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Welcome to Hard Times
Nogales, Arizona
2022

A Dedicated Follower of Fashion
Nogales, Arizona
2022

Thanks to the Kinks for this title.

The More Things Change
Nogales, Arizona
2022

Get It to Go
Rawlins, Wyoming
2022

I thought the tag line on this old gas pump was a pretty clever play on words–a very literal meaning of the term getting something to go. Not only are you going to take the gas with you (of course) but also, if you don’t get it, you can’t go! I also though it was interesting to see the big “at” symbol on a gas pump that clearly predates it’s internet ubiquity by multiple decades. It’s been a while since gas pumps only allowed gas prices less than a dollar a gallon and registered total sale amounts under $10. This pump is not longer in use but some similar ones are. We filled up our campervan at the only diesel fuel pump in Zortman, Montana last month. It was a very antiquated pump, not as old as this one but with similar limitations. As a result, neither the price per gallon or the total price were displayed correctly–only the total gallons purchased were (as long as it was less than 100 gallons). Some arithmetic was required to arrive at the cost we had to pay.

Dance Practice
Rawlins, Wyoming
2022

A Bit of Dressing Up
Rawlins, Wyoming
2022

A simple shed off the alley in a simple and decaying neighborhood, but I was struck by the bit of architectural flourish the builder added via the scalloped shingles on the gable end.

African Abstract
Rawlins, Wyoming
2022

This pattern on a decaying wall in Rawlins reminds me of a pattern you might see on African batik fabric.

Creation Myth #4
Bozeman, Montana
2022

When a pine siskin met an untimely death in a freak accident at our bird feeder, I salvaged its wings because, well, that’s just the kind of thing I do sometimes. I placed the bases of the wings under this rock that was laying on our counter to force them to flatten out as they dried. Then the small jawbone I’d also found recently somehow ended up on top of the rock. This odd impromptu still life sat that way for a number of days until one day it came across to me as some sort of flying totem, so I photographed it. I worked it into this composite image sometime later. I saw it as another image that could be interpreted as illustrating some sort of pagan creation myth so have titled it as the next in the small series of creation myth images I’ve created from time to time. After sitting on the image for a while and then looking at it again, it now appears to me to be more apocalyptic than creative in nature. Perhaps I need to start a new series under that rubric, but for now, I’ll stick with the creation idea on this one.

The Good With the Bad
Leadville, Colorado
2022

I looked up the web site referenced on this sign and support their efforts. Legal and safe abortions should be available everywhere. However, I found the sentiment expressed on the sign disturbing for a couple of reasons. While the “colorful” choice of words doesn’t particularly bother me personally, I fear it may turn a number of people off to the extent they won’t bother to look up the website. But more than that, the wording suggests a  wholesale condemnation of the Supreme Court. I may be a Pollyanna in thinking the court is still a largely sound institution even though it, in my view, made a horrible decision on abortion (and also some other cases as well). But if things have gone so far off the rails that we must disregard the institution as a whole, it’s much more depressing than the abortion decision itself. I’d feel better if they could do well-deserved yet targeted condemnation of their actions on specific decisions

Choose Wisely
Leadville, Colorado
2022

It’s a sad fact that so many people seem to be making the wrong choice these days.