For a few years, the truss bridge spanning Brushy Creek near Coupland, Texas was out of commission while repairs were made.   I am thankful it’s once again in working order.  This photo was made on Christmas Eve 2019 during one of my ramblings.    This little bridge has staying power.   Nestled on a dirt road east of Coupland, it had a prominent role in the 2003 movie “Secondhand Lions,” starring Robert Duvall, Michael Caine, Kyra Sedgwick and Haley Joel Osment.    Michael Caine could’ve used some Texas directing, but Robert Duvall, not a native Texan, nailed it.    The church in the distance is St. Peter’s of Coupland.   I’m glad to see this bridge returned to usefulness.

Maybe two or three times a year I pass this pair of barns in the far northeastern portion of Travis County.   Although Travis County is home to Austin, this bit  of the county  wears the persona of our Blackland Prairie.    From our house  in Taylor, we’re just under ten miles from Travis County.    If the stars align, I’ll try to check back on these beauties again, but these two will suffice for now.   The first  image is similar to what I’ve taken before, but the second one is is seen from a different angle I sort of like.  Exploring is good. 

This farmhouse near us was one of the first things I remember seeing when we moved home to Texas in summer 2009.    After 29 years existing in metro-Atlanta, this was a  refreshing sight, a little house on the prairie sitting squarely in the middle of a field meant for crops.  And good skies.    Keep in mind that my home area is Texarkana, in the Piney Woods area of Northeast Texas.   While the move to Central Texas was in part for economic reasons, for me it was about finding a sense of openness.   We found it in East Williamson County, Texas.   I try not to post this place too often, but seeing it still looking regal does my heart good.  Our  Blackland Prairie area is getting sucked into development mania.   Nothing like Atlanta, thank goodness, but enough.   Many of the old houses and outbuildings I document are no longer livable.  This one, however, is.   It’s kept up well even though I’ve never seen a light shining in a window.   Occasionally an RV is parked in front.   Someone cares for it.   That’s a  nice thing.  

This afternoon I visited Garey Park, a 525-acre park in Georgetown as families gathered to hike the various trails offered.   A couple of the routes took visitors by the South Fork of the San Gabriel River.   This portion of my favorite river has some wonderful rock outcroppings hard to resist.  The brothers presented here had no trouble at all.   Truman, however, couldn’t help hide his reservations.   A Westie, Truman managed to climb up on the rock, but when it was time to go, he cold cold feet.  He finally made the leap and moseyed on.   I’m hoping you all have a fine 2020.

While there’s no hard and fast rule, I wanted to post something tonight actually taken tonight.   That happened to work out on this last day of 2019.   There’s been much discussion in recent regarding whether or not this marks the end of a decade.   You know what?   It doesn’t matter a bit.   By Wednesday morning we’ll be in 2020. Call it what you like.   That’s Princess strolling away from my camera at a friend’s farm a little south of Bartlett, Texas.   Princess, for whatever reason, was feeling moody.  That’s her prerogative.   She’s still a very sweet lady.   The second photo was taken this evening in downtown Granger, Texas.   I’m a big fan of flags and this one in an old storefront window seemed a good way to end the year’s posts.   I passed this scene two days ago and took a photo, but somehow, the night setting just worked better.   No need to show you the daylight shot.    Happy New Year, friends.  

The Saul family cemetery is a picturesque plot of earth along F.M. 1660 between Norman’s Crossing and Hutto.    Charles Saul moved to this area of Williamson County, Texas in 1850.   In 1862 he purchased 640 acres along Brushy Creek, setting aside this space for a cemetery.    In 1870 his was the first burial.    The last person laid to rest here was in 1918.   There are 23 marked graves and a few unmarked graves of former slaves.    I’ve visited this cemetery a few times through the years.   Williamson County is currently widening F.M. 1660.   While I don’t think this site will be affected, the new road will come awfully close to a place I consider hallowed ground.    Growth and expansion will take a toll on this farm country.   Note that six of the seven photos were taken this month.   One was made in July.   I post the summer photo to call attention to a tree’s seasonal changes.  The opening photo shows it in December, the final photo from July.  

Yesterday I wore myself out, driving almost continually for three hours in search of photos.   These images are a continuation of Saturday’s ramblings on the Blackland Prairie.  I don’t feel so great tonight so will keep the words to a minimum, but worth noting that these were all made in the Coupland area.  

It’s been one of those days where color photos come close to being black-and-white.    On this Saturday in and around Taylor, Texas, we didn’t get a lot of rain, but did get plenty of mist and drizzle.  And of course some mighty dark clouds.   I spent three hours today chasing after photos.  Four of them are presented here.   When fields get a little soaking, it seems to bring out flocks of birds in even greater numbers.     That’s okay because I love our avian beings.   These images were all taken nearby:  Taylor, Thrall and Beyersville.   As you might know by now, I generally stay close to home.  

The moon, when not covered by clouds, was beautiful tonight.  It’s in its Waxing Crescent phase, only 3.6% visible.    Even when a little sliver is all there is, it’s enough.  This was taken while wandering through Bartlett, Texas.   Rain is forecast for Saturday.  I doubt we’ll see much moon tomorrow night.

For the longest time I refused to consider using a mobile phone for any photography, but then I began seeing interesting things on those daily long walks of two hours.   The phone, though limited, was light.   A couple of these photos were taken on my Christmas morning walk.  The phones I use are by no means expensive.   The phone photos, from Taylor’s Bull Branch Park, were made with my new Samsung Galaxy A20, less than $200.   The last photo was taken late Wednesday afternoon at the San Gabriel River in Georgetown.   That one was made with the “real” camera.