Georgetown, Texas held its 39th Annual Christmas Stroll this weekend.   The festivities began on Friday and continued through Saturday.   These photos were all taken Saturday.   Holiday festivals and celebrations aren’t exclusive to Texas.   You’ll find them in most places around the world.   These are just a few of my visual impressions from Georgetown, where a well-attended parade was held, concluding with Santa Claus, of course.   I was enthralled at the two tykes, he 20-months-old, she 14-months, pictured in the last two photos.   They were initially a bit shy to one another, but bonded before their families moved on.   I like that  bonding.   We need more of this in a divisive world.   Learn from children. 

With some time to spare this afternoon (a rarity), I made the short drive to the Williamson County Expo Center in Taylor to take in the heifer and steer competition at the 74th Annual Williamson County Livestock Show.   Unlike other coverage days, I didn’t have a specific client seeking photos, but felt like the hard work these kids put in deserves recognition, even if only at my little website.   Enjoy your weekend.

The annual Candlelight Services for the Season of the Advent at Southwestern University in Georgetown have become a holiday tradition.   Perhaps my photos are beginning to look similar after documenting it for ten years, but it’s still a pleasure to see.   These photos in  Lois Perkins Chapel are from the first of two services held there last evening.   This is another occasion where the photos can speak without my help with words. 

While attending the 2018 Williamson County Livestock Show in Taylor, I saw Kooper for the first time in the show arena with his lamb.   Not wanting to intrude, I did as always, just took photos.   At this year’s show I was glad to see him competing once again, joined by Erin,  an able and compassionate guide.   Both Kooper and Erin are members of the Jarrell 4-H Club.   On Tuesday afternoon, they entered the arena with Kooper’s lamb, Kevin.  This year I followed them outside the arena, where Kooper was met with a huge embrace and kind  words from his mom, Mindee.   When I asked her for the backstory, she was gracious and open.    At 5, Kooper sustained a broken leg.   In the process of dealing with the fracture, the family learned that he had cancer, resulting in the loss of his left leg.   Kooper, says mom, is active in many things these days.  Nothing slows him down.  If the family is still okay with the idea, there may be a followup to their story.   I felt Kooper, and Erin, deserved a separate post.   These stories are why I’ll always embrace community journalism.  

Livestock shows are among my favorite things to document each year.   To watch the intensity and skill these youngsters demonstrate is one of the pleasures of a life in photojournalism.  As I was telling a friend today at the 74th Annual Williamson County Livestock Show, held in Taylor, these competitions are akin to playing in the Super Bowl for many of these kids.   The hard work instilled in them through their school and community programs will stay with them in every endeavor throughout their lives.  

Georgetown, Texas brands itself as “The Most Beautiful Town Square in Texas.”   You know what?  It is.   While it’s gorgeous throughout the year, during the Christmas season it takes things up a notch.  Maybe a couple of notches.   These are a few shots taken Monday night.   I particularly like how the dome of the Williamson County Courthouse (opened in 1911) shines a beautiful green.   The last photo, Razmataz Salon, is just an image I like.  

The colors of Autumn are in our rearview mirrors as winter approaches.   These are a few photos taken recently  at Georgetown’s Berry Springs Park  & Preserve.   While the park is locally known for its pecan groves, there are other things that merit a look.  These are mostly pictorials, but included are a mom and daughter enjoying their day.   Photojournalism sneaks into some of these posts occasionally.  

112319 GEORGETOWN,

While wandering tonight, I found Santa Claus in downtown Bartlett, Texas.   Honestly, I was looking for some Christmas holiday lights adorning East Clark Street.  As I prepared to move onto plan B, however, along comes Santa Claus strolling down the street.   So I tagged along with Old St. Nick as he got sniffed by a dog, peeked into a window at sleeping cats and generally just smiled and waved.   “It was something I’ve been wanting to do,” he explained.   He’d invited his wife along for the stroll, but being lone Santa was in the cards.   He made me smile a little.  I told him he made my night.   And he did.   Little bits of life are happening all around us, but sometimes we have to look closely to find them.

1

If you’ve followed these posts long enough you know of my aversion to mobile phones for photography.  You also know that during daily two-hour walks in Taylor, I wanted to capture things I saw.  My “professional” cameras were too big to tote.   So I’ve carried an inexpensive ($125 new) Motorola smartphone on these daily walks for a couple of years.   On Friday morning’s outing, fog caressed the the landscape.   These few photos were made with that low-end mobile device.   I continue to prefer the serious camera, but the phone’s handy sometimes.

When posting Georgetown’s Lighting of the Square Friday night, there’s one image overlooked, but when re-editing again this morning, this photo of the crowd holding up their mobile devices just prior to the actual lighting has a nice moodiness to it.   So here you go.