ustxtxb_obs_2009_06_12_50_00031-00000_000.pdf

Charles M. and Luisa Flanders “Rainbow, Photo by Flanders, Friona, Tex.” Parmer County. The celestial promise of rain, wealth, and good fortune appears to touch down in the new town of Friona. Rainbows, mirages, halos, and other optical events of the atmosphere were natural features of the High Plains. But sky phenomena were typically random and short-lived, and therefore difficult to photograph. This card is the only known real photo of a rainbow in the Panhandle. The photographer had to work quickly to capture the moment when sunlight was reflected and refracted off raindrops to form a rainbow with its foot anchored on the edge of town. Although sepia tinting washes out the six-color spectrum, the image was intended to be symbolic of the good fortune hovering over the new community. Rainbows were very appealing environmental images to farmers of the Great Plains. Postmark: “Ama. & Ft. Worth R.P.O. TR 8 Oct 241909” from R. H. to Mrs. T. 0. Wright, Roosevelt, Oklahoma. Message: “We are in Amarillo on the train waiting for it to pull out for Friona. It is about 11:15 now. Saw Mary Cobb and her husband last night. She works in one of the stores here. Took quite a walk over town this morning. Lunch sure tasted fine. Will said to tell you that we sure put that chicken away and came very near eating the basket. Will write later. R.H.” JUNE 12, 2009 THE TEXAS OBSERVER 31