Still Standing

My grandfather's barn. December 2008, Sulphur, Louisiana.

I've always enjoyed photos of old structures that have fallen into extreme disrepair, but still exhibit the character and workmanship that are rare in today's modern world. Here in South Louisiana, cypress was the lumber of choice because it resistant to insects and rot. Because of its durability, you can find many old structures that have stood the test of time...and hurricanes.

Now that I'm exploring the world of photography I have learned that old, abandoned structures in rural areas are often referred as "rural decay", especially if you visit the Flickr photo-sharing website. (If the structure is located in a city or metropolitan area, it is referred to as "urban decay").

Here are my recent contributions to the rural decay photography populous.

A New Business Venture

My son, Nick, has decided that he wants to run a plant nursery. My paternal grandfather, Nick's great-grandfather had one, my dad's brother, Joe, now has one, and my dad has a degree in horticulture. So, my dad decided it was a good idea and the project was born.

My grandfather, who will be 94 years old this November has been supervising while Nick, my dad, my grandfather, my dad's brother, Mark, my dad's friend, Bill, and others are working to build the structure.

I'm going to try to document the progress in photos, provided I can find the time. They plan to have it open for Spring of 2009.