This photo, taken during the semi-annual Sun City, Texas garage sale,  a huge event last weekend, could’ve been a rough moment for Rudy, the little guy in the foreground.  Rudy is an 11-year-old Pomeranian/Pekinese mix.   Despite his years, he still looks like a pup.   Ambling along in the background is a clone of  Rin Tin Tin.   What might have been a bad spot in time was just fine, thanks in part to alert owners, and good leashes.   The photo I missed, because I wasn’t expecting the big guy, was Rudy in flight.    

Yeah, I know this.  I spend far too much time watching things in, around and above the rookery at Murphy Park in Taylor, Texas.    If you happen to follow my posts, either here, or on social media, you know that this is a place I go for therapy.   I like to bring my fold-out chair and a good book.  The camera, of course, is there, too.  Last night, it was just the chair and camera as evening settled in, the cormorants relaxing, the egrets looking for just the right spot.   That second photo?  Stormy weather was predicted.  It didn’t materialize, but the clouds were pretty cool.  I don’t usually post clouds, but these were mighty nice.

Near the end of my time at last weekend’s Clayman Rodeo, when putting away the gear to mosey back home to Taylor, I saw this interaction, a mama cuddling her 4-month-old son before changing his diaper.   It was a very warm evening in Georgetown, Texas, not unusual for a south Texas autumn.   The little guy, I’m pretty sure, was loving the enveloping arms of mama.  They remained this way, fixed in time, for a few short minutes.   The technical aspects of the photos are not so good, but the moments?  I like them.  Note that before I considered posting this, I made sure it was alright with mom and dad.   On something like this, we need to be sure everyone is on board.   Have a good evening, friends.

While I like this young cowpoke in color okay, the black and white, as it often will, strips things down to the elements.   One last hoorah from the 24th Annual Clayman Rodeo in Georgetown, Texas.   While I don’t give out names too much, I like the fellow’s name … Canyon.  His horse?  Why, that’s Jack.

Among my favorite (and taxing) assignments for the past few years has been Georgetown’s Clayman Rodeo, now in its 24th year.   The founders are Kelly and Jim Bob Clayman, a husband/wife team, both former rodeo champions who for a number of years have instructed the equestrian arts and rodeo to youngsters in Central Texas from their home at Windsong Farm in Georgetown.  Their rodeo is an opportunity for Kelly and Jim Bob to show off the things their kids have learned throughout the year.  You won’t see any seriously-dangerous stuff at Clayman … no bull riding, or bareback horse riding.   You will, however, see kids taking part in polebending, barrel racing and team roping.   Also included is the calf scramble, where kids from the audience enter the arena and try to pull a pink ribbon from a the tail of a calf .. great fun!   The public supports the rodeo, as does the Williamson County Sun, one of the rodeo’s sponsors for many years.   Some of the images include spectators, particularly at the end. 

After finishing work on a story in Bartlett, Texas recently, I stayed around for a little while.   Bartlett is a Central Texas town of a little over 1600 that resides in two counties, Williamson and Bell.   If you’re looking for Bartlett on a map, it’s about 45 miles northeast of Austin, which makes it 5 miles north of Granger.   Bartlett, like Granger, has a downtown with streets paved with bricks.  Both communities, if you were to remove motor vehicles, could easily reside in the late 1800s.  These are few images I enjoyed taking, when the day’s light faded sweetly into a blue evening.  

100217 BARTLETT,

En route home  from an assignment  tonight, I passed the Jonah Community Center.  For whatever reason, a light was glowing in one of the rooms.  For about 3 seconds after passing by, I debated turning around.   Turning around won out.   The tree that graces the front always demands attention, but the combination of warm window light and blue night light?  It was hard to resist.   The community center began its life as Jonah School in 1922.  For many years after its closing, it remained dormant.  Thankfully, area citizens saw the value of keeping this wonderful space on the planet a while.   

Do you have names for the moon?  Do you call the one presented here, taken in the area around Granger, Texas a Harvest Moon?   As I’ve suggested many times before, you can call this heavenly body anything you like … new, waxing gibbous, waning, super, or, as shown here, full.   Here it’s presented with some barns, also a cemetery.  I do love cemeteries!   The  little red barn with a light on it has been photographed before, but not with the moon. However you see it, folks, it’s mighty pretty.  The first and final photo are one and the same.  Black and white?   Maybe color?  Either way is okay, I think.

Rain came down in torrents late Tuesday afternoon in Georgetown, Texas, prompting the cancellation of many National Night Out block parties and events.  However, at the Georgetown Housing Authority’s Activity Learning Center, at Stonehaven Apartments, things went on as planned, but inside.  There was music, dancing and food galore.   The oldest attendee was a youthful Esther Charters, 98-years-young.   While most of the fun was inside, Bugsy Malone, being a dog, had to stay outside with his folks.  Thankfully, the rain had abated by then so Bugsy and crew stayed dry.   I was hoping a few police personnel would show since the goal of National Night Out is to promote police-community partnerships.   It is what it is.   Those in attendance, Bugsy included, were glad they came.  Don’t let Bugsy’s stare fool you … he was just a curious boy, but quite friendly! 

The City of Taylor’s Bull Branch Park was loaded with kids and their families Sunday afternoon for KidFish, a low-key fishing tournament for children ages 3-16.   The event is made possible through the KidFish Foundation, a non-profit based in Little River Academy, Texas.   You can find out more about them on their Facebook page.   Sunday’s tournament was originally scheduled for August, but heavy rains resulted in holding off for a while.   Approximately 200 kids signed up for a lake stocked with 200 pounds of channel catfish, but some folks were also catching a bass or two!   It was a warm day for fishing, but how nice to see children outside, not focused on television or other electronic devices.   These photos were taken for my friends at the Williamson County Sun.