October 31

Lacy seedheads in the backyard.

Lubbock, Texas

October 30

Maybe this is in keeping with Halloween a little bit: a little metal figurine of a cat, standing on its hind legs, holding a dish.

It's at my dad's house.

Lubbock, Texas

October 29

In honor of the upcoming Halloween celebrations, I present this - the most macabre salt and pepper shakers I have ever seen. The little skulls rock back and forth in the holder, which is a quaint little detail...

Lubbock, Texas

October 28

I always, always thought the metal box on the left had belonged to my grandmother. I even remembered a little piece of adhesive tape on the bottom with her name written on it. So it came as a bit of a surprise when I did some fact-checking a minute or two ago. There is a piece of adhesive tape on the bottom of the box. It's got a name, and a date, written on it. The interesting thing is that the name is Wanda Mackey and my grandmother's name was Ruth Martin.

So, if you are a descendant of Mrs. Mackey, let me know. And as soon as I find something else to use as a button box, I will let you have your metal box back.

This is what I remember about the other metal box: when I was in grade school, our neighbors across the street gave it to my sister and me at Christmas, with fudge inside. Later, after the candy was gone, we stored the Chinese checkers marbles in it. Given how far off I was on the other box, though, I have to wonder about the provenance of this box, too.

in a state of confusion...

October 27

In 1967, my family took a vacation to Mexico. Among the items my parents saved as mementos of the trip was my International Certificate of Vaccination.

But what is most interesting is that my dad's printings (he's an engineer, as you can probably tell) looks the very same now as it did then. My own handwriting style wanders all over the place, so his never-changing printing is kind of amazing.

Lubbock, Texas

October 26

So, I get laser eye surgery, knowing that I will still need reading glasses at some point. My eye doctor tells me that failing close vision is a product of age and "lasers can't fix that."

And, she's right: I DO need reading glasses. I have a set of them, all outdated, in my office. It looks as though I am trying to compete with the Lion's Club eyeglasses recycling program...

Maybe my friend with the blog about cleaning house could pay me a visit when she's done over at her place, since I obviously need some help!

Lubbock, Texas

See what she's up to: http://cleaninghouseamemoir.blogspot.com/

October 25

This shot is taken on the west side of the hut, looking through it and through the door, to the eastern side of Yellowhouse Canyon.

Yellowhouse Canyon, Texas

October 24

My sharp-eyed traveling companion spotted this lovely detail on a building on the square in Boise City, Oklahoma.

Boise City, Oklahoma

October 23

The east door to the old barn has a lovely amethyst-colored doorknob.

http://www.windbreakhouse.com/

Hermosa, South Dakota

(posted in Sidney, Nebraska)

October 22

Late afternoon sun lights up a stand of dead cottonwood trees.

http://www.windbreakhouse.com/

Hermosa, South Dakota

October 21

The grasshoppers - or some other bug - thought these elm leaves were mighty tasty.

http://www.windbreakhouse.com/

Hermosa, South Dakota

October 20

This was the view out the south window of my room at Windbreak House.

http://www.windbreakhouse.com/

Hermosa, South Dakota

October 19

Late-afternoon sun on the cellar stairs, Windbreak House writing retreat.

http://www.windbreakhouse.com/

Hermosa, South Dakota

October 18

This is the best part of the exhibits at the Crazy Horse Memorial - the exhibit of Italian glass beads (used in Native American beadwork). It looks like jars of jewels.

Rapid City, South Dakota

More information: http://www.crazyhorsememorial.org/

October 17

Would you REALLY want to consume a food product with the word "spitz" in the title?

But, if you are OK with it, I located the Big Bag Spitz in Stratford, Texas.

posted in Sidney, Nebraska

October 16

A big box o' stuff, packed and ready to put in the car - tomorrow we are on our way to Windbreak House, near Hermosa, South Dakota, for a 5-day writing retreat.

(I won't be posting regularly while I am on the retreat, but will get caught up after I get back - look for new posts on October 25.)

Lubbock, Texas

October 15

A charming fall vignette.

Lubbock, Texas

October 14

Well, it's the wells.

I guess.

Levelland, Texas

October 13

It's (sometimes) the little things that make me happy. Like being able to see all the way through the windows at the corners of the second floor of this building in Levelland.

Levelland, Texas

October 12

Big stones in a bowl made of little stones.

Lubbock, Texas

October 11

I like how the light on the glass of this old door looks exactly like the patterns sunlight makes on the bottom of a swimming pool.

But mostly I like the way thousands of hands pushing the door open have partly missed the brass plate, discoloring the wood above it.

Lubbock, Texas

October 10

I don't know this started, this strict adherence to the Soup Rules. My friend Carlos and I came up with the Rules a long time ago, and we do not break them. We don't even BEND them.

Today, it was officially a Soup Day: cool weather, foggy, Canada geese at the park.

So, I made my corn-chowder-with-sausage-and-even-a-little-bit-of-chicken.

Lubbock, Texas

PS - Soup is the only thing about winter that Carlos and I approve of.

PPS - That spoon in the photograph is the subject of a poem written by my friend Laurie Wagner Buyer.

October 9

The edge detail of a very old green and white platter that is hanging on the wall in the dining room.  Sometimes, I take it down and use it (after I wash off the dust first.)

Lubbock, Texas

October 8

If, by chance, you DON'T know how ignorant you are, but are interested in finding out, you may want to glance through this little volume.

Sample sentence:  

I have sought repeatedly to examine the common assumptions that I make, and that I hear made by other people (except those of women which are, of course, immune to factual evidence, in so far as they are typically feminine) in the light of what has been extablished, or is uncertain, scientifically.

Yep - 32 pages of that.

Lubbock, Texas

PS - You may wonder how I came to possess such an enlightened book.  I have no idea.

October 7

...and yet I still buy new books....

Lubbock, Texas

October 6

The tower at Christ the King Cathedral.

Lubbock, Texas

October 5

You know how it is - you are driving across the country and see a town called Lakeview, only there's no lake anywhere. Or, you notice the turn to take you to Humble and you doubt that it is. And don't expect to see blocks and blocks of gingerbread-trimmed houses in Victoria.

So, doesn't it make you wonder why the closest town to this photo is called: Levelland?

Levelland, Texas

October 4

I have heard of people who do all their ironing at one time. (In fact, I may be married to someone like that.) On the other hand, I much prefer to iron my clothes right before I put them on.

But now that my work commute has expanded from 8 minutes to 45 minutes, I have decided to make a Big Change. No, not do all my ironing at one time; I still think that's ridiculous. What I am doing is ironing tomorrow's outfits tonight. I really, really appreciate the extra few minutes of sleep that permits me to have!

Lubbock, Texas

October 3

I promise that the ONLY reason I had a funnel cake at the fair was to help out Meals on Wheels. Really.

Lubbock, Texas

October 2

Detail from "Town on the Plains" by Lindsey Leavell.

I bought the print last week in Creede, Colorado: it was hanging on the back wall of the gallery, and that little white church in the foreground caught - and held - my attention.

Lubbock, Texas

October 1

I went away on vacation, and returned to Bizarro World. See that beer? That nice vanilla Porter? I bought it at the GROCERY STORE. At the grocery store in LUBBOCK.

Yep, while we were away, the long-anticipated within-city-limits alcohol sales became effective.

(On a slightly less happy note, the sign at the cash register said that if you looked like you were "under 40" you could expect to be carded. I am close to 40 (53, if you must know), so I was almost positive that I would be carded. But I wasn't. But you've gotta take the bad with the good.)

Lubbock, Texas