While the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter gets a renovation, a number of the shelter dogs are being housed in the old show barn at San Gabriel Park in Georgetown.    Like the rodeo arena that this corridor, the show barn is due to be demolished, but for now it has new purpose, as the shelter’s “Canine Corral.”   From Monday, June 25th through Wednesday, July 4th, all adoptions here are free as part of the “Save All the Tail Waggers” campaign.   I took these few photos Thursday afternoon.   The show barn is dusty and warm, but the shelter folks have misters operating round the clock in addition to large fans.   Still, I can’t help but feel sorry for these sweeties. Every shelter I’ve been in for several years is filled with Pit Bull, or similar breeds.  It’s just sad.  We have Star in our family, a Pittie rescued a few years ago by our daughter. She’s a gentle and caring dog.  What happens to make these dogs turn bad?   Simple answer:  human beings who have no business owning one. I’m also a little concerned about the July 4th fireworks show in the park, directly across from the show barn.  Dogs, at least most I’ve seen, do not care for that much noise.  If you’re in the area, take a look at the show barn for some deserving pooches. 

Even though it’s been mighty warm in Central Texas since April, the official beginning of summer, the summer solstice, arrived this morning in Georgetown, Texas  at 5:07a.m. Central Daylight Time.   Presented here are some photos taken this afternoon at two popular cooling-off spots, Blue Hole Lagoon and San Jose Park.   We’ve already reached triple-digit temperatures, but today’s high was only the low-90s.   These were produced for my friends at the Williamson County Sun.

I’ve been rather prickly with friends on Facebook today.  It’s time for something more fun.   Late yesterday afternoon, on the way home from an errand, a quartet of Texas Longhorns were having what appeared to be a bovine meditation session, resulting in a shutter click.   And then there was a tiny little four-legged critter riding herd over a western shop in Taylor.   He (she?) had some attitude.  I like that.   And in honor of  a couple of days of rain and cool weather, raindrops, just because it was there.  Who knows when we’ll see it again, right?

The Blackland Prairie skies in East Williamson County, Texas were primed to release an adornment of much-needed rain.   While the anticipated moisture didn’t really materialize, Mother Nature painted us something lovely in Wuthrich Hill, at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, seen in the opening photo.   Not quite finished, I continued south and east, to Noack, where a visit to cornfields and Christ Lutheran Church made it a good conclusion to the night’s wanderings.   Those following me for a while know that I stay close to home, paying many repeat visits to favorite things.  Proximity, in part, drives that train, but as I’ve said before, I like it here.

There’s a county road a few miles east of Coupland, Texas I find refreshing.   In February I drove along its corridors, but didn’t post a thing.   That happens sometimes.  Last evening I made a drive along that same road.   Two versions of a shiny barn are presented here.   Also offered is another county road, which intersects with the road on which I focused.   That “side road” is presented in two versions, one from last night, the other from February.    One final photo, just because I like it, was on another road, but not far away.  By the way, those are birds atop that barn in the first two photos.  Don’t ask me what they are.

A few months back I posted some photos of a beautiful Texas Longhorn called Princess.  She’s a peach!   Tonight, a couple of updated photos of this pretty lady. And let me introduce you to a newborn calf.   When her photo was taken, she was only four days old.   She and her mama weren’t seeing eye-to-eye on nursing.   Thankfully, on the day this photo was taken, she decided mama was okay.  This baby’s a hybrid, part Angus, part Texas Longhorn.   She’ll be a pretty lady some day!  Princess and the calf live on the ranch of my good friend Joyce White.  Did you note that baby’s photo is in black-and-white?   On purpose, friends, on purpose.  Note that I didn’t get many photos of baby.  Mama wasn’t having it. 

Sometimes the best stories, the sweetest ones, are in our own back yards.   Here in Taylor, Texas, I’ve taken notice of a tall, tattooed chalk artist, Dennis Levitin, who hails from Denmark, and his 4-year-old son, Mikail.    While not precisely a single dad, for several years he’s been Mikail’s go-to guy.   Without going into too much detail here, years ago, while still in Copenhagen, he nurtured a bond with a young lady from Taylor, who at the time was attending college at Boston University.   The online chats became phone calls.  Soon, Dennis flew to America to meet her in person.  In 2009, they married, settling in Taylor.  Mikail came along in late-July 2013.   About 8-10 months after the little boy’s birth, the couple separated, her moving to a town a little west of here, but not too far.   Since then, Mikail has mostly remained with daddy in Taylor.   Dennis estimates that he and Mikail are together 70-80% of the time.  But let’s be clear.  There are no bad people in this story.  This isn’t about poor parenting, or lack of parenting, this is about a bond.   They share everything, even dressing alike at times, wearing colorful shirts and caps designed by dad with “Team Toon Squad,” a creation just for Mikail.    They share a  small studio apartment and a big bed, not far from Dennis’ job as assistant manager at Taylor’s Farm to Market Deli.    By choice, Dennis doesn’t drive.   Years ago, he lost someone close in an auto crash.   It left an impression.  Thankfully, Taylor is less than 17,000 people, easily walkable.  When Dennis reports to work, at 6a.m., Mikail comes, too.  There’s a special room reserved where he can continue to sleep while dad works.   Everyone here knows them.  Co-workers and friends help keep watch on Mikail when dad gets busy.  But daddy’s never far away.   Mikail was a planned baby.  You see, Dennis always wanted to be a father.  It shows.   “I’m not doing anything super special,” he said.   Yes, he is.   “His first walking steps were with me.”    And first word?

Dada.

A few weeks ago, I posted some photos of newborn donkeys at a friend’s place outside Granger, Texas.   The donkeys, I’m happy to report, are thriving.   They’re about two months old now, growing like Texas weeds.   One thing I’ll know  for that next visit to their pasture …. bring treats!   Upon seeing me this week, the little herd, mamas and babies, made dash toward the fence.  Sadly, all I had were cameras.   Don’t give up, little friends.  I won’t let you down again.

While the predominant crop around here at this time of the year is corn, milo is starting to pop up in fields all over the Blackland Prairie.   From a distance, it can sometimes closely resemble corn, but closer inspection will confirm otherwise.  I had to look it up to determine its use.  What I found out is that milo is a cereal grain, or sorghum, used in  food, animal feed and biofuels.   Its little tops, which range in color from yellow, to orange and red, are pretty photogenic.  Anyone who has more specific uses about this pretty crop, please let me know!

Looking for prairie scenes recently, I made a turn down a heavily-wooded road in East Williamson County.   About two minutes in, deciding there wasn’t much to see along this route, I turned around and headed back the way I came.  Then, gazing over my left shoulder, into a thick swath of dark woods, there was an obviously long-abandoned farmhouse, descending a bit at a time back into the earth from which it once rose, strong and proud.    Once I realized this was indeed a road seldom traversed, I got out, continuing to take photos for a few short minutes.  No other vehicles came along.   Back in the car, having gone no more than 20 yards, another look to the left revealed an equally-decrepit barn, also engulfed, but standing its ground.  I found the scene at once eerie and enthralling.    There are times when a wrong turn leads us where we need to be.