Approximately 750 cyclists lined up behind Georgetown’s Richarte High School Saturday morning for this year’s Red Poppy Bicycle Ride.   Temperatures at the start were in the mid-60s, with minimal wind.   Entrants chose from several mileage distances, including 14, 28, 40, 60 and 100 miles.   It’s a fine event benefitting the SERTOMA Scholarship Program for Georgetown ISD, the Williamson County Child Advocacy Center and the City of Georgetown Bicycle Patrol Unit.  I always enjoy covering this noteworthy event!

Friday evening and today I was honored to take photos at Granger’s 45th Lakefest held in downtown Granger.   Note that there is a lake, but it’s several miles east.   This is just a snippet of what was going on.   There was a car show, barbecue cookoff, plus lots of music and food.   Their parade was this morning.   After the parade I just did the usual, wander around, but began to notice a couple walking hand-in-hand almost the entire time they were there.   I thought that was wonderful!  They’ve been wed 59 years, but their 60th anniversary nears.   Events like this not only define small-town Texas, but also small-town America.

If you’re running, cycling or walking along the Georgetown Hike and Bike Trail you’ll likely pass Rivery Park, but if time allows, make your way to the beautiful pond there.   The pond is adorned with dragonflies, birds, turtles, butterflies and botanical treasures.   It’s been at least a couple of years since my last visit there, mainly because it’s so hard to find.   Georgetown’s growth has made it hard to locate  the entrance to the park, but if you’re interested, it’s at 1125 Woodlawn Avenue.   Look it up and spend time quiet time there.  

With a severe thunderstorm warning this evening in Central Texas I’m doing a quick post before the possibility of power loss comes into play.   This field of Indian Blankets is from a picturesque area north of Walburg, in the New Corn Hill area.  

A Great Blue Heron continues to fish as a mama duck and her offspring saunter by, a photo from a daily walk this week at Taylor’s Murphy Park.   If only humans could find a way to peacefully coexist like this.  

We were covered in a thick layer of haze in our area of the Blackland Prairie today.   We can probably attribute this to temperatures reaching 90, combined with a little extra humidity.   These photos were made in the waning hour of daylight, all east of Granger.  After taking the turtle’s photo, I moved her off the road.   Motor vehicles are hazardous for these guys.

It was a pleasure to attend the Special Olympics events hosted by the Georgetown Independent School District today.  A friend who, like me, grew up in 50s and 60s, has vivid memories of not seeing kids with special needs and challenges  in their schools.    I’m thankful to see that times have changed.  Everyone matters.

Tonight at Georgetown’s San Gabriel Park, a 2-year-old fishing with his daddy.   In the early-mid 1970s these slice of life offerings were well-received by newspaper readers.   In 2024 it’s a task to find these quiet moments in photojournalism.   That’s sad.    I still seek them out, even if not in vogue with management.   Yes, cover the big news stories, but look beyond those.  Always.

The things that gather my attention are hard to pin down, but on a recent early evening in the country a field of corn stalks were bathed in sweet light.    An agrarian interlude.

If I don’t do something with these photographs from daily walks they’ll just die on the vine.   It’s either post them, file them or trash them.  More than a few get tossed.   All are from recent morning outings in Taylor.