This is a little of this and that.   I was on the road to Georgetown very early this morning for the Georgetown Photography Festival, but was out early enough to see another moonset as I was leaving Taylor.   This morning’s moon, in a Waning Gibbous phase, was still at 97% visibility.   Those are the first two photos.  The rest are from the festival, my paying assignment for today.  I particularly like the photos of Jersey, 7, learning photography from her grandmother, Kat.    The event, in its third year, is coordinated by the Williamson Museum and David Valdez, photographer for President George H.W. Bush.   Photographers from Dallas to San Antonio made it to the town square for inspiration and classes.   The last photo?  Just two bulldogs I find adorable.

Chasing moon photos can be a roll of the dice.   Thursday night I wandered around for 90 minutes before figuring out no moon image was possible.  Too much cloud cover.    I made a mental note to check the skies out this morning.   Stepping into the backyard just after 6:30, there it was.   Moonset was at 8:03 a.m.    Hopping into my car, I headed east, toward Wuthrich Hill for a photo  of the  morning’s Waning Gibbous moon, 99.8% visible.   They call it a Worm Moon.  It  looked good over Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, a bird flying past my reason for being there.     And there’s a photo at the church cemetery, the moon sinking lower as sunrise neared.  All was good.   I made a couple more moon photos before it went away, but before leaving the cemetery, the morning sunrise merited a photo, too.   Circumstances don’t allow too many early-morning outings with my camera, but one does what one can.  

Since tonight’s full moon was obscured by clouds tonight in my area of Central Texas, I’m embracing those skies this evening with some photos taken this week. The first photo is a wonderful old oak tree that commands a regal spot on top of a hill in Bell County.   A friend mentioned the tree a few years ago.  I don’t photograph it often, but the cloud patterns overhead earlier this week made it worthwhile.  The second shot was made on the same night, just a little outside Granger.   The last one is from tonight, when I’d finally given up on the moon photo.   It’s an old barn solidly in the Taylor city limits.  With development looming since the Samsung announcement, I’m fearing that field, perhaps the barn, will be relegated to history.  

Tonight’s Waxing Gibbous moon is 98.2% visible.   I stayed close to our Taylor home for these three photos.  The opening is at Williamson County Grain, followed by a photo of the now-closed Vencil Mares Taylor Cafe BBQ.  Mr. Mares, a World War II veteran, kept it going until his death a couple years ago at 96.   The last one is the Texas-themed facade of Louie Mueller BBQ, well-known not just here, but throughout the country.

A couple from Bell County tonight.   Some stormy weather moved through the area, creating some interesting skies.   And a rainbow.

Each year March rolls around, Taylor’s Murphy Park begins to liven up as Great Egrets migrate there to grow their families at the rookery on the lake.   Recently, I’ve noticed the egrets’ return, but resident cormorants seem reluctant to give up their prized rookery roosts.    Not to be deterred, the egrets have started setting up shop in other trees near the park.   One Great Blue Heron appeared to be getting pushed out of her spot in a tree.   We’ll see how that plays out.   These cormorants are tough birds, but I’m thinking a lot more Great Egrets are en route.   An interesting drama in the avian world!

Presented here are recent photos taken in low-light settings around my area of the Blackland Prairie in Central Texas.   Daylight Savings Time has begun its march into Spring, Summer and the beginning of Autumn.   November 6th will be a day I rejoice.    As usual, my opinion is in the minority, but I don’t care for harsh light.  

Just a couple photos tonight, friends.   The farmer plowing a field is from tonight, a little before 7pm.   The barn photo was taken last night, a few minutes past 7pm.   Daylight Savings Time will make these images impossible unless I plan to stay out wandering around for extra hours.  

Most of us are setting our clocks ahead one hour tonight.  If not mistaken, two states will not.  Good for them.   Mentioned numerous times, but I am no proponent of Daylight Savings Time.  I say this as a photographer who loves low light when outdoors.   It’s subtle, quiet.   Granted, my opinion matters little.    Most people love the unnatural change.   A couple photos for you tonight, including a farmer working his field this evening, the image taken a little before 7pm.   The barn image is from last evening, a little after 7pm.    I’ll deal with the change because there’s no choice, but will be happy when November 6 rolls around.   That’s the final day of this nonsense.   At least for a while.

These were recorded near day’s end while I continued to look for  a certain bird.   That bird eluded me, but I did encounter a horse as she foraged through a wooded area  outside Granger, Texas.   I’ll leave it at that.