We had a bit of storminess tonight on the prairie.   I got to watch some of it from Coupland, the sweet little community just a few minutes south of my Taylor home.    Photographing lightning is still a challenge after all these years, but I did manage to get some images, plus a moody scene near St. Peter’s Church Cemetery.   Tonight’s weather is supposed to be ushering in some cool weather.  I sure hope so.  It was in the 90s again this afternoon.  Texas weather is strange.

A social media post made today encourages photographers, or enthusiasts,  to explore just one thing.  Dig deep into the nomenclature of it.  It might be a barn, a country road, a church, a tree, an apple.    You get the idea.  Look at it for its shape, its size, how light reacts to it at different times of day.  Really study it.   You don’t need to travel far from home.  Pick something and go with it.  With that in mind,  I present the viaduct in Taylor, Texas, the bridge that crosses over the rail yards in our downtown area.   These seven photos were taken on a few trips. Our viaduct is also popular with folks wanting to get a workout.    When you pick a subject, it doesn’t have to be done in one session.   One photo posted here might stand out more than others, but consider it an exploration.  It’s best to do this work alone.  Photography groups are fine, but they can color the end result.     Seek your own vision.

When the moonrise began tonight, earlier than expected, I wasn’t in position to record the its initial  warmth.  The lunar surface was almost immediately engulfed in clouds.   Being persistent, I found a vantage point and waited it out.  Finally, perhaps 45 minutes after the actual moonrise, I was able to capture this one.  They call this full moon a Hunter’s Moon,  preceded by a Harvest Moon.  As mentioned many times, the moon, in all its forms, is beautiful to behold.

These photos have no connection with each other other than they were both made on this Saturday.   So no, there is no theme.   This morning, while waiting on assignment in Georgetown, I came upon this couple walking their five Boston Terriers, all rescues.   The oldest, 16-years-old, has hearing and vision issues.  He rides in his own stroller during these strolls.  Their humans are good people.   The other photo was taken this evening as I wandered around Noack, Texas, in southeast Williamson County, Texas.   The church is Christ Lutheran, whose congregation began in the late 1800s.   The moon is a Waxing Gibbous version, 99.3% visible …. almost full.   On Sunday, a full moon, a Hunter’s Moon, is scheduled.   It looked okay tonight, too.  

In 2014 I took photos of “The Buddy Holly Story” at the Georgetown Palace in Georgetown, Texas.   The popular, song-filled production is back again on the Springer Memorial Stage.   Here are just a few photos made last night during dress rehearsal for the play which opens tonight and runs weekends through November 10th.  As usual, more photos are represented on my Facebook and Instagram pages, but perhaps  this gives you the idea.    Ben Blaise, who returns in the lead role, is incredible.   For that matter, everyone is.  

This another of those posts where I’m not sticking to a specific theme, just a nice old barn facade outside Granger, plus a couple sunset images between Coupland and Beyersville.   With a busy night ahead, I leave you with these.

Church members and volunteers at Georgetown’s First United Methodist Church were in pumpkin heaven late this afternoon as they helped unload 3,000 pumpkins in advance of their annual fundraiser for children’s and youth ministries and local outreach.  The pumpkins made their journey from the Navajo reservation in New Mexico. On October 20th, another 1,500 pumpkins will arrive to replenish the stock.    The sale will continue daily through Halloween.   I always enjoy photographing this for my friends at the Williamson County Sun.

On a recent post, a sunrise in Jonah, Texas, I griped about the incessant power lines in the image.   A friend on Instagram mentioned she’d learned to embrace power lines.    With a background in journalism, I do not remove things like that from a photo.    With tonight’s photo, I’m taking that friend’s advice in this scene just outside Taylor, Texas.  

Since returning to Texas ten years ago, I’ve been fortunate to photograph a few rodeos in our area.   One that’s particularly fun is the Clayman Rodeo, held at Windsong Farm in Georgetown, Texas.  Unlike most rodeos, Clayman is a training facility for young equestrians, where they learn about rodeo, but more than that, an equestrian lifestyle.   You won’t see bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, etc.    Jim Bob and Kelly Clayman, both former rodeo champions, began teaching equestrian arts here years ago.   The Clayman family rodeo is an opportunity for Clayman students to show off their skills to friends and family.   There are some action photos here, from barrel racing, roping, pole bending, but also presented are just scenes and portraits of this community of horse lovers.   One photo that veers off course a little is Payden Cash Clayman,  son of the founders, spending quality time with his dog Luka.   Payden is a senior at University of Texas at Dallas, but comes home at rodeo time to help out along with his younger brother Ryden Rope Clayman, a high school junior.   This is a sport I truly love to document.  

This Sunday morning was spent in Georgetown’s San Gabriel Park for the annual Blessing of the Animals service conducted by Grace Episcopal Church.   The service pays homage to Saint Francis of Assisi, an 11th Century Italian priest closely aligned with our animal friends and the natural environment.    Presented here are a few photos from this morning.  Dogs and cats, certainly, but a few others, too.   This service has been held under the park’s Live Oak trees for a few years.   Although not related to the actual service, I like that children in attendance find pleasure in those trees.    I believe Saint Francis would approve.