Just two horse photographs taken recently.   The opening one was from tonight, when the light was crisp and sweet.  The other, a field of horses, is from a few evenings ago.   Just horses, friends.

The City of Taylor conducted its first Juneteenth Parade today, followed by a gathering and presentations at the Dickey-Givens Community Center, at Fannie Robinson Park.    Presented are a few photos from the morning.   Since it’s expected to reach 107 degrees today, I’m glad the post-parade activities were indoors!

A Georgetown final resting place, Our Lady of the Rosary Cemetery & Prayer Gardens, is one of the places I like to go for a little quiet time.   While the burial sites are well-maintained and beautiful, it’s relaxing to spend time by the pond and taking note of the variety of plant life.  We’re still experiencing haze, which may or may not be obvious in these photos.   No real theme here, just a place to rest.

The Georgetown Cultural Citizens Memorial Association held their 71st Juneteenth celebration today.   This group has been remembering it  for as long as I’ve been alive.   My 71st birthday is this summer.   In recent years, it’s become a national holiday, observed this year on Monday.   The post begins and ends with the same 3-year-old, a young lady adorned with personality.  In the first photo she’s watching a dance troupe perform.  In the last photo she takes part in a Cake Walk.   Georgetown’s celebration was held in the community center at San Gabriel Park, a notable structure built in the late-1930s, a project of the Works Progress Administration.  

The fires in Northern Mexico continue to create interesting skies in Central Texas.   These five were taken this evening in areas around Noack and Taylor.  There’s actually a threat of storms this evening, but so far we have hazy skies adorned with magenta.    It’s not good air for our lungs, but we persevere. 

All week I’ve assumed  the hazy Central Texas skies were a prelude to coming rain, but what we’ve been seeing can be attributed to fires throughout Northern Mexico.   Smoke from those fires have drifted our way, creating an interesting palette.   That, combined with high temperatures normally encountered in August, have given our area an interesting look.    The air quality isn’t so good, but it’s sort of pretty, not unlike the Saharan dust experienced a few years ago.   These are in the Granger area, including Granger City Hall.  A little rain wouldn’t be a bad thing right now.

This is a day late, but I wanted to represent Flag Day in some fashion.    These are from Wednesday evening near Zion Lutheran Church in Sandoval, Texas.   The quality on the flag photo isn’t up to par, but I like the message.   Plus a photo of a hazy setting sun.   Stay cool, friends.   It’s very hot in Texas.

During one of my occasional visits to the rookery at Taylor’s Murphy Park I met another photographer who also seemed to enjoy it very much.   Birders and photographers make their way here in large numbers every spring and summer.   Egrets and Ibis are migratory birds that arrive here to have their families.  On the night of July 4th last year the city’s fireworks caused a number of the birds to panic, crashing into power transformers.   Some of the birds perished.  Power in some areas was out for several hours.   With extensive news coverage, I thought the city would move the fireworks  away from the rookery, perhaps select another location.   Lord knows, they have sponsors with deep pockets. I’ve seen signs throughout Taylor advertising this year’s 4th celebration, once again at Murphy Park.  Maybe the city has made arrangements for a safer show?   Some weigh in if that’s so.  Perhaps folks need a reminder: migratory birds are a protected species.   To harm them is unwise, even if you don’t like them.   Some of us do.   These are from a recent outing.

While large bodies of water are often majestic, it’s the small ones  that can bring a feeling of calm.    A pond will do that for me.    Monday evening, I wandered into Bell County near sunset.   On a lightly-traveled road, the last rays of golden light  caressed the surface of this pond.  Stopping to take a photo, I soon realized the road was mine.   No vehicles came charging from behind.   For about ten minutes I watched the setting sun kiss the surface of that pond.   Finally moving on, I was happy to witness this bit of prairie serenity.

For years I’ve been taking photographs of prairie farmhouses well beyond their prime.   They’ve been posted occasionally, but not in quite some time.   That aside, they’ve still found their way in front of a camera.   Since they’re beginning to crowd my computer’s desktop,  let’s offer several tonight.  Some versions have been posted before, others here for the first time tonight.   As the Blackland Prairie deals with incredible growth, how long before these sites are razed to make room for subdivisions?  Some become barns.  Some just wither away.   Things change.