Celebrating its 28th year, the Clayman Rodeo was held Saturday evening at Windsong Farm in Georgetown.   Rodeo participants are either current or former students of Kelly and Jim Bob Clayman, former rodeo stars who years ago settled into the area, instructing in rodeo skills, but   other equestrian things, too.   The rodeo is the culmination of another year’s hard work.   A little extra rain this week made the outdoor arena a little unstable for the event, but the Claymans have a good covered area, too.  For my purposes, it was pretty dark, but the competitors weren’t fazed a bit.   At this rodeo you won’t see steer wrestling or bareback riding.  They stick to safer pursuits here: roping, pole bending, barrel racing.   The three kids on their stomachs are all under 5, taking part in the Nickel Scramble, where nickels are hidden in the arena dirt while the kids get as many as they can.  It’s all fun.

Fun fact: according to the United States Department of Agriculture, Texas continues to be the top cotton-producing state in the country.   40% of cotton grown comes from here.    It’s natural that I would want to document  a cotton harvest.   A friend who runs a cotton gin near Taylor suggested farmer Larry Safarik’s crop.   A good idea!   I’d profiled Safarik in September 2014.   Another visit was in the works.   Larry’s planted 250 acres of cotton this season.   Since then, , the vibrant 76-year-old has undergone hip replacement surgery.   He’s still active, continuing his day job, teaching at Taylor Middle School.  For now, he relies on a walker and cane until the healing is complete.   He’s in his 55th year as a teacher and coach.   Like most farmers in the area, Safarik turns to others for the actual cotton harvest.   For this year’s work, he’s hired Granger farmer David Hajda and his sons to help.  They have strippers, which I mistakingly called combines.   Strippers are specific too cotton. Throughout last week, when these photos were taken, rain was forecast almost every day.   Unharvested cotton sitting in a field needs to get to the gin before it gets soaked.   I’m pretty sure Larry’s crop made it there on time.   I’m glad to reconnect with Mr. Safarik and the Hajda family.

Georgetown’s Red Poppy Festival was canceled last Spring because of the pandemic, but replaced this weekend with Popptoberfest, a three-day event beginning tonight on the town square. Visitors gathered to enjoy the music of Dysfunkshun Junkshun, very danceable stuff.   These photos were taken there tonight.   The festival continues through Sunday.   Saturday night musical guests include Brave Combo and Dale Watson.  

A busy night ahead, just two simple photos taken recently in the North Williamson County area around Walburg.   The barn, of course, isn’t new, but it’s a new one for my cameras.  

Wandering along a favorite county road in Coupland tonight I happened onto a young lady getting photos taken for her upcoming Quinceanera celebration.   The photographer onsite graciously allowed my presence for the few short minutes I was there.   This bridge was featured in the beginning and conclusion of the 2003 movie “Secondhand Lions,” filmed at several locations in the area.    Just one of those slice of life things happening all around us every single day.   For what it’s worth, I know there’s a tilda over the second “n” in Quinceanera, but couldn’t determine how to place it! 

It’s a really stormy night in Central Texas, but rather than post a nasty weather photo, how about another windmill?   I photographed this fine example a few evenings ago.   It’s the same windmill in both images, taken from different angles.  It’s doubtful that very many of these windmills are actually functioning, but they certainly add a lot to a landscape.  

Just a couple from recent outings in my area.   Granted, I tend to focus on farmers quite a lot, but consider them important to this country’s structure.   One image shows a farmer raking a recently-harvested field, kicking up a lot of dust in the process.   Then another farmer traversing a farm-to-market road en route to his next field.  Simple images, nothing more. 

I see quite a few beautiful skyline photos among my talented photographer colleagues.    For many of us on the Blackland Prairie, this is our skyline.   I’ll leave it at that.

Zion Lutheran Church in Sandoval is a beautiful little church, here since 1932.   The congregation is much older, forming in 1893.    I don’t take photos there often, mainly due to a really unsightly water tower sitting right next to the church.   A sign on the fence outside the tower tells us it’s Southwest Milam County Water Supply.   Whatever prompted Milam County to place a water tower right next to a special place is beyond me.   At any rate, it’s still a lovely church.   Sandoval, now folded into the Thrall area, was at one time a community in its own right.  It had a post office, general store, a saloon, dance hall, a rodeo arena and a bowling alley .   The church, and a cemetery,  remains  a focal point.    As for the spider?  I find them fascinating.

After last night’s post, a very sad one, I decided to go back to doing the landscape/pictorial imagery I love so much on the Blackland Prairie.    These two were made last evening as I wandered a little east of Granger, Texas.    I’m still thinking about those poor dogs though.  And their families.