Just A Little Songbird

My car had a mind of its own today and took me in a direction that I would not have gone on my own this time of year. As it turned out, it gave me some shots that were needed to fill in some gaps in both stock and in product textures. Those are always needed,too. I also got a history lesson about Conestoga and Pittsburgh wagons and the mid 1850s crossing of the Trinity River at Valley Ranch where hundreds of pioneers would spend the night before crossing at California Crossing. There were many rivers that had to be crossed between here and the western places of settlement. One of the more famous is right here in the Metroplex.

The Trinity River just below the 1850's crossing point.

My new friend. This bird just kept following me. I  had talked to him when I started down the trail and he just kept following me and staying in sight at eye level or just below all the time. Then, he just disappeared.

This is a classic wild texture. It is one of those places where you see trail guides with machetes in the movies, but not on this trail, at least. 

As Time Goes Bye

Just off Mockingbird, for years, sat a small Baptist church. The last couple of years, the congregation  slowly disappeared. That is not to say that the congregation is no more, it simply means that the church began to appear empty. Then in the fall of last year the real estate "for sale" sign when up. One day in passing, I decided that it was time to get a picture of the belfry with the  foundry-cast bell visibly hanging in place. After a while, the image got deleted (as I do every six months).

In an urban setting, the location, setting and size of the building lended itself to my memory of a small country church  where I grew up and anchored our paternal family burial plots. Although, four other cemeteries hold my maternal immediate family and my son,that of and within itself could be another story.

During the past couple of weeks, there was visible activity that a new owner or the past congregation  of the property were beginning to make changes to the property, then last week, the bell in the belfry was gone. That was not a good sign. Yesterday, there was a city code violation sticker attached to the property. It is now obvious that the property is set for destruction, be it a new owner or the previous church congregation, although since it was listed by a real estate agent, the probability of the congregation rebuilding  would be a somewhat mute point at this site.

At any rate, a piece of history is changing architectu

History past and present

The belfry contained  a foundry-cast bell until a couple of weeks ago.

rally. Therefore, the property does fall within the mission statement of this site to photograph within guidelines "to enhance the mind,stir the emotions and quench a thirsty soul."  This is why I enjoy urban photography so much. Bitter sweet memories do enhance the mind, they do stir the emotions and they will quench a thirsty soul strolling down memory lane.