Digging into old negatives is a nice way to spend a few hours.   I like to do this whenever time allows.   What’s really fun is to happen on images never edited before.   That’s what I’m doing here, with these lovely ladies who allowed me to make an impromptu visit to their home in East Austin in 1973.   Honestly?  It may be late-1972, or even early-1974, but I’m pretty certain this was 1973.   While I embrace the digital world these days, there’s something special about silver-based technology.  In other words, good old Kodak Tri-X film, with a periodic diversion for Plus-X and Panatomic-X.    Mostly, however, it was Tri-X, a most versatile film.    Back when these photos were taken, East Austin was very much a blue-collar working class area.   These days?  People of modest means probably can’t afford to live there.   I find that sad.

A few days ago, after taking in the new exhibit at Taylor’s 120Art Gallery, my next stop was our town’s recycling area, just a short drive from downtown.   En route, however, while stopped at a traffic light at 4th and Main Streets, the evening’s fading light got my attention.   Naturally, I pulled over.   The photos posted here were taken as the day faded away, leaving some wonderful warmth as it passed.   For the images presented here, I didn’t really leave the street corner.   4th and Main was looking mighty fine.

One of the tragic events of January in Georgetown was the death of 19-year-old cyclist Tommy Ketterhagen, who was struck and killed along Patriot Way.  Tommy, a graduate of East View High School, was a dedicated athlete.  In high school he played soccer for East View.  This morning, at the place where he died, a ghost bike was placed in his honor.   The bike was signed by family and friends  last month during a memorial ride from the high school.   Tommy’s cycling team, 787 Racing, spearheaded the effort to get the bike’s surface laminated and placed here.  His family and friends were at this morning’s dedication, including his 11-year-old brother, Brendan, shown by the bike.  This evening, I went by there to do just a portrait of the bike.   That’s included here, too.   Cyclists, and drivers, please be careful out there.  These photos are for my friends at the Williamson County Sun.

Occasionally, you’ll find me shooting actual news photos, but not often.   Very early this morning, a little after midnight, a storm system moved through Southeastern Williamson County, Texas, bringing trail derailments near Thrall, grain elevators wiped out, power lines down, barn roofs gone, etc.  But there’s a little church I like to photograph in Noack, Texas, Christ Lutheran, that sustained some damage, too.  Thankfully, it was an addition to the church added a few years back.  This church family is 125-years-old.  The structure itself has been going strong since 1902.    This first photo, where I managed to crawl into the rubble, shows a stained glass window framing the church.  For context, you have the second photo, but I like the first one.   The others?   They’re filler for this post.   Thankfully, only property was harmed after this series of tornadoes tore through the Blackland Prairie.  These were taken for my friend at the Williamson County Sun.

Saturday afternoon, after completing an assignment, I stepped out of the Georgetown Public Library, my away-from-home office, discovering that was it was actually quite warm, with temperatures in the mid-80s.  This is  South Central Texas after all.   Rather than head back to Taylor, I detoured by Blue Hole lagoon for a while, observing a dad and son, visiting Blue Hole for the first time, and Kirby, a half-Boston terrier/half-Boxer mix, working his way through  a tennis ball.   Then I just relaxed and watch the light fade a little, taking some scenic images.   The same photo is presented in color and black-and-white.    While my favorites are the deep blues of early-evening, the monotone shades  are a close second.

Today I took photos at the Gemboree, a gem and mineral show in Georgetown hosted by the Williamson County Gem and Mineral Society.   It was  fun event, with a lot of beautiful gems, but my favorite little gems were Boots, front, and his sidekick, Amber,  two chihuahua mixes attending the show with their people.   They were not only well-dressed, but well-behaved, too!

This is a photo I took in Taylor a while back.  It remained on my camera’s disc for about a week.   At one point, I was going to send it to the trash, but decided to let it be.   So here it is.   At times, simple is good.

A followup post to last night’s from “West Side Story,” playing at the Georgetown Palace Theatre through March 26.   There’s not much to say so I’ll the photos do the talking.   How’s that for brevity?

I attended the Thursday night dress rehearsal of the Georgetown Palace Theatre’s production of “West Side Story,” playing through March 26 on their Springer Memorial Stage.   Here’s just a few.   I anticipate a Part II a little later on, but this is it for now.

In late-1980, I left Shreveport for the big city of Atlanta, Georgia.   While covering plenty of newsy stories in Shreveport, and Tyler before that, I wasn’t prepared for what awaited in Atlanta.   For those of you who’ve been around a few decades, you’ll remember the Missing and Murdered Children cases, a nightmare that lasted far too long.   We stayed busy, covering searches for missing children, funerals for those found, and prayer services like this one, held in February 1981 at First Baptist Church, where a number of local ministers came together for a prayer service.   It was an extremely-sad time for Atlanta, and the world.