Signs, signs, everywhere are signs
I’ve got a weakness for photographing signs. Maybe it’s genetic: When I was young, an elderly aunt made a point of taking a photo of every state welcome sign when she and my uncle traveled. Problem was, he refused to slow down at the state line, so she was left with a series of blurry, badly composed snapshots. I always liked ‘ em, though. I thought they looked fast.
Here are a trio of sign photos I’ve collected around Stephenville in the past week. In honor of my now-deceased aunt, I shot all of them from the car window, just like she did. But unlike my uncle, I stopped the car first — mostly because I’d prefer to return my rented vehicle intact.
The response, “No, but thanks for asking” seems appropriate for this one:
One of the first things I noticed about Texas is how fast everyone drives. I shot this speed limit sign right at the edge of Stephenville’s city limits. Notice that this is a two-lane highway. Then remember that when the speed limit is 70, many drivers will actually drive at least 75. It’s unnerving to be on two-lane rural roads where everyone is moving at interstate speeds. Everyone but me, that is.
The day I took this photo was not unusually hot. It was typically hot. It has been over 100 degrees several times in the 24 (so far) days I’ve been in Stephenville. Shade is a blessing. Wherever there’s a tree in a parking lot, cars are huddled together underneath it like cattle. I’ve never seen a church sign that displayed time and temperature, but it’s an interesting subliminal pairing: Time to get on the right path before you burn. Of course, that message falls apart in winter.
