A few times each year I make the short drive to Beyersville, Texas.   A few years back I visited the area to photograph a well-kept cemetery.   The cemetery remains beautiful, but so does the view beyond.   Development (so far) hasn’t affected the landscape.   As we progress, we would do well to hold onto some things.

Bartlett is a community of a little under 1700 that resides in both Williamson and Bell Counties.   It’s about a 20-minute drive north of our home in Taylor.   It’s about 50 miles northeast of Austin.   I like stopping by here when time allows.   These are from three separate visits, beginning with one taken tonight.   Like Granger, its neighbor a few minutes south, it’s adorned with exquisite brick streets.   Another photo shows some of the nice ornamental iron work on a stairwell, plus workers putting in evening hours doing downtown renovation.   That last photo is from tonight, too.  That was a quick grab shot, thus a little movement in the photo. I hope that pooch finds his/her way home.

It’s the first full moon of the year.   They call it a Wolf Moon.    I just call it pretty.   A couple are from out and about in the county, the last ones are from downtown Granger, Texas.  I’m happy to see this small Central Texas community holding onto the holiday spirit a bit longer.   It’s a beautiful town all year long.

After taking some moon photos Thursday night I meandered over the Granger Lake for a few minutes.    The light on the water was briefly exceptional.   After taking a few shots of the water, I stopped by an observation area.  A  couple there was  enjoying a cool and gentle evening as the day’s last light said good night.    The post begins with them.

Three variations of tonight’s Waxing Gibbous moon over Granger, Texas.   The moon was at 99.2% visibility when these were taken.  Three hours later, it’s at 99.4% visibility.   The second photo was made at Brethren Cemetery.   Although they tell us the full moon isn’t until Friday, I think it’s pretty close right now.  

The donkey enjoying a recent  sunset belongs to a friend, as does the longhorn named Princess.  They share tasty bales of hay.   A few cattle standing in front of an old hand shack take note of the camera’s presence.   A few of the old shacks, once used as housing for seasonal farm laborers, can be seen from time to time.    That calf in the last frame is also pretty focused.

Winter varies here in Central Texas.   Morning temperatures recently dipped to about  12 degrees.   Today’s high was in the upper-70s.   I don’t need a calendar to tell me it’s winter.   As they lose their leaves, the trees tell us what we need to know as they show us their resilient bones.   Just some recent tree images, some of them taken this evening.

Some interpretations of tonight’s sunset near Noack, Texas.   I don’t think I’ve offered enough flag images recently.   Let’s remedy that tonight. And  a couple more, including a truss bridge that always impresses.   It’s been retired a long time, but it’s still there.

Whenever the opportunity allows, I’ll snap a hawk photo, usually flying away from some power  line.    They’re regal creatures.   This one’s from New Years Day.

This morning I was out the door 45 minutes ahead of first light to record the beginning of another year.   My thought was a sunrise image, but instead there was fog and mist.   It was quite alright because I love fog.  Included: a street near home, cormorants at Taylor’s Murphy Park, a barn and plowed field, a mass of birds, St. Mary’s Catholic Church Cemetery.   By late-morning the the haze had begun to burn away, leaving us with sunlight.   I made another drive this evening, finding a pleasant scene to bring my New Years Day wandering to an end along a country road near Taylor.    Though I did document the actual sunset, I like this one more.