You’d think Minnie Moo would want to stay out of the frigid weather we’ve been having this week, but she’s continually at the patio door, ready to romp. Sorry, Minnie, many of us are more than happy to see those icicles melt into history. Minnie’s all pup though! 
In January 1985, Atlanta Journal & Constitution writer Ron Taylor and I ventured into the North Georgia mountains to see if we could find any mountain men. It wasn’t the kind of assignment where we could call ahead. You just had to go. One of the men we found was Bob Orton, who lived in a small dwelling on a mountain near Blue Ridge, Georgia. He welcomed us into his home, playing his banjo while we visited. He paid $900 for the banjo, his most prized possession. Bob’s house had no electricity or running water, but he got by just fine with a wood-powered oven, plus a wood-burning stove. Since the mountains was known to be icy, Orton helped the traction issue with chains attached to his boots. It seemed to work for him. Ron and I produced the work for Atlanta Weekly, the paper’s Sunday magazine. I miss Ron Taylor, one of the best writers I’ve ever known. 
it’s probably no secret that I have a love-hate relationship with snow. While it can be mighty pretty, it can be dangerous, too. Take this week in Texas, for instance. Along with the recent snowfall, temperatures have plummeted to zero a couple times. It’s caused power grid problems, resulting in rolling blackouts across the state. That means many of us were sleeping in very cold homes. Add to that issues with a Brazos River Authority water generating plant in Granger, which supplies water to my town of Taylor. Because of the storm, their equipment was made useless, translating to zero water for our entire town. Just this afternoon it’s starting to trickle a little. So while snow can be elegant, it can cause much pain. But enough of that. These are just some photos taken last evening around the Blackland Prairie, opening with a scene from the Bartlett City Cemetery. I made the choice to drive when it seemed okay to do so. That’s not the case today! Be safe, fellow Texans. 
Morning light was filtering into a window near sunrise today in Taylor. I stepped outside for a look. 7 degrees. Dang snow everywhere, but warm rays were nice. The opening photo is just after sunrise. The second, more pattern things, was a few minutes later, but in the backyard. Minnie Moo woke up, venturing out on her morning constitutional. At a bit over 7-months-old, this snow stuff fascinates her. She’s so black it’s hard to photograph her on fresh white snow, but I tried. The last photo is Minnie wondering about the state of her little blue chair, a place she likes to sit. She didn’t wander long, returning to the house, continuing her nap. She hates wearing clothes, but we’re only letting out a few minutes at a time. 
After witnessing my fellow Taylorites slipping and sliding on this morning’s ice, I vowed to stay inside the rest of the day, but Bull Branch Park is just blocks away. The runner passing through the park didn’t seem fazed at the 23 degree temperature, but the paved trail was mostly ice. He seemed to know how to handle it, as did a trio of ducks swimming along the creek. The white stuff you see in the runner photo is ice, not snow, but just after getting home in one piece, snow began falling. I made the right choice, taking a couple shots in my yard. It’s 18 degrees just after 7:30, heading for the low single-digits. That’s extremely-odd for this part of Texas. 
Friends from colder climates, please forgive us folks who live in the south and southwest, where winter weather mostly remains moderate. It’s not moderate right now. We’ve had a couple days of very icy weather in Central Texas. If the forecast is accurate, by Monday morning some of us will be experiencing temperatures near zero. That may be preceded by ice, snow, or both. These photos were made this afternoon as I wandered around Georgetown. The opening photo is just one I like, a pictorial of an old barn surrounded by ice-laden trees. A couple were made at Georgetown’s IOOF Cemetery. At the Georgetown ISD headquarters, crews worked to take down a 60-year-old Ash, a victim of too much stress. And at San Gabriel Park, a young man (with permission) brought his chain saw to collect wood damaged on Live Oaks. Those trees in the park are resilient. They’ll be around. 
Responding to a request today, I ventured around Taylor and East Williamson County, Texas for photos related to our rather intense cold snap. While this post includes the usual pictorial images, take note of the opening photo. Passing Murphy Park, I saw someone trying to stay warm on a day where the temperature didn’t get above freezing. That’s Laura. We talked for a while. She is recently homeless, hoping for a warm resting place as Central Texas temperatures approach low single digits by Monday morning. I can’t repair the pain many experience. If only I could. 
Ice has moved into Central Texas for the next few days. Temperatures will remain frigid through at least early next week. This afternoon I took a drive from Taylor to Georgetown and back into East Williamson County. During my several hours of wandering I encountered few other motor vehicles, even less people outside, other than one Southwestern University student making good time back to her warm residence hall. Included here are photos from Our Lady of the Rosary Cemetery and Prayer Gardens, Berry Springs Park and Preserve, and just some rural scenes on the way back to Taylor. If you live in the area, practice extreme caution. Roads are slick. 
We’re in for some pretty frigid temperatures over the next few days in Central Texas. At just after 9 tonight, our local temperature is 36 degrees F. That will be our high Thursday. If the forecast holds true, Monday morning the temperature drops to 7 degrees F. A bit of fog and mist today precedes the upcoming deep freeze. 
After a spell of unseasonably-warm winter weather, we’re moving toward cold and wet conditions on the Blackland Prairie. This photo taken early last evening at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church seemed suited to black-and-white tonality. 