Our skies were pristine tonight, a rich blue,  before continuing  to full darkness.  I’ve photographed this a few times, but couldn’t pass it up this evening.   Mentioned numerous times, but I don’t see other states displaying their flag with such pride.   Texas.

All three of these sites are a ten minute drive from our home in Taylor.  It’s nice to have such elegant beings nearby.   The first two are from recent outings.   The last one is from tonight, horses grazing at the farm of friends who’ve lived here for decades.  Looming in the near distance is the site of the Samsung Semiconductor plant, still a work in progress.  When we moved to Taylor in 2009, a friend told me we didn’t want to move to Taylor because “there’s nothing there.”   After almost thirty years in metro-Atlanta, nothing sounded nice.  Time marches on.

This afternoon I covered induction ceremonies for elected officials in Williamson County,  held in the 26th District Courtroom of the Williamson County Courthouse in Georgetown.  Fifteen officeholders were sworn in, but this post focuses mostly on Matthew Lindemann, Williamson County’s new sheriff.   Matt holds grandson Tex Lindemann in the opening photograph.   This toddler’s name is Tex, not a nickname!  How great is that?   Tex’s sister Lucy, 3, is included in two photos.   After a while, Tex figured it was time for an afternoon nap.   The final photo shows Precinct 4 Constable Paul Leal as he makes a Facebook Live post before being sworn in.   I like that moment.  For anyone interested, I made other photos, which might be published in the Williamson County Sun, but this post is pretty specific.

Photographs from this evening along Main Street  in downtown Taylor, Texas.   Any photographs I take on New Years Eve are done early, before the night becomes untamed.   These were taken between 6 and 6:45 tonight, a safer time to be out.  That’s a bench in two of the four offerings.  Some of you like to know more.    Embrace positivity in 2025, my friends.

One taken a few evenings ago near Coupland, Texas.   This collection of grain elevators has inspired me for years.  

Just some tree stuff tonight, friends.   That leaning tree in the opening photograph  used to share that field with a decrepit barn.   The tree remains.   Somewhere in my files is a photo of  the barn, but I don’t have time to find it tonight.   The second one is a mesquite tree photographed often at a friend’s ranch.  That little tree has withstood many storms, a study in survival.   The other two are just ones I like.   The last scene has been photographed a few times.   Friends in the area probably know exactly where this is.    Simply trees.

These few photographs were taken during daily walks this past week in Taylor.   The fog photos posted Saturday were from a walk in Georgetown.   Walks, like photography, are therapy.   They clear a sometimes-addled brain.    We all need a purpose.

From a Thursday morning walk, this time in Georgetown, Texas.   The fog and mist remained during an almost two-hour stroll, mostly through Blue Hole Park and San Gabriel Park.    This kind of weather softens things quite well, naturally clearing out backgrounds, without the need for artificial intelligence manipulation.   Although my latest version of Photoshop embraces artificial intelligence, I don’t see the point.  If you miss, you miss.   The last photograph was taken while walking under a transparent roof dappled by raindrops, seen on the Georgetown town square.  

Another evening when another post was planned, but  seeing the lights adorning St. Peter’s Church of Coupland tonight, I chose to go that way.   I don’t recall seeing these lights when driving through Coupland recently, but they merited attention tonight.   The second photograph is what I first saw in the distance.

A recent photograph, cows are from a few evenings ago, a little north of Thrall.