Pullman Yard

A railroad maintenance yard near my house. Abandoned for many years, it's now frequently used for filming scenes for movies.

Driving Through the Delta

Southbound on Highway 49, near Glendora, Mississippi.

One Way Out of the Delta

Clarksdale, Mississippi

Tutwiler

A couple of the wall murals in Tutwiler, Mississippi, taken from the site of the depot where W. C. Handy first heard the blues around 1903. I think the face in the right mural is supposed to be Sonny Boy Williamson, although it doesn't look much like him to me. Since my last visit, about 15 years ago, a marker has been erected at a spot which gave me chills. One of the decaying buildings in this very poor town once housed the Tutwiler Funeral Home, where Emmett Till's body was brought after his brutal murder.

Poor Monkey Lounge

Near Merigold, Mississippi.

Delta Sunset

Taken from the cemetery at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, south of Greenwood, Mississippi. This may or may not be the site of Robert Johnson's grave.

Unusual Geocaching Sight

You see some odd things while geocaching. I was in a park in Roswell, Georgia today and came across something I've never seen in the woods before.

Marketing

Supermarket, Atlanta.

Wetlands

Near Alpharetta, Georgia.

Toy Trains

Kudzu Flea Market, Atlanta.

The Godfather of Soul

Near the intersection of Broad Street and James Brown Boulevard, Augusta, Georgia.

Beer at the Candler Park Market

Part of the impressive beer selection at my local market.

Wall Art

Candler Park neighborhood, Atlanta.

The Big Chicken

The Big Chicken, as every Atlantan knows, is a chicken restaurant which looks like, well, a big chicken. It's in Marietta, a suburb of Atlanta. It was built as an independent chicken joint back in the 1960's, but was taken over by Kentucky Fried Chicken. The machinery which caused the beak to move and the eyes to roll proved to be loud and unreliable, so those features didn't work for years, but KFC restored the building and replaced the works with more modern machinery back in the 1990's.

The Big Chicken is such a landmark that Atlantans use it as a basis for giving directions, as in, "Head north on Highway 41 and turn left at The Big Chicken."

Giving Blood

We usually donate blood to the Red Cross four or five times a year. MLK Day is often one of those days. The blur beyond my feet is a nurse walking rapidly by.

A Glimpse Into Madness

Colin Bragg Trio

The Colin Bragg Trio, who shared the bill with the Jeff Crompton Quartet tonight at Kavarna in Atlanta.

Condemned House

Since we moved into our little house in the city eleven years ago, there has been a crumbling, abandoned house on our block, right next to a thriving commercial center. I've been flabbergasted that it has remained in that condition for so long; it must be a valuable piece of property, even in our depressed economy. Every once in a while, the city puts up a notice that the house is not up to code. Otherwise, nothing ever changes.

Covered Cat

Sorry - another cat picture, kind of. Jockomo is a strange feline - a Maine Coon mix who likes digging and burrowing. He was only too happy to be covered up with tissue paper as he explored this box.

Snowplows in the ATL

A rare sight - McLendon Avenue, Atlanta

More Antique Bottles

I've been wanting to take a picture of these bottles, but the backdrop of this view is my neighbor's roof, and it wasn't that great a background. The snow on the roof backs up the bottles well, though. These are all from the 19th century; the two on the left are from early in that century.

Sledding in Candler Park

Candler Park, Atlanta. This much snow is a real rarity for us in Georgia.

Another Rehearsal

The 4th Ward Afro-Klezmer Orchestra this time.

JCQ Rehearsal

The rhythm section of the Jeff Crompton Quartet at rehearsal: Jamie Shepard on drums and Ben Gettys on bass.

Candler Park Tree

McLendon Avenue, Atlanta.

106-Year-Old Record

I picked up a stack of one-sided 78s from 1904 and 1905 today. Here's one from 1904 on the Monarch label, which became Victor (then RCA, than BMG). This "comic talk" is actually pretty funny - it's a three-minute introduction to a bird imitation which never actually happens.

Atlanta Federal Pen

Formerly Bellwood Prison - taken through my windshield on a rainy day. The prison is at the end of Boulevard, a street which is somewhat more frightening and earthy than its name would suggest.

Avondale Estates

Downtown Avondale Estates, Georgia. Avondale Estates was laid out in the 1920's as a planned community, with the commercial district built in an English Tudor style.

Rail Convergence

CSX tracks and MARTA (Atlanta rapid transit) rail yard, near Decatur, Georgia.

Swan House

The Swan House, on Andrews Drive in Atlanta. I've admired this building for 35 years.

Rainy New Year's Day

All day....