8 AM.

An early morning walk along Pearl Street in downtown Boulder. It will be busy later but this is what I see now. A lone dog walker. A guy on a bike. A few people getting their morning coffee at one of the local independent coffee shops. Quiet.

I can walk a mile or so down one side of the street and return along the other side seeing what catches my eye without being distracted by people and traffic. It is an exercise in LOOKING up, down, and sideways. Stopping and starting. Seeing the ordinary, the overlooked, the mundane, and the discarded. Finding patterns, textures and colors along ONE street in a busy city.

Pearl Street mall

Pearl Street alley

There is construction and deconstruction.

There is art on the walls and on the street. There are artful window displays.

There are signs which inform and are usually not given a second thought as we hurry by. Well, maybe, sometimes.

Objects all lined up make a “group” if you see them that way.

There are patterns and textures. Look up, look down.

There are even some “underfoot” markings and graffiti.

Things left behind make me wonder about the “who” and “why.”

Nothing will be the same tomorrow.

I came to Dallas in 1969. From then, until Covid-19, hubby and I traveled a lot. We traveled to countries near and far, throughout the U.S. and much of Texas. We have not seen all of Texas, it is big, you know, but we have seen a lot; large, medium and small cities and towns and parts that are still rural and undeveloped, although for how much longer I can’t say.

Recently, looking at photos taken during those travelin’ days, I was reminded of the impact that those places had on me. How extraordinary the most ordinary things can seem if looked at in a different way.

With that in mind, I invite you to join me as I mosey down the highways and (mostly) byways of Texas, a big state with similarities throughout and great differences east to west and north to south. The stops along the way are in no particular order but they are real places and can be found on any Texas map.

Along many country roads there are buildings, still standing, which make a statement, sometimes hard to miss, sometimes easy to dismiss. They arouse my sense of curiosity and make me want to stop and ponder – who, when, why?

St. Jo

Honey Grove

Round Top

Whitewright

Honey Grove

Whitewright

Bells

You have to slow down (literally) when small towns are along your route or your destination. Main Street, where businesses once thrived still have “Antique” stores containing all those reminders of bygone days.

Comfort

Comfort

Honey Grove

Sherman

Nacoma

McKinney

The local café was always a place to stop, stretch and grab a bite. Some had quite a reputation.

Round Top

Round Top

Jefferson

Jefferson

Ferris

As I walked the streets of these small cities and towns I found myself hoping that the attempts at gentrifying and repurposing the neglected or vacant buildings would be successful. The parts of town that are not front and center often have “character” which is a way of saying they were once important and in some cases still are although they could use a good dose of TLC. Then there’s the question, “If you build it, will they come?”

Cisco

Honey Grove

Whitewright

Denison

Nacoma

McKinney

Texans are generally gregarious and like to gather at auctions, on front porches and county fairs. Small towns are famous for all of those.

Denison

Denison

Ravenna

Whitewright

Fannin County Fair

We went to Marfa, in West Texas, many years ago. Marfa gained notoriety when the Chinati Foundation was established; Donald Judd’s sculptures are displayed inside and outside on the many acres around the building. It became a mecca for tourists and gave a decided “bump” to the town where Judd lived.

Chinati, Marfa

Chinati, Marfa

There are more places on my Texas Rambles list, too many for one blog. When travel once again becomes a reality (I hope), remind yourself that the ordinary can become the extraordinary if you stop and look, really look.

McKinney

McKinney

As one of my favorite country singers says, “I can’t wait to get on the road again.”

This is about ball caps, specifically those belonging to Stanley Feld. In an effort to de-clutter, a la Marie Kondo (“The Art of Tidying Up”), I persuaded Stan to document all his caps, keep the most beloved, and donate the rest. Thus was born the Ball Cap Project. What better way to start 2021, ten months into the pandemic?

Would you believe me if I told you there were more than 100 caps in various places all over the house? I know there is a song or poem there. This abundance of headgear fell into several categories; sports teams, travel, farm/ranch, hotels/resorts, bands, entertainment venues, and colleges/universities.

As we sorted through the piles I feared Stan would get lost in a sea of nostalgia, reminiscing about where, why and how he acquired each cap. But he was a good trooper and happily posed for a keepsake photo in each one he kept. That kept us moving along nicely. Still too many in my opinion, but you can’t win ‘em all. Another time, another Marie Kondo try.

To quote Rod Stewart, “he is my lover, he’s my best friend…”

And so, here’s to my guy, Stan the man.

Florida Marlins

Colorado Rockies

Dallas Cowboys

San Francisco Giants

Univ. of Kansas

Univ. of Illinois

California Angels

Boston Red Sox

Cleveland Indians

Univ. of Illinois

California Angels

Boston Red Sox

Univ. of Nebraska

St. Louis Cardinals

Univ. of Utah

Dallas Mavericks

Univ. of Missouri

Omaha Royals

Minn.

NY Yankees

Texas Rangers

Astros/Rangers

NY Mets

Texas Tech

Midland Angels

Chicago White Sox

Montreal Canadians

Seattle Mariners

Philadelphia Phillies

Baltimore Orioles

Montreal Expos

Brooklyn Dodgers

Detroit Tigers

We are ordinary people living in an extraordinary time. I am thankful for the roof over my head and food on my table. Wearing the same clothes for too many days (weeks?) is a minor inconvenience. I won’t list the things I miss. Everyone else has done that.

Hubby and I decided to “shelter in place” at our house in Dallas and temporarily forgo our weekly trips to our farm north of Dallas, at least for the near future. I decided to document my days at home by photographing the simple, usually unnoticed, things in my surroundings. It was a good exercise is “noticing.”

Spring arrives in Texas early, sometime in March, about the same time we received the stay at home order and my local gym closed. About five minutes from my house is the Preston Ridge Trail, a mixed-use trail that goes on for miles and is never crowded. A four-mile early morning walk became my daily aerobic workout (mask included). The absence of people was striking.

No Players, No Fans

Caution

Crossing Ahead

Hello, Anybody There?

No One On The Trail

Underfoot, Dallas

Abandoned

At home there is more cooking than usual which is O.K. since I like to cook. Maybe not quite this much. So much food prep meant more “noticing.”

Washed & Ready To Eat

Last One

Home Cooking

If You Wait Long Enough

Time To Clean

Plus, a bit of early spring to brighten up the table.

Irises Say Spring

I am a solitary person by nature, enjoying my alone time in my art studio. As an artist I am used to having large blocks of uninterrupted time, so the forced isolation was not as much of a problem for me as for others. I missed everything that filled my non-working hours, family, friends, dining out, cultural outings, travel, etc., etc. There is extra time for hobbies, one of which is knitting. I’ve been a knitter since I was eight years old (thanks, Mom). There is always something on my needles.

Ready To Knit

The house is quiet, inside and outside.

Morning Joe

Gone to Sleep

Hidden From View

Inside/Outside

Nightfall

Patio At Night

To be continued (Part 2).