Just one more moonscape  from Sunday night, this one outside Louie Mueller BBQ in Taylor.   I’ve photographed this facade before, but it never gets old.

Tonight’s full moon, a Snow Moon, as seen along a gentle country road in Beyersville, Texas.   Maybe that barn has been there for a while, but I only noticed it this evening.   Although a  University of Texas at Austin graduate, I’ve always admired that  school  in College Station.   Aggies are passionate about their school.   I get that.  

Around 6:30 this morning I noticed the moon’s warm glow through a stand of trees in our backyard.  The full moon was en route to a moonset.   Our trees have taken a beating in Taylor this week.   Many are damaged beyond repair, but some are resilient.  I believe this one’s called a Snow Moon.   We need neither snow or ice.   Enough. 

While out scouting around for a full moon (actually Waxing Gibbous, 99.5% visibility) I was about to give up because of clouds during the first hour of moonrise in our area.  Driving along a county road east of Granger, however, I found a crew from Bartlett Electric Co-Op Inc (BEC Power)  working to restore power under that moon.    With the devastation caused by this week’s ice storm in Central Texas, crews like this are doing their best to make things better for all of us.    Many of us appreciate their efforts.

Our neighborhood rooster was demonstrating his dancing skills this week.  If not mistaken, I think roosters are supposed to be a no no in Taylor city limits, but this guy is cool, even when he crows at the crack of dawn.  The last photo isn’t tack sharp, but I liked how he crowed about his fancy footwork!    For the first 7 years of my life in Texarkana, Texas, we raised chickens.  When I was old enough, my parents gave the task of collecting eggs.   It would’ve been easy if not for a gigantic rooster doing his best Foghorn Leghorn moves to dissuade me.   For a 6-year-old I was pretty small.   That rooster was big enough to look me in the eyes.   Although I missed the fresh eggs when we gave up chickens, I did not miss that  the big bird.

Our Central Texas winters can be stressful, but the past couple days it’s just been cold, with occasional bits of moisture.   So far, no snow, just ice. Temperatures didn’t get past the low-30s today.   The pattern continues Wednesday, but with more moisture.   The photos here begin at Georgetown’s Berry Springs Park and Preserve, where the mist on the pond was nice.   Not far from the park, horses and a mule find shelter from the biting wind.   And some  icicle-laden trees in Circleville.

A friend asked if I’d offer a black-and-white version of the hand shack engulfed in early-morning mist.   This is for you, Kurt.

Tree photos tonight, friends.   The first two photos were taken at the Circleville ranch of my friend Carol Fox.   A mesquite tree commands space on a gentle hill.  The long drive leading into and out of the ranch is pictured as I was leaving.  It’s my favorite for this post.   The last photo was taken tonight in Taylor. If you’re interested, that’s the Williamson County Expo Center in the background at left.   Just some tree things.

It’s remained misty all weekend in Central Texas.   I wandered around Saturday and Sunday to take a look.   The opening photo is the hand shack posted just a few days ago.  Both were early-morning efforts.   When not covered up by crops or trees, I photograph that shack.    Friends with an interest in taking photos could expand their vision  by occasionally documenting the same subject to see  how it changes.   It could be anything you find worthwhile.   Other photos in this post include the old (retired) truss bridge spanning the San Gabriel River near Taylor, four photos from Berry Springs Park & Preserve in Georgetown, plus a dirt road east of Taylor.    We’re expecting some pretty cold weather here over the next few days.  Maybe some precipitation, too.

This is about passages.  Recently, when pausing  to chat with friend Carol Fox at the grocery store, she mentioned I might like to stop by her Circleville ranch for photos of Benny, one of her three horses.  The others are Martini and Cutter.   I stopped by this week, on the night before Benny moved to another home about an hour away.   Two horses are enough for this busy rancher, writer and retired teacher.   My focus is just on Benny and Carol.   Things change, but I’ll miss seeing Benny.