We had some intense skies tonight on the Blackland Prairie in East Williamson County, Texas.   We didn’t, however, get any rain.  Our neighbors to our west got a smattering.   The front did bring us slightly cooler weather.  We are grateful for that.

Taylor is home to many ducks.   Ducks have been our high school mascot for a long time.   I see them on every walk I take, but don’t always post them.   Let’s offer a few this time.   My camera of choice continues to be a small Olympus camera.   Recently, however, it freezes up when pressing the shutter.   I’ve engaged with a lot of friends about this on Facebook.   It could need a  new rechargeable battery (one is ordered), or it might have shutter issues.   If  it’s a shutter problem,  the Olympus will probably be retired until I find another small camera to carry on walks.   But I digress.   Welcome to duck town, friends.

Another photo from Wednesday evening.   This was a view east of the village of Coupland.   Normally, I’d zoom in a little closer to get a clearer view of the spire at St. Peter’s Church of Coupland.   This time, however, I was compelled to display those skies.  

Our summer haze in Central Texas creates challenging landscapes.   This is what I observed tonight as the sun began to go down over Noack’s Christ Lutheran Church.    Autumn might begin in September, but we’ll deal with summer heat through October.

In the past few days I’ve been fortunate to see ponds not covered in algae, that nasty sludge sitting atop many surfaces.   These cows in rural Travis County (but very close to Williamson County) had a grand source for their needs.   There’s a haziness to this photograph, but I think it’s just what we get during these intense summers in Central Texas.   Farmers will likely call this a tank, but regardless of its purpose, it’s a pond.

Last weekend I spent some hectic time watching Southwestern University freshmen move into their dorm rooms.   Crossing the beautiful campus to visit another dormitory, I passed Lois Perkins Chapel.  After the last dorm visit, I spent some quiet minutes inside the chapel.  Normally, I’m only there during Southwestern’s candlelight service in early-December.   While beautiful at night, you don’t get a feel for the vibrant windows, with daylight streaming in.  These were taken Saturday morning.   Opened in 1950, the chapel was named for alumnus Lois Perkins, who attended Southwestern from 1908-1911.  The doors are  open from 8a.m. – midnight every day during semesters.   I like that.   The pews get filled quite often, but walking in when it’s empty is magical.    Many of us crave quiet time.

Tonight’s full moon, known as the Sturgeon Moon (a fish), is seen as it rises near grain elevators in Coupland, Texas.  This was around 8:30p.m. Central Daylight Time.   An offering for (wait for it) World Photography Day.   As if we need a reason to take photos.

A small, but regal pond reflects the last of a day’s light in North Williamson County, Texas.   Many of our water sources are covered with algae during another sweltering summer season, but this one looks pristine.  I suppose it’s worth mentioning this is World Photography Day, but I try to practice this craft every day.   Photography, as mentioned many times before, is my therapy.   It’s helped pay a lot of bills for over five decades, but I’d do it anyway.  Nothing is more healing.

The moon tonight, as seen from a farm near Walburg, Texas.    The moon is still in its Waxing Gibbous phase, nearly full at 99.1% visibility.   At 1:25p.m. Monday it becomes “full,” dubbed a Sturgeon Moon.   It might appear larger on Monday, but this celestial body has been the same since the beginning of time.  This was taken with a lens owned for 46 years, perhaps longer.   It still works.

For the past two days I’ve been taking photos at Taylor’s 45th Annual Barbecue Cook-Off, held at Murphy Park.   It’s become a popular destination for those folks who want to demonstrate their culinary barbecue skills, attracting entrants from throughout Texas.   This post begins with a photograph that makes me smile, a 3-year-old enthralled as she munches on a rib.   The young lady was sitting next to her grandfather, one of the official judges.  Granddad sampled an entry, but shared a bit with the little lady.   She was in heaven!   Other photos are just moments I like, like the youngster cooling off by a huge fan.  It does get warm here.  Or a girl finding relief via a bright red snow cone.   A few good faces here, friends.