Update From the Road

My traveling companion:

I made this one a "small" image, so I really do think y'all will be able to enlarge by clicking on it, this time.

I'm in Childress {By Gawd} this morning. I've been WAAAAAYYYYY too busy, then tired Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights to write an update for y'all.

Sorry, sorta.

Thursday, I left home and got pics of 3 Courthouses before checking into a hotel and meeting a friend for dinner. EAT YOUR HEARTS OUT. I got to visit with LawDog! [as much as I adore you, I'm not above site meter hit mongering, Pal] He gave me some tres interesting info on a Courthouse in his area, so he'll be getting a "Thank You" in the Foreword of the book.

Yes, that's the purpose of this trip, to add to the portfolio of pics for the book the Dearly Beloved and I have been working on about Historic Texas Courthouses. There are several books out there about ALL the courthouses in Texas. [Kelsey is one of my references] But while they are ALL-inclusive, and they have bits of history and arcana; OUR book will be different. By focusing only on the HISTORIC Courthouses, we can devote more attention to the architectural details that make the structures interesting from the outside.

AND, I'm queer for what Citizens [and the politicians who spend their money] think is important enough to put on their Courthouse Lawns. For instance, Friday, I saw a War memorial from what i like to call "The War of Northern Aggression." That type of memorial is not unusual, in and of itself. What was unusual about this one, was the design. It was an obelisk. At the top, before it becomes a point, on the four sides, are engraved, respectively, "Calvary"; "Artillery"; "Infantry"; and "Navy". Yes, Children. For those of you unfamiliar with Confederate History, we HAD a Navy. In Texas, even. Look at our Coastline!

The Citizens of Knox County have built the most impressive War Veterans Memorial I have seen to date. It is more impressive than that of MUCH larger counties; larger in population and land mass. They've done it with privately raised funds, too. Thanks to a lovely lady named "Janice" [pronounce Ja-niece] who runs the store on U.S. Hwy 82 there in Benjamin, I know they did it by holding community garage sales, bake sales, and other such fund raisers. Thanks, J.

I called the Dearly Beloved from Cottle County to ask "Why, in all the times you've been here hunting, have you NEVER bother to tell me how AWESOME the details are on this Courthouse? And the era-intact buildings on the Square?" When I win the Lottery...I'm buyin' the Cottle Hotel and restorin' it. I'm gonna live there; turn it into a combo Hotel/restaurant/bar/dance hall and possibly some sort of boutique shopping space for local artsy/craftsy types. I'll send out a MASSIVE e-mail for the Opening Party. After that, anyone mentioning this post will get a discount on 2- or more night stays.

So far I've visited, 18 counties in 3 days. That doesn't sound like a lot, does it? Think about this, though: I get out of the car, take pics on all four sides of the building itself; then I start on the structures and memorials on the Courthouse Lawn. Next, the Square Buildings if they have maintained era integrity. All this picture takin' requires at LEAST an hour. Then there's the travel time between counties.

And then there's Tip, my Brave little Soldier. He has to get out and pee on the Lawn. But mostly, he just follows me around, makin' sure I'm safe. Speakin' of makin' sure I'm safe...I didn't realize what an Urban Dawg he is. Poor baby. We checked into our motel last night. We got a room in the back and there's a pasture bordering the parkin' lot. He immediately started barkin' at these strange, large 4-legged creatures eating grass beyond the fence. What creatures, you ask? Cows. He'd never seen cows before. He was MOST curious.

We'll be visiting 4 counties today and then head on home. I'll try to post later this week.