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Eastland County Courthouse

This beautiful courthouse building is the Eastland County Courthouse located in Eastland, Texas. 

In 2000 the population of the county was a little over 17,000.

The structure is located in the center of the town.

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Two Buildings in Eastland

Today was a field trip to Eastland, TX.  These two buildings are in the downtown area.  The taller one looks to be uninhabited, but would surely make a great apartment building.  I couldn't tell about the other one.

The weather was beautiful today for walking around getting photos,  We stopped in to a great coffee shop for coffees and a snack.  It was a really good day.  

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New Baby, New Portrait

Things were going along pretty well with this family portrait session until the little guy decided to have a melt-down. The big guy was doing a great job holding him in spite

of the wee one losing his patience.

For some reason, I really like this particular image.  

There were other images that might be more appealing, but I like the reality of this one.

I don't know which images the mom will choose, but this is still high on my list of favorites. 

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Clock Tower

This beautiful clock tower is located on the campus of Hardin Simmons University in Abilene, Texas.

It has an arch under it that allows students to walk the path from the sidewalk onto the campus between two buildings.  The tower is red brick with a golden dome.

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Orange Sculpture

This orange sculpture of squares is located outside the art building at Hardin-Simons University in Abilene, Texas.  The middle box is the same orange as the rest, but the way the sun was shining washed it out to a lighter shade.

It's pretty interesting I guess, but it's not what I would have used as an indicator or

the art building.

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Abandoned White Country Church

On our field trip the other day we drove about 1.5 hours west of Abilene.  I can't remember the town we were in, but there wasn't much there except for a few abandoned buildings.

This church, which must have been the centerpiece of the community at one time, was all boarded up.  No other buildings were near it, but it looks like it had an active spiritual life at one time.  Sadly the doors were locked so we couldn't get inside.

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Abandoned Post Office

This abandoned building is located in Norton, Texas. The Post Office was opened in 1894.

In 1940 the population was 120 and had five businesses.

From 1980 to 2000 the population was 76.

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The Mailbox is in Good Shape

A totally abandoned house.  But the mailbox is in good condition.

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Abandoned Shed

My friend and I took a long ride today to find some photo ops.  We came upon this shed where half is falling down and the other half is still standing but is in terrible condition.  

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Wildflowers

Today I had to take my car to Firestone for an oil change.  They were going to do some other work on it too, so I left the car there and got a ride home, only about a mile away.

When it was time to get the car, I walked back to the shop and on the way I saw these wildflowers growing in a cluster.  I've seen them other places too but only when I was driving and couldn't stop to get a photo.

I don't know the name of the flowers, but they're just so sweet and pretty.

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Partial Pyramid in Lima, Peru

In the foreground of the image you can see the remains of a pyramid right in the center of Lima, Peru.  In the background are hi-rise apartment buildings that surround the pyramid on all sides.

The history of the pyramid is very interesting, although I was dealing with a very sore foot and 

was a little distracted by the discomfort of walking so much around and in the structure.

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Baptist Church

I went to an estate sale this afternoon.  I don't ever want to buy anything, but it's something to do and it gets me out of the house.  

I'm always astounded at how much is in those houses~~what do people do with so much stuff, most of which is put away in cabinets and closets and not even used.

Anyway, after that I decided to drive around and look for some photo ops. 

Before I got out of town I drove down some streets I've never been on before and I came upon this beautiful Baptist Church.  What an interesting building. 

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Back Door

We met for our monthly bookgroup today.  We usually go to a local coffee house, which I'm not overly fond of, but it works and there's a room that's usually empty that we meet in.

The book we discussed is the second in the series of The #1 Ladies Detective Agency, 

"The Tears of the Giraffe".

It was a fun discussion and the books, as well as the set of DVDs, is just sweet.  No swearing, no sex, no violence...

I was parked across the street from the coffee shop and when I got in my car to leave I just sat there for a while trying to figure out what to do since the weather was so nice and I didn't really want to go home and just sit on the couch.  I glanced over and noticed this side door of the coffee shop.  It's not very exciting, but for some reason I thought it was a good photo op.

I'm not sure anyone uses this doorway, but I like the color palette of it, and I couldn't think of anything else to photograph today.  I drove around on my way home hoping to find something else to photograph, but no such luck.

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Three Cowboys

Three cowboys awaiting the start of the yearly rodeo in Abilene, Texas at the Annual Fair and Rodeo.

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Pool Closed

Some of the saddest words ever.  

In Texas it's in the low 90s until the end of Sept or beginning of Oct, so why, I wonder, 

does the pool close so early?  So discouraging.

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Photo of Paint Cans

I got my hair trimmed today in a small town about 20 minutes from where I live and then I drove around hoping to find something to photograph.  

I drove down a side road I haven't been on before and there was a Hardware Store with this photo on the outside.  I thought it was pretty cool. What a way to advertise a business.

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House for Sale

I occasionally work with a realtor to photograph houses they want to sell.  The other day I had the pleasure of capturing this sweet little house in pics.  

It's just too adorable.  I wish I could buy it, but there's one legal item keeping me from getting 

a mortgage.  I can't get the house out of my mind, but I guess I'll have to wait on the Lord to make it possible if buying a house is His will for me.

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Chain Link and Storage

Not too far from where I live is this storage place surrounded by a chain link fence. Not much to say about it...it's clean and I never see anyone in there, but I only drive past it once a day.

I wonder how many units are rented. 

I love shooting through chain link, weird I know.

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Living Quarters

An apartment building across the street from the local church located on the outskirts of Lima, Peru.

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Front Facade

This beautiful architecture is seen on a building in the historic town square of Lima, Peru.  The town square is referred to as Plaza Mayor or Plaza de Armas.

Lima was founded by Francisco Pizarro on January 18, 1535.

Lima is the second largest desert city in the world and is also the home of the oldest 

university in the Americas. 

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Peruvian Saleswoman

Selling her wares near the town center in Lima, Peru.

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Close-Up Architecture

This is a close-up look at a beautiful building in downtown Lima, Peru.  The buildings surrounding the town square are breathtaking.  

Sadly, though, there's much of Lima that is incredibly poor.

How do they reconcile the great disparity?

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Opening Ceremony at the Rodeo

These 6 White Horses, sponsored by one of the local Universities in Abilene, perform the opening ceremony at the West Texas Fair and  Rodeo each year, in addition to other performances they do throughout the year at other events.

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Group of Peruvian Seniors

Our first workday in Lima, my group of about 12 and adults from the local church traveled to a camp in the hills and we had some medical assessments and discussions, a great lunch and then some fun playing games.

Always an opportunity for a group photo at the end of the day.

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Our Mission Group 

Our mission group had their photo made in front of the hotel in Lima the first full day we were there.

There were 99 of us and we went out to minister to others in our different groups.

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Ferris Wheel at Night

I grabbed this shot of the ferris wheel on my way out of the fairgrounds after the rodeo. 

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Bull Rider

Bull riding event at the West Texas Fair and Rodeo.

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Beautiful Architecture

Beautiful architecture in the town square of Lima, Peru. The buildings surrounding the town square were amazingly beautiful. 

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Ministering to Physically Challenged

We spent the entire morning ministering to a group of handicapped folks ranging in age from high school to older adults.  They had a blast and they loved the game of juggling the beach balls on a parachute.

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Apartment Building

An apartment building in Peru.  

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Hats for Sale

A hat mannequin in a Peruvian outdoor mall.

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Beautiful Dessert

A beautiful dessert to finish off an incredible meal at a restaurant in Peru.

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What A Mess

Not in the United States.  

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No Red Lights, No Yield Sign

An intersection with no lights or signs.  Traffic just goes whichever way it wants.

Not in the United States.

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Roadside Memorial

Seen along a country road in West Texas.  Looks like a memorial for two construction workers. Boots, gloves, hardhats, flowers, cross.

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Destroyed Structure

This structure is located in Sylvester, Texas, which is an unincorporated community.  In 2000 the population was about 79.

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Retro Gas Station

An abandoned gas station is a small town in Texas. 

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Abandoned Country Home

This abandoned home is in Leuders, Texas.  

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Business Window

I made this image several years ago in Dublin, Texas.  It was an abandoned business and I just liked the way it looked with the round circle just inside the window.

I have no memory of what the business was.

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Backyard Pool

The Tiny Wedding venue is sometimes in the backyard of the people who run the business.  It was my first time being there~~oh, to have a pool like this... 

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Abandoned Silo

Downtown there's this abandoned silo.  It's directly behind one of the popular coffee shops at the edge of downtown.  

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Bathtub planter

This is one way to use a retro bathtub.

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Ladder of Years

I chose this book for my bookgroup many, many years ago.  Anne Tyler wrote this book in 1995.  I LOVE it, it's my favorite of her books, and every book she writes is great.  I read this one at least once a year.

Tyler's books are quirky and funny. 

If you haven't read anything by Anne Tyler yet, take a chance and read one.

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Lion Wall Art

A small rectangular building that appears to be vacant now was home to a health business of some sort.  I've been wanting to take a photo of this wall art for several months, but there was a large car parked in front of it for a long time.  Today the vehicle was gone and all the signage was gone too.

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Baseball Discussion

Some pitching discussion at a high school baseball game.

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Game Room in Ranger

Another abandoned building in Ranger, Texas.  The sign in the window says "Condemned".

This structure sits on a corner in downtown.

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Abandoned Motel in Ranger

Another abandoned structure in Ranger, Texas directly across the street from the Police Station.

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Ranger, Texas City Hall

This interesting building houses the Ranger, Texas City Hall and Police Station.  It sits on a corner in the downtown area.

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Front Wall

This is the front wall of a business that no longer exists at this site in Ranger, Texas.  It sits on a corner of the block.  It doesn't look like there was a fire, but there is no text or any markers indicating what type of business it used to be.

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First United Methodist Church

This beautiful structure is located in Ranger, Texas but seems to be currently abandoned.  There is a For Sale sign (which I removed) and all the doors and windows are locked and shuttered.

The building was erected in 1920.

I couldn't find out any other information about it.