These photos arrived in the mail several months ago, from an old friend from the days that we taught at the McKinney (TX) Job Corps Center for Women in the early 1970s. They were taken on a weekend visit (probably summer/fall 1973) to the Hollis place near Normangee (Leon County) TX. The barn developed into my home in 1999. Virginia Perez took the 1970s photos. I took the photo of the west end of the barn--the room with the wood stove I called it--in 2009.

That's Russell Hollis, my dad, wearing a summer straw. 

John Calkin, scratching his head, no doubt amused or bemused by something.

The young guy must be James Warneke, my nephew, who's going on 10.

Me, dancing a jig, for no good reason, I'm sure.

Shirtless John Calkin fiddling with the gate that leads to the ground storage area.

Looks like Daddy is pointing to the sky, I'm lost in my thoughts, and Marisela  takes it all in.

A view of the the west end of the barn, with a room I added in 2002, after I had converted much of the barn to a  home.