Saturday, January 31, 2009

Roadside Memorials (6)

Snapped two memorials yesterday. This first one has a rather sad story. A mother and child were in one vehicle with the father/husband following behind in another vehicle. Mother and child rolled over while father watched. How tragic. The accident happened near the end of 2008. Names and dates were not indicated.
Unknown Photo Taken: 30 January 2009 Phenix City, AL, Hwy 80N (aka JR Allen Parkway)
This one was not more than 2 miles from the first. Although, it is a year older.
Taylor Calvin Zito 4 July 1989 - 13 September 2007 Photo Taken: 30 January 2009 Phenix City, AL, Hwy 80N (aka JR Allen Parkway)

Friday, January 30, 2009

Mural at Idle Hour Park

This is part of a mural at our neighborhood park and depicts an amusement part that was at the location in the '40s. This is where I go walking when I have the energy to leave the house : ) Mural 28' x 140' depicting midway of 1940s Idle Hour Park. Carousel, train, skating, zoo, pool, dance hall, bowling, fortune teller, Ferris wheel. Sponsored/painted by Phenix City Arts Council, Phenix City Parks & Recreation. Post Card

River Road Grocery

Today I took a drive in search of anything interesting to take snaps of. I was looking for roadside memorials (I found a couple), but today they were not the priority. I crossed the river into Georgia and this is what I found. River Road Grocery was built in 1937 by the grandfather of the current owner's (Cecil Saxon) wife. I found it interesting it has stayed in the family for 71 years. The structure is now a second hand store. Unfortunately, the vintage signage and the gasoline pumps were stolen a few years ago. I guess someone finally realized these items were marketable. I love the red door. And the little blue bird house. I should have bought that. The posts supporting the roof are cedar and are original to the building. According to Mr. Cecil, the River Road BBQ Shack was once moonshine central. He did not indicate whether his wife's family ran that business as well:-> Vintage signage was also stolen from this building. However, the hand-painted Nehi sign on the side of the shack is elegantly weathered. The River Road Grocery is located on River Road (219N), Harris County, Georgia.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Sign of the Times

Do you suppose they mean morally or financially?

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Roadside Memorials (5)

Unknown Photo Taken: 23 January 2009 Location: Ladonia, AL
Unknown Photo Taken: 23 January 2009 Location: Ladonia, AL
Unknown Photo Taken: 23 January 2009 Location: Ladonia, AL
Tara Gayle Newsome George 3/26/77 - 7/27/08 Photo Taken: 23 January 2009 Location: Ladonia, AL
Cheryl Moody 11/2/1961 - 2/7/1998 Photo Taken: 23 January 2009 Location: Ladonia, AL
Dianna Burrous 6/4/1984 - 3/12/2005 Photo Taken: 23 January 2009 Location: Ladonia, AL

Friday, January 23, 2009

Roadside Memorial (4)

On my exploration last Saturday, I only came across 1 memorial. Considering, the limited site distance, the high rate of speed by driver's and the fact that this stretch of raod has no lights, I was quite surprised. Anyhoo, this is it ...
Zachary D. Whitton Photo Taken: 18 January 2009 July 27, 1978 - November 9, 2000 Hyw 169N, Lee County, AL

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

You Just Turned 50 ...

he said with glee. It's time for your first col-on-os-co-py. Post post comment: The clear liquide day was not bad. I drank lots of herbal tea and chicken broth. The procedure went well. No anxiety or hysterics to report. I did suffer nausea from the demerol, but boy does that stuff knock you out. I slept all afternoon :->

Monday, January 19, 2009

Ol' Salem Antiques

On my journey of exploration on Saturday, I stopped at Ol' Salem Antiques. The proprietor, Walt Winslow, was friendly and more than willing to let me take snaps at his shop. He specializes in vintage signage, old riding toys, and furniture. Also for sale is a pre-civil war cabin for $50,000 (with modern plumbing). The wall of the building that faces the highway was painted with a mural about 12 years ago. The mural depicts the history of the area, including references to the railroad, the local covered bridge, and king cotton.
Vintage signage and riding toys
Cookie Jars
Trains
Old Irons
Folk Art
Post post comment: We are making our own version of the Tin Man for our garden.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Treasure Hunting in Alabama

As you know, my last few posts have been about roadside markers. I went out to add some more shots to the collection and wound up on a journey of exploration. Today I spent about three hours and 60 miles discovering the area in which I live. That's not to say that I have not driven these roads before, I have. I have even taken pictures of some of these places before. The difference today was that I was not in a hurry. I had the luxury of time. In my search for roadside markers, I have to drive slower. I have to pay attention. And in the process, I see things I've missed before. Horses in a field. The old grist mill and mill pond. A tattered hat with sequins glittering along the roadside. Old barns. Lone chimneys standing in the middle of an open field. My humanity. And so today, I give some of these to you. Note: Some guy in a huge white diesel pickup truck stopped to see what I was up to here. I don't know if believed me or not when I told him I was just taking pictures of the horses : ) As well as a few things I would rather not see on my journeys of exploration.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Roadside Memorials (3)

Today at work I put out the call and my teammates did not dissapoint. From 6 responses, I have leads for at least 10 more markers. And a couple said that they would snap some pics with their digitals or phones if they came across any. I really do work with a great group of people. I also had several requests for my 'book'. I mean, I thought about pulling them all together in some form for myself, but didn't think anyone else would be interested. Who'da thunk it! Anyhoo, if the weather is clear this weekend, I will track them all down. I did go out on Wednesday and today and have a few more for the collection. I found the gold standard today but the light was bad and both camera batteries were dead. I know, there is no excuse for a dead battery. I will go back in the morning when the light is better. This first marker is unique as it has the name carved into the cross arm. Quite appropriate for a gentleman, I think. If I remember correctly, this guy was riding a motorcycle when he was hit by a vehicle. I tried to find the article in the newspaper archives, but no luck.

Hwy 280W, Lee County, AL Photo Taken: 01/14/2009 Mike Stoker

This marker was not identified with name or date. The flowers, tho fake, contain poinsiettas. I love the contrast of the red flowers against the blue sky. (I am so lucky to have had clear skies these past few days.)

Hwy 280W, Phenix City, AL Photo Taken: 01/14/2009

It was quite cold today and I was going to go straight home after work, but something keeps drawing me out. It's like a treasure hunt, you never know what you are going to find. This first marker is quite simple and there is nothing left of the flowers, but it was placed in an almost desolate place along the highway ... Nothing left of the real flowers that once graced this spot except the vase. Because the sun was sooo bright, the blue sky was washed out. When I got home I ramped up the saturation on the colors. I really like the effect around the tree. Maybe I should have snapped this one in black and white. And lowered the horizon in the snap, it is a iittle to close to center to be visually appealing.

Hwy 80W, Crawford, AL Photo Taken: 01/16/2009

This next marker is the one that I need to go back for. The light was totally in the wrong spot to capture this one the way I wanted to. There is a rose bush that blocked the marker when I tried to shoot facing east. This one is unique in that the cross is handmade with bent twig construction. I love this marker. Definitely for a woman. She must have liked roses, hence the rose bush : ) Also, the ground was damp and I could not get down on my knees like I would have liked. I wonder what people driving by on the road think when they see me with my camera and my note pad. I know I would wonder what I was up to.

Hwy 80W, Crawford, Al Photo Taken: 01/16/2009

Note: One of the managers in my area indicated to me that his wife is on a campaign to have the markers removed from the roadside. Do they bother her so much? Is she afraid of the message that's conveyed each time she drives by?