Mini Hill Country Trip and Two Lovely Ladies
I had to run up to the Hill Country this week – the trip is long and the days are short so I couldn’t get too many pictures, but here are a few. I hope they are a remedy for holiday stress! You can click on the pictures to view them larger.
Church near Stonewall, Texas
There’s a reason the speed limit is 80 mph in half the state.
Across the street from the church is the Pedernales River
Turtles catch a little sun.
A Northern cardinal on a cedar (correct name – Ashe juniper. I know lots more thrilling facts about cedar).
Black-throated sparrow on prickly pear. You can see where feral hogs have chomped it.
A close-up of the sparrow. I just point my camera in the direction of the bird and hope it’s in the shot – and sometimes, it turns out great!
On my way back home, I stopped into a little antique mall – the last time I shopped there, they had a little quilting corner and I wanted to check it out. I wasn’t sure if it would even be open on a Tuesday, but the door was open and the owner was there with a customer, so I asked if she was open and went in. The other customer left,and when I asked about the quilting lady, the owner told me she had moved to another town. There was plenty more to look at, so I started browsing. The owner asked me, a little abruptly, “How long are you going to be here?” It was after noon, and I thought maybe she wanted to close up for lunch, so I said, “A few minutes if that’s okay.”
She said, “Well, I have to deliver these posters around town. Do you mind if I leave while you’re here?”
And that’s why I love to shop in small towns.
She came back shortly, saw I was still shopping, got another bunch of posters, and left again. Two other customers came in and asked for her. I told them where she was and they just waited till she got back.
And I bought these little tintypes. (I am using “tintype” as a generic term – I will have to read up on these cased images to see if I can tell what process was used to make them.) They’re in bad shape, but I’m interested in them for the documentation of dress style, not for the quality of the tintype. The back and front covers don’ t even match, but I actually like that better because of the additional patterns. They have found a good home with me.
This image is only 2 inches tall. The dress style looks about 1870 to me, but I would think tintypes had gone out of style by then, so I don’t know.
This image says 1850s or 1860s to me.
Through the miracle of photo editing, we can see more detail in this lovely girl’s portrait.
I love those potraits! A wonderful window to the past…
Yes, I always feel like I can tell something about their personality just by that one shot. They would be amazed that their images have lasted so long, I imagine.
That church looks very much like my church. Love the tintypes. What a great way to document clothing styles.
There are so many interesting little country churches around me – I kept telling myself that I would stop and take pictures, but never got around to it. Last week one of them got torn down! So now I am determined to record them.
Love these pictures. It’s amazing how you could clean up that picture with photo editing.
I love to photo edit! It helps me see things I could never see with just my own eyesight.
The photos are great as are the images of the women. To think that they are being viewed on the internet by so many after more than likely being in a drawer for years? Fun.