It’s always a blast hanging out on Main Street in Old Town Georgetown on Halloween night. The families along a two-block portion just south of the downtown square are always welcoming to trick-or-treaters. And even photographers! These are a few taken tonight during this year’s fun. 
This seemed like a good choice for a morning post today, a striking bit of art on a wall in downtown Taylor, Texas. I think this is very cool. Artistic expression, friends. 
The past couple of days in Central Texas have been cloudy and cold, with occasional drops of rainy mist. The conditions were just right for making photos that, though taken in color, were essentially monotones, probably aided by the fact that all were made at day’s end. While I like color photography, lessening tonalities can clarify and simplify. That’s just fine. 
There’s this area on the San Gabriel River a little north of Taylor, a little south of Granger, Dickerson’s River Bottom, where I try to make a few photos a couple of times a year. Fishermen like it a lot, too. During past visits, I’ve met anglers coming from two hours away. to try their luck. To get to it you have to do a little hike through some dense forest and steep hills, but it’s there. During my stop there a couple of days ago, some of the trails were covered in trees and limbs that had been cut down, making my usual route nearly impossible. Rather than give up, I found another way to go. This is an area known to be frequented by snakes. I was very watchful, thankful no critters reared their heads. This view from a bluff was a nice reward, late-afternoon light spilling on the water, the woods quite dark. The photo is color, but pretty close to black-and-white. The view made the trek worthwhile. 
The 2019 World Series continues this week, the Houston Astros taking on the Washington Nationals. The series continues in Houston on Tuesday. The Astros, beginning as the Colt 45 many years ago, are giving maximum effort, as are the Nationals. But it all begins in places like Thorndale, Texas, where these photos were made tonight during a 9-Under little league practice on a field adjacent to the town’s high school. Thorndale, in Milam County, is a community of close to 1400. “The Rookie,” a 2002 movie starring Dennis Quaid, was partially filmed here. Some of the baseball field scenes were on the field directly behind this one. Before the majors, there are fields like this one. It starts here. Kids learning. Dads and moms supporting. 
This little series of photos were taken a couple of evenings ago on the lake at Taylor’s Murphy Park. The rookery’s egret population has scaled back until next Spring, but the lake remains a nice place to observe other avian wonders. Great Blue Herons aren’t seen in large numbers like the egrets, but they’re here from time to time. This heron was foraging for an evening meal in the lake. Hopefully, she found sustenance. She’s a pretty girl. 
On Friday night I photographed the annual Adults With Disabilities Dance, sponsored by Georgetown Parks & Recreation. The couple in the first two images are indeed a couple. I remember seeing them here last year, more bonded than ever now. The event, held at the Georgetown Community Center at San Gabriel Park, was Halloween-themed. This inspiring event is held for adults with physical and cognitive disabilities. I look forward to covering it each year for my friends at the Williamson County Sun. 
Anything to do with trains, or tracks, or railroad depots? They’re interesting to me. This one was taken while waiting on a train to pass just west of Taylor earlier this week. That’s my intrepid Honda in the foreground. 
As I got out of my car Thursday afternoon to cover the Georgetown Parks Department’s annual Halloween Festival at the San Gabriel Community Center, I quickly grabbed a camera to record a mama, and a pumpkin-clad pooch called Bruno, get her 5-year-old son all fixed up for the fun. In his dinosaur costume, the little guy was almost as big as mama, who once getting the outfit just right, smiled as she took photos with her phone. Bruno’s smiling, too. All three proceeded inside, but an hour into the festival, I noticed Bruno’s absence. Bruno, it seems, had to return to the car. Thankfully, it was a very cool night so Bruno was snug and safe! This is just one of those slice-of-life things that make community photojournalism fun. 
I’m thankful for tonight’s storms that have crossed Williamson County, Texas, leaving behind much-lower temperatures. These are photos taken this evening along the San Gabriel River and at a rain-soaked baseball field in Georgetown. The river photos might appear to be black-and-white, but they’re not. The light for the river photos was the result of a good electrical storm making dark things bright, if only for a moment or two. 
