Last night’s skies merited a brief stop before calling it a night.

When I was growing up in Northeast Texas in the 50s and 60s, the only Atlanta I knew was in Cass County, Texas, twenty-five miles south of Texarkana.    My father was raised there.   It’s a sweet little town, keeping its charm intact.   When daddy was growing up there, the population was a little over 5,000.   In 2022, it’s still a little over 5,000.   A few towns in this Piney Woods area are likely named after their Georgia counterparts, sometimes changing the spelling of the original.   There’s a Marietta, Texas, a Dekalb, Texas (not county) and a  Douglassville, Texas.   Depending on what you read, Atlanta, Texas was formed in either 1871 or 1872.   The young fellow painting the mural is sticking with 1872.   After World War II, daddy moved 25 miles north, to Texarkana, where I was raised.  He was a theater projectionist, beginning at age 11.   I love old theaters.  Maybe the one here will be recast someday.  Daddy was mostly an Oldsmobile guy, always driving to Atlanta to purchase one from Ed Hammock Motors.  That appears to be long-gone now.   Comedian Ellen DeGeneres was born in Metairie, Louisiana, but graduated from Atlanta High School in 1976, making her a proud Atlanta Rabbit!  I’m hoping to do more photos of small towns.   Much of the inspiration for that comes from Atlanta, Georgia friend Charles Seabrook, another retiree from the Atlanta Journal & Constitution.  Charlie is doing a wonderful job of documenting small-town life in his area.

If you’re driving along U.S. 79 from Hutto to Taylor in recent years, a look to your right would provide a view of Immanuel Lutheran Church, along County Road 401 in Taylor.   The little church on the hill is quite close to the Samsung chip facility under construction.   I choose not to show the construction cranes looming nearby, but the pilot of that aircraft has a good view.    Is all change good?   Time will tell.

Sunset nears over Christ Lutheran Church in Noack, Texas.   I’ll leave it right there.

We left Taylor a little before 6 tonight, heading east.   A few counties away, we found evidence of rain.  We need some of this throughout the state.  Beautiful moisture.

Cotton season kind of snuck up on me this year, but I managed to find a few images while wandering through areas near Coupland, Beyersville, Noack and Granger.    These are some from the last few evenings.   Even in a drought year, cotton photographs well.  

Another Georgia post, friends.    Last week, my son and grandsons made a quick drive to the North Georgia mountains, stopping briefly in the village of Helen.   As we were leaving,  we stopped for a few minutes at Crescent Hill Baptist Church, a lovely, well-maintained house of worship with a  view of Mount Yonah.   When built in 1872, it was Presbyterian.   In 1922, it became Crescent Hill Baptist Church.    It’s been years since my last visit there, but I recalled open doors  to the sanctuary.   I was happy to see that hasn’t changed.   I read somewhere that this is most-photographed church in Georgia.   One can see why.   These are a few photos made before heading for home.    The young fellows included here are my grandsons, Cameron, 9,  and Hudson, 5.     It was nice to see this 150-year-old church again.

Tonight I ventured out in search of a nearly-full moon photo, but the skies were filled with clouds.  Since our area is in the midst of serious drought, I won’t complain.  The moon will be around.  Instead, I  offer this from tonight’s  wanderings.   

I’ll admit to not knowing the specific identifications of birds, but this is a hawk, seen over a county road near Beyersville, Texas.   They’re usually spotted during drives, but fly away before the camera is ready to do its work.   This one stayed around long enough for a few quick photos.  Honestly, I have no interest in learning bird specifics.  Social media friends, many of them birders,  can provide information.    They’re just wonderful to photograph.   That’s all that matters.  

Seen tonight on my return to Taylor, a Waxing Gibbous moon, 94.4 % visibility, shining over the vintage truss bridge spanning the San Gabriel River along County Road 366.