Our Waxing Crescent moon, at 4.8% visibility, might seem small, but it shows up quite well.   The first and last photos were taken in the Noack area.  The second one is over Taylor’s St. James Episcopal Church, completed in 1893.   The planet Venus is apparent in two of these photographs.   I don’t see the need to show you a gigantic moon.  It’s enough as is. 

Just some water photography tonight, friends.   Water can be cantankerous, but relaxing, too.  Some of this stuff requires little explanation. 

Birding wizards out there, are these Sandhill cranes?  My search engine indicates they might be.   I was driving through East Williamson County this evening when several groups flew overhead.  Because of oncoming motor vehicles (thanks a lot, development) I wasn’t able to do much, but it is what it is.   Sandhill cranes are birds I associate with a place like Nebraska, but am trying to get better at identification.

Cormorants are abundant throughout the year in Taylor.   I document them often, but don’t always post what’s there.   So tonight it’s cormorants.   The opening photo was made this evening at Murphy Park.   The last photo, a cormorant with spunk, is also at Murphy Park.

Recently, I learned of a decommissioned railroad bridge spanning the San Gabriel River in Georgetown.  As a lover of old bridges, mostly of the truss variety, I set out to find it.  I learned it was accessible from a trail at the northern end of San Gabriel Park.   Late Thursday, after contacting Georgetown Parks & Recreation, I found the trail leading to the bridge.   While the bridge was my goal, the unpaved trail was quite nice, too.    Created by the Georgetown Trails Foundation, the 2-mile trail begins at San Gabriel Park, meandering along the river and under the bridge.   From what I’ve been able to find via Google, the bridge was built decades ago by the Katy Railroad.  “Katy” stands for “Kansas Atchinson Topeka” in case you’re interested.   It’s been out of service  for quite a while.   Depending on your search engine it was abandoned either in the 60s or 70s.    Once finding the bridge I soon determined there would be no walking across it.   I’ll leave that to more athletic souls.   On my evening visit, the trail was filled with mountain-biking enthusiasts.   One of my last photos shows them zipping along, lights attached, well after sundown.   It was nice to find the bridge.  And the trail.

A little scene this week as I wandered north into Bell County, Texas.   These grain elevators sit on a nice bit of Blackland Prairie soil.   Keeping it simple tonight, friends.

It’s hard to pass up a chance to photograph foggy scenes.    When seeing it roll in early this morning, I held off on reading a book to wander around a little.   After returning home, I grabbed my Olympus and went for a walk.   The opening photo, a heron nestled in a tree under  the approaching sun, was a walk photo.   The others were taken earlier.   I think those ducks chilling out on a baseball field backstop are called Whistling Ducks.    The cows, to my knowledge, do not whistle.   The sweet little pond is at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Wuthrich Hill.  

Another drive along one county road.   This one is as far as you can be in Williamson County, Texas without being in Milam, our eastern neighbor.    It’s a pleasant road to spend some time.   Just a few minutes in the country, my friends. 

This is along a (mostly) dirt road I like to drive along from time to time.  It’s only a few miles east of Granger.  The road landed on my visual radar when a Granger friend mentioned seeing a bald eagle in this area.   I’m still looking for that eagle, but do enjoy seeing what I see.  Prairie grass is a favorite subject.   Photographers know that photos can be over processed, but these are accurate representations of what was actually in front of my lens.  The eagle still eludes the camera.

Just a few cows.   A simple post on a day when many are focused on a game.   I am not.