While not finding many first responders during National Night Out parties in Georgetown, it was   a good night at Stonehaven Apartments, the city’s public housing project, and San Jose Park, an event hosted by City Council member Amanda Parr.   One of the best quiet moments was at Stonehaven, where Orville, an 88-year-old resident, expressed his appreciation for the work the officer does.   Also there was Daniel, who says he’s been homeless most of his life.  From San Antonio, Daniel eventually hopes to make it to Dallas, but was welcomed to the party at Stonehaven while on his journey.   At San Jose Park, I did run into Koda, the fire department’s 6-year-old official mascot.  The YMCA of Georgetown provided peddle carts, a popular attraction for the kids.

Daily walks are good for the heart.   And light falling on plant life is good for the soul.   Just some photographs from recent strolls in Taylor  the past few days.  Just watching light. 

Dragonflies are remarkable creatures, but also great subjects for honing one’s focusing skills.  They’re tiny, with mostly transparent wings.   And they’re notoriously shy when you get too close.   A telephoto lens is really needed to capture their elegance.   These were taken at Georgetown’s Rivery Park this past weekend.   There’s a little pond here which is  very attractive to dragonflies.   I spent over an hour at the pond,  taking a whole bunch of fuzzy shots before sort of getting it right.   It’s interesting to note that one of Precision Camera’s classes,  on October 6th,  is about dragonfly photography,  led by photographer Kathy Adams Clark.   It takes place from 9-11a.m. at the Coastal Prairie Conservancy’s Indian Grass Preserve, between Austin and Houston.

This afternoon I took photos during Fiesta Georgetown, held at the Boys & Girls Club of Georgetown.   Our area is observing Hispanic Culture and Heritage Month through October 15th.  While quite a few shots were taken, for this post I focus on the Round Rock Ballet Folklorico.    The troupe has added Chiquita, an 8-foot tall 30 pound creation with roots in the Mexican state of San Miguel de Allende.    A 3-year-old throughly enjoyed the troupe’s performance.  

This was taken minutes after sunrise one week ago today, the first day of Autumn.    As you might guess, I photograph quite a few windmills.  A friend has an almost-new one he had placed on his farm outside Walburg.   It shines like new money.  I love seeing its glow.   But documenting old windmills is rewarding, too.   This  photo was taken in an area of Williamson County, Texas I seldom venture, north of Georgetown, south of Jarrell.  When I saw this one, the skies were evolving into a  warmer glow, soon becoming another hot Texas day.   At first I passed it on by, but quickly decided to go back for this.    These decrepit windmills give us windows into an earlier time.   I’m glad this one’s still there.

With an auto service appointment early this morning, I was on the road before dawn.   It wasn’t my intention to offer another moon photograph, but it looked sweet up there (still over 97 % visibility)  in the morning sky, particularly sweet over Taylor’s Immanuel Lutheran Church, the little church on the hill, now in very close proximity to the Samsung Semiconductor site.   After snapping a quick photo or two, I got in the car, only to be slowed down by long freight train.   That merited a photo, too.  Better to click the shutter than twiddle my thumbs.   The car appointment was made with one whole minute to spare!

A Waning Gibbous moon, at 99.3% visibility, shines over West Davilla Street in downtown Granger tonight.   I’d assumed my fascination with the moon was put to rest Thursday night, but it took another bow tonight over this beautiful community.  

Most of the windmills I photograph are in the countryside, but sometimes they show up in neighborhoods.   The morning light on this one taken during a daily walk in Taylor merited a stop.   My little Olympus camera  is handy.

While I generally don’t adhere to various names for full moons, a Harvest Moon sounds dandy.   These were taken this evening, first over Christ Lutheran Church in Noack, Texas.    Then over a weathered barn, also in Noack.  I swear that looks like a ghost peering out of that window!   The moon chase concluded in the Milam County community of Thorndale.

A drive 16 miles north to Bartlett tonight wasn’t for another moon photo, but there it was, shining over Clark Street, the main corridor through this community of a bit over 1600, partly in Williamson County, but also in Bell County.   In its Waxing Gibbous phase, it was 97.1% visibility tonight.   Note the upper windows in the last photo.  That’s the moon reflected in its panes, a double reflection.   Three shots don’t show the moon.  They’re here just because I like them!