Explanations for this post are unnecessary.   If you follow these musings, you already know.   Just some of our rural skyscrapers adorning the landscape, each photographed this week. 

My mental radar has been on the lookout for cotton bolls around the prairie.   After last summer’s terrible heat and drought, I wasn’t sure what to expect.   The past few days, however, cotton has made itself known.   These photos were taken this week in Beyersville and Bartlett.   Texas continues to be listed as the top cotton-producing state in the United States.  Let’s pray that’s so this year.  

Many photographer friends are posting butterfly photos.   So I’m getting on the butterfly bandwagon tonight.   Most of the folks posting photos are compelled to identify the butterflies.   I am not inclined.   They’re just beautiful creatures, only living a short while.   They merit recognition while they’re with us.  

Tonight’s sunset as seen from the Bartlett City Cemetery, a few miles south of downtown Bartlett, Texas.  

While the rookery is an active place, I spend a fair amount of time observing the flight and behavior of the area’s migratory birds in Taylor’s Murphy Park.   Just minutes from home, it’s a relaxing destination when driving around the prairie gets tiresome.   When arriving at the rookery, I unfold my chair, sit down with two cameras and absorb the peace.  Behind me, a youth baseball game is in play.  To my left, young fly fishermen try their luck.  I’m just focused on birds.   Last summer’s extreme drought and heat played havoc with these birds.   Hopefully, this August will be kinder.

Some deer portraits tonight, friends.   Mostly, deer will skedaddle when a human invades their space, but sometimes they stop and stare.   The phrase “deer in the headlights” comes to mind. Two sites are included here, places where hunting isn’t allowed.

A sunset view east of Granger, Texas tonight, friends.  The truck is traveling along a dirt road, kicking up a layer of dust, enhanced by the day’s final rays.

“Cats,” opening tonight at the Georgetown Palace, is non-stop fun to see.   These photographs were taken during Thursday night’s dress rehearsal.   More photos can be seen on my Facebook page, also Instagram (@andybobsharp).   I photographed this wonderful musical about eleven years ago.   It was great to see it again.   Some of my photos will appear in the Williamson County Sun.

Three photos taken Wednesday evening are presented here, all taken east of Taylor.   The Saharan dust has once again provided us some interesting haze, but probably not a good fit for folks with respiratory issues.   The setting sun manages to shine a little over a field of unharvested corn.   Milo is alive with vibrance.    And that old bit of farm equipment has rested under that tree for years.   I like seeing it there.   The agrarian landscape is evolving.  Hopefully, people will remember how the Blackland Prairie looked.

More barns tonight, friends.  Two are probably  living their last days, but a third, adorned with red poppies, looks ready to keep going for many more years.   All were seen in North Williamson County, Texas.