Since New Years Day I’ve made three visits to the ranch of my friend Joyce White. It’s been fun to observe Princess, her beautiful Texas Longhorn, and Joyce’s donkeys. That first day of the year was cloudy and cold. After the donkeys roamed the field together, they huddled, with Princess stepping in front to create an interesting group portrait. The other visits were, as usual, late in the day. The weather was winterish, but clear and crisp. The final six photos are the most recent, a day when two of the young donkeys, both males, had moved on to a new home. It’s hard to say, of course, but I sensed the donkeys, and Princess, felt their absence.

Just something (hopefully) relaxing and peaceful tonight, friends. Too dang much stress on social media. Maybe a time-out is due. We’ll see.

Covering the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. national holiday is always an honor. Last year I wasn’t able to be at Georgetown’s commemoration, but I was this year. Most of these are what you’d expect, including a march, followed by a service at Macedonia Baptist Church. While I like them all, go to the final three photos in this post. Those were made after everything was over. Two attendees, one a retired minister, the other an enthralled 5-year-old, got together for a few short minutes to talk. Those are the kind of moments I crave. These photos are for my friends at the Williamson County Sun.

Photos tonight once again pay tribute to our moon. The images were taken last night (the windmill) and tonight. On both occasions the moon was in a Waxing Gibbous phase. Last night’s was 98.2% visibility. Tonight it’s pretty close to 100%. There’s also a lunar eclipse being talked about quite a bit. While interesting, it may not be on my visual radar. Things to do, you know.

Friday morning I arrived at Georgetown’s Blue Hole Lagoon to take photos of Texas Parks & Wildlife Department stocking this beautiful body of water with 1250 rainbow trout for my friends at the Williamson County Sun. When I got there, however, I found out the stocking had been rescheduled for Thursday, February 7th. Not one to go away empty-handed, I took a few photos of a gentleman who also came for the restocking, fishing gear in hand. Undeterred, he stayed for a while, angling for a white bass or two. As minutes passed, I began to take in the exceptional beauty of this Central Texas treasure. Blue Hole is among the many fine diversions that comprise the San Gabriel River.

Early in 2018, I challenged myself to find a way to make photos on my daily walks. The problem, however, was a total aversion to the use of mobile phones for image-making. The dilemma faced, however, was weight. Since those walks generally take two hours or more, there was no way I could tote one of my DSLRs around and still get the workout I desired. Serious thought was given to getting a small point-and-shoot camera, probably something mirrorless. Money was an issue there. So very quietly one morning, I stepped into the muck and starting taking photos with my inexpensive ($125 brand-spanking new) Motorola Moto smartphone. The little experiment eventually came to an end, but the phone stays with me on those walks. These photos were made this morning, a somewhat foggy morning in Taylor. Most are in two parks on my walking route, Bull Branch Park and Murphy Park. A couple are in color. Others not. The final image is a sad one, a homeless man adjusting his tent underneath one of our main highways. It’s not a great photo, but it drives home the point that homelessness isn’t only a distressing fact of life in cities. Towns like Taylor are not immune.

While visiting the Marietta Square in early-February 1983, I took note of Mr. Green as he went about his task of feeding a bunch of very happy pigeons around the old bell at Glover Park. Just one of those slice-of-life things, folks.

For this little thing, presented in both color and monotone, travel time was easy …. just a little something I saw in my kitchen after today’s walk. Occasionally, I’ll take a photo with my inexpensive smartphone, a Motorola Moto. It might not be a top-notch tool, but for $125.00, I’m not complaining.

Before you think it, I know. More fog. But this morning, when I had to run some errands around Taylor it sung its misty song into my senses. So there you are, friends. Included is another visit to Murphy Park, then north a little bit, where I found a nice old tree in a field, accented by muddy tracks leading beyond. And a cemetery I like, one discovered quite by accident last year. From the road, unless you’re looking for it, you might miss it. What got my attention there, however, were a couple of tiny wildflowers, bluebonnets. How interesting to see those little sprouts so early in the new year.

This was about the last photo taken tonight. Most of the afternoon had been drizzly and/or cloudy. While I made some acceptable photos, this little scene, photographed before, but under different conditions, got my attention. It’s on a county road a little west of Granger. I’d have spent more time with the subject matter, but the promise of cars behind me prompted a quick move-along. Four frames were made, but hey, I like blue nights. So this one’s okay.