Clouds are beginning to roll into tonight, but I was able to view the Waxing Gibbous moon, at 96.1% visibility, shining above the holiday Christmas tree in downtown Granger.   Saturday’s full moon might well be obscured here since we have almost 100% chance of rain throughout the day and evening.   It looked good this evening though.   As did the displays along West Davilla Street, a street adorned with very old and regal cobblestones.  On the way back to the car, I noticed a young fellow playing a little game of impromptu catch while waiting on the adults to take the family home, a nice moment to end this post.  If you visit, be sure to check out the cotton Christmas tree, too! 

A small collection of photos taken during my daily walk  on a foggy Tuesday morning in Taylor.  The little camera is a treat!

I’d passed this house in Taylor a few times on daily walks, wondering how this scene might look in the blue light  of early evening.   “A Christmas Story,” the 1983 movie based on a story by Jean Shepherd, is a wonderful holiday treat.    I’ll always love the lamp scenes.   This house is as festive as it gets.  A vertical version is included. 

With each passing year, when the scrub trees and brush begin to fall away, I expect to see this old hand shack sucked right into the Blackland Prairie soil.   But somehow it survives.    These were taken on a day of mighty nice clouds this past weekend.  The old boards and tin roof remain.   It leans a little more, but it’s there, more visible with the diminishing foliage.   For a few years, I didn’t know what a hand shack (or picker shack) even was.   It was eventually explained that these small and simple structures were made available for seasonal workers who came here to help with harvests.   A few of these remain, but not many.  I expect this one will eventually fall apart.   But not yet.   This continues my exploration of the disappearing prairie.

Except for December 2020, when the pandemic caused a cancellation,  I’ve photographed the Pilgrimage to Bethlehem at Taylor’s Immanuel Lutheran Church, the little church on the hill each year since returning to Texas.    It was an honor to return Saturday evening for this year’s event.   Another presentation is ongoing as this is written.   Although hosted by Immanuel, the live nativity is the work of several area churches.  Attendees were encouraged to donate food items to Taylor’s  Shepherd’s Heart Food Pantry and the Hutto Food Bank.   Rather than ramble  too long,  just take a look at the photos.   While everyone participating  is great, the  angels, energizing with sandwiches before their performances, are always special.

There’s a neat event at Georgetown’s St. John’s United Methodist Church, a shopping experience just for kids.   Children are able to browse through donated gifts to select items for their family members, free of charge.   The grownups wait in another area while the kids get to do some worry-free shopping with guidance from church members helping out as needed.   Once the gifts are selected, they’re wrapped in colorful paper and ready for delivery  to loved ones.   I think it’s a neat program, giving children an opportunity  to really engage in the spirit of the season.

The Williamson County Livestock Show is winding down, but the Williamson County Expo Center was a place for cows today, with an assortment of steers and heifers.   I’d planned to photograph heifers, but since the judging was  running late, I chose steers.   There was plenty of activity,  but this post focuses on two families, both deeply involved in livestock shows.   The entrants included two 14-year-old twins, a young lady and young man, plus a 12-year-old girl and her brother, about to turn 15 this weekend.  I chose to focus on the girls because of the good day they had.   The dark-haired girl  won the Grand Champion  medal.  Her friend, the blond-haired girl, took  Reserve Champion honors.   They, like most of these area families, know each other well.   As our area continues to grow, it’s my hope that these farm families will continue to do what they love.

I’ve always had an affection for pigs.   They’re smart and (sometimes) affectionate.   It was a fun morning at  today’s  Williamson County Livestock Show, continuing through Saturday at the Williamson County Expo Center in Taylor.   These photos speak for themselves, but a couple of observations.   I like the little guy putting on his game face in the opening photo.   And his parents reacting with joy after he won a first place.  The little girl with the bow in her hair was giving it her best while mom was giving a lot of direction from the stands.   The young fellow  in the red shirt had wonderfully-expressive eyes, causing me to once again break my rule about people looking into the camera.  The post concludes with smiling pigs doing their thing in the arena, then others taking a nice nap.  

These were made on my morning walk  about three hours before my second cataract surgery early Tuesday afternoon.    The photos were made with my “new to me” Olympus OM-D  E-M5, a very compact camera.  The lens was a 45-150mm lens.  In the micro 4/3 world, that translates to 90-300mm focal length, made by Panasonic Lumix, perfectly compatible with Olympus cameras.   Long before the eye procedures, I’d considered having something light to tote on my walks.   I’ve tried cell phones, but they aren’t for me.  Not yet, anyway.  This little Olympus weighs about the same as the latest iPhone.  Purchased used, the camera, plus two lenses was about half the price of an iPhone.   I’ll continue to use my Nikons, but like having something that doesn’t wear me out while walking.   If, as some have warned, Olympus goes under, I’ll look at Panasonic Lumix.  

For lack of a better word, this windmill adorned with the flag of our state  is iconic.   It rests on the grounds of the Old Settlers Association in Round Rock.    This was taken Sunday afternoon, a day full of dark cloud patterns.   The little flag really stood out around all that gray.    This is all you’ll see from me tonight while I try to relax after today’s second cataract surgery.    Although a relatively minor procedure, they can bring on a little discomfort.   That’s the case tonight.   I’ll be on the mend though.     Thanks for stopping by.