Only a couple of photos tonight, friends. One is a long old barn I like and have documented for a few years. That’s this year’s cotton crop coming along in front of it. Cotton harvest is a few weeks away. The other photo is a weathered mailbox with a good theme included. The field in back was corn until a recent harvest. It’s a very busy season for our Blackland Prairie farmers!
In the ten years we’ve been back in Texas, the sunsets (and sunrises) continue to bring good feelings. With so much bad stuff going on the world, and perhaps in your personal lives, don’t you think it’s okay to offer up a bit of serenity? I do. This one’s from tonight. 
Driving through East Williamson County, Texas, I see quite a few cornfields yet to be harvested, but in Norman’s Crossing, Troy Boehm has begun the work on 2000 acres of corn. It’s a busy time. Just last week, I watched as milo was harvested on the Boehm farm. In a few weeks, cotton will be ready. For now, and for tonight’s post, it’s all about corn. While mentioning it before, the cornfields you see in our area are primarily used for feed grain. While there is some sweet corn planted here and there, it’s not the big cash crop. The Boehm family, like most farmers, works well into the evening to get the work done. These images are from my Sunday evening visit to Norman’s Crossing. Going there exudes good feelings. 
Last night was one of those times when what I was actually seeking out wasn’t coming to pass. They don’t always, you know. Then a little south of Granger I ran into my friend Rosalio as he herded his flock of 60 sheep as the day’s last light faded from the prairie sky. I’ve had the good fortune to document my friend since 2011. He’s one of the few who has one of my photos hanging on the wall of his house. Helping Rosalio with his task these days are his three dogs, Charlie, Max and a small young lady whose name escapes me right now. Rosalio said this was the first time in two months he’d let his flock outside the pasture to graze along the seldom-traveled road. The heat, he explained, was just too much. Thankfully, Saturday’s weather, while still warm, was at least not into triple digits. A freight train passing didn’t seem to phase the group as they continued on their mission. Finally, with a Waxing Crescent moon shining above, they called it a night. 
This one’s from a couple of weeks ago when I wandered through the community of Schwertner, Texas. Schwertner is on the cusp of Northwestern Williamson County, Texas, but also shares space with Bell County. This one’s on the Williamson County side. I suspect that milo crop has been harvested by now. Let’s hope so. It’s time. 
Over the last ten years I’ve taken many photos of St. James Episcopal Church in Taylor, Texas. Located at 7th and Davis Streets, it commands attention. It’s take-your-breath-away beautiful. St. James has been here since 1893. Their organ was added in 1914. The church was built using three types of wood: pine, cedar and oak. After learning of the total loss of another wooden church, Westphalia’s Church of the Visitation, I thought it time to visit St. James again. took photos there in 2017. Most of my images of St. James have been exteriors, but this time sanctuary photos are included. It was fortunate that the church was open when I passed it this week, presenting an opportunity to visit the sanctuary. While there, I noted the exquisite quilts adorning the pews, all created by members of the Blackland Quiltiing Guild. One of the night photos includes (at left in background) Restoration Temple of Deliverance, for years the home of Taylor’s First Baptist Church. Photographing the church from the front doesn’t really work because of power lines. As most know, I don’t “Photoshop” things like that out, but views from the side have always been nice, the stained glass windows on full display. For several months one of the windows was absent, but it’s been replaced now. What’s missing from this set of photos is an evening photo with those windows lighted up. Alas, the sanctuary lights aren’t usually on at night. No worries. The photos inside do them justice. The final image, taken in the church courtyard, is Saint Francis of Assisi. How nice. 
Recently I spent time over a couple of days watching and photographing the milo harvest at the Boehm family farm in Norman’s Crossing, Texas. Milo, also called maize, is really pretty with its reddish orange stalks reaching up into the Texas sky. It does, however, create quite a lot of dust! The folks on the combines, in tractors and driving the hauling trucks find respite inside their vehicles, but the only way to truly document harvests is to be out in the fields. The only harvest I’ve found to be dustier is wheat, a gorgeous crop, but the dust is incredible. That aside, it’s fun to observe our Texas family farms in action. Near the end of my photo sessions, I met Joaquin, who has worked for the family since the early-1980s. When I photographed him at his home nestled in one of the fields, he was taking a little rest before continuing his work of clearing harvested stalks. One image of him is in color, but for the last couple, black-and-white just seemed right. I enjoyed my time with him. When I got home, I took a hot shower, followed by a cold one. One of my farmer friends said it was the best method to get shed of the grain particles. It worked. 
It’s the middle of growing season on the Blackland Prairie. My focus often turns to those things. Like tonight at sunset in the Wuthrich Hill area. Before you say it, I know last night’s post was close by, but I hadn’t expected to see this. I document what I see. Corn is abundant. And Prince of Peace Lutheran Church often commands my attention. 
This was taken recently in Wuthrich Hill, an area of East Williamson County, Texas where my wanderings occasionally lead. There’s a nearby church and cemetery occasionally documented, but this tiny pond? It’s just nice. The land ocean spreads into infinity from there. 
Maybe something calm to begin your week? These sunsets (and sunrises) sometimes help. Perhaps not, but I’ll do them anyway. Make it a good week, friends. 