Stone and weathered wood: Mission San José, San Antonio

Sometimes man and nature combine in ways to create a feast for the eye and mind. Twists of gray wood against angular yellow and burnished stone took me back in time without requiring a plaque to announce the date. Paneled doors, crudely constructed, hid under a sturdy wood lintel that has stood the test of time. I found these photos I took during our visit to San Antonio a few years ago to attend my sons flight training graduation nearby. There is a certain allure in old wood that I find similar to drift wood along the beach.

Mission San José
Mission San José

Although much of Mission San José was reconstructed in the early 1900s, it still accurately portrays the layout of the community that made up the Catholic mission to serve the Coahuiltecan Indians in 1720 (source: Wikipedia).

Mission San José, San Antonio, Texas
Mission San José, San Antonio, Texas

In the next photo, the crude skeleton of an awning is softened by green, new growth around the poles and the wispy trees in the background. The trodden pathway of numerous visitors can be seen by the barren stretch of soil along the wall.

MSan JoseWall

This symmetry of the last photo is perhaps too perfect, but I find it fascinating the way it draws my eye right to the center of the photo and the delightful weathered wood.

A Mission Door
A Mission Door

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