au revoir 2011

As we look forward to 2012, we bid farewell to 2011. A backwards glimpse reveals completion of the 2011 daily photo blog post (watch for the 2012 version) with new images supplemented with favorites from the archives and nostalgic shots from the family album. A highlight of 2011 was the opportunity to travel to France with the U.S. Benchrest World Team. 2011 also marked retirement after 21+ years of municipal government service. 2012 will bring 366 days of photo ops and new adventures. Thank you to those who have encouraged and inspired me this year.

government budget cuts

While driving by the post office today, I saw this old arcade game on the sidewalk. It was still there after lunch. Inquiring minds want to know. . . .

DECEMBER 29, 2011

some days are like that

From the archives:
Hippopotamus Pen
Homasassa Wildlife Park
Homasassa, Florida
9.29.2008

DECEMBER 28, 2011

wishful thinking

From the archives:
defunct gas station
MLK and Parkway
Lubbock, Texas
6.4.206

winterscape

From the archives:
Snow at the Buddy Holly Recreation Area
Canyon Lake No. 1
Lubbock, Texas
12.24.2011

hat cemetery

From the archives:

The upper areas of Solano's Western Wear in Raton, New Mexico holds hundreds of old hats -- many were trade-ins for new Stetsons and others were donated in memory of the cowboys who wore them. This image was accepted for the High and Dry Exhibit XI and will hang at the International Cultural Center, 702 Indiana, until January 9.

Solano's Western Wear
Raton, New Mexico
5.29.2010

chrismon

Chrismon Tree
St. John's Methodist Church
12.19.2008

let it snow

Texas Tech Christmas Tree
Broadway
Lubbock, Texas

clara

Do you know what all the hubbub is about?
No, and who are all these people?
Did they make you tear paper off some box?
Yes, but they wouldn't let me eat it.
They said 28 years ago they propped our daddies here and took their picture.
And it was on this same ugly sofa.
What are second cousins any way?

William and Hannah
Christmas at Pop's

buddy holly christmas

Raising Cane's Chicken
907 University
Lubbock, Texas

pentax k-1000

From the family album:
My first SLR camera, the Pentax K-1000
Jacksonville, Alabama
Christmas 1982

christmas elms

From the archives:

Can lights and elm trees create a surreal yuletide scene at Santa Land in Mackenzie Park.
12.15.2010

harley claus

Today, for five dollars, you could have had your picture made with Harley Claus on the hog.

Wild West Harley Davidson
5702 58th Street
Lubbock, Texas

hanging our stockings

In a house without a fireplace, it's difficult to find a place to hang your Christmas stockings. Suzy and I ended up hanging them on the knobs of the Firestone Air Chief radio and phonograph (this was the entertainment center before television). It probably came from the Firestone Home and Auto Supply Store in Lubbock. According to www.airchiefradios.com,

our console radio was probably a pre-war model. An ad for a similar model touts six tubes, 10-inch speaker and matching walnut cabinet. Wonder what happened to all those colorful children's records we listened to?

From the family album:

Christmas 1952

New Deal, Texas

christmas greetings from 401

The Cattle Shipping Complex at the Ranching Heritage Center features Number 401, a steam locomotive originally given to in 1983. Texas Tech University in the 1960s and moved to the NRC from its space near the Coliseum. When former vice president of the Fort Worth and Denver railroad line and Texas Tech Regent Wright Armstrong made an effort to acquire a locomotive for the University, he learned the engines had been sold for scrap in 1955. With none available in Texas, the Burlington Railroad Lines brought Number 4994 out of storage. It was restored and its markings changed to represent the locomotive as one used in West Texas—the Fort Worth and Denver 401, which was built in 1915. The Cattle Shipping Complex, including the Ropes Depot, shipping pens from the King Ranch and Number 401 with its cattle cars and caboose helps tell the story of the railroad’s influence on the cattle industry in Texas.

Ranching Heritage Center
3121 4th Street
Lubbock, Texas

deck the pawn shop with boughs of holly
fa la la la

The sign painter is decorating Swat's Pawn Shop at 2301 19th for the Christmas season. Need gift ideas, a piece of jewelry or a loan? See Scott at Swat's!

the stockings were hung with care

Second-story apartment on Avenue F off Broadway --alleyview
Lubbock, Texas

tree lot

A vanishing Christmas tradition is going to the tree lot and picking out a real tree. This lot on the Sam's parking lot is one of the very few in Lubbock. These trees for West Texas homes were grown in Colorado and shipped in refrigerated trucks. When I lived in Alabama, we'd climb the hill behind the house (the Talladega National Forest was my backyard) and cut down our own tree. Today most people just get the box out of the attic.

christmas 1950

From the family album:
Christmas at Mom and Papaw's. This was my last Christmas as an only child and only grandchild on both sides. Who knew that the toys would become antiques? Of course I'm fairly vintage myself!

bentley and santa paws

It was an experience taking Bentley to Hodges Community Center to have his picture made with Santa Paws. He was outnumbered and outsized by all breeds of dogs - most them in holiday attire.

weihnachten engel

This Christmas angel has been part of my decorations since 1977. That year I spent the holidays in Munich, Germany - complete with real candles on fresh trees, roast duck, midnight mass and seventeen inches of snow. This cardboard angel came wrapped a fried apple pie from McDonalds!

santa is a red raider

Cactus Alley
Lubbock, Texas

greetings from the griswolds

My neighborhood
Lubbock, Texas

christmas lights

Kingsgate South
82nd and Quaker
Lubbock, Texas

santa's snow village

Santa Land
Mackenzie Park
Lubbock, Texas

christmas wonderland

Vintage Township
114th Street
Lubbock, Texas

holiday tradition

From the archives:
Texas Tech Carol of Lights
12.25.2008

santa who?

From the family album:
A visit to Santa isn't always a pleasant experience. Billy and Jean took Sandy to Los Angeles when they went to visit the Pearces. Evidently sitting on Santa's lap was less fun then visiting Knott's Berry Farm.

Sandy, Wilma and Danny
Los Angeles 1950

my first christmas

From the family album:
My first Christmas
December 22- age 4 weeks
Probably at E.W. and Burma Smith's house
2001 26th Street
Lubbock, Texas
(note Pop's hat on the sofa)