For a while I’d pass by this pasture, taking note of two recently-born horses staying close to their mamas, but since there was no place to pull over without getting run over, it seemed like a good idea to reach out to family members I’ve known for years, inquiring if it was okay to park on their property to photograph these new babies.   As always, they were gracious and welcoming.   As were the horses, both born this spring.    Realizing this is Mother’s Day weekend, this post seemed timely.   You’ll see some photos of them in this weekend’s Williamson County Sun.   A heartfelt thank you to the Gattis family.

Nothing fancy here, friends.   Just a few shots taken during my daily walks through Taylor, Texas.  That little Olympus camera is still doing its yeoman work.   Since these walks are exercise, I don’t spend much time with any subject, but enjoy seeing birds, squirrels and cats.

Three photographs taken this evening when nearing home, the light crisp and warm as it falls on fields of corn.   And a few cattle.  

A few photos from recent outings are presented here.   Each offering concentrates on crops planted this spring, including corn and wheat.     One photograph is in Milam  County, one of the places I go when needing to get away from the pain of overdevelopment.    All, of course, are on the Blackland Prairie.

This photograph was taken a few evenings back as I drove through East Williamson County.   The stream, with a long-retired truss bridge spanning its surface,  is Brushy Creek.   My mood has been somewhat ornery since Saturday.   On the way home from tonight’s rambling, “Scheherazade,” created by Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, was playing on the car’s radio.   We played a bit of this composer’s work in high school orchestra.   His compositions  have a calming effect.   The meandering stream is calming, too.  

Blackland Prairie Days, held at Heritage Square Park in downtown Taylor, was Saturday’s second festival covered.    It was pretty dang warm by afternoon.    The pigs at Fry’s Fun Farm Petting Zoo were a favorite stop.  There were some nice quilts to see from the Blackland Quilting Guild members, plus some fine music provided by The Jerrells, a Georgetown band.  A butterfly was attracted to one of the tractors on display, a  beautifully-restored 1949 McCormick Farmall.  One attendee wisely brought her parasol to minimize the heat.   Considering our city election was concluding Saturday, the need for political advertising seemed unnecessary.     Fingers crossed campaign signs will begin to come down soon.    Voting is important, but not the noise  that accompanies any campaign.    You will never see a public display from this photojournalist.    It’s tiresome, but folks just like to strut like Foghorn Leghorn.    You have every right to show public support, but making yourself heard at the ballot box works, too.   If you’re swayed by yard signs, go back to the drawing board.   The signs are unsightly.   And loud. You can be quiet and still get things done. 

Several good hours were spent today at The Williamson Museum’s 17th Annual Pioneer Days, held at the Old Settlers Association site in Round Rock.  It’s always a good event to document, but since this is National Preservation Month, it’s even better.    The Old Settlers Association site is adorned with historical structures, some of them moved here from other parts of Central Texas.   I love the 1800s-era structures at the site.   This post focuses on people, but opens with a very old tricycle resting inside a cabin.    The lady spinning sheep yarn with an 1890 spinning wheel was neat.  She kept referring to “her.”   When asking who “her” was, she explained that was Viktoria, the name she’s given to her wheel.    That’s neat.   As were members of the Buffalo Soldiers group, Company A, 9th Cavalry, based in Austin.   If you’re not familiar with Buffalo Soldiers, look them up.   There were opportunities to step inside many old cabins.  One from Gabriel Mills was built in the early-1850s, restored in 1975.   There were blacksmiths from the Balcones Forge group.   Kids learned how to shell corn and how to wash clothes using a washboard and lye soap.  And how to write their names using a feather pen in a one-room schoolhouse.   Covering Pioneer Days is always a cherished assignment.

It’s a bit stormy tonight in Central Texas.   These were taken earlier this evening as I wandered around a bit in East Williamson County.  Two are from Bartlett’s city cemetery.   The artificial palm tree graces a gravesite  of someone who passed last year.  The other one  has been there a long time.   The horses (there are two) were unconcerned with approaching weather.   As I was passing through downtown Granger a huge bolt of lightning filled the sky.  Alas, I was driving, but pulled over and watched the skies for twenty minutes before  realizing I’d not get another chance at a lightning photo.   We make do.

Maybe it’s not always wise to accept what we see in a weather forecast.    Storms were predicted beginning after 4p.m. today.   Perhaps the rain will come in a while, but for a few minutes this evening I was able to view an almost full Waxing Gibbous moon, at 99.7% visibility. This is above the rookery at Taylor’s Murphy Park.

Wednesday’s moonrise was early.   You could see it, but against a grayish sky, it didn’t translate so well.   As darkness set in, it just got cloudier.   For a few moments it was clear enough to see beyond a tree at Taylor’s Murphy Park, a speck of warmth against the blue night sky.  The tree dominates, of course.    Rain and storms are predicted this evening.   I don’t anticipate a sighting unless the forecast changes.    So just a lunar snippet for now.