While attempting a bit of video to accompany a column I wrote for the Williamson County Sun this week, this came along. The tiny shack, at one time home to those working these Blackland Prairie fields, added depth to a beautiful field of corn at the conclusion of a lovely day. 
The latest main stage production at the Georgetown Palace Theatre is “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” playing weekends on the Springer Memorial Stage through June 18. Directed by Lannie Hilboldt, the production stars Steve Williams as Joseph. If last night’s dress rehearsal is any indication, the audience is in for fast-paced entertainment. These are a few of the photos made for an upcoming review in the Williamson County Sun. More photos can be found on my Facebook page. 
By the time I visited “Roots” author Alex Haley at his home north of Knoxville, Tennessee in May 1988, the Atlanta Journal & Constitution was still shooting black and white film, but also color transparencies. The color here is Fujichrome, a much better film, in my humble opinion, than Kodak’s Ektachrome. Soon after, to consolidate matters, we, along with many other newspapers, began shooting everything on color negative film. The results when a color negative was printed on b/w paper were awful, but it was what it was. As we wandered around his farm, Mr. Haley, who died in February 1992, was most gracious. I do like the monotone images of him much better, but can’t recall what we used in the paper.
When spring comes to Central Texas, specifically on the Blackland Prairie, it’s a given … I will be posting crop images. This is another expansive field of wheat I found this week a little west of Granger. Spring, of course, is a time for wildflowers. While I find them beautiful, farmers’ crops are just as elegant. 
This old farmhouse, obviously long abandoned, was something I happened on tonight, once again, a little west of Granger, Texas. The vines have begun to take over. Although this is a scene on the prairie, it brings to mind a vine I saw for many years in Georgia … kudzu. If you’re curious about kudzu, look it up via Google, or whatever search engine you like. Whatever this clinging plant, I found its persistence an interesting subject for a camera. Look closely and you’ll see a little floral touch, too. 
Color or black-and-white? It’s a question I still find interesting. This field of corn, which seems to go into infinity west of Granger, Texas tonight, is presented for your consideration. In this instance, I think color prevails, but am always open to other thoughts. 
My wanderings often take me on the country roads outside Taylor. While those are grand, one of the best therapies is less than one mile away, with the birds around and above the tiny lake at Murphy Park in Taylor, Texas. Most times when I visit this spot, my fold-out chair comes out, I sit down with the cameras and watch what happens until the light fades away. These were taken on a Friday night therapy session. Make of them what you will. 
If you travel just a few miles east, you’ll find yourself at Granger Lake, but the town of Granger, Texas, with just over 1400 residents, is not right next to that body of water. Nevertheless, the town’s annual festival is called Lakefest. This year’s event was number 39 for this Central Texas town about 45 miles northeast of Austin. The festival included a parade, vendors, music, a barbecue cook-off. Back by popular demand this year was a kolache bake-off. The kolache is a Czech-inspired confection. Being a fellow from Northeast Texas, where doughnuts rule, I don’t know much about them, but they’re popular around here. Actress Sissy Spacek’s grandparents are from Granger. As a kid growing up in Texas, she spent copious amounts of time here. A few years ago, Granger doubled as Fort Smith, Arkansas for the remake of “True Grit.” If you take away the cars, trucks and power lines, you could actually imagine yourself back in the late-1800s. In particular, I like West Davilla Street, still paved with bricks, just like where I grew up. The little girl was glad mom was nearby when that gigantic truck in the parade blew its very loud horn. This is Texas, of course, but Granger could be anywhere in small-town America. These photos were taken for my friends at the Williamson County Sun.
Cherokee, Texas is a very small community we passed through on a recent day trip. A recent census has Cherokee, in San Saba County, with a little under 200 people. It was a quiet interlude on a nice Sunday drive. And it translates well in black and white. If you blink, you might miss Cherokee. I didn’t blink.
This is one of those periodic things where I take a peek back in time. East 6th Street in Austin, Texas is a place where I spent I lot of time with my camera in 1973. It was during the time when I was studying photojournalism at UT-Austin. Back then, and for years before, it was a gathering place for a variety of folks. Some were blue-collar workers, catching buses home, or stopping by a bar for a nightcap before heading home. East 6th Street was also an oasis for people facing hard times, dealing with substance abuse and mental illness issues. A few months ago, I visited the area for the first time in 40-plus years. While it’s changed, and become “trendy” for locals and visitors alike, there are still those in pain wandering the same path as 44 years ago. These are 1973 images, just street scenes.
