Saturday, February 5, 2011

Coffee Shop Shadows

Shadow Shot Sunday
February 6, 2011

Shadow Shot Sunday is many great photographs from across the world that use the shadow form as a common thread. To find out how to participate or just look at other submissions, go to Hey Harriet.


Shadow Shot Sunday submission
On the patio in the morning sun, Black Cat Coffee Shop and Book Store, T or C, NM



It hasn’t been all that long ago that the Winter solstice occurred here in the Northern hemisphere. Up where I live, in Northern Wisconsin, that makes for a Grandfather Sun that seems to rise way down in the Southeast and set way over in the Southwest.
This Winter, I am spending a large block of time down in the Southwestern portion of the USA in the state of New Mexico. Ole Sol is still South of dead East and casting long shadows most of the day. Down here, there are about 310 days per year of sunshine. You can almost count on it being a sunny day with rich blue skies. The shadows are sharp edged, especially in the morning.
This particular morning, I was at the local coffee shop, which is also a used book store and exchange. It’s called The Black Cat and is in the small town of Truth Or Consequences, NM. The locals call the town T or C. Some call it T or C Hot Springs, as it used to be named Hot Springs. That’s another story and you can read about it HERE.
The Black Cat has a great patio out back and gets that morning sun streaming as soon as it comes up over Turtleback Mountain. The space is decorated in a really kitschy style with furniture made from lumber scraps, trellises empty of plant life as Winter’s dormancy endures and this unusual wagon wheel which seems it might be a Western style wagon wheel hanging chandelier lamp that has been striped of its electrical hardware.

The turtles head is to the left of the peak.
Turtleback mountain is  casting its own shadows in this photo.

These Mexican inspired adobe walls as fences are adorned with all kinds of things to make art. For example, while riding about town yesterday, I saw a wall with glass bottles, green, brown and clear, embedded into the top to make it look like spikes.

Another shot of this unique shadow

This one, used this wagon wheel, and in that morning sun, cast quite a shadow on the weathered dimensional lumber scrap coffee table. By the way, I think I’m going to make some of these tables when I return home next month. I like their simplicity.
Peace to all

22 comments:

Sylvia K said...

Wonderful shadow shots for the day and what an interesting post! Always like the additional information about places and shots! Have a great weekend!

Sylvia

Magical Mystical Teacher said...

Is it warm enough to sit out there to sip your coffee, Spadoman, or were you just there for a quick shadow shot?

SILLY SHADOW DITTY

Shadows may or may not be
Patterns of urbanity.
If a shadow threatens you,
Here, my dear, is what to do:
Grab the shadow by the throat,
Toss it to a billy goat,
So the goat can chomp and chew,
Keeping it away from you!


© 2011 by Magical Mystical Teacher

Chiseled Shadows

Full-On-Forward said...

Awesome Shots!!!

Thanks for the visit! I'm definitely a follower now!

John

eaprez said...

Such a free spirit you are. Wish I was more like that. LOVE the blog design ;-)

EG CameraGirl said...

The sun in the southwest seems much stronger than the sun here this time of year. Lucky you!

A Wild Thing said...

You do know you're killing us...you know, the ones left behind...I was hoping to get to Florida this winter for a month, but things got in the way, it's only 86 degrees down there...hey, I could cope!!!

Sounds like a great idea for the tables, people round these here parts are asking for coffee tables like that, you might have something going there!!

Enjoy yourself down there, take advantage while ya can...we ain't gettin' any younger!!!

sharon

Grammy said...

All great shots. Is Turtleback mountain rock or sand. It looks to be free of growth. Have a great week.
E

Sue said...

I like the simplicity of the circle shadow, and can understand your desire to make one of those tables.

indicaspecies said...

Splendid shadow shots.

Christopher said...

Good morning, Spadoman (although as I type here in France it's 10.40 so I expect you're still in your RV sleeping the sleep of the just and dreaming the dreams of the red-blooded), and thank you for yet another entertaining account. If I were taking coffee with you - and entertaining prospect I would be spending my time, while listening to your discourse, moving my coffee mug into the sunlit spaces in the wagon wheel shadow pattern.

Peace

CanadianGardenJoy said...

MMT : ) you found some very nice shadows ! .. The first picture has the wheel "sharpened" in intensity .. crisp shadow wheel almost looks like it is ready to roll on ;-)
That shot of the mountain is beautiful .. thank you for telling me where to look for the turtle, I might have been staring all day ? LOL
Joy : )

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Joe
OOPS ! .. I think I needed a lot more coffee before I answered these comments ??
;-) red faced ! Joy .. LOL

Anonymous said...

Here is hoping you have the time to be in that space where you can make them!

english inukshuk said...

such a brilliant shadow!!

the glass sounds fascinating. . .

. . .can't wait to see the tables

(-:

Serendipity said...

Great shadow shots :-)

Dianne said...

I love the wheel shadow, especially on the wood
the entire scene is organic

I find myself noticing shadows so much more now
I saw the ponytail shop as I waited at a light and then I had to circle the block several times until a space opened up so I could get the shots
all the snow here has made the streets so narrow that it's impossible to just pull over for a moment

rebecca said...

i love the turquoise of those simple tables.
i say YES~ to that project.


enjoying your postcards from paradise.

mig said...

Lovely shadows. And wonderful colours and freshness.
Hope you are enjoying your time in the sun - I envy you a tiny bit but enjoy being reminded of sunshine.

Anonymous said...

I like the shadow shots, and this is a really interesting post. Thanks.

All the best, Boonie

Mel said...

I think Christopher has the right idea--I'd be playing in the shadows cuz it'd be way fun. :-)

And ohhhh....what gorgeous colours on the turtle. I'm afraid I was starting at his poor little turtle butt until you pointed out the head. *laughing* Go figure!

What a beautiful place to take coffee in the morning (with a blankie, apparently). And how peaceful....required for the circumstances, methinks.

You keep letting your surroundings do what they do.
Everyone wins!

Sarcastic Bastard said...

A book store AND a coffee shop? Heaven!

Thanks for adding me to your blog list. You are also now on mine, buddy.

Safe travels.

Love,

SB

susanna said...

That's a cool shadow from the wagon wheel. It's completely unexpected.

I have never heard of a Grandfather Sun before. Interesting. I'll have to look it up.

You told me about the town Truth Or Consequences before. It's a fun story, even more so now that you've mentioned that the locals call the town T or C. Hah! Love that! I wonder what the personality differences would be between those who call their town T and those who call their town C? Or maybe it all depends on which side of town you choose to live in!