If you haven't noticed, I like photographing old, dilapidated things (except my clients-- you're all beautiful).  Buildings and cars are my two favorites.

I was driving home from a fun night of Oktoberfestivities in Helen, Ga, and passed this junkyard that I slammed on the brakes for.  I immediately made a plan to go back to it two days later, camera in hand.  The following shots are from this series.

Obviously, I went a little crazy in this bus... but what's not to love?  First off, it was so cool on the inside, with the vines taking over the steering wheel and cobwebs slung from seat to seat.  But most of all, as I walked to the back of this old bus, I couldn't help but think of what may have happened inside.  Who sat in those seats and whose lives were once affected by the days in which segregation ruled the south?  I, myself, took a seat in the back row for a couple of minutes to reflect on this and to thank God for the blessings we have now, living in a country in which each and every human being has equal rights.  

The hundreds of old cars and trucks stacked on top of one another, falling over, with busted windows and bullet wounds made for some of the most interesting photos on this excursion.  All the paint, once shiny and new, is chipped off and leaves have blanketed them, hiding their scars. 

This last photo is one of my favorites from the junkyard.  My dad worked for Ford Motor Company for 38 years and my sister followed in his footsteps until they both had to take buyouts when the company found itself in trouble.  The photo below reminds me of the classic all-American beauty of a Ford and what that company has meant in my life.

When I find an incredible location like the John B Gordon School, I can't just visit it only once.  The same goes for many of the pieces of history I've stumbled upon in my searches for decay and photo ops.  I won't write much, as I think I adequately expressed my feelings for the location best in my previous blog about it, "The End of Education".  This time, I'll simply share some of the photos I've captured in my recent visits and the few new experiences I've had the pleasure to have there.

Last time I went, I only explored the bottom floor and the auditorium. I wanted to go upstairs, but I'd gotten kind of freaked out and decided that I should go with my gut and head out for the day.  So it had been my goal to get back there and see the second floor.  The upstairs was surprisingly much different from the downstairs in terms of feel.  I realized afterward that I took A LOT of photos in bathrooms (I didn't see any bathrooms downstairs), which is kind of odd.  But to top it off, each time I went back, I found a big teddy bear in a new location.  There was something very sad about the teddy bear.  Who's was it?  Was it loved by someone?  Maybe he belonged to a child at the school.  Maybe someone just planted him there.  Whichever way, he certainly made for some great photos... both funny and touching, depending on the day's shot.  The two above (I couldn't pick which I liked better), with him sitting on the floor of a classroom, I took for my dear friend, Jamie.  And he knows why (love you, Jamie).  I'm so glad I found it for this reason.  The following teddy bear shot... well, you'll just have to page down to see it!  

The two below may be the last two of just classrooms before you get

Now, time for a potty break...

Aw.  Poor little guy.  

I'll probably make another trip back to the school as the seasons change and the leaves turn vibrant colors or snowflakes dance their way through the cracks in the windows, but for now, I feel really good about the bit of history I've been able to document for East Atlanta. 

Thank you to all of you who visit my page and explore right alongside me.