Friday night was devoted to coverage of graduation ceremonies for Georgetown’s East View High School, held at Birkelbach Field.   Diplomas were awarded to 473 students last evening.   It’s quite a diverse mix of students.  Many family members and friends were on hand for the commencement.     Although there’s one more Georgetown ISD graduation tonight, I’m staying home.   Two ceremonies in a row is plenty for a relic like yours truly.  

Thursday evening I attended the graduation ceremonies for Georgetown’s Richarte High School, where approximately  100 students received their diplomas.  Georgetown ISD is comprised of three high schools, including Richarte, East View High and Georgetown High.   Richarte is an alternative campus, but as the district’s website states “It is not a disciplinary campus.”   Students must apply and be accepted to attend classes there.   It’s a smaller school setting where the faculty and staff are committed to a students’ success.   Students choose Richarte for various reasons.  Smaller class size and individualized attention might be needed.  Also, students often want to get on a fast track to complete their high school early.   One student I concentrate on this post is Pedro, a 16-year-old who is this year’s salutatorian and the father of a teething 9-month-old daughter.   Pedro’s family and daughter were there for the ceremony.  Pedro hopes  to get on a career path sooner so that he can provide a good life for his child.   I found him and his family to be very inspiring.   The first five photos represent them.

With all the very sad  things happening in  my state this week, it seems like a good time to share some photos of kids.  On Wednesday evening, the Georgetown square was a good place to be.   It was a cool and pleasant day, a fine opportunity for two young brothers, ages 6 and almost 5,  to take off their shirts and play a little football with their mom.  As daylight began to fade, they called it a day, slipping their shirts back on.   Kids deserve to have their childhood.

A friend who lives on a 400-acre farm near Thrall invited me out for photos this week. The land and skies are pristine.   And the curious cows were a delight.  A very old Chevy farm truck rests under a stand of trees.  Nearby, a Crested caracara has taken up residence in a vintage tree on the farm.   We took a stroll to see her, but she’d left the nest.  In the far distance, we spotted her, perched atop another tree, obviously keeping a close eye on us.  I’d have needed a 2000 millimeter lens to take her photo, but hopefully she’ll return to the nest on the next visit.

It’s a night for some moody day clouds, these taken this evening near Granger.    I can’t stop thinking about the murders at an elementary school in Uvalde, a little over two hours away from us.   When I started school in 1958 my parents didn’t have to think about these things.   There’s too much hate out there.   I won’t debate these issues, but will sometimes share my feelings.  

Wheat is an elegant crop.    I’d be enriched to photograph a Blackland Prairie  wheat harvest, but so far every wheat field I’ve passed has already  been harvested.   In the meantime, a detail from a field near Granger, Texas.

These photos were made during a bit of wandering on Saturday evening.    Severe thunderstorms were forecast, but it mostly remained quiet while I was out and about.   A sunset even presented itself.   A lot of thunder and lightning came later, but we awoke this morning to much a much cooler day.   The triple digit temperatures appear to be on hold for a few days.   More rain is forecast.   Bring it on, please.

While there are quite a few scenes worthy of imagery on the Blackland Prairie, this is among the finest.  The area is Beyersville, in Southeast Williamson County, Texas.   Like other photographer friends, I’ll revisit those favorite places when the mood is right.  It was last night. Just this one tonight, friends.

There’s often no rhyme or reason to what I do when wandering around with my cameras.   Sometimes the images really fall flat.   It was feeling that way tonight until I came upon this mama donkey and her youngster.   It was a good night.

From time to time, I’ll toss out a few photos taken during those daily walks.    Since these walks are meant to be exercise, I don’t spend copious amounts of time doing them, but am glad my little Olympus camera weighs about the same as a smartphone.    These are near Bull Branch Park and Murphy Park.   Birds like it here.