Last night was one of those times when what I was actually seeking out wasn’t coming to pass.   They don’t always, you know.   Then a little south of Granger I ran into my friend Rosalio as he herded his flock of 60 sheep as the day’s last light faded from the prairie sky.  I’ve had the good fortune to document my friend since 2011.  He’s one of the few who has one of my photos hanging on the wall of his house.    Helping Rosalio with his task these days are his three dogs, Charlie, Max and a small young lady whose name escapes me right now.   Rosalio said this was the first time in two months he’d let his flock outside the pasture to graze along the seldom-traveled road.   The heat, he explained, was just too much.   Thankfully, Saturday’s weather, while still warm, was at least not into triple digits.   A freight train passing didn’t seem to phase the group as they continued on their mission.   Finally, with a Waxing Crescent moon shining above, they called it a night.

This one’s from a couple of weeks ago when I wandered through the community of Schwertner, Texas.  Schwertner is on the cusp of Northwestern  Williamson County, Texas, but also shares space with Bell County.   This one’s on the Williamson County side.   I suspect that milo crop has been harvested by now.  Let’s hope so.  It’s time.

Over the last ten years I’ve taken many  photos of St. James Episcopal Church in Taylor, Texas.  Located at 7th and Davis Streets, it commands attention. It’s take-your-breath-away beautiful.  St. James has been here since 1893.  Their  organ was added in 1914.    The church was built using three types of wood: pine, cedar and oak.  After learning of the total loss of another wooden church, Westphalia’s Church of the Visitation, I thought it time to visit St. James again.  took photos there in 2017.   Most of my images of St. James  have been exteriors, but this time sanctuary photos are included.   It was fortunate that the church was open when I passed it this week, presenting an opportunity to visit the sanctuary.  While there, I noted the exquisite quilts adorning the pews, all created by members of the Blackland Quiltiing Guild.   One of the night photos includes (at left in background) Restoration Temple of Deliverance, for years the home of Taylor’s First Baptist Church.   Photographing the church from the front doesn’t really work because of power lines.   As most know, I don’t “Photoshop” things like that out, but views from the side have always been nice, the stained glass windows on full display.   For several months one of the windows was absent, but it’s been replaced now.   What’s missing from this set of photos is an evening photo with those windows lighted up.   Alas, the sanctuary lights aren’t usually on at night.   No worries.   The photos inside do them justice.  The final image, taken in the church courtyard, is Saint Francis of Assisi.  How nice. 

Recently I spent time over a couple of days watching and photographing the milo harvest at the Boehm family farm in Norman’s Crossing, Texas.   Milo, also called maize, is really pretty with its reddish orange stalks reaching up into the Texas sky. It does, however, create quite a lot of dust!   The folks on the combines, in tractors and driving the hauling trucks find respite inside their vehicles, but the only way to truly document harvests is to be out in the fields.    The only harvest I’ve found to be dustier is wheat, a gorgeous crop, but the dust is incredible.   That aside, it’s fun to observe our Texas family farms in action.  Near the end of my photo sessions, I met Joaquin, who has worked for the family since the early-1980s.  When I photographed him at his home nestled in one of the fields, he was taking a little rest before continuing his work of clearing harvested stalks.   One image of him is in color, but for the last couple, black-and-white just seemed right.   I enjoyed my time with him.   When I got home, I took a hot shower, followed by a cold one.  One of my farmer friends said it was the best method to get shed of the grain particles. It worked. 

It’s the middle of growing season on the Blackland Prairie.   My focus  often turns to those things.  Like tonight at sunset in the Wuthrich Hill area.    Before you say it, I know last night’s post was close by, but I hadn’t expected to see this.    I document what I see.   Corn is abundant.  And Prince of Peace Lutheran Church often commands my attention.

This was taken recently in Wuthrich Hill, an area of East Williamson County, Texas where my wanderings occasionally lead.   There’s a nearby church and cemetery occasionally documented, but this tiny pond?  It’s just nice.  The land ocean spreads into infinity from there. 

Maybe something calm to begin your week?   These sunsets (and sunrises) sometimes help.   Perhaps not, but I’ll do them anyway.   Make it a good week, friends.

The day began early this morning as I headed to Georgetown’s San Gabriel Park for the Georgetown Running Club’s annual River Relays event.   Most of the photos here were taken there, but as I got ready to return to Taylor, I happened on some paddle boarders enjoying the San Gabriel River.   The dog, Ellby, loves paddle boarding.  She and her human used to live in Hawaii where they would surf together.   Just a bit of this and that tonight, friends.   Community photojournalism.

Taylor, Texas, where we live, is enamored with ducks.   Our high school mascot?  Ducks.    Our city parks are adorned with them, but perhaps the most “ducky” area is the pond and creek at Bull Branch Park.   When my sinus issues take hold and driving into the countryside doesn’t seem appropriate, I often visit this beautiful park, about a half mile from home.  Tonight’s photos were taken there on a recent evening.   If you live in Taylor, it’s no surprise to see our ducks fan out into surrounding neighborhoods.  I’ve seen little herds of them on daily walks.   But home is the pond at the park.

Lexington, Texas is a community of a little less than 1300 in Northern Lee County, Texas, about 50 miles northeast of Austin.  It’s a quaint little town that includes two log cabins and a corncrib that comprise the Lexington Heritage Center.  Although I wasn’t able to determine if the cabins date back to 1850, they sure look authentic.   The downtown area includes an arts center and an actual bookstore!  None of these places were open on my recent visit, but I like that they’re part of the town.   In recent years the town has been known for its barbecue, smoked by the folks at Snow’s BBQ, named the best barbecue in the state by Texas Monthly in 2008.   Snow’s is only open on Saturday mornings.   Friends tell me it’s usually packed with people when it opens at 8a.m.   It remains open until they run out.  Right across the street from Snow’s is an old gin and two vine-covered grain elevators, now home to an antiques and collectibles business.  The vines on the grain elevators was cool!