Some photos tonight from two communities in Burnet County, Bertram and Oatmeal.  Bertram’s population is around 1400.  The town was established in 1882.   The opening photo is a family who requested I take a photo of them in front of one of the vintage buildings (circa 1904).  By the same building, an Oregon dog called Henry answered nature’s call.   Also included here is a photo of the folk art iron work of Garry Curry, very cool, reminiscent of Georgia’s Reverend Howard Finster.  About six miles south of Bertram is what remains of the community of Oatmeal,  quite a few years older than Bertram, established in the 1840s by German immigrants.  There are only a handful of people here today, but a school, now a community center, is there.  Along with a very nice windmill.

040421 BERTRAM,

If the pandemic doesn’t derail it again this year, Bertram hosts the annual Oatmeal Festival on Labor Day.  If you drive south from Bertram on Ranch Road 243, look for the oatmeal box.

While taking in the wildflowers beginning to bloom at Berry Springs Park & Preserve this morning, I noticed a small gathering, not unusual at a park as lovely as this.   Then I noticed the  white doves, taking me away from the flowers.   I didn’t want to interrupt, but a journalist’s curiosity clicked on.   It was a memorial service for a baby who died at birth, only six days ago.   Family and friends gathered to commemorate her birth with the release of white doves, facilitated by Lone Star White Dove Release.  Before snapping photos, I asked if it was okay to record what was happening, then proceeded.   These are images from that brief observance.   This was a Trinity Release.   It begins with the release of a single dove, representing  the spirit of the departed, followed by the release of three more doves, representing the Father, Son and  the Holy Spirit.  Upon release, the spirit dove joins the others as they begin their spiritual flight home.   It was a solemn, but touching observance.

One of the versions of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, in Wuthrich Hill, hangs on our wall in Taylor.  This one’s from tonight, taken during Good Friday services.  The other two photos include agave plants extending their reach near sunset, then a sunset image just south of Bartlett.   I’ll admit to an overabundance of sunsets this week, but they’re just so nice.

My allergy/sinus issues were driving me up the wall all day so it was a pleasant surprise to see our exceptional skies and sunset tonight on the Blackland Prairie.     There’s nothing more words can add to that.

This photo was taken in 1972, not long after arriving on the UT-Austin campus to study journalism/photojournalism.   This wasn’t an assignment, just something seen en route to a class. The pooch seemed content on her perch while her human continued scanning the newspaper.  Remember newspapers?

Just some photos taken last night as I rambled through the area east of Granger, Texas.    Three of the photos here are taken on dirt roads, something hard to find in metro-Atlanta.   Dirt roads aren’t fun after a rain, but otherwise, they are grand.     The Blackland Prairie has some of the best skies.  

A couple of images from some of our rural Central Texas landscape, including early-morning haze near Jonah, plus an old farmhouse, long retired, sharing space with a vintage John Deere tractor.  The tractor is pretty old, but I think it’s still in use.  This and that.

Minnie Moo enjoys her time in the backyard quite a lot.   We play sometimes, but what she really likes is stalking critters that dash through our yard.   She hasn’t caught anything.   Yet.   That’s a little hand towel she latched onto the first shot.

Tonight’s photos were taken along New Sweden Road, home to New Sweden Evangelical Lutheran Church.  It’s an area in Travis County, a few miles northeast of Manor.  The church congregation formed in 1876, comprised of Swedish immigrants.   The current church was completed in 1923.  For years, services were conducted in Swedish, but later converted to English.  It remains an active church today.

Make A Wish is a wonderful group, bringing joy to places where it’s needed.   This weekend, I was at San Gabriel Park in Georgetown for a Make A Wish parade  for Kristopher, a 6-year-old boy who has dealt with Chronic Idiopathic Intestinal Pseudo Obstruction, a gastrointestinal disorder, for his entire young life.  If you’re so inclined, look do a search on the disorder.   Through many hospital stays, Kristopher became a fan of everything related to Legos.  His wish: a complete Legos Master Workshop.   That wish came through via numerous gift boxes handed out by super hero action figures during his parade.   The gifts were made possible by the fundraising efforts of Westlake for Wishes, a group of teens from Austin’s Westlake High School.  The group’s founder, now 18, was at one time a Make A Wish kid.   Kristopher was happy and lively throughout the event, but did get a little tired from opening all the gifts.  He bounced right back.   When everything was done, Kristopher helped load his goodies into the family van, then was buckled in for the ride home.   By his side was his service dog, Harley.   Good things do happen in this world.