Saturday, January 1, 2011

The end.

Thanks to all my loyal followers this year.

You can see my new website  here.  It's got links to the blogs that I am currently working on, including the 2011 photography project.  Or, if you'd rather, you can head straight to the  photo-a-day project.

And, for those of you who were really big fans of the 2010 project, there's a book version with some of my favorite images available for sale.

Friday, December 31, 2010

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.



Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Monday, December 27, 2010

Sunday, December 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

Saturday, December 25, 2010

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.

Friday, December 24, 2010

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


Thursday, December 23, 2010

December 23


















Another example of the vibrant scene happening in downtown Lubbock.

Lubbock, Texas

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

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

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

December 21


























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

White River Lake, Texas

photographed 11.22.2009

Monday, December 20, 2010

December 20




















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

FM 1585
Lubbock County, Texas

Sunday, December 19, 2010

December 19


























Patrick and Company Stationers
560 Market Street
San Francisco, California

photographed 7.17.2005

Saturday, December 18, 2010

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

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Wednesday, December 15, 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

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

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

Monday, December 13, 2010

December 13



















Next year's business cards!

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

Sunday, December 12, 2010

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

Saturday, December 11, 2010

December 11
















The back of an abandoned gas station
Greenville, Texas

photographed 3.15.2008, on a Photography Weekend

Friday, December 10, 2010

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

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Monday, December 6, 2010

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.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Saturday, December 4, 2010

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

Friday, December 3, 2010

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.)