June 30

Another shot of a downtown alley - this one with a special treat: a little strip of grass.

Also: I am now half-way through this project. In case you wondered...

Lubbock, Texas

June 29

I really am a dork: I went to England and was so proud to bring back a British thesaurus (actually, the Chambers Giant Dictionary and Thesaurus.) It keeps company with Roget's.

But how else would I know that Received Pronunciation (abbreviated RP) is the form of British English spoken by educated people in Southern England. Or - and this is slightly more useful - that naff is slang meaning of poor quality or worthless and - here comes the best part! - that naff off means go away, and is considered offensive.

This treasure cost 9 pounds, at a bookstore in Cambridge.

Lubbock, Texas

June 28

I wrote the following on November 21, 1997:
Late in December 1996, I told Carlos that I could hardly wait for the end of the year, as it had been a bad one. I told him. "It started out bad and stayed that way." He told me it seemed bad because that's what I was focusing on. He challenged me to write down something good every day in 1997 to help me focus on the good things instead of the bad.

And here it is, halfway through 2009, and with only a couple of years of gaps, I have faithfully followed his advice. My current journal is a five year version, and I always read the previous entries when I add new ones. For the most part, the things I've written would be things I'd forgotten about otherwise.

I always write the entries with a fountain pen, and always use purple ink. Don't ask me why.

Don't get me wrong: I do still tend to dwell on the negative, but by following Carlos's advice I have a reason, at least one time a day, to think of good things.

Lubbock, Texas

June 27

On my way out to the canyon today, I had to make a stop at the Strip (Come on, alcohol sales in the city!!) to get some Texas-made vodka.

Then I took the back way to the canyon, where I was rewarded with the sight of this excellent sign. It was in front of a run-down trailer park. And, no, that is NOT redundant.

County Road 2500
Lubbock County, Texas

June 26

The skeleton of a new warehouse building under construction.

Lubbock, Texas

June 25

A hole in the wall?

Or a reflection?

Lubbock, Texas

June 24

This checkerboard wall is a good example of what this project has done: I've driven by the place countless times, but until I drove by it while also prowling around for something to photograph today, I'd never really NOTICED it.

Lubbock, Texas

June 23

It's a minor Parking Lot Mystery: someone left a bundle of Sunday papers in the parking lot by my office. I will keep an eye on them to see if they eventually melt into the asphalt.

Lubbock, Texas

June 22

Three caps and a straw cowboy hat on the rack in the garage, waiting to be called into service.

Lubbock, Texas

June 21

This is the ONLY correct way to cook corn on the cob: grilled.

Lubbock, Texas

June 20

Some gears and... well, other parts of a windmill, at the American Windpower Center.

Lubbock, Texas

June 19

The former location of Terry's Tires.

Post, Texas

June 18

Quite possibly the best cupcakes I've had - from Cake by Distinctive Details in Kingsgate Center.

And not only are the cupcakes delicious, but they come in a brown box tied up with a brown ribbon.

Lubbock, Texas

June 17

This is in front of a place called the Patriot Firearms and Family Shooting. I was unable to determine if you bring your OWN family to shoot or if one is provided for you. But it is climate controlled, an important feature in these hot summers.

Lubbock, Texas

(My apologies for posting photos of stuff on my walls two days in a row.)

June 16

Since lately I haven't had too many reasons to carry a sterling-silver chain-mail evening bag, I hung it from a velvet ribbon on the wall under the stairs. That way, I can find it if the need arises.

Lubbock, Texas

June 15

My friend Kort makes wrought-iron crosses in his spare time. This one hangs on my office wall, and I am very fond of it.

Lubbock, Texas

June 14

The desert willow has burst into bloom...

Lubbock, Texas

June 13

Frosting flowers on a birthday cake.

Lubbock, Texas

June 12

The share at the CSA farm today included elephant garlic. And beets. And lettuce. And carrots. And two kinds of squash.

South Plains Food Bank - GRUB Program
Lubbock, Texas

June 11

We call this place "Rotary West" (and I will not divulge the actual name of the restaurant, but if you want to call it "El Chico" that would be OK with me). I met my friends here for lunch today.

The restroom is a plethora of colors and shapes, and made me feel a little drunk just walking in.

I can't imagine what would ensue if one encountered this restroom after a few margaritas.

Lubbock, Texas

June 10

There's a place in Austin where you can purchase surplus State desks and filing cabinets and all sorts of other cast-off items.

You can also paw around in big plastic tubs of items that have been confiscated by vigilant TSA agents at airports. There's a tub of nail clippers. One of pocketknives. One with little scissors. One with big scissors. And that's where I found this pair of Fiskar scissors. They seem brand new, and had a length of red satin ribbon tied on the handle.

I picture a little old lady embarking on a trip with her favorite scissors in her giant vinyl handbag. I am certain she was dismayed when they were taken from her, so in compassion for her loss, I've kept the ribbon just as she tied it.

Lubbock, Texas

June 9

Gloves - a hospital must go through 12,456,987 per day.

University Medical Center
Lubbock, Texas

(My dad had a procedure today. I was at the hospital for 8 hours and the ONLY thing I took a picture of were these gloves.)

June 8

OK, this is how it works.

Me, walking down the alley after work: Oh, crap. I didn't take a picture yet today.

One more step.

Me: Hey, check out those windows!

(Digging in bag for camera.)

An alley in downtown Lubbock, Texas

June 7

It was cool and cloudy early this morning, but by 10:00 the clouds were gone and the temperature was going up at a pretty fast pace.

The deck, though, stays in the shade nearly all day.

My backyard
Lubbock, Texas

June 6

I took a field trip today, to a place called Janes Gravel (No apostrophe is correct. I checked.) It's just past Slaton, at the rim of the canyon, and sort of shocking to see - especially the signs that say "mining zone"! This place is a maze of piles of variously-sized gravel, boulders, sand, etc.

It's where the big trucks come in to get rock for highway projects, or where weekend-project-doers come for a trailer load of cheap gravel. And the guy loading the gravel was amazing - he got the whole load right into the trailer.

Slaton, Texas

June 5

Two things:

First, it rained last night, and there are still puddles.

And, I am parking in a different parking lot, so there are DIFFERENT puddles than the ones I am used to.

Aren't you happy for me?

Lubbock, Texas

June 4

98th Street, just east of Avenue P - a motorcycle graveyard contained behind this chain-link fence.

Lubbock, Texas

June 3

OK, so that picture from yesterday? Of the white building against the storm? Well, this is inside that same building.

It's an excellent spot for some dinner (and beer) before going to the outdoor concert stage next door.

Lubbock, Texas

June 2

A storm heading our way this afternoon.

Lubbock, Texas

June 1

The main attribute of this restaurant is the outdoor dining - it's shady. And there are vines creeping up the wall.

Lubbock, Texas