Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend the parade for Bartlett’s Friendship Fest on Saturday in Bartlett, Texas, but arrived as soon as possible.  Bartlett is a Central Texas community of 1600-1700 people residing in both Williamson and Bell Counties, about 50 miles northeast of Austin.   Nevertheless, it was fun to watch a 7-year-old named Emmett try his hand at stacking wooden blocks in a game of Jenga.  Plus watching attendees do a bit of dancing along West Clark Street.  And friends enjoying the music of Nick Starling and the Nomads.  Many of my ventures into this community are at dusk, or well beyond.  It was  cool to see a few scenes not often encountered: vine-covered facades and American flags among them.  If all goes well, I hope to return to Bartlett a few more times.   These towns are filled with ambience.

My first assignment this morning was covering the Sun City Horticulture Club’s Fall plant sale.   Having covered it a number of times, I wasn’t mentally on-board with it, but accepted the assignment, as any work, with the notion that I’d do the best I could.   Then Ernie entered the picture.   At 99, Ernie’s the club’s oldest member, but on this morning, he wasn’t a worker.  He was a shopper, purchasing some nice cabbage plants to add to his garden plot.  In February, he’ll be 100-years-old.   A World War II veteran (Air Force), Ernie perseveres.  Vision and hearing issues are a challenge, but he’s a trooper.   He went about the work of the morning, adding those new cabbage plants to his garden plot, already adorned with many items, including some healthy-looking okra.   Because of his vision and hearing issues, Ernie’s watch is equipped with a speaker that loudly provides him with the time.  He gave up driving 8 years ago, but still navigates Sun City with his electric golf cart.    Ernie made a long day an exceptional one.

Many of the horses photographed in my area are lucky finds, but in Norman’s Crossing, Texas I’ve found some friends.  These friends have a shaded pasture behind the Norman’s Crossing Community Center.  These photos, taken a couple of night ago, aren’t meant to be literal interpretations.   I like how those  tails swish and swirl, keeping  the flies at bay.  They’re captivating to watch.  For my next visit, with their owner’s permission, I’ll bring along some carrots.   The  chickens will fend for themselves.

We didn’t get very much rain this evening in Taylor, Texas, but we did get a lovely rainbow.   It stayed with us long enough to include some grain elevators I like quite a lot at Williamson County Grain.   Short, but mighty sweet.

September is the month when we begin to see autumn festivals.   I’ll be covering one on Saturday in Bartlett, Texas.   The photos presented here, however, were made at a festival in Edom, Texas in September 1978.    Shreveport Journal staffer Steve Smith  and I had heard about this one.  It merited a drive out of Louisiana into the Piney Woods country of Northeast Texas.   Founded in 1849, Edom’s been around a while, but has  remained small.  It’s in Van Zandt County, a little west of Tyler.    The latest census figures I could find  lists the population as well under 400.   That’s probably about the right number for these 41-year-old images, too.   As with events like this, my goal is more about seeing personalities and culture of an area.   The clothing and hairstyles hopefully give you a sense of the time.  Do kids, or adults for that matter, still enjoy walking on slippery logs?   I like the gents relaxing at an Edom gas station while a lady possibly waits for a friend. And for a photographer to mosey on.     And the family picnic under the still-hot Texas day.   Ladies shopping for unique dresses and quilts.   A fellow taking a rest from demonstrating his wood-chopping skills.   Just little slices of life, friends.  From back in time with good old Kodak Tri-X black and white film.

Just a couple of photos tonight, friends.   Both were made earlier this month along a county road a little east of Taylor, Texas.   The farmhouse intrigued me.   For years, I’ve noticed it, sitting back off the road, nestled under a stand of trees.  Seeing it being readied for a move caught me off guard.  Did someone purchase the house, moving it to an area not so overrun by development?   I don’t know the answer, but wonder about the area it’s leaving behind.  The friends made since coming to this area might know the answer.   Just west of here were two venerable barns.  They looked ancient when we moved here ten years ago, but I’m glad to see them still with us.   Change is good, but some of us wish the prairie could hold on a little longer before developers take over.   Drive around this area.  Notice the For Sale signs on large chunks of land.   It’s only a matter of time before it’s gobbled up.

Sinus spells most of the day called for finding something soothing tonight.   A drive through Coupland was pleasant, but as I meandered east, the area around Beyersville was just what the doctor ordered.   At least it was for me.   So there.

The 150th anniversary service at Georgetown’s Wesley Chapel A.M.E. Church was close to three hours, but it was time well-spent on Sunday.    Wesley Chapel was established in 1869.  The building in these photos has been its  home since 1904.  These are some photos made before, during and after the service, beginning with the worship leader looking over her notes near a regal stained glass window 45 minutes before the start.  And then there’s a church member sweeping out the entry scant minutes before the start, her 2-year-old nephew keeping a close eye on things.   The church’s senior member, who will be 94 at the end of this month, was there, included in a couple of photos, one at the end when, with a bouquet of roses presented her, got help walking to her nearby home.  Note that you might react to one or two images, but don’t take them out of context, please.  The grouping is meant to tell the story, not a single photo. 

Sometimes it’s enriching to find one stretch of road and photograph just that.   Every road, large or small, has a little something to say.    This little road, not very long, is not far from Coupland, Texas.   In a few minutes near sunset, I was able to find a Great Egret relaxing in a tree above a cow pasture.   And a few bales of hay basking in the warm light.    As you might know, I have an ongoing interest in our disappearing Blackland Prairie land.   Some of it’s disappearing due to development.  Our farmland is popular with subdivision developers.  But then there are the old homesites and barns, slowly sinking into the soil, their time nearing an end.  I found one of those on this road, too.  That last one’s a little shadow play, stopping long enough to take a photo of my vehicle’s shadow through the passenger window, looking out onto a cornfield recently harvested.   Yep, the shadow’s a truck.  My normal wanderings are in a Honda, but occasionally an old truck seems to fit the bill.  Not often though.  Its gas mileage is awful.

It was warm, but fun morning watching a group of women volunteers give maximum effort in helping to build a new Habitat for Humanity  home for single mom Flor Candelario  in Taylor.   Habitat for Humanity of Williamson County hosted Women Build, where a group of women volunteers put on their hard hats to do some really heavy lifting.   Note that male volunteers were there, too, doing work that required climbing and placing truss beams, but these ladies kept pace without a hitch.  The male taking a group photo for Habitat is friend David Valdez, who was the personal photographer for President George H.W. Bush.  He’s been volunteering with Habitat for years.    Weather permitting, Ms. Candelario’s home will be move-in ready for her and her three kids by Thanksgiving.