meditation circle

Benches in the Meditation Circle Lubbock Area War Memorial 82nd and Nashville Lubbock, TX

March 30, 2011

war memorial

Lubbock Area War Memorial 82nd and Nashville Lubbock, Texas

mr. robin

Mr. Robin was wondering what happened to the weather. The calendar says spring but the thermometer says 45 degrees. Curious that the song describes "red, red robin" when the ones in my yard are more orange-y.

My front yard Lubbock, Texas

blue dasher

From the archives: Blue dasher dragonfly Seymour, Texas 7.21.2007

flame skimmer

From the archives: Male orange dragonfly Seymour, Texas 7.21.2007

skyscraper #6

The high-rise buildings on the skyline of Lubbock are not all office buildings. Grain elevators may range from 80 to 140 feet tall --and have been called the "cathedrals of the plains."

Cone Elevator

Avenue J and Marshall Avenue
Lubbock, Texas

nuptials

The peeling paint and padlock are not auspicious signs for a blissful ceremony. If St. Ann is known as the patron saint of women in labor, then the chapel's name is either ironic or appropriate for shotgun weddings.

Old Town
2402 Avenue J
Lubbock, Texas

eat here

Actually, one can't eat here -- the Old Town Cafe closed years ago. But you can still rent the place for a quincenera, bar mitzvah or beer bust. In its day, the cholesterol-laden buffet featured home-cooking. The clientele ranged from courthouse suits to day laborers to visitors from the flea market next door.l

Old Town Cafe
2402 Avenue J
Lubbock, Texas

the obligatory spring iris image

My backyard

Lubbock, Texas

free tv in every room

From the archives:

For decades this sign waved travelers, mostly from Texas on US 87, into the El Kapp Motel -- complete with swimming pool, picnic area and probably vibrating beds. Today travelers stop for the homogenized amenities of the Holiday Inn and Comfort Suites off the impersonal Interstate 25 and seldom explore the off-roads for the unique if kitschy character of America's older times.

El Kapp Motel
200 Clayton Road (US 87)
Raton, New Mexico
May 2004

us highway 64

From the archives:

US Highway 64 parallels Route 66 a couple of hundred miles to the north but never had the renown of the "mother road." Although Interstate 25 bypassed Raton, US 64 is still busy with traffic between Trinidad, Colorado and Taos, New Mexico --especially motorcycles on Memorial Day Weekend. The main drag of Raton is still lined with vintage motels and their neon signs. We've stayed at the Robin Hood on our annual jaunts to the Whittington NRA Center, but prefer the Oasis Motel and its cafe.

Robin Hood Motel
US Highway 64
Raton, New Mexico

May 2005

great plains life building

This 20-story edifice at Broadway and Avenue L was built in 1955 and touted as the "tallest building between Fort Worth and Denver." Lubbock's landmark skyscraper was severely damaged in the May 11, 1970 tornado but, after being declared structurally sound, continued business as the Metro Tower and then the NTS Tower. In 1976 the Continental Room, a European-style restaurant, opened on the twentieth floor with panoramic views of Lubbock. What an elegant place it was to dine!

Skyscraper Series #5

NTS Building

Broadway and Avenue L

Lubbock, Texas

March 19, 2010

court place

The high-rise building at 1001 Main is known as Court Place and houses the Lubbock National Bank and other commercial offices. To see the inspiration for this skyscraper series, visit

www.design-milk.com/brian-parillo-2

Skyscraper Series #4

1001 Main

Lubbock, Texas

916 main

Construction began in 1939 on the building at 916 Main - Lubbock National Bank. In 1959 there were further additions to the 12-story high rise. Over the years, a succession of banks from Nations to Bank of America occupied the space. Today it is the Lubbock County Office Building. Lubbock National Bank played a part in my life. My mother worked as secretary to the banker prior to marrying my father. My grandfather Mr. Bill had an office on the 11th floor and I always took the stairs when visiting him. He even took me to the vault. It was at LNB that my incentive to stash cash started with my Hopalong Cassidy Savings Club account. It was a thrill when Hopalong visited the bank, complete with black hat and guns (I can't remember if his horse Topper ever came to town.) I wonder what happened to all my autographed photographs?

Skyscraper Series #3
916 Main
Lubbock, Texas

skyscraper #2

The Wells Fargo Center at 1500 Broadway ranks as Lubbock's second tallest building at 209 feet, behind the Metro Tower. Shucks, there are only four commercial buildings in Lubbock taller than 100 feet. Constructed as the First National Bank - Pioneer Building in 1968, it housed the now-defunct Lubbock Club on the top floors. Wells Fargo Bank is on the main floor and other businesses occupy the remaining footage.

1500 Broadway

Lubbock, Texas

art deco jail

Today's inspiration comes from an article in this month's Popular Photography. Brian Parillo's project was to photograph Los Angeles skyscrapers with a wide-angle lens to produce graphic elements. Although Lubbock is lacking in high-rise buildings, I gave this a shot (pun intended). My favorite of the downtown images was the five-story Art Deco building at 811 Main. Built as the Lubbock County Jail in 1931 and designed by local architect Blum Haynes, it has the geometrical features, decorative bas reliefs and stylized floral motifs found in structures of the Art Deco era. 811 Main currently houses the Lubbock County Sheriff's Office and, with the opening of the "new" jail, the building is scheduled for demolition. This significant building, one of the few original surviving historic public buildings around the courthouse square, will be replaced by a parking lot.

Lubbock County Jail

811 Main

Lubbock, Texas

no beber el agua

The sign advises not to drink the water at the Lubbock Land Application Site. This facility located east of the city consists of 6,000 acres of farm land dedicated to the dispersion of effluent (treated wastewater). Approximately 13 million gallons of "sewer water" is applied through 31 central pivot irrigation systems to crops such as wheat, corn, alfalfa and hay grazer.

spring break bash

Although I sported no tattoos, piercings or black attire, the bouncer let me in JJJ's Courtyard to photograph the band playing at the "Close to Home" spring break bash. This was quite an experience -- the last live concert I attended featured Willie Nelson and there was definitely no comparison. At least I could hear Willie's lyrics rather than absorb the music via vibration and sonic boom!

Triple J's Brewery
18th and Buddy Holly Avenue
Lubbock, Texas

pasture pool

Abernathy Country Club

FM 2060

Abernathy, Texas

sky vuew

The sign for Sky Vuew Mobile Lodge is at the intersection of FM 1729 and CR 6700 (East 19th Street). Turn east at the sign on CR6700 for about a mile and then north at the next dilapidated and rusted sign.

mobile lodge

The Sky Vuew Mobile Lodge is still in operation; however, the residences at the trailer park are about the same condition and vintage as the signs.

Farm-to-Market Road 1279 and County Road 6700

Lubbock County, Texas

betsy wetsy and me

From the family album:

According to ebay the original box for Betsy Wetsy, had I kept it, would sell for $100. No telling what a primo Betsy would bring. Alas, Betsy and her bottle are long gone. Wonder if they've done studies on how bedroom wallpaper affects the psyche of a five year old? Can you tell that mother cut my bangs? That affected my psyche too.

bradford pear

Spring is not bursting forth but rather cautiously creeping in one blossom at a time.

Metadata:

100mm macro

f/5.6

shutter 1/200

ISO 600

03.09.2011

Lubbock, Texas

March 8, 2011

vigilant hose company

The Vigilant Hose Company of Emmitsburg, Maryland was established in 1884 --beginning a new era in firefighting from the bucket brigade. A city ordinance required all men to join the fire company or be fined for non-compliance. .The building housing the fire station was purchased in 1920 and the first motorized engine purchased in 1929 for $3,200. I don't know if the modern trucks fit in the station because they were on the street when we passed by and we didn't stay for bingo.

03.06.2011

catoctin scenic byway

Catoctin Mountains - easternmost ridge of the Blue Ridge Mountains
Highest elevation - 1,900 feet

gettysburg

Soldiers National Cemetery
Gettysburg National Military Park
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

amish buggy

Dutch Amish Country
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

to lift a nation

The 40-foot-tall bronze monument "To Lift a Nation" was created by sculptor Stan Watts to honor the heroes of September 11, 2001. It recreates the now-famous photo taken by Thomas E. Franklin, a photographer for the Bergen Record, who captured the image of three firefighters raising the American flag at Ground Zero.
The three-times life monument stands 40 feet high, six feet deep and eight feet wide. Each of the three firefighter's statues weigh more than 5,000 pounds and were formed from approximately 160 bronze sections weighing between 60-to-80 pounds each.

Emergency Management Institute
Emmitsburg, Maryland

st joseph's cemetery

Mother Seton, founder of the Sisters of Charity of St Joseph's, established the first Catholic community for women. Her original burial place was in this cemetery, surrounded by the headstones of the sisters. Elizabeth Ann Seton was beatified in 1963 as the first native born saint of the United States. The Mortuary Chapel was built in remembrance by her sons., who didn't learn of death in 1821 until years later.

National Shrine of Elizabeth Ann Seaton
Emmitsburg, Maryland

chapel

Built in 1839, the chapel is the oldest building of the former St. Joseph's College, which now houses FEMA training facilities. The chimes from the octagonal turret ring across campus and remind students of the passing of time.