As Spring approaches, each year I keep my eyes on Murphy Park’s rookery in Taylor in anticipation of the egrets coming to nest.   While a few of them have arrived, it’s not so active quite yet.   I made a swing by there last night to see what I could see anyway.   Even without the egrets, it’s a pretty nice place to be.   There are plenty of ducks, geese and cormorants though, good places to aim a camera.   And the moon was almost full, too.   It’s probably more so tonight, but a cloud cover wasn’t giving us a peek.   This little batch of photos from last evening will have to suffice.

As development continues to ride herd on where we live, I continue to look for places where serenity still exists.  Last evening my Honda and I motored through the far reaches of East Williamson County.  For a time we tucked into Milam County, then wandered back toward home. I found this restful scene a hair’s breath east of Hare, Texas, a stone’s throw south of the San Gabriel River.    This time, thankfully, I had a spot to pull off the road for a few minutes to observe some beautiful horses.

These are some recent photos taken in Granger, Texas, one of those Blackland Prairie towns where I spend some time with my camera. The most recent census indicates the town’s population is a little over 1400.  Prominent here is Saints Cyril & Methodius Catholic Church.   Its commanding spire can be seen in the opening photo.  The stained glass windows are impeccable. Into the Granger mix are some photos from the east side of downtown, on East Davilla Street.  Included are a weathered storefront, streetlights radiating a warm evening glow, and the old Granger City Hall building, built in 1908-09.   No longer used as city offices, the town hopes to. restore it when funds allow.   Thank goodness they want to save this bit of Texas history.

Photographer David Valdez, the first President Bush’s personal photographer, and the Williamson Museum joined together on Saturday for Georgetown’s first-ever photography festival.   The first part of the day was pretty chilly, but I’m guessing somewhere around a hundred photographers and photo enthusiasts showed up with their cameras and their smart phones.   Several photographers displayed their work for participants, but the day was about attendees snapping photos, which they did with gusto.   Coinciding with the festival was Pistons on the Square Car Show, giving photographers some grand subject matter.   As yours truly is a photographer, even though covering the day for the Williamson County Sun, I made a few photos of the lovely town square before the sun’s first light filled the day.  Those are included here, too.

Spring begins next week.  Looking around my Blackland Prairie this week, I’d say it’s arrived.  Not officially, of course, but it’s close.    Tonight’s post is just another collection of things seen on Wednesday and Thursday evening.  The opening photo, as well as the last image, are the same windmill photographed on the same night, but with different points of view.   Most times I just wander.  Or ramble.   It’s what I do.  My therapy.

This will coincide with my social media post I call old junk Thursday.   These are three photos all taken in downtown Shreveport, Louisiana.  The first image is the most recent, made in January 1980.  With all the grousing about my profession in recent years, I still like thinking about this old gentleman relaxing with his newspaper inside the lobby of the Creswell Hotel.   My guess is both he, and the hotel, are no longer with us.   The other two were both made on the same day, September 10, 1975, a time of year when it was still dang hot in northwest Louisiana.  In the second photo, a gentleman hangs his head out the window of the Medical Arts Building, hoping for a little breeze.  Note the price of parking at the bottom of the image.   The last photo was taken as a city bus ambled by, his window rolled back to get a bit of breeze, such as it was.   It’s a subtle photo, but nice to happen onto something not seen that first time in 1975.

This one’s a few days old, but I wanted to share with you my favorite image from last Saturday’s Market Days, held in downtown Georgetown, Texas.   This little guy with long curly hair and a mighty fine umbrella, was at the peak of joy.   Market Days will continue on the second Saturday of each month through November.

Passing my some friends’ house last week, I noticed some new Texas Longhorn family members wandering in their field.   I stopped by for a few minutes to introduce myself and welcome them to the neighborhood.   One of those bovine parents, however, was very protective.  I do get that.  I do love these cows!

After chatting with a friend last weekend, I noticed this couple enjoying their Sunday afternoon through city parks  in Taylor  She was riding Mabel, a 12-year-old mule, he was astride Chaca, a little younger, but just as beautiful.   I followed them for a while.  To my surprise, they stopped for a minute, then stood atop their friends for a brief time.   Mabel and Chaca seemed to be loving the day as much as their human friends.   In almost 30 years in Atlanta, this is something I never got to see.   It’s good to be home. 

While at the library this evening, I noticed we had a couple of new book lovers on the scene.  Two dogs, one of them with an injury that looks to have been treated, wandered in together.   It’s obvious they were close friends.  The librarians called for help, but unfortunately no animal control staff were on duty.   Alas, the pooches have to fend for themselves tonight.   I do hope they’re okay.