By the time I left the house this evening the skies were getting seriously dark.   Soon the darkness gave way to lots of rain.    These storms can be ominous-looking.  That’s Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Wutrich Hill in the first photo.    As this is written, the rain’s still coming down, but it’s a little calmer.   I was glad to see a couple of farmers making their way home tonight.  I appreciate farmers. 

These photos are from a recent outing in Thorndale, Texas, a community about 20 minutes east of Taylor via U.S. 79.   It’s mostly in Milam County, but apparently there’s a smidgen in neighboring Williamson County.   The community was actually founded 3 miles west of here in 1878, but moved to its current location two years later.   The community of a bit under 1300 (from 2021 figures) has a lot of rural Texas charm, including a traditional Main Street running north to south through town.   I’ve been here many times since returning to Texas, but try to present photos in a different way each time.  Several years ago, I was honored to meet Mr. Butts, owner of a Main Street store.  Seeing me taking photos, he stepped outside to visit.  So many folks in recent years have been ornery at the sight of my camera.  How else is one to record an area?  It’s history, friends.   These eight are just my impressions on this particular evening.

Coupland, a Williamson County community of 300 a few miles south of Taylor, is home to Jim Huntington, an incredible sculptor who has lived here since the early 1990s.  Born in Elkhart, Indiana in 1941, Jim lived in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston and New York before finding a more peaceful place on the prairie.   His massive stone and metal sculptures fill me with wonder.   If you visit Coupland, you must see his sculpture garden.   Now in his 8th decade, Jim has begun to scale back on the larger pieces, but many are there for all to see.   It’s our Backland Prairie version of Stonehenge.    As a photographer, I like how light and shadow grace the surfaces of his creations.   That’s really all you see in this post.   Light and shadow.  The photographer’s shadow is included in one of these.    Jim lives next to his sculptures.   When I happen to see him outside, we visit for a while.  Otherwise, I give him his space.   Like me, he’s a reader.   He likes the quiet times.   I love his talent.

A farmer works with his corn crop a little south of Granger, something from Monday evening’s prairie wandering.    Before day’s end, that field will be getting some rain.  

This is Lucy, a succulent taken care of by my wife.   Lucy is an Easter Cactus.   Even though Easter has passed, Lucy continues to bloom.  I thought she merited a post.

Just some fun stuff, friends.   With the temperature around 90 degrees Saturday afternoon, I stopped by Georgetown’s San Jose Park.   The kids were having a great time.   Temperatures are expected to reach the 80s by mid-week.   No doubt families will once again take advantage of this free attraction.

The rookery at Taylor’s Murphy Park will continue to be noticed for as long as we live here.   These are photos from a recent evening.   In addition to egrets, cormorants and ibis, it’s not unusual to see Sandhill Cranes flying overhead.   They aren’t  nesting here, just passing by.   The more the merrier.   The rookery is close to home, a place to unwind and observe.

You probably won’t find a sharing  of life’s issues on these pages, but you might see what gives me strength to continue.   I broke away from this computer this evening for a ride with our dog.  She loves those rides.   The clouds, often pleasant, were a rich pastel gracing the Blackland Prairie.   In the opening photo those clouds gathered over a wheat field.  Continuing our wandering,  a few minutes later we happened on a field and stock pond, the skies getting richer.  Before calling it a night, we stopped one more time to observe  two restful cows under those evolving skies.   They faded to gray after this.   We headed home.   All are in Taylor.

As most folks probably know, the area around Taylor, Texas is in the middle of a growth spurt.   When we returned to Texas in 2009, we chose this area for its natural beauty, also because it gave us an opportunity to enjoy a slower pace.   29 years in metro-Atlanta can have that effect. With the anticipated opening of the Samsung Semiconductor factory in Taylor next year, much of what we love is disappearing.   Proponents of growth point out the factory will eventually employ 18,000 workers.    People do need jobs.   But the rural way of life in this area 30-plus miles northeast of Austin is fading.   Housing developments are being built.   Farm-to-market roads are changing, too.   An example given here are friends Raymond and Diane Naivar, who have lived and farmed their land for 45 years.   Raymond is still farming, with 18 acres of corn planted this spring, but within view every day are construction cranes for Samsung.   Their once-peaceful country road will eventually be ten lanes.   A spring-fed pond where their horses grazed is going away, along with several old-growth pecan trees. Several acres have been scooped up.    Samsung’s arrival will bring other companies into the area, too.   I’m trying to see an upside,  but will need more convincing.   Things change.

During a morning walk this week I stopped to watch a Great Blue Heron as she trolled the pond for food sources at Taylor’s Bull Branch Park.    A fellow walker stopped, too, asking me what kind of bird it was.   I answered, then we both continued our strolls.   The bird moved on, too.   Many friends know much more about the avian world, but it was nice to offer what I knew.