December 31

Hello, and welcome to the last Nostalgia Day for this year here at the blog.  


This is my mom feeding me (judging from the date penciled onto the back of the snapshot).


It's five years today that my mom died.   We called her Sugar, the most appropriate name for anyone, ever.  She was a tiny woman, but she's left a huge hole in our lives.

December 30

Dust storm
FM 1585, Hockley County

December 29

Cantebury Cathedral, the Mother Church of the Anglican Communion

Canterbury, United Kingdom

photographed 10.17.2007

December 28

At the National Ranching Heritage Center 

Lubbock, Texas

photographed 7.3.2009

December 27

Warehouse, near the airport.

Lubbock, Texas

photographed 12.26.2010

December 26

It was Sunday morning, and Mrs. Hudson's parking spot was empty.

near the Preston Smith Lubbock International Airport
Lubbock, Texas

December 25

My sister-in-law and brother-in-law got me this game for Christmas.  It's called Rory's Story Cubes, and the box says it's a "pocket-sized creative story generator" - you are supposed to roll the cubes and make up a story based on the pictures.

So, let's see....

It was just after the terrible tee-pee accident - I was still using a cane, actually, as my knee wasn't 100% yet - when I went to the drama festival downtown.  The play I was going to see was going to be presented in the new skyscraper that was only one story taller than the next-tallest building in town.  Anyway, I had chosen to see an avant garde production called "Magic Eyeball."  There were only a few people in the audience; most of the festival goers were sheep-like in their decision to see "Les Miserables" (some of them for the fourth or fifth time).  I was, as a result, the only person sitting on my row; because I'd bought the ticket early, I was on Row C, right in the center.  Luckily, the seats on either side were empty, and I was able to put my cane on the seat next to me.

The play was terrible.  In fact, it was one of the worst things I've ever seen.  By three minutes in, I knew I wanted to leave.  Just before intermission, it hit me; it was almost as though a lightbulb went off:  no one was making me come back after intermission.

I often wonder if anyone stayed to see the end of the play.

December 24

Another downtown Lubbock scene, this one of a pile of mattresses that might be discarded from the jail.

At any rate, I saw Bob Barker's mattress in the pile:

Lovely downtown Lubbock

phototgraphed 12.23.2010

December 23

Another example of the vibrant scene happening in downtown Lubbock.

Lubbock, Texas

December 22

We've had record high temperatures this week, which makes it a lot different from last winter.

Me?  While snow is fine in theory, I like a nice, warm winter.

Lubbock, Texas

photographed 12.24.2009

December 21

A building at the (now defunct) White River Retreat.

White River Lake, Texas

photographed 11.22.2009

December 20

Tonight's sunset, on the shortest day of the year, near the Lubbock-Hockley County line.

FM 1585
Lubbock County, Texas

December 19

Patrick and Company Stationers
560 Market Street
San Francisco, California

photographed 7.17.2005

December 18

Ceramic, stone, and wood

My dining room, again
Lubbock, Texas

December 17

Rocks in a bowl.

Some people* may think it's an odd thing to keep rocks in a bowl as part of my decor, but that just shows how much THEY know.

My dining room
Lubbock, Texas


* "some people" may or may not refer to my mother-in-law

December 16

Texas Travel Information Center
Interstate 40
east of Amarillo

photographed 3.21.2010

December 15

Other than pecans, these are some of the ingredients that it takes to mix up some spiced pecans.

NOTE:  They are quite fragrant, in a "Who made curry?" kind of way.  I should maybe have opened the window.

Lubbock, Texas

December 14

My camera was in the bottom of a very large black suede bag - the kind of bag that ought to have been sold with a powerful flashlight, as that's about the only way to find anything inside.

And the traffic signal was about to turn green and I was headed to a freeway so all chances to shoot this sky would soon be gone.

Cell phone camera (kind of) to the rescue.

Spur 327 and Milwaukee Avenue
Lubbock, Texas

December 13

Next year's business cards!

Big changes in store for the blogs...stay tuned for more.

December 12

I was going to make this another "What the hell is it?" day here at the blog, but somehow that didn't seem quite right:  it's Christmas, after all.

So, here it is:  a cardboard-snowflake wreath.

It's also item 2 of 2 in my lavish Christmas decorations.  Here's item 1 of 2.  I should probably try to set aside as much as four minutes to take this stuff down after Christmas, don't you think?

My living room
Lubbock, Texas

December 11

The back of an abandoned gas station
Greenville, Texas

photographed 3.15.2008, on a Photography Weekend

December 10

I know you didn't think I could do it - but look!  Here's a photograph with sky in it that's not ABOUT the sky.

(I am just as surprised as anyone by this turn of events!)

Alamo Plaza Hotel Courts
Dallas, Texas

photographed 10.18.2008

December 9

Just a couple of examples of the randomness that is my office.

Lubbock, Texas

December 8

American Legion Post 191 and clouds
Breckenridge, Texas

photographed 8.15.2010

December 7

Asleep at the Wheel  played tonight at the Cactus Theater  

Lubbock, Texas

December 6

It's possible that I could be wrong, but I don't think there's a rule that Christmas wrapping has to be red or green.

Under my Christmas tree*
Lubbock, Texas

*it's not so much a tree as a, well... never mind.  I don't have a tree.

December 5

At my house, a jar of colorful LED lights IS Christmas decor.

Lubbock, Texas

December 4

I know, I know:  it's another sky photograph.  Maybe I ought to start a new blog dedicated just to pictures of the sky.

This one was taken along US Highway 84, maybe in Scurry County.

photographed 4.4.10

December 3

Tonight I took my dad on the First Friday Art Trail.  He's a retired engineer, so art isn't really his thing usually.

But we had a great time.  He talked a lot about things he remembered from downtown Lubbock in the 1940s, when he was a Tech student.  He talked about how good it was to see people downtown at night.  He talked about the weather.  He talked a lot.

We had wine at McPherson Cellars, and made a plan for the next First Friday when the weather's good.  Without divulging too many details, I can tell you that the plan involves (1) a spaghetti pack from Orlando's; (2) wine; and (3) the outdoor courtyard at McPherson.  

It was quite a pleasant evening.

Courtyard, McPherson Cellars (and site of our future spaghetti-dinner-with-wine-during-an-art-event.)

December 2

Late afternoon
White Sands National Monument, New Mexico 


photographed 5.1.10

 

December 1

One wonders - is fish REALLY the hot weather food?

Hatahoe Restaurant
Anson, Texas

photographed 8.15.2010