This was taken minutes after sunrise one week ago today, the first day of Autumn.    As you might guess, I photograph quite a few windmills.  A friend has an almost-new one he had placed on his farm outside Walburg.   It shines like new money.  I love seeing its glow.   But documenting old windmills is rewarding, too.   This  photo was taken in an area of Williamson County, Texas I seldom venture, north of Georgetown, south of Jarrell.  When I saw this one, the skies were evolving into a  warmer glow, soon becoming another hot Texas day.   At first I passed it on by, but quickly decided to go back for this.    These decrepit windmills give us windows into an earlier time.   I’m glad this one’s still there.

With an auto service appointment early this morning, I was on the road before dawn.   It wasn’t my intention to offer another moon photograph, but it looked sweet up there (still over 97 % visibility)  in the morning sky, particularly sweet over Taylor’s Immanuel Lutheran Church, the little church on the hill, now in very close proximity to the Samsung Semiconductor site.   After snapping a quick photo or two, I got in the car, only to be slowed down by long freight train.   That merited a photo, too.  Better to click the shutter than twiddle my thumbs.   The car appointment was made with one whole minute to spare!

A Waning Gibbous moon, at 99.3% visibility, shines over West Davilla Street in downtown Granger tonight.   I’d assumed my fascination with the moon was put to rest Thursday night, but it took another bow tonight over this beautiful community.  

Most of the windmills I photograph are in the countryside, but sometimes they show up in neighborhoods.   The morning light on this one taken during a daily walk in Taylor merited a stop.   My little Olympus camera  is handy.

While I generally don’t adhere to various names for full moons, a Harvest Moon sounds dandy.   These were taken this evening, first over Christ Lutheran Church in Noack, Texas.    Then over a weathered barn, also in Noack.  I swear that looks like a ghost peering out of that window!   The moon chase concluded in the Milam County community of Thorndale.

A drive 16 miles north to Bartlett tonight wasn’t for another moon photo, but there it was, shining over Clark Street, the main corridor through this community of a bit over 1600, partly in Williamson County, but also in Bell County.   In its Waxing Gibbous phase, it was 97.1% visibility tonight.   Note the upper windows in the last photo.  That’s the moon reflected in its panes, a double reflection.   Three shots don’t show the moon.  They’re here just because I like them!

Just minutes south of Taylor is St. Peter’s Church of Coupland, a church founded by German and Swiss settlers in 1890.   The sanctuary was built in 1905-06, a meeting hall added in 1925.  Nestled in a community of less than 300, it’s a United Church of Christ congregation, not to be confused with the Church of Christ.   I love photographing this church.  Tonight’s photos were taken at sunset, followed by a moonrise, a Waxing Gibbous moon, at 92.1% visibility.  Not quite  a full moon, but enough. 

A leftover from Monday evening wandering west of Granger, Texas.   A  pastel interlude.

Just this one, a scene west of Granger, Texas from tonight, with a Waxing Gibbous moon at 84.3% visibility.   Pastel clouds, and a windmill.  Of course there’s a windmill.

Stepping into our driveway this weekend, I noticed a visitor sitting on my car.    The little guy was curious, perhaps concerned my presence might spell danger.  After we stared each other down for a minute I grabbed a camera, watching him bound around for a while.    Honestly, I could’ve just left well enough alone with the opening shot, but as you might know by now, I like to explore  subjects a little.  Our session done, I noticed him standing in the driveway, encouraging him to  hop into the yard, away from a big car’s tires.   He didn’t have to think twice.   It was a nice visit.