If there’s a theme to this post, let’s just call it rural. Oh, and both were taken last evening.   Quite often, well actually most of the time, I just ramble along.   If something strikes my fancy, and someone’s not about to rear-end me, I roll to a stop.   It’s sad to think about it, but even out where we live civilization is beating a path to our doors.  And fields. And skies.   People have to live somewhere, but man do I want to see some of our Blackland Prairie’s persona kept intact.   Tonight’s photos can speak for themselves.  Or not.  Time to mosey on, folks. 

Let me get this out of the way up front …. yours truly is averse to high places. Think of that as understatement.   In a way, it’s funny because when I was a kid, the roof of our house was a place I used to go to for reflection.  Don’t misunderstand.  That caused perspiration, too, but once up there, the neighborhood view … and the peacefulness …. was nice.   As I grew into adulthood, however, that fear of heights only increased.  Back in the 70s, my wife had to call the fire department to extract me from the roof of our house in Shreveport.   I made it up there to do some roof cleaning and commenced to freeze.  Since returning home to Texas a few years ago, I’ve been fascinated with those shiny, but tall grain elevators that adorn this countryside.   A farmer friend offered to let me climb up to the top of the tallest one.  “The view from up there is great!” he explained.   I thanked him, but declined.  Fast-forward to 2018.   Our new veterinarian, Dr. Dana Boehm, grew up a farm girl in Norman’s Crossing, Texas.   Her brother Troy is tilling the soil on about 3600 acres this year.   And they have some mighty fine grain elevators. Recently, picking up some meds for our dog, Star, she offered access to the tallest of her family’s elevators.  “I’ll spot you,” she offered.  Last night, with Williamson County storm clouds looking nice, I decided to accept her offer.  From a distance, they look imposing, but the first steps are pretty easy.   The last journey, to the summit, took  a bit more work.   But when finally making to the top, surrounded by acre upon acre of fields filled with corn and cotton, all I could do was take deep breaths, sit down and say “wow.”    Was it worth it?  You betcha!   Near the end of this post is a photo of Dr. Dana, and one of, well you know, right?  I’ll be doing a little more in coming weeks as Dana’s brother begins his corn harvest.   But last night was a milestone for a big old chicken.  Thank you, Dr. Dana.

Right here in the heart of Taylor, Texas we have Williamson County Grain, complete with some very nice grain elevators.   The other night, on the way back from a wandering, I stopped by for a look, from both sides.   It was a mighty pretty evening.  Our skies never get boring.

The place where I live is adorned with the most wonderful land and sky.   When you add the work of our farmers, it’s beyond words.   These are a few photos taken this week, including tonight, in areas around the Blackland Prairie in East Williamson County, Texas.   Right now, we’re seeing an abundance of milo and corn.   Our cotton is progressing nicely, too.   We’ve had some stormy skies, but not nearly enough rain.   Let it come.

Let’s keep it simple tonight, okay?  Just windmills adding to the scenery in East Williamson County, Texas.    

This is one I took Tuesday evening after wandering in and around Coupland, Texas.   These are three brothers, getting in a ride before that setting sun goes below the horizon.   To reiterate:  equestrian pursuits are a part of our culture.  

Today I covered the annual Georgetown Sertoma Club’s Fourth of July celebration at San Gabriel Park.   The photos include their hometown parade, plus a little of this and that.  The young man in the opening photo is enjoying the American flags placed by the local Rotary Club who will be doing a Field of Honor in November, which will include about 2,000 flags.   Since it was toasty, the water spray was a good place to cool off.   And I like the fellow with the colorful beard, a member of Georgetown’s Beard Club, a local non-profit raising money for charitable causes in the area.  And there’s a couple of dog photos.  I can’t go anywhere without documenting a pooch or two!   Tonight, if rain doesn’t interfere, the day concludes with a fireworks show, something Madison Simmons, a staffer at the Williamson County Sun, will be on hand to document with her cameras.

Recently, I recall seeing a story in my local paper, the Taylor Press, about Mager Cemetery, sitting on a fine piece of land along F.M. 1466 in the Beyersville area, a few miles east of the village of Coupland.  Coupland members of Hermann Sons Lodge, the Press story told us, had placed American flags on the 55 graves here to honor Flag Day (June 14).   Last weekend, I was reminded of Mager Cemetery when a new friend suggested it would be a fine addition to my photo collection.   I’m glad I took her advice, and happy to see the flags still there.  We also like flags on July 4th, don’t we?    Mager Cemetery is steeped in German heritage.   Reinhold Mager, a German immigrant, donated an acre of his 150 acre farm for a cemetery, as well as a school.  The school is gone, but the cemetery remains in this resplendent setting, nestled under live oak trees, surrounded by pastureland.  The first burial here was 1900.   Reinhold Mager died in 1930.  His wife, Franziska, lived until 1951, the last burial here.  Some inscriptions on markers are in German.   The cemetery is well-maintained.  In 2001 a Texas State Historical Marker was placed on the site.  Just another little slice of Texas, folks.

While focused on something else last evening in Beyersville, Texas, this scene made its way in front of my camera.  While I’d planned to post that “something else” tonight, this is okay all by itself.  Beyersville, in southeast Williamson County, appears to be an are  blessed with beautiful rolling hills, just the right trees and (of course) good skies.  Was there ever a downtown to this community?   I don’t know, but it’s somewhere I’ll return for future ramblings.  You betcha.

On my way to retrieve some fast food last evening in Taylor, I came upon this dad and daughter moseying along on their horses.   They’d been to a family reunion at Murphy Park and were now making their way back to the stables.  These little slices of life in Texas always give me a good feeling.   If you’re wondering if they were safe on that road, I’d have to say yes.   In this part of the world, folks are used to seeing people on horses.   And they’re respectful.     I do love my home.