The Free Summer Concerts Are Here!
Now that summer is kicking into high gear in Central Texas, look for plenty of Friday night fun on the Georgetown square with the 2015 Summer Concert Series. Last Friday was the summer’s first, with entertainment by Roland Waits & The Wayward Travelers. Among those enjoying a bit of dancing were World War II veteran Cliff McCrummen, having a swinging good time with his bride, Myrna. Cliff will be 89 this month.
Look for these free concerts each Friday throughout the summer months. All are free and begin at 6:30. Bring a blanket and your family to these kid-friendly treats in a really idyllic setting. These photos were taken for my friends at the Williamson County Sun.
“Chicago” Comes to the Palace
For the first time, “Chicago” has arrived on the Palace Theatre’s Springer Memorial Stage, playing weekends at Georgetown’s beautiful Art Deco theater through June 28. This is a well-crafted production, well worth a bit of your time to support the work they do here. Through the years, I’ve observed many examples of community theater. None can top the Palace for hard work and heart. While everyone in the cast is top-notch, standouts include Kirk Kelso (Billy Flynn), Emily Niswonger (Velma Kelly), Craig McKerley (Amos Hart) and Sheree Bristoll (Roxie Hart). But everyone bringing this one together did their jobs well. These photos were taken for my friends at the Williamson County Sun.
Goodbye to a School
Friday was the final day of the school year for students in the Georgetown (Texas) school district. It’s generally accepted that things come to an end. The range of emotions is always a roller coaster of feelings. One school, however, George Washington Carver Elementary, home to 427 students this year, quietly closed its doors forever. The school opened in 1964. In the upcoming academic year, a new Carver will open, with its own history yet to come. But at the original Carver Friday afternoon, a building wasn’t the only retiree. Two kindergarten teachers, Kim Giese and Adelle Ayala were also coming to the end of their long careers, mostly spent here in Carver’s hallways. After the kids had left, each spent a bit of quiet time in their empty rooms before turning out the lights and moving on to the next phase of their lives. When everyone had pretty much cleared out in the late afternoon, Pedro Barahona, a custodian at Carver for 14 years, found time to give the hall floors a fresh wax job. He will move to the new Carver, with its shiny floors and pristine walls, but I’m guessing he’ll remember these spaces for a long time, too. These photos were taken for a story by Jonathan Adams in the Williamson County Sun.
Memorial Day 2015
My part of Texas has been hammered with heavy rain, flooding and a few tornadoes the past few days. Not to be outdone by Mother Nature, the annual Memorial Day observance in Sun City today went off without a hitch once things were moved indoors to the Sun City ballroom. After the ceremony, a few people did wander outside to Veterans Memorial Plaza, a somewhat moving place to be anytime of the year. After the official event, I decided to stop by Georgetown’s city cemetery, where I found a number of rain-drenched grave sites adorned with American flags. That was nice. These photos were taken for the Williamson County Sun.
A Varied Memorial Day Weekend
Central Texas is doing its part to minimize our drought. Rain has been a constant presence the last few days. As with any weather situation, there are positives and negatives to consider. The good thing, however, is most of Saturday was perfect spending time outdoors on this unofficial summer kickoff weekend. The waterfall at San Gabriel Park was good for a family determined to catch some crawfish, which they did! For others, it was a place to cool off. Lake Georgetown was a good place for a grandfather to spend quality time with his grandkids, fishing an almost-full lake. And the wildflowers are still going strong at Berry Springs Park and Preserve. After a night of heavy rain, we experienced some flooding. The last three photos in this post are views of the San Gabriel River, where County Road 100 was closed to traffic, but apparently not to two guys with their floats. Thankfully, they had on life preservers. The last photo is an overview of that same river, at San Gabriel Park late Sunday afternoon.
A Beautiful Day at Blue Hole
We’ve had an abundant intake of rain around Texas the past few days, some areas overwhelmed by it. So much, in fact, that weather prognosticators have done what they do so well, creating panic where none might be needed. Saturday was a case in point. Forecasts called for more rain, with possible flooding. Events long planned were cancelled. Baseball games were sent packing. The predictions didn’t come to fruition. Hearty folks that we are around here, many found places like Blue Hole Lagoon, in Georgetown, to enjoy a quite beautiful day. Among those having fun were Adrian Guzman, 12, and his cousin, Marissa Guzman, 10, the duo you’ll see in several of these photos, taken for my friends at the Williamson County Sun. I know forecasters feel they’re doing a public service by warning us, but perhaps I’m not alone in thinking they go over the top at times. Enjoy your life, friends.
Fandomonium!
The Georgetown Public Library gave the public a free treat on Saturday with Fandomonium, sort of a mini-comic con, where kids (and adults) were encouraged to dress up in their favorite superhero attire. The day included games, crafts, panel discussions and plenty of colorful fun. One young fellow who enjoyed making his own mask this Mothers Day weekend was 5-year-old Shamma McDonald, who was also spending some quality time with his mom, Erin McDonald. They’re quite a team! Public libraries are wonderful resources in communities all over the country. Take advantage of one where you live. These photos were taken for my pals at the Williamson County Sun.
Georgetown’s National Day of Prayer
Like many other communities around the country, those around Georgetown, Texas gathered to commemorate the National Day of Prayer on Thursday. Because of the possibility of rain, this year’s event was moved indoors, to the worship center at Main Street Baptist Church. I’ll keep this brief and allow the photos to say what they will. These photos were taken for my friends at the Williamson County Sun.
Forging a Quiet Harmony
One of the most enthralling things I’ve witnessed in a while occurred last Saturday at the Williamson County Sheriffs Posse arena, in Georgetown, Texas. It was where five wild mustangs, only recently displaced from Bureau of Land Management land in the far western states of Wyoming, Nevada and California, spent their first morning getting to know their new trainers, all Williamson County Sheriffs Posse members. These lovely creatures will work with their new trainers one-on-one for one hundred days, as part of the Mustang Challenge and Extreme Mustang Makeover. The fruits of this human/horse relationship comes to fruition September 10-12 in Fort Worth, Texas, where the trainers demonstrate what they’ve been able to accomplish. Remember, these horses have had little or no human interaction. They aren’t always trusting, as Roddy Clyde, shown in many of these photos, will tell you. Perhaps it’s a cliche to refer to Mr. Clyde as a horse whisperer, but the shoe fits. During an hour in the arena ring, Clyde made amazing progress. The touching you see here is no small feat. An interesting fact: the Mustang Heritage Foundation, a national group, is based just east of Georgetown, in Weir, Texas. These photos accompany a Williamson County Sun story by Will Anderson.
Charlie And Astro
While I refer to this blog as Andy’s Ramblings, last evening I met honest-to-goodness ramblers, Charlie Hill and his sidekick, an 8-year-old donkey called Astro. For the last several years, Charlie tells me, he and Astro have been putting the miles on their little rig as they make their way on the pathways of Texas. So far, Astro and Charlie have about 4,000 miles logged. When I caught up with them Tuesday, it was late in the day. Storm clouds were forming. It was an easy choice to land somewhere for the night. Fortunately, the pair found a field at the end of an abandoned road just north of Taylor. Thankfully, the rain didn’t materialize, but they were prepared! Mr. Hill is now 60. Until a few years ago, he was a mariner, spending a lot of time at sea. Since he was born and raised near Galveston, that makes sense, doesn’t it? But now, they wander (or ramble) along our Texas highways. Charlie’s not sure where they’re headed, but a possible destination is Wichita Falls. I asked Charlie and Astro to say howdy to Larry McMurtry if they get close to Archer City. Assuming, of course, Mr. McMurtry hasn’t left the state again.
Georgetown’s Red Poppy Festival
The Red Poppy Festival, in Georgetown, Texas, celebrated its 16th year with this year’s event, which concluded Sunday after a successful 3-day run. Stormy skies occasionally lurked nearby, but thankfully for festival organizers and visitors to historic downtown Georgetown, the weather cooperated. There was a cool parade, great antique autos, plenty of food, vendors and entertainment aplenty. I spent a long Saturday taking photos for the Williamson County Sun. Among my favorite finds at the festival was Gibson. Gibson is a 1-year-old Vietnamese Miniature Pot-bellied pig, completely house-broken and friendly as can be. He didn’t however, care a lot for the loud music. Pig ears, I suppose, are sensitive.
A Stroll Through Earth Day
My previous post advanced Earth Day 2015. This offering of images were taken this afternoon, in Taylor and Georgetown. The ducks included are Taylor ducks, of course. Taylor is home to many of these lovely creatures. And turtles, too. The Taylor photos were at Bull Branch Park. The remainder of these are from Georgetown’s lovely San Gabriel Park. They were taken for the Williamson County Sun
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Celebrating the Earth
Earth Day falls each year on April 22, a Wednesday this year. To call attention the day this past Saturday, the Interfaith Eco-Network took groups on a guided tour of the nature trail at Our Lady of the Rosary Cemetery and Prayer Garden, concluding with a visit to Getsemani Community Gardens. The Interfaith Eco-Network is a coalition of 9 area churches made up of different denominations. Volunteers involved in taking care of both spaces include the Williamson County Master Naturalists, as well as members of Williamson County Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas. The little guy that pops up in a few photos is 6-year-old Gavin Edwards-Lemon, who is quite a rock collector. And the hands covered in mud belong to Davin Hoyt, who was building a spiral herb garden at Getsemani, using soil and limestone plucked from the land right there. By the way, the opening photo are inland sea oats at Our Lady of the Rosary, relishing in drops of recent rain. And the final photo? That’s a Williamson County Winecup, the little flower used as the official logo of the Williamson County Native Plant Society group. Apparently, it only grows around here. That’s cool. As a photographer who enjoys landscape and wildlife photography, I have the utmost respect for the planet’s survival. Appreciate the Earth, not just on Earth Day.
A Laugh Out Loud Show!
Georgetown’s venerable Palace Theatre is bringing Monty Python’s “Spamalot” to their Springer Memorial Stage weekends through May 17. I’m advised this is the first time this hilarious offering has graced the Palace stage. The production, directed by Ron Watson, was lively and entertaining. My only negative is I wish the stage lighting were a bit more substantial, but maybe they were going for a moody set. As a photographer, of course, I may barking up the wrong tree. This one’s very funny, friends. Gallop on over and take it in. These photos were taken for my pals at the Williamson County Sun.
A Return to Taylor’s Rookery
Since we’ve lived in Taylor, not quite six years, one of the relaxing things I’ve been able to do, with cameras in hand, of course, is visit the lake at Murphy Park, just up the road from our house. In the center of that little lake is a habitat for avian wildlife. Each Spring, their population grows as the birds, including egrets, herons, ducks, and geese, come here to nest and begin new families. Not being the smartest fellow in the world, I didn’t know this spot had a name: a rookery. It’s interesting to note that many of the locals are not big fans of these birds. As they fly around town, it seems they sometimes bombard yards with an over-abundance of poop. We only live a mile from here, but I haven’t noticed any leavings around my house. Each to his/her own, I suppose. All I know is that it’s a pleasure to observe these new families each year. Their winged grace is something to be admired.
An Annual Southwestern Gathering
Southwestern University, in Georgetown, Texas, held their 11th Annual Native Spring Powwow last weekend. Again this year, the Williamson County Sun assigned me to photograph this colorful and inspiring gathering. With something like this, I don’t have many words to add, preferring to allow the photos room to speak for themselves.
A Ride to Support Autism Causes
The weather forecast leading up to Saturday morning’s 2015 Autism Bike Ride wasn’t looking promising. On their site, the organizers at The Autism Society of Central Texas placed a note to advise participants of possible cancellation if things went south. When Saturday morning arrived, however, it was cloudy, but winds were calm and the rain was only a drizzle, but not even much of that. In other words, great weather for everyone. For cyclists, the distance choices included 68, 42, 24 and 9 mile rides, plus a fun run. One of the fun runners was Emily Hawkins, there with her son, Jackson, 3, who has autism. They’re shown in two photos here, their bright red hair sparkling in the morning light.
There were plenty of people there riding for “Team Jackson” though, including Cheryl Gregg, in the opening photo, cycling past some bright yellow wildflowers on County Road 140. Other “Team Jackson” members cycling through picturesque Williamson County were friends Linda Brown and Marlys Gardner, zipping past a field of bluebonnets in the final photo. And three friends found a field of Texas Longhorns a good place for a rest stop to visit with the state’s iconic cows, who seemed to relish the attention. All in all, it was a good day to raise funds, and awareness, for a very good cause. These photos were taken for my friends at the Williamson County Sun.
A Few Rambling Images
From time to time, you’ll see something here that doesn’t concentrate on any single subject. As the name of this blog clearly states, my cameras and I wander, or “ramble” if you prefer. Since it’s April in Central Texas, this post includes wildflowers, of course, but also: a nice little sunset on a sweet county road north of Coupland, the simplicity of an unpaved country road, a farmer’s newly-planted crops on a peaceful stretch of County Road 418, the day’s final rays falling on Zion Lutheran Church, in Sandoval, cattle at their “tank” along Farm Road 112, east of Taylor, and finally, young foals at sunrise on a gray morning just outside Georgetown. Hopefully, I have a few rambling years left in me to record the majesty of Texas.
Easter Weekend Wanderings
Easter weekend has been pleasant. Wildflowers are in bloom all over Williamson County, Texas. The first four photos in this post are from Berry Springs Park & Preserve, where the blooms are bright and healthy. The next couple shots are from Our Lady of the Rosary Cemetery and Prayer Gardens, a place that exudes peacefulness. There, bluebonnets co-exist with grave sites, but seem to like the nearness of some nice agave plants. Next weekend, on Sunday, April 12, Our Lady hosts their Field of Flowers Day, from 1-4p.m. Since it costs nothing but time (and a little gas), I heartily suggest a visit. Also on the docket Saturday morning was a visit to youth soccer matches. Nobody was expecting it to be chilly in April around here, but blankets were the order of the morning. Finally, I end this offering with Easter Egg hunts sponsored by St. Peter Lutheran Church, in Walburg, and Main Street Baptist Church, in Georgetown. Enjoy the wildflowers, but be careful of where you sit. These photos were taken for the Williamson County Sun.
Poppies Galore in Georgetown!
Just two weeks ago, if you were looking for red poppies in Georgetown, Texas, you had to do some serious searching. Today, at the beginning of April, they have arrived in abundance. Among those enjoying the beautiful blooms were members of the Sun City plein air painting group. J.C. Johnson and his wife, Linda, are very proud of their poppies and were more than happy to have plein air folks set up their easels. Just around the corner, Edwards Park was a sight to behold. Nichole Chicoy found the poppies there the perfect spot to snap photos of her new bicycle. It’s all good as the city prepares for its annual Red Poppy Festival, April 24-36. These photos were taken for the Williamson County Sun.
Sports At Its Best
Among my favorite events to attend each March is the Special Olympics, sponsored by the San Gabriel Breakfast Kiwanis Club. This year, athletes attended from Georgetown, Taylor, Hutto and Austin. To me, the Special Olympics, wherever they’re held, are really what sports is about, a sweet, enduring and pure activity not based on financial gain, or really, even about winning. In Special Olympics, everyone wins. Like 11-year-old Alize Ramos, helping begin the games in a torch run around the track, assisted by her teacher, Clay Cansler, left, and Georgetown firefighter Colby Lyons. Or athletes Zeke Walker and Trevor Leathers going head-to-head in the 100-meter run. After the race, the young men shared a warm hug. One of my favorite moments is the last photo in this series, where athlete Suraj Naik, at left, gets a hug from volunteer Austin Mallard, a senior at Georgetown High School, also a member of the football team. Normally, I’m not a fan of someone looking right into my lens, but the young football player’s eyes spoke volumes about his compassion for the athletes. We need a few more Austin Mallards in the world. These photos were taken for my friends at the Williamson County Sun.
An Afternoon in Round Rock
After completing an assignment nearby, I stopped at Round Rock’s Chisholm Trail Park. An artist friend had heard about the wagon tracks imbedded in Brushy Creek’s bed and wanted to know if the old tracks, from the time of the cattle drives through Texas, was a good candidate for her paintbrush and easel. It was. Before heading home, however, I happened by the almost-hidden waterfall at the park, something passersby might not notice. But Robert Cliborn, and his 2-year-old friend, Dosha, knew about it. With temperatures well into the 80s when these photos were taken this week, this was a grand spot for the pair. Springtime doesn’t last long around here. Finding a good watering hole is a big plus.
Clouds Rolling In
These photos were all taken the other day, late on Wednesday afternoon. Storms were approaching Williamson County, Texas. After all the fuss, a real thunderstorm never really materialized, but the clouds certainly did. I’ve mentioned numerous times my feelings for Texas skies. Wednesday’s display speaks directly to that. Among the images: a tiny cemetery in a field, in Weir, Southwestern University, in Georgetown, First United Methodist Church, also in Georgetown, a farmer’s soon-to-be corn field, in Jonah, a very cool old red barn (rainbow included at left), near Jonah, and finally, a windmill, about a mile from my house, in Taylor. These photos were taken within a 2-hour span. Texas skies are a visual feast.
The Reluctant Kitty Cat
Renee Gamez wants to be sure Marley, her 2-year-old feline, gets plenty of fresh air, but with so many distractions near her home, she keeps her big boy safe, utilizing a harness and a leash. Marley, however, took a decidedly cat-like attitude on their Monday evening stroll. Renee’s a good mommy, keeping Marley safe from loose dogs, and a cat’s urge to chase ducks at Taylor’s Murphy Park.
