After chatting with a friend last weekend, I noticed this couple enjoying their Sunday afternoon through city parks  in Taylor  She was riding Mabel, a 12-year-old mule, he was astride Chaca, a little younger, but just as beautiful.   I followed them for a while.  To my surprise, they stopped for a minute, then stood atop their friends for a brief time.   Mabel and Chaca seemed to be loving the day as much as their human friends.   In almost 30 years in Atlanta, this is something I never got to see.   It’s good to be home. 

While at the library this evening, I noticed we had a couple of new book lovers on the scene.  Two dogs, one of them with an injury that looks to have been treated, wandered in together.   It’s obvious they were close friends.  The librarians called for help, but unfortunately no animal control staff were on duty.   Alas, the pooches have to fend for themselves tonight.   I do hope they’re okay.

Saturday night we set all our clocks and watches ahead one hour to conform to the onslaught of Daylight Saving Time.    I won’t continue to create a toxic environment by staying on this matter, but here are some photos taken Saturday evening.  

Each year when it comes around, I let my feelings be known about Daylight Saving Time. Silly me. I thought the current Texas state legislators were going to consider removing it from our lives, but it’s still with us. In just a few hours, at 2a.m. Sunday, we revert to DST, with us until November. For the first couple of months it’s not so bad. Consider this. It’s hot in Texas. Our summers, and even our springs, are toasty. Even as this is written, on March 9th, our air conditioning is already working hard. By the time July comes around, more daylight means more work for overloaded energy systems. Beyond that, I like evening light for its purity. For some friends, who work stressful jobs, Daylight Saving Time is a Godsend, allowing them extra time for exercise, playing at the park with the kids, horseback riding, etc. I try to be understanding. Really. But doggone it, ugly light is no fun. These photos, all tripod-mounted were made in and around Taylor’s Bull Branch Park. I’d apologize for the words in this post, but seriously? I’m not happy about this.

“Catch Me If You Can” opens tonight at the Georgetown Palace. As is my habit lately, most of the theater photos will be on Facebook, but I always try to represent a little here, too. The musical (actually, all mainstage plays are musicals now) will run weekends through April 7th. Most shows sell out quickly so don’t wait to order your tickets.

It’s a very busy period, but there’s enough time to offer this photo taken this week as a Blackland Prairie farmer works well into the evening to prepare his field for Spring growth. This will likely be a common sight in East Williamson County, Texas. Thank goodness, too.

All of a sudden things are getting pretty busy in my old photography world. It’s a good thing that I’m posting just one image this evening. While flitting here and yonder a couple of nights ago, the notion of being outside in the cold wasn’t in any way appealing. Then this grain elevator arrived before the camera. There’s a nearby light source on a group of elevators, a warm source on a chilly night. It’s not as cold now, but warm scenes are always welcome.

Come to think of it, there is a theme, isn’t there? The photos posted tonight all were made on a stretch of East Williamson County, Texas many of us call the Blackland Prairie. The opening photo is an old farmhouse I try to check on every few months, mainly to see if it’s still there. It sits by a dirt road at the lower portion of one of our expansive fields. At some point I expect it to be gone. Our wind is pretty strong. Each time I see the house it appears to be leaning a little more, but hey, it’s still with us. For now. The second image are some fine-looking horses photographed on a foggy night near Beyersville. The final photo is Christ Lutheran Church, located in the community of Noack. The venerable church congregation has been meeting for over 125 years. A couple of years ago, a tornado tore through this area. While Christ Lutheran sustained damage, the church returned to its members better than ever. This and that, friends, but with a prairie connection for sure.

A couple of photos made on Saturday afternoon, a day laced with fog. The prairie looks good in color, but at times a monotone treatment also has its merits.

This scene made its way to my viewfinder recently. It was taken in North Williamson County, Texas, but very close to Bell County. The cows, being cows, didn’t appear to mind the company. Another day in Texas, folks.