From this evening as the sun begins to set over Saint Peter’s Church of Coupland.   Saharan Dust has settled into areas of the south and southwest, giving us hazy skies.  The dust will be with us for a while.  Although problematic for allergy and sinus sufferers, it’s really quite beautiful.

Tonight’s moon is at 99.3% visibility, doggone close to full.   The first two were from the Prince of Peace Lutheran  Church cemetery in Wuthrich Hill,  just east of Taylor.   And one more, a little west of that, a vintage barn nestled below the lunar presence.  This will probably suffice for a full moon offering this month.

Photographs taken during morning walks in Taylor this week.   All are taken with a small Olympus camera that doesn’t beat the user up.   And is far superior to any smartphone on the planet.  This is (so far) a weekly post.   For now.

One of the vintage street lamps in downtown Taylor  framed a Waxing Gibbous moon tonight, seen at almost 97% visibility. It’s nice to the old street lamp finding a purpose.

Most of the photographs taken last night during the 82nd Williamson County Sheriff’s Posse Rodeo are on either Facebook or Instagram, just a snippet here.  Mentioned many times before, but identifying the participants  continues  to be problematic.  Most rodeos, this one included, provide day sheets listing the names of participants.   Sometimes, however,  the sheets are misleading.   Toward the end  of the night, the announcer  wasn’t naming who was in the arena.   Very frustrating.       If only newspapers and sites would  publish  the work and not be focused on naming everyone.   Or if rodeos would pin bib numbers on each participant.  

A continuation of barn photographs.  A number of barns have been recorded numerous times.  The last one in this group  of three hasn’t been photographed. The quality of light is what usually merits another snapshot.   A very busy day and evening awaits, thus this early post.

Summer light falls quite well on the grasses that grow in abundance on the Blackland Prairie.   When they’ve been called “prairie grass” in prior posts, someone is usually compelled to  give them a specific name.   Whatever you call them, this photographer likes seeing them.

Fence posts from recent ramblings on the Blackland Prairie.

Folks in this part of the country will tell you that summer began at the beginning of April, but the official “start” of summer was Monday.   Temperatures climbed into the mid-upper 90s.   Area residents sought out swimming pools or splash pads, but the San Gabriel River was a grand option for relief from the heat.  Some families swam in the river.   A father and son just enjoyed being close to the clear water.  By this time of the year,  water sources are beginning to be plagued by muck and algae.  Thankfully, it looked pristine on Monday evening.   The last photo was taken as the river flowed east through Jonah.  Stay cool, friends.

Rodeo is the most taxing event to cover, at least for this photographer.   These are photographs from Saturday evening, taken at the 3rd Annual Bill Pickett Youth Rodeo, held at Taylor’s Williamson County Expo Center.  While most seem to want to see the action shots, the features and candid portraits are favorites.   In this rodeo participants  can be no older than  18.