“Lots of walking around.   Back and forth.”

That describes Robert Halstrom’s  recent day as he continued to place heart pine boards onto the 1500 square foot floor of what was once the sanctuary for Granger United Methodist Church. 

Robert and his wife JoAnn, both 61, are the Wimberley couple who purchased the church, at the corner of East Elm and South Granger, in fall 2019.   The church was built in 1904, with additions in 1916.   In early 2019, with only a handful of members, the church closed.   

I met Robert and JoAnn in November 2019 while taking photos of Christmas decorations along West Davilla Street.   Robert and JoAnn stopped to chat, casually mentioning they’d recently purchased the old church.   A series of columns in the Sun have attempted to document the restoration progress. 

Initially, Robert, a baggage handler for American Airlines, and JoAnn, a rural postal carrier, put a lot of miles on their vehicles, making the 90-minute  drive from their home for the project.   Robert was able to take a leave of absence from his job, devoting more time to the church.   The couple fashioned a living area  in back, where Sunday school classes were once held.   Robert would often stay overnight, JoAnn coming when she could.   

Their schedule is freeing up this year.  Robert recently retired from his airlines job, allowing more time for  the church.   JoAnn will retire in two months.    They plan to sell their house  in Wimberley soon.  The church’s living area will become their home.  

Restoration of the historic structure is long process.   The foundation was leveled last year, a six-month process.   Fourteen stained glass windows have been restored  by The Cavallini Company, Inc., based in San Antonio.   They’ll remain at Adrian Cavallini’s studio until more work is done inside the church.   

These occasional column updates won’t discuss the cost of restoration, but it can be pricey.   

“How much money are we going to spend on this place?” JoAnn asks.   Robert’s answer?  “All of it!”   They’re a very laid-back couple, taking their time on a task they love.

Robert expects the work will continue for about two years.   When finally done, they hope to transform the church into an event and wedding venue.   Once the flooring is done, the church’s original pews will return to the sanctuary floor.    And they hope to get the attention of the Texas Film Commission when everything is done.   I can envision it as the centerpiece of a movie set. 

At the end of a long day’s work, Robert steps outside to rest and stretch.   It’s a clear night, stars clearly visible overhead.    It’s time for supper. 

The work continues.  

After a busy day in front of my computer, an errand in Hutto, about 10 minutes west of Taylor, prompted a few photos this evening.   These are all close to U.S. Highway 79.  It’s a busy corridor, but sometimes we can find relaxation if we look.  Tonight’s moon is Waxing Crescent, 6.7% visibility.   Have a peaceful weekend, friends.

A very busy day and evening.   Just posting some recent barn (and one with a pond) from near Granger, Walburg and Thrall.   Have a good evening, friends.

Both photos were taken on my wanderings around the Blackland Prairie this evening.   The first image is along one of my favorite unpaved roads in East Williamson County.   The vibrant red sky was holding on before fading away.   The second photo, hopefully, needs no explanation.   If you need one, however, may I suggest studying the history of Texas, particularly this day.  

There are times when I drive all over the dang place in search of photos, but not tonight.  Each of these four photos were taken no more than 15 minutes from our Taylor home.   Even the blasted power lines look okay if paired with the  right subject matter.  Have a good night, friends.

Almost 50 years ago, one of my mentors imparted a bit of wisdom.   Photos can be loud, or they can be quiet.   The skies hovering over Granger tonight were most definitely loud.   Nice, but intense.  Another Blackland Prairie image was taken a few weeks ago along a county road in East Williamson County, a delicate farm scene.   Quiet.   Each has merit, but quiet is healing.

As I drive around the Blackland Prairie, many things get my attention.   Tractors are one of them.   The likelihood that the ones presented tonight still function, but I like seeing them.   

Today I spent some meaningful time at Tippit Middle School for  a Black History Month event in Georgetown.   With a health and wellness theme, it  was made possible by the Georgetown Cultural Citizen Memorial Association, a group that’s been around for many years in this area.   Coordinating the exercises were Camp Gladiator, Silver Sneakers (based at the Georgetown Recreation Center), Let’s Get Healthy and MPower Basketball Training.   While this collection is meant to represent the month, I was particularly happy to see the two little girls taking part.   Ages 6 and 7, they were impressive.   But the most impressive thing?  The kids never met before today.   I assumed they were good buddies already.   They are now.   Adults could learn a lot from children.

Another post where the only theme is that both photos were taken as the last light of day faded into memory.   The deer photo came about when I was trying to follow a horse through some brushy growth.   The horse didn’t materialize, but another head popped up.   The second image is just some prairie grass found close to home.   This was on a lightly-traveled stretch, allowing the nutty photographer an opportunity to grab a low angle while standing in the middle of the road.   Following my lead might not always be wise!

When I took photos of this stand of trees at the first of the year, they were transitioning to their winter look, but still had a touch of color.   Remnants of autumn stay around a little longer in South Central Texas.  Passing by them again earlier this week,  the color leaving us with a with an almost black-and-white landscape.  The white on some trees isn’t frost.  If that were so, all the trees would look similar.   Nature creates some soothing palettes.