This was a weekend where assignments shot for the newspaper would just be there, not on this site, or social media.   This afternoon’s work in Georgetown, however, changed things.   I was covering the 13th Annual Chase the Chief road races,  conducted by the Georgetown Police Department, held each year to raise funds for athletic programs in Georgetown.   2000 folks showed up to participate in either a one-mile fun run, or a 5K event.  While the photographs taken were pretty good, the group from Ainsley’s Angels were (understatement here) inspirational.   Check out their website for full details, but their mission statement hit a home run.  From the site: “Together, we shall educate, advocate, and celebrate inclusive communities while connecting everyone through empowerment and belonging.”   Presented here are some of the participants in the 5K race, along with their ambassadors.   The Sun will probably need to publish some of the other photos taken, but Ainsley’s Angels are what you have tonight.   The group has Texas chapters in Austin and Houston, plus chapters throughout the United States.

The last few mornings in February are presented tonight, all from daily walking excursions in Taylor.   Morning walks are sometimes in Georgetown, but mostly where we live.  As often mentioned, only snippets of time are spent on any one photograph during these strolls.  The walks are exercise, with a little photography tossed in along the way.  The leaping squirrel photo isn’t quite tack sharp, but the moment was good.   Perfection is overrated.

Let’s keep it simple tonight, friends.   Just trees.    The opening photograph may appear to be a black and white offering, but it was taken (and presented here) in color.  It defines winter in our area of Central Texas.   Two others are included, but the monotone speaks to me.

In the 1950s and early 1960s, when growing up in Texarkana, my parents and I used to go downtown after dark to do a bit of window shopping.   It wasn’t about buying anything.   We did that during regular hours.    But those glowing window displays, often very well done, were a source of  cheap entertainment.   We’d start on the Texas side, then cross State Line Avenue into Arkansas.   The Arkansas side was usually better!   That memory  prompted this set of night photographs taken  in Taylor this week.   During daily walks, I’d noticed the windows of a new shop with spiffy-looking mannequins.   At night, it was even better.   The rest are just scenes downtown enjoyed  on an evening stroll.   In case you’re wondering, those are rows of tires in one set of windows.   It took me a minute to figure those out.   The final shot is a bit away from downtown, but the lamplight in that window was elegant.

Corazón was eight days old when these photographs were taken Tuesday evening at the home of friends Deby and Mike Lannen.  Born with a white heart on her head, her name, which means “heart” in Spanish, seemed right.  They’ll call her Cora.    The couple have raised Texas Longhorns for years.   This little lady’s parents are Lacy and Rocky.   Deby alerted me to the new family member on Tuesday.  Of course I had to see her.    When arriving, Mike and I headed out to their pasture in his Gator for a closer look.   Thinking all was well, I mentioned there might be a better photograph if I got out of the Gator.   Lacy, the mama, already wary, gave me a serious stink eye before taking aim at the camera, bounding my way with force.  Thankfully, I got out of the way in time, but learned to tread lightly with protective parents.   I’ve admired  these cows for many years.   Us UT-Austin graduates love our cows!

The fascination with barns continues tonight with three offerings.  The barn in the opening photograph is mostly hidden by brush in the warmer months, but winter allows a little better view.   The red barn looks interesting with an old-growth tree nearby.   And one east of Taylor, with a barn, tractor and livestock.   Just barns, my friends.

As Williamson County, the area where we live, continues to grow, it’s worthwhile to find quieter places to document.   One of those places is Donahoe Road, in southern Bell County, Texas, a few miles east of Bartlett.  It’s a bit of a drive to get there, but the sense of solitude is a balm.  Winter is my favorite time to be there, when the light is crisp and warm.   These are from Sunday evening.  For friends in other areas, this isn’t the hill country, or west Texas.  It’s farm and ranch country, friends.   And we do have trees here.

A Waning Crescent moon, at 14.8% visibility, was shining through a tree in our yard a bit before sunrise on this Monday morning.

During some quiet time at the Georgetown Public Library on Saturday, it was nice to reconnect with Lisa, a lady who’s been homeless for quite a while.   I’d met her last year during one of our cold snaps.   Lisa now has Tiptoe, a 7-month-old cat she obviously cherishes.  They’ve been together since Tiptoe was  just a few weeks old.   A benefactor has provided them with shelter in recent months.   When moving around the library Tiptoe walks on a leash.  He’s very well-mannered, thanks to Lisa.  I wish them well.   They deserve our kindness.

Mentioned a few times before, but even if not another soul saw photographs taken, they’d still be done.   They might be good, or not.   They might be repetitive, particularly ones from daily walks, mostly in Taylor. That’s what you have here, friends. It was a dang cold week in Central Texas.