Drought and harsh weather have taken a toll on the rookery at Taylor’s Murphy Park.   Thankfully,  some birds are finding refuge here to nurture their families.   You’ll find Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Cattle Egrets, cormorants, herons, geese and ducks.   Some of them are permanent residents.   This collection was taken on one evening this week, just egrets and cormorants.

Headed a few miles west early today, a sunrise over a pasture in Taylor merited a brief stop.    This was at 7:34a.m. Central Daylight Time.   Sunrises, more so than sunsets, come on quickly, soon getting a fiery bleached-out look.   Thankfully, this was a seldom-used country road.   If you look closely at lower right, you might discern vehicle headlights.   Hopefully, we’ll see those fields adorned with crops soon.   Drought has been hard on Central Texas.

After a busy couple of days, a little down time was needed tonight.   Tired of gawking at a computer screen all day, I wandered around, seeing a hawk darting from tree to tree near Granger.  Shutter snap.  And kudos to Kim, a Taylor friend who volunteers for a wild animal rehabilitation group in our area.  Kim was disparaged for expressing a political thought  on social media today.    She has every right to do so.

“A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Forum” opens tonight on the Springer Stage at the Georgetown Palace.  Just something here from Thursday night’s final dress rehearsal.  Jerry, my 81-year-old friend, was one of the night’s highlights.  Including intermission, the production is almost three hours long, but very entertaining!   More photos on Facebook and Instagram (@andybobsharp).

Red Poppies are beginning to be seen in Georgetown, Texas.  So far, I’m not seeing them gathered in large groups, but they’re coming along.   A portion of Wednesday evening was spent snapping photographs of the colorful blooms at Edwards Park, plus the Sunken Gardens at San Gabriel Park.    Our recent  strong wind gusts presented a definite visual challenge, but all was well.    When visiting Georgetown in the next couple of weeks, keep your eyes peeled for these wonderful blooms.  There might even be a some left during Georgetown’s Red Poppy Festival, April 25-April 27th.   If you see poppies, be nice.   Let them prosper.  Don’t step on them.

Nothing fancy tonight, my friends.   Fields of corn are beginning to rise from the Blackland Prairie soil.   I would’ve expected to see them sooner, but they’re welcome, whenever they come.   This is a from a field a little east of Walburg, Texas, a farmer I know.

Something simple, a scene photographed a few times over the years.   This site is often adorned with crops, but for now it’s just a quiet Blackland Prairie landscape, the rich soil a gentle counterpoint to good skies.  A few years ago, this road, County Road 124, was supposed to be widened as the area’s population boomed.  So far, however, it’s a nice two-lane path.   For now.

By now you might discern an abiding affection for windmills.   They’re often photographed.  Sometimes they get posted here.   From recent outings.

Georgetown Parks & Recreation held their Adults With Disabilities Dance, their Spring Fling, at the San Gabriel Community Center on Friday evening.  It’s a poignant, heartwarming event to see and document.  A 10-year-old joined his aunt for a few dances.   The moody lighting, just right for a dance floor, was challenging, but it all worked out well.   The parks department usually offers a similar dance close to Halloween.

These walks would probably be healthier if the stops for photographs  weren’t as frequent, but  mental well-being takes precedence.   My strolls usually last two-plus hours, Monday through Friday.   Subtract less than ten minutes for snapshots each time  and these old legs mosey on down the road.   These are all from Taylor.   The light was particularly nice on one morning when an assignment in Georgetown led to a walk beginning just after sunrise.  Golden morning light is nice.