Just three photographs taken during a couple of daily walks before leaving town last week in Taylor.   I’m back in traveling mode first thing Saturday morning.  

It rained a little while we were at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park this afternoon.  A gentle rain, very nice.   During our Atlanta years, I ran over 30,000 miles on these trails, seldom taking the time to appreciate  their beauty.  Now I walk.   And see more things.

On Tuesday my son, grandson and I traveled to Union County, Georgia for a visit to Helton Creek Falls.   For whatever reason, I never visited this Chattahoochee National Forest site during almost three decades in metro-Atlanta.    An attraction to this site  were that the  the falls were a fairly easy hike from a nearby gravel parking area.   The road to the parking lot was at times pretty narrow, but careful driving made it a piece of cake.  The short hike was sometimes slippery, made more so by hauling two cameras, but all was good.  The light quality was impeccable.   Although we live in (and love) Texas, there are some elegant places to be found here.    This is one of them.

From a recent outing, a weathered windmill that I like in Jonah, Texas.

A continuation of things from my long road trip this week.   Marietta National Cemetery, just east of the Marietta square, was one of the places I used to often stop by to seek out feature photos.   It’s a wonderful space, well cared-for, with burials including many Civil War veterans.  The graves rest on rolling hills north of Atlanta.  It’s a sacred place.

My day is filled with activity as traveling continues.    This is from a few evenings ago, at a picturesque cemetery, surrounded by beautiful land and sky.   Another quiet place in Southeastern Williamson County, Texas, the heart of the Blackland Prairie.

This is a week devoted to traveling long distances by car, but there’s a few things to offer.  This horse near Beyersville was beautiful, made more so by evening light.  Same horse, two versions. 

Thursday night I spent a few good (but warm) hours covering the first night of the 74th Taylor Rodeo, held at the Williamson County Expo Center in Taylor.   The event is coordinated by the Taylor Rodeo Association, a first-class group.    This post is a combination of action and feature photographs.  The first shot is a somewhat stressed and tired Bull Riding contestant, catching his breath after a very hard ride.   Anyone riding a bull probably expects it to be hard.   It’s the only adult rodeo sport where contestants wear helmets and extra padding.   I was nervous just being close to the chute.   Several of the photos are action, but the post finishes with faces and features.   The little folks wearing helmets took part in Mutton Bustin’.   Rodeo is one of the hardest things I photograph, but also quite rewarding.   As if you needed a reminder, these participants are bonafide athletes.

A continuation of my series on well-admired barns.   This barn (or is it two barns?) has been in front of my camera several times over the years.   A version is displayed on our living room wall.   The site is in Travis County, but a stone’s throw from Williamson County.   When this photo was taken recently I noticed a For Sale sign on the property.   When new owners seal the deal, I hope  they will keep this beautiful structure.

With the corn growing tall and crispy around East Williamson County, it was a proper  assumption  that harvest time was near.  Driving home a few evenings ago, I needed no further proof when I saw some farmers known for years, their tractors and combines in a circle to ward off the summer sun as they enjoyed an evening supper onsite before returning to work.  The farmers are Shaun Raesz, 49, and his brother Steven, 47, who took over after their father, Arnold Raesz, retired in 2022.   This season they’re harvesting 3,700 acres of corn.  Helping out are Shaun’s sons Montgomery, 24, and Maverick, 21.   Driving one of the tractors this season is Shaun’s niece Emily, 20, a student at University of Texas in Austin who is quite good at navigating a tractor and grain bin.   Once school begins, Emily is a trombonist with the UT Marching Band.  Shaun’s wife Kari and daughter-in law Madalynn help prepare and deliver the evening meals.   Steven spends much of his time guiding harvested corn into several grain elevators.  Helping him there is his girlfriend Kate, and his niece Genevieve.  A few non-family members are always there to help.   Harvesting 3,700 acres is time-consuming.  They often go well into the night, recently stopping at 1a.m.  Shaun shares concerns for his slow-moving farm equipment as he and his crew move along county roads, dominated now by massive growth in the area.   If you encounter a combine or tractor on a road, please be respectful.