Recently, I’ve seen quite a few of these little birds in fields around the area.   While I’m awful at bird identifications, I’m pretty sure this is a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher.   They’re small, but graceful.

During my daily walks something  (light, movement, texture, etc) will result in a brief stop to take a photo.   These few photos are from recent morning strolls in Taylor, focusing just on plant life.  And a ladybug.  A couple of these photos are just weeds, but even so, they merit a stop with my lightweight Olympus, which cost less than half of a new iPhone.

These photos of the Jonah Community Center  were taken Tuesday evening in the community of Jonah, about 7 miles east of Georgetown.  Through the years I’ve always photographed the front (or inside) the venerable structure built in 1922,  but found its rear and side sections interesting  on a stormy night this time.   As is my preference for posts,  a little community background is in order.  The area known for agriculture  came to be in 1857.   In 1922, Jonah School was built, designed by Hugo Franz Kuehne, founder of the University of Texas School of Architecture.  It included five classrooms, an auditorium, a music room and a book room.   The Georgetown school system absorbed Jonah’s student population in 1972.   To this day it remains intact as a community center.   When looking at the center’s website tonight, I learned those connected with the school and area hold a reunion here each June.   I aim to find out if that’s planned for this year.   The pandemic has put the skids on a lot of things.

Watch these posts long enough and you’ll likely see a return to things that engage me.  I pass by here often, but last evening, with clouds moving in before heavy rain, combined with a healthy corn crop?   The shutter clicked a few times.   It is what it is.

If memory serves, last year I didn’t post any magnolia bloom photos, but will do so tonight.   Some Taylor friends have two trees in their yard.   Our winter ice storm took a toll on the larger tree, but the smaller one is doing just fine.   As you know, I like to explore the subject matter.   There’s no single  photo.

Tonight, a few photos recently taken in downtown Taylor, the town where we live.   When possible, I try to stay close to home.  Racking up the miles on a car is problematic.   The post begins with a group crossing Main Street on an evening bike ride, followed by a photo of the now-closed Howard Theater, also on Main Street.   The building is for sale now, but I wish they’d find a way to return to showing movies, or perhaps turning it into a performing arts venue?    There’s a statue of Taylor native Bill Pickett, at the corner of 2nd and Main.   Mr. Pickett invented the rodeo sport called bulldogging, also known as steer wrestling.   The statue was created by Taylor artist Adam Davenport.    A little over two years ago the Taylor arts community presented their Painted Pianos project.   I think there were four nicely-adorned upright pianos around town.   Now I think three of them remain.  The one shown here is along 2nd Street.    The others don’t need explanations.  If I were asked to choose a favorite photo, it would be the piano. 

Sometimes I just want to be quiet and still, not chasing after an elusive photograph.   That’s what I was feeling late this afternoon as I sat on a rock outcropping,  simply watching the water flow through a section of Brushy Creek, listening to the constant flow over the rocks.   A sign nearby says this site near the Chisholm Trail  was used for baptisms beginning in the mid-1800s.    For me, it’s just peaceful.

A bit after sunrise this morning I was in Georgetown for the 20th Red Poppy Bike Ride, coordinated by the Georgetown Sertoma Club.   The event included rides from 14 to 100 miles in length.  These are just a snippet of what I saw, but am fond of the first couple of photos.   In the first one, Sebastian, 8, gets his bike ready for a 28-mile ride with his mom while dad (in background) prepares for a 40-mile ride.   The second photo is Sebastian preparing to start the ride with mom at his side.   The relationship between mom and son was pretty evident, but the pendant she wore was beautiful.  “There’s this boy who stole my heart.  He calls me Mom.”   I love that. The rest are a bit of this and that, including cyclists going by a thriving wheat field, plus one passing by Walburg’s St. Peter Lutheran Church.  

A photo taken minutes after sunrise today as mist formed over the San Gabriel River near Georgetown.  Rivers are naturally-occurring gifts worthy of respect and care.    The first Earth Day was held on this date in 1970, just before I graduated from high school.  Honoring Mother Earth is worthwhile.  And important.

Some bird photos from walks this week in Taylor.   Many of these walks course through the city parks where they tend to congregate.  If you follow these posts you know that walk photos were taken with a very light Olympus camera.    The photos are usually made quickly so I can continue the daily exercise routine,