It’s the time of year when posting holiday lights is a given.   Coupland, Texas, just minutes south of Taylor, is a small community adorned with inspiration.   These are from  a Monday drive.  Included are St. Peter’s Church of Coupland, the depot, which also serves as their city hall.   And that wonderful caboose.  The post concludes with the Coupland Dance Hall.   Small town Texas is enchanting.

Horses are  elegant beings.   They occasionally pop into view on these wanderings, but not immediately posted.  These are four photographs taken since last week, beginning  with one on a very blue and cloudy night.  The photograph  would only work with a light-colored subject.   Thankfully, one was available.  The second is a silhouette, seen near Coupland.   That dog running  through the field sort of overshadows the horse, but that dog was something else, actually jumping the pasture fence and giving chase for a minute.  And the final one was made today, during our misty and cool  afternoon, the horses huddled around their hay bales.   Again, just horses.

Cloud-filled skies dominated the day.   In Bell County, Texas, a little east of Bartlett,  a beautiful Live Oak  tree  commands attention.   A friend mentioned the tree several years ago.   Driving east from Bartlett,  you can’t help but notice its regal presence on top of a hill.  It’s been seen numerous times, but resting under those clouds this afternoon,  a stop for another photograph  just seemed right.   In black-and-white, no less.

These daily walks are becoming a little slower as time passes.   Stopping for a few seconds to snap a photo actually gives an aging body a brief respite.    The making of photographs, however, continues to be personal therapy.    A reminder that all walk photographs are taken with an inexpensive Olympus camera equipped with an equally inexpensive Lumix zoom lens.   Nikon continues to be the main tool for most things, but don’t discount other options.  These, of course, are from this week, with yet another squirrel.  That hawk was eyeing up one of those squirrels.  

Luminaries were placed on the lawn of Georgetown’s St. John’s Methodist Church today.   The church is located in  a very busy section of the city.  These luminaries, here until 2026 begins, are reason enough to slow down.   The last photo has no luminaries, only a beautiful stained glass window and a Waxing Gibbous moon.  

Photographs from Friday night’s Lighting of the Square in Georgetown, Texas are presented this morning.   They would’ve been posted last night, but the worn-out photographer fell asleep.   Time marches on.  The opening photo is this year’s favorite.   That young lady was completely enthralled with the Christmas tree on the courthouse lawn.  The photo involved having to get down on her level, assuming she’d notice the camera’s distraction, but she did not.   Happy Christmas, friends.

From a recent drive this week.  This merited a brief stop.   Just a snapshot, but sometimes it’s what there is.

During Spring and Summer months the lake in Taylor’s Murphy Park is alive with activity as egrets bring new life into the world.    After mating season each year a few egrets stay around, mingling with the cormorants and herons.   It’s much quieter now, but still inspiring.   These were taken this evening.

Georgetown’s Community Thanksgiving was held this morning in the Community Center at San Gabriel Park.  The event is sponsored by the Georgetown Police and Fire Departments, the Georgetown Beard Club and G.W. Pyro, with assistance from a lot of volunteers.  Anyone seeking a free Thanksgiving meal was welcome.   A few of the area’s homeless were here today.   Four of the photographs here include members of that community.  Everyone, however, regardless of their circumstances,  found space here. The lady in the portrait  is Alycia Tandy, one of the founders of Community Thanksgiving.  She’s a neat lady.  

After far too much driving, not leading to much, Noack, Texas, a few miles east of Taylor, was quiet and soothing.   The post begins with Christ Lutheran Church, an often-photographed church, plus two versions of grain elevators less than a mile from the church.  The bins are owned by farmers who add some very nice lights on their bins.  Two variations, taken a few minutes apart, are included.    Have a peaceful Thanksgiving, friends.