JAKE AND TOM

I entered these two shots in the BAPC Honor's Program as a diptych under the assignment of "WILDLIFE".  They were both shot at Cade's Cove in the Great Smokey Mountain National Park this past June.

Turkey Shoot

Turkey Texas was one of our favorite small towns we visited on our recent 2500 mile driving tour of Texas and Eastern New Mexico. It is an old established well preserved town with a real taste what small town Texas used to be like. It’s a time capsule of a bygone era.

As you enter town you will see this welcome sign proclaiming Turkey’s biggest claim to fame – it is the hometown of Country Western Music Hall of Fame singer Bob Will’s. Mr. Will’s and His Texas Playboys biggest hit was “New Spanish Two-Step” released in 1942 [link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8gNuHH-FQs ]. He passed away in 1975.

Typical in small towns you can get most of what you need downtown, no need to run to the mall or nearest Walmart. In the old CH Food Store building you'll find a cafe, general store, auto parts, and the hardware store.

While I was photographing the CH Food building this little bird landed on an iron fence across the street. I snapped a couple of quick shots with my E-3, and the too short lens I had on it, through the windshield of my car. Luckily the bird didn't wasn't too flighty so I had time to get out of the car, open the back hatch, change lenses, and still click of a few more shots.

The Turkey Hotel, built in 1927, is in operation today as a bed and breakfast. We didn't stay here on our trip [we will next time] but we did stop in for breakfast.

If your ever up in North Texas be sure to stop in on this little town.

Turkey Drive-In Theater

Half way between Turkey and Quitaque Texas is this old drive-in theatre. Seems like you only see a few of these scattered around small towns anymore. This one was shut down, although Texas Highways magazine said it was showing first run movies a few months ago. Oh well, such is the fickle fate of small town middle of nowhere living memorabilia!