The photos offered here tonight have not a thing to do with each other, but I feel compelled to place them in the same place.  Go figure.   The first, photographed maybe two years ago, is a little north of Walburg, Texas.  This wonderful stretch of Blackland Prairie land is a Texas Century Farm, part of the Texas Family Land Heritage Program, which certifies the farm has been maintained in continuous  operation for over a hundred years by the same family.   The sign at the front gate says they are the Riske family.  I don’t know them, but I am quite taken with this view.   The other photo, presented in black-and-white, was taken a few days ago at a church, done while working on something else.  For whatever reason, I kept staring into this basement room, where this old upright piano gathered morning light nicely over its surface.  A church member, being helpful, asked “would you like to open the cover? ”   To which I replied “No, ma’am, but thank you.”   It is what it is.

These photos don’t require much explanation, just simple images from Bull Branch Park in Taylor, Texas, just down the street from our house.   I like the gentleness of Bull Branch Creek, and course the cypress trees.  The first couple are very similar, only slight differences, but I think I like the first one.   The last photo has just a hint, in the upper left corner, of tonight’s Waxing Crescent moon, 18.4% visible.  

Rosalio Rodriguez is a wonderful fellow I like to visit from time to time.   By day, Rosalio works at a printing company in Pflugerville, where he’s been employed for quite a long time.   In the evenings, he comes home to his slice of prairie heaven, where he and Max, his Great Pyrenees, take care of their 63 head of sheep.  Their home, north of Taylor, but south of Granger, is quite peaceful.   Each day after work, they open the pasture gate, letting their furry friends stretch their legs and munch on grass, and other tasty treats, along a seldom-traveled country road.   I first photographed Rosalio in 2010.  A photo from that first visit is framed and hangs on the wall of his home.  I am honored.  Back then, the herding dog was Charlie.   Charlie’s still around, but Max has taken over the heavy lifting.    Just a little bit of life on the Blackland Prairie, friends. 

We had a sweet couple of rainy interludes this afternoon on the Blackland Prairie.   By the time I decided to. drive around and wander tonight, the quality of post-storm light was good.  No rainbows, but it is what it is.    Here are a couple taken this evening near Beyersville, Texas, in southeast Williamson County.  If there ever was a downtown Beyersville, I don’t know it.  For my purposes, it’s simply good land and sky.   That dog caught me off guard a little.  She walked out into the middle of the road and commenced to sit herself down.   In no way was she threatening.  We visited for a few seconds before I got back in the car.   Even though this is way out in the country, good feelings don’t come when I see a dog where they’re in danger. 

While the rain was giving my Blackland Prairie a good pounding earlier this afternoon, production work kept me at my computer.   As soon as possible this evening, I took a little drive around the area.   The lightning, and most of the precipitation had moved on, probably to the east.   The clouds, however, and the sky around around the clouds?  They were eloquent.   The first two images are one of my favorite subjects, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, sitting atop a hill in Wuthrich Hill, Texas.   The last photo?   That’s a little bit of our state’s resonant crop of cotton.   We’re experiencing drought again this summer, but even so, I was able to enjoy the little bolls that were visible.   

Once again tonight, let’s  keep things simple.   Cows can make that happen.   The first photo was taken last evening as the remnants of a storm moved along  east of  Walburg.   Was this cow performing for the camera?  I honestly don’t know, but she and her friends were interesting.  The other photo, of a calf west of Taylor, seemed more suited to a monotone treatment.    I won’t say more.  No need.

While now the Jonah Community Center, this sturdy little structure began its life in 1922 as the Jonah School.  This photo was taken tonight about 9pm as I finished a night’s rambling.   I like that these regal old structures (and their trees) remain with us, little bits of our history preserved for future generations. 

If you’ve watched my posts for a while you’ve seen this elegant off-white horse.   When I’m between Granger and Bartlett on any given evening, and the light’s looking good, I’ll swing by and say howdy.   Almost every time I pass by, this fellow preens and poses for my camera.  Since he’s in a pasture I can only view from the road, we “chat”  with a bit of distance between us.  But it’s enough.   And he’s handsome.  Hopefully, we’ll see each other again really soon.

This week we’ve been back in Texas for nine years.  During that time, I’ve taken photos of Immanuel Lutheran Church in West Taylor, the Church on the Hill, quite a few times.   Until last evening, however, I hadn’t thought to look behind the church, where I discovered Immanuel Lutheran Church Cemetery.  A sign at the cemetery gate says the cemetery formed in 1886, but I’m going with what I see on the church’s website, 1889.   The church itself was first built in 1894.  In January 1916 a fire destroyed its sanctuary.   The congregation rebuilt, dedicating their new sanctuary that Fall.   It’s the church that stands today.   But back to the cemetery.   A look at the church’s site told me the first burial was in 1889, a little girl, Minna Roeske, born May 16, 1889, passing from this world October 20, 1889  Tonight, I returned to find her grave, represented here.   Immanuel has German roots.   You’ll see gravestones engraved in that language.  In fact, Immanuel’s services were only conducted in German until 1929, when both English and German were spoken.  I’m happy to have “discovered” the cemetery last evening. When returning tonight to find Minna’s grave, the cows in the pasture were absent.  It’s a good thing I stopped by on Monday.   I’ve photographed this church many times in nine years.   God willing, I’ll represent it here again.  

A friend recently mentioned an old bridge in Milam County, Texas I might like.   Last week I took a drive east to Apache Pass, to the Worley Bridge, a truss bridge built in 1911, spanning the San Gabriel River.  It’s a one-lane bridge along County Road 428.   I was happy to finally find it.   Once I did, I parked on the shoulder and walked around for a few minutes, snapping a few photos.   During that time, I got some curious looks as big old trucks, barely able to fit, ambled across.   One fellow stopped, asking me “Whatcha doing?”  You know, folks, when someone’s got two high-end cameras draped around their necks, isn’t it obvious?   But being the nice fellow I am (sometimes), I just responded “Taking photos!”   That seemed to satisfy my visitor.  These photos were taken in a pretty short time period.  You can only stand on a one-lane bridge so long before things get dicey.  This bridge was completely restored a few years ago.  It looks grand.  I do wish the river had a little more water though.   Droughts are no fun.