Sometimes it pays to pull over on the side of the road if your curiosity is piqued

Inside the abandoned Presbyterian church between Taiban and Tolar, New Mexico is a range of earthly writings. Some like exhibit one above are exuberantly positive. Others like exhibit two are as dark as dark can be. 

Several years back I re-visited Fort Ord, the long closed army base where I partook of basic training in the summer of 1960. There, too, I came across wrenching graffiti in the barren halls where young men laughed and learned to be soldiers. As best I could figure, squatters had bedded down in the decaying barracks and left us mementos of their angst and desperation. 

My examination of the little church's interior walls affected me the same way.

I applaud the message of the headline I purloined from the south facing wall.

Vantage Points

The little church between Taiban and Tolar grabbed me and won't let go. Here's the little treasure from the west and and directly up to the eaves.

I’m experimenting with file size as I try to solve the riddle of Facebook’s annoying crops. Facebook viewers please click on the image to be sure you see the whole thing.

Next week a little of what’s written inside the proud edifice.

Church and Sky

East of Fort Sumner, best known as the place where Pat Garrett plugged Billy the Kid, spread empty flats that are indistinguishable from arid West Texas. Ahead lies Clovis, NM where Buddy Holly recorded his early hits. The ribbon of US Highway 84 slices through the arid steppes with only the remains of tiny railroad towns like Taiban and Tolar to relieve the sameness. Standing alone between them is a shuttered Presbyterian church begging to be remembered. 

Payback time

A few days ago my friend John Farnsworth posted an image of me from his favorite café cum duck blind in Antigua. Not to be outdone, here’s payback for his entirely too candid candid. Might even be from the same afternoon. Take that, guapo!

Out like a lion

Last Wednesday Mother Nature threw us a curve ball as yesterday’s 70 become today’s 40 with winds to 50mph. Didn’t exactly need that to tell the truth. Still, look on the bright side. The blustery winds and low clouds gave us this display.