel is just as run down as the front.
It used to be a glorious place, famous far and wide for the healing waters, but those days are long gone. Or, as the song “Mineral Wells” says:
There’d be no healing return to the past;
the fountain of youth had dried up.
– Tom Russell
Mineral Wells, Texas
photographed 8.15.2010
