RUNNING ON EMPTY #21

Red Rock, Texas 3 March 2009

I first photographed this old gas station in the mid-70's, and I must admit it was "deja vous all over again" when we passed through Red Rock during our trip this past March. Still standing after nearly 40 years. But the real miracle is that so am I still standing with a camera in my hand. I find that truly amazing because 40 years ago I had no idea where my life (and wife) would take me; but that I'm still photographing with some gusto and loving it more. Loving the new technologies that are allowing me to move forward with a continued vision. While I may be shooting the same stuff, I feel that with the current state of the technologies I use, I'm able to look a little deeper. And that's a freeing experience. As to these two images of the old Liberty Garage at Red Rock, one is not better than the other, but they are different. The older image is more nostalgic and melancholy, but not because it's an older image, but rather how it represents another, older time -- the letters on the building, the flowers around the old pumps, the pealing paint on the pumps, etc. The newer color image is about endurance and character. These images are a lot like me, I think.

GOOD EATIN' -- TEXAS STYLE

Smitty's, Lockhart, Texas 3 March 2009

I was reading this morning on one of follower's blog about an exploring trip to Lockhart. Seems they got so entralled in the local attractions, they forgot about the wonderful BB-Q that Lockhart is known for far and wide. Ever since I was first introduced to Kruez's Market back in the early 70's, I have returned to savor their meats just about every time I'm in the Austin area. It's now called Smitty's Market, but that's another story for another time. Daughter Libbie had never eaten there, but had endured our going on and on about the wonders of the place -- the smokeyness, the blackened walls, the butcher paper on which they serve the meat, the communal knives chained to the table (no longer a "feature" of the place, BTW), the roaring open fires, etc. I don't think we disappointed her with our seemingly overstated goin's-on about eatin' tender brisket with our fingers. We didn't need no stinkin' knife.

RUNNIN' ON EMPTY - 18

Austin, Texas 4 April 2009

RUNNIN' ON EMPTY - 17

Austin, Texas 4 April 2009

Last Saturday morning while waiting for friends to arrive in town so we could do lunch, I decided to drive about downtown Austin just east of I-35. This has traditionally been the more down trodden area of Austin - even when I lived there back in the 1970's. Still is, although Austinites seem to strive to fashion the close-in neighborhoods after the eastside. However, gentrification is evident here and there in the low numbered streets just north of the river/lake. My bent has always been to seek the non-hidden but seldom noticed. Across the bottom of the poster in small letters, it says: "Everybody's Famous"......the picture sorta' looks like Amy Winehouse, no?

RUNNIN' ON EMPTY - 10

Concrete Cemetery, Guadalupe County, Texas 2 March 2009

"The community was originally called Bethesda but was later called Concrete because of the old rock church built in 1852 that once stood on the site and was also used as a school and meeting hall for the Bethesda Masonic lodge" -- Wiki. Now you know as much as I do. For over 20 years now, I have been making images of cemetery gates where the names are prominately displayed -- as in the above image. I'm only interested in those with unusual and ironic names. I probably have a few hundred images of such by now. My interest is rooted in cultural idenity. In times past, it seems people living on the edge of civilization, those folks who moved to settle the mid-west and soutwest, were inclinded to title places according to their run in life. I really doubt anyone donating land this day and age would name a cemetery something like "concrete." You are more like to find "green" something-or-other, or something-Memorial-something. Certainly not names like Peculiar, Good Exchange, Buzzard, etc. Here are a few more cemetery gate images. Bethesda would seem a nice enough name for a settlement, but why exchange it for Concrete just because of an old stone/rock church? I don't think the quote says: "On this concrete, I will build my church."

NOW AND THEN

St Peter and St Paul's Church, Kovar, Texas

Upper -- 1 March 2009

Lower -- July 1970

The earlier image is when I first found this church out on the open prairie. Well, yes, it has some trees around it and the cemetery behind, but it faces out to a wide open pasture of pure Texas prairie. A block away to the north sits the local SPJST Hall, and down the road past the hall a couple of miles, is a Moravian church. Other than a house or two scattered about, that's about all there is over a 10-12 square miles area. Kovar is located about 10-or-so miles just off TX HWY 95 south of Smithville. It's ranch country that central Texas is famous for. The area was settled by a number different central Europeans, this area was by the Czechs. I have in my files photographs made of the interior of this church, but over the past 39 years, I have stopped by and made one or two more images around the outside. I'll post those later.

RUNNIN' ON EMPTY - 4

Williamson County, Texas 1 March 2009

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Williamson County, Texas 1 March 2009

When I first saw this old gas station window, I was reminded of a James McMurtry song from his first album with a line that goes something like this: "Ghost of a moon in the afternoon, bullet holes in the mailbox...." I don't know why other than boredom that people feel compelled to shoot at things like windows, old cars, mailboxes, etc. It was interesting to see the lead fragments of the 22-cal. bullets laying on the concrete below the window.

RUNNIN' ON EMPTY -2

Brandon, Texas 6 March 2009

RUNNIN' ON EMPTY

Waco, Texas 6 March 2009

LUNCH....TEXAS STYLE

At Louie Mueller's in Taylor, Texas 4 March 2009

For more years than I can remember (almost), I have taken lunch at Louie Mueller's. I was first escorted there by my friends Larry Schaaf and Mike Murphy and Russell Lee. I guess that first time would have been sometime in the early 1970's. Every Friday about 11 a.m., we would gather at Russ' house for the mandatory bourbon or scotch, and then drive the half hour to Taylor (NE of Austin). What you see on the tray above looks exactly like so many of the lunches I've enjoy there. The only thing that has changed in all these years is the death of Bobby Mueller last year. He was without doubt the driving force that has made this legendary barbeque place. Their brisket has ranked as tops throughout the state in survey after survey. A couple of years, they have slipped to #2 only to gain the top spot the next year. It's not that the others aren't good, it just that Mueller's is just a little better. While there yesterday, current co-owner, Wayne Mueller complete with BB-Q stained apron, was taking time from behind the counter to shake hands and greet people. I told him I was a regular customer back in the 70's before moving away, but always made it a priority to stop by for at least one lunch if I were in the area. In the top picture, there is a large section of the wall where people post their business cards, and the browing of the cards is caused by the smoke from the cooking ovens. One of the ovens has b een in use for 60-years. Yesterday we were in the area, and lunch was brisket, hot link, beans, and a "wide-mouth" jar of Shiner Bock. And if I were within driving distance today or the next day, I would lunch there again. One of the thing I truly miss about Texas.

THEN AND NOW

Nederwald, Texas 1976

Nederwald, Texas 2009

We passed through Nederwald today, and I noted where I made the top image in 1976. 33 years makes a major difference. It's not that I expected it to remain the same, but I was not expecting the entire structure to be surrounded by trees growing so close to the building's perimeter. It's like the forces of nature are preparing to surround and crush the building.

TRAVELIN' in Texas

Manor, Texas March 1, 2009