This weekend I learned that kolaches are  incredibly good if done well, thanks to the volunteers at Granger’s Saints Cyril & Methodius Catholic Church as they made 350 dozen kolaches for their 60th annual Kolache Bake.   Orders for a box were placed well in advance, giving the creators a good idea of what to bake.  Some of the helpers arrived at 4a.m. to get things rolling.   Among the most energetic were two young sisters, working like pros alongside their mom and grandmother.   Kolache choices included prune, apricot, cream cheese, pineapple, cherry and poppyseed.   Kolaches are a traditional Czech pastry.   For generations Czech families have continued the tradition.   Growing up in Northeast Texas, doughnuts were my first choice.   While they still are, the kolaches I tried at Saturday’s event made me a fan.   So very good!

Since we live on the area known as the Blackland Prairie, I call this prairie grass.  Farmer friends probably have another  name for them.   These grasses are  abundant.    They certainly are this month.   These six photos show the same field of grass.   The  three daylight images were taken  a week ago.  The  others were made tonight, the blue light of a given evening.   Same grass, different interpretations. 

Just some photos taken of Great Blue Herons during my daily walks this past few mornings.  They’re beautiful birds, but mostly a bit wary of us humans.   I can understand why.  It was neat to see two herons sharing space on the water at Murphy Park.   For the most part, herons seem to like their personal space.  I get that, too.   All photos made with my Olympus carry-around camera.

“Holiday Inn” opens tonight on the Springer Memorial Stage at the Georgetown Palace.    Just a few photos from the Wednesday dress rehearsal here.    For whatever reason, I thought of the Holiday Inn Hotels chain.   The first Holiday Inn opened in Memphis in August 1952, the year and month I began inhabiting the planet.   Growing up in Texarkana, one of my early jobs was working at a Holiday Inn there.  I cleaned the pool, hauled furniture, a little bit of everything.   The architect for that first hotel was a fan of the 1942 musical by that name.  As a joke, he called it “Holiday Inn.”   The name stuck.   The Palace production was great.   Still photos never do these plays justice, but one does what one can.  

At the end of next week the town square in Georgetown will be filled with holiday lights,  but there’s still light to be found on a given night.   These five were made this evening, opening with Grace Heritage Center, originally Grace Episcopal Church (1881)  at the corner of 9th and Main.   Next is the Lockett building, at 7th Street and Austin Avenue, currently home to a restaurant, Goodfolks.   Lights shine in the upper windows of Mesquite Creek Outfitters, on Austin Avenue.   In the next block on South Austin is the Georgetown Palace, a wonderful Art Deco theater.   “Holiday Inn” opens there Friday.   The post concludes with a photo of the shining windows at Main Street Baptist Church, near 10th and Main.   At one time I’m told it was First Baptist Church.  When seeing the lighted stained glass, I took a few quick photos, but thought a tripod-mounted camera would give a better result.   Alas, by the time I had the tripod in hand, the lights were turned off.   I’m glad I thought to first snap a photo.

More examples of autumn color in Taylor, Texas seen during my daily walks.   If memory serves, I was seeing evolving color well into December last year.   We’ll see how it goes this season.   Much of the color I see is thanks to the park’s cypress trees.    Sometimes it’s subtle, but I prefer to think of it as quiet.   As usual, these photos were made with that Olympus I carry for strolls.  Much to do tonight, thus the early post.

These photos of deer at Georgetown’s Berry Springs Park & Preserve were taken late last week.   When I see deer it’s either in the very early morning, or as the day’s final rays fall on the landscape.  Hunters usually seek them out at the cusp of dawn.   The deer pictured here are evening observations.  I watched them for about thirty or so minutes, the light on the prairie grass evolving, as was the sky.   The opening photo is actually one of the last ones taken before darkness set in.  I liked how they effortlessly zoomed through the prairie grass, probably to a resting  place for the night.

The light that shines once darkness comes is always a treat for me.   These photos were taken in Taylor the last two evenings.   Since moving to Taylor in 2009, I’ve passed United Christian Church, formerly First Christian Church, and thought how nice it would be to see those doors adorned with light.   They were tonight.   First Christian Church formed in 1877.  The current building was added in 1891. At one time it had a wonderful steeple.  I’m not sure what happened there.   The other photos are just scenes from around Taylor.   I like seeing the holiday lights, no matter when they appear.

Coming out of the grocery store tonight in Taylor, I had to latch onto a camera.   The post-sunset skies were impeccable.    I’m guessing the aircraft was on a flight pattern headed for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.    These skies are one of the things that keep us glued to Texas.  

Just some recent efforts at photographing butterflies in Taylor.   I’m not sure my images stand up to others out there, but rather than not post them at all, why not toss them out there?    Don’t begin to ask me what any of them are.    That I’ll leave to friends much more attuned to those things.  As mentioned before, I think of them as flying flowers.