Driving through San Gabriel Park in Georgetown Saturday afternoon, I was parched, in need of hydration after a taxing morning photo assignment.   My focus abruptly changed when driving by  the rodeo arena, where I saw a lot of folks on horses, kicking up a little dust.   Curiosity won out.   It turns out this was the monthly Playday (it’s written as one word, capitalized) for members of the Brushy Creek Saddle Club.   The club, with members throughout Central Texas, hold their Playdays the second Saturday of the month at the Williamson County Sheriffs Posse Rodeo Arena.   It’s an opportunity for members of all ages  to hone their equestrian skills in a fairly non-competitive way.   As the name implies, it’s about having fun.  There are probably groups like this all over the place, but  I didn’t notice them so much in other places lived over the years.   In Texas, however, these groups are a part of the landscape.  This was the first time, for instance, I’d seen a thing called goat-tying, where kids 7 and up ride their horse into the arena, hop off and rope a goat.   The goat is on a 10-foot tether so it won’t go too far, but it’s interesting to see.   Think of it as calf-roping, but for smaller folks.  I suppose this is where the term “goat-roper” originated!   Like many other things about my home, I don’t take part in equestrian pursuits, but it doesn’t mean they’re not appreciated.  The culture of Texas is unique.  By the way, I did finally get that hydration drink!

Growing up in Texas, I have an appreciation for football.  Being a smallish kid, I opted out of playing the game, but attended all the games as a member of the marching band.  As my profession took hold, many hours were spent on football fields, from high school to the pros.  These days, I prefer to let others handle the task of covering those games.  Being on the sidelines with a camera doesn’t ring the bells anymore.  But I do appreciate the game, even with its hazards.  This little field was photographed last evening, at Taylor Middle School.   It’s an iconic Texas field.

It wasn’t what I expected.   Considering the hype associated with the Perseids meteor shower, I thought the skies would be dancing with streaks galore.  Maybe they were in other areas, perhaps in the Big Bend area, but here it was just so-so.  Nevertheless, since this was supposed to be the most awesome one of its kind until 2027, I stayed up all night to watch.  Thankfully, I picked a spot close to my heart, an old truss bridge just north of Taylor, one I’ve documented several times.  So I got up my nerve for a journey in total darkness to its old boards, camera, tripod and a fold-out chair.   This being rattlesnake country, I was more than a bit concerned about that type of critter finding my sad rear end, but thankfully that wasn’t a problem.  The area around the old bridge (no longer in use) is dark as sin, just the conditions needed for meteor showers.  Anyway, here’s some of what I shot, then it’s time for coffee and breakfast.   No need to go to bed now, is there?

While scoping out another spot for an upcoming photo this evening, I came upon this, something I never get tired of seeing in Central Texas.

Again this season, I’m offering up a series of images on the corn harvest here on the Blackland Prairie.   For the last few months, the stalks have dominated the landscape, growing taller and stronger.   They’re coming to an end now, with farmers like Taylor’s Larry Raesz, 64, working many days and nights to bring it all to market.   Larry is one of three brothers who each operate their own farms in the area.   Larry is assisted by his son, Bradley, his son-in-law, Daniel Knippa, and actually quite a bit of help from his grandson, 8-year-old Dayton Knippa.    Sometimes Dayton’s little sister, Khloe, 4, comes along to ride in the combine with Larry, but Dayton?  He knows what to do.   He’s been driving a 1979 pickup through the fields, but not just that, he can expertly handle a big old John Deere tractor with ease!  He began driving both at age 6.    Joining them sometimes is Larry’s daughter (Daniel’s wife) Kimberly Knippa, and Larry’s wife, Pat.  During harvest days and nights (yes, nights) Pat and/or Kimberly deliver meals right to the fields.   It’s a good life, a hard life, but it keeps these families close, to each other, and to the land.   If you see farm equipment on the country roads in the area going slowly, give them a break.   They deserve it.   You won’t, by the way, see young Dayton driving on the highways.  He stays in the fields.

This is just a couple of photos (okay, so there’s three)  I shot recently at Family Farm Fest, an event sponsored by the Williamson County Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service and held at the Williamson County Sheriffs Posse Rodeo Arena in Georgetown.   I’m not posting too much here, just a couple.   4-H Club members had a petting area onsite.   One youngster enjoy meeting a rooster named Bronze.  And a Georgetown girl, with grandma, visited with a 4-day-old chick.   The other little guy?  Just a face in the crowd that I liked a lot, a good Texas face.

At sundown tonight, the temperature in Taylor, Texas was still in the mid-90s, but as with most Texas sunsets, it was a pleasant end to a day.

Here’s a quick post with only one photo, a very quick hare, taking her fuzzy white tail across our yard last evening.   Hey, it’s not political.

This is a followup to a post earlier this week, from the parish picnic and dance at Granger’s SS. Cyril & Methodius Catholic Church.   For a six-month period, church members and visitors attended masses in the parish hall while the sanctuary of this church, already beautiful, was transformed.   The church is steeped in Czech and German traditions, where adornment of the houses of worship has been the standard for many years.   A few years ago, I did a feature for Texas Highways magazine on the painted churches of Fayette County.   The work here in Granger gave me a sense of the loveliness I saw a few years ago in Praha, Dubina, Ammansville and High Hill.   The church shown here held their first mass in the new sanctuary last Saturday.   Next April the church building will celebrate 100 years.   The congregation, however, will celebrate 125 years. 

These are some fairly simple photos taken this evening as I wandered around my “neighborhood,” the Blackland Prairie.   Some of the fields of corn have been harvested, making a few places come into view again, like a little farm house I enjoy seeing from time to time.   And Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, in Wuthrich Hill.   The light on hay bales was kind of nice, too.  My session ended a few minutes later when a country pooch decided to send me moseying along on home.   All’s well.