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Sad Trailer, 1
Someone’s former house, baking in the desert sun. And no chance of shade or redemption.
Valentine, Texas
photographed 7.11.2015
Items of interest
Meanwhile, a few things at this abandoned gas station caught my attention.
* Those squarish shapes inside the scars of circles on the wall.
* The restrooms are off to the left, somewhere.
* God is love, according to the letters stuck on the plate glass window.
* Don’t those drapes seem a little formal for a gas station?
* That plant? There in the window on the left? It’s growing on the inside of the building, clinging to the drape. Sort of makes me worried about what the inside of the place looks like.
Valentine, Texas
photographed 8.16.2013
Bulls for sale
Another view of the this storm, which also shows up here, now that I think about it.
How about that bright white building against the storm-darkened sky? But maybe you are wondering what “limousin” means. It’s a breed of cattle, originally from France, that are prized for their lean and tender meat, their low birth weight (which translates to ease of calving), and some technical things like average dressing percentage and yield. As always, Wikipedia provides the information.
Maybe you’re thinking that with the weekend nearly here, you might want to take a drive and see if you can spot some limousin cattle – how much fun that would be! – but don’t know what they look like. You are in luck, because right here we’ve got a handy identification guide!
And later, after the drive, maybe you could stop for a burger on the way home. Unless that would make you feel disloyal.
And one more thing: espeula is Spanish for spur.
near Valentine, Texas
photographed 8.16.2013
Behind the HiWay
There are several renovated trailers at El Cosmico, in Marfa, but they may not have the charm of this one that I saw in back of the HiWay Cafe, just down the road in Valentine. Also, this one has those concrete blocks hold it up, so you know it’s stable. No neighbors to bother you – everything around is abandoned and falling down. And the tree right there provides some shade, although to be honest, this IS the desert, and the shade’s probably never as much as you’d hope. It’s also just a stone’s throw (literally, and I can’t throw very far) from the railroad.
You don’t have to take my word for it; it’s right there on the main highway (or: only highway), between 3rd and 5th Streets*.
Valentine, Texas
photographed 8.16.2013
*By the way, and because I know you want to know, the highest street number in town is 8.
What I didn’t photograph that day
This was my first visit to Valentine. This is what happened:
I was in Marfa. I thought about going to look at the cemetery. And headed out that way. Then saw a mileage sign that said Valentine was 35 miles away. I ditched the idea of a cemetery visit and headed over to Valentine.
Not too much going on in Valentine, other than the famous (?) Prada Marfa scuplture (or, installation, if you will), which to be honest I didn’t look for because I was a lot more interested in the way the storm looked over the HiWay Cafe. Also, the sculpture/installation has had its picture taken a lot, and I wanted to try to make things right with the Cafe.
And, I am a little bit of a contrarian: if “everyone” takes a picture of something, you can be pretty sure I’ll aim my camera elsewhere. (Sorry. None of you really needed me to point THAT, did you!?)
Valentine, Texas
photographed 8.16.2013
One Day | One Image 