Circleville Store, a few miles north of Taylor, had its first “Buck Out” on Thursday evening.  Continually, for several days, the Buck Out event was promoted on Facebook.   Since it was close to home, I decided to pay a visit.   A Buck Out is just what it sounds like…an opportunity for folks to ride either a bull or steer out behind the store, providing entertainment for Circleville Store diners, but also giving rodeo types a chance to hone their skills in the arena.  It’s a low-key affair, with no entry fees and no prize money.  In short, it’s not competitive.   Last night, a few fellows showed up to give it a try, most of them pros, but also a few young fellows, too.  And a young lady, riding a bull for the first time ever!  For the ladies, and the other younger entrants, younger steers and bulls are there to ride.  Note that you don’t just show and up and say you want to ride.  If you’re an adult, you must provide proof you compete in rodeo.   If you’re a minor, a parent or guardian must sign a release.  The Buck Outs will continue through the summer, starting at 5p.m. every Thursday.   Mosey on over to Circleville Store.

Last evening, after a day of tackling a home project that’s worn us out, I needed a break…a visual break, of course.   So off I drove, not knowing if anything would whet my whistle.  After a few minutes,  I was ready to pack it in and head for home, but in the distance, something warm and billowy came into view.   Wheat.   Lots and lots of wheat.   Corn crops are big here on the Blackland Prairie in the early Spring, but wheat’s there, too.   There are times when I think these rural offerings might be boring to folks.   This afternoon, however,  while visiting a client for an upcoming photography assignment, I was pleased to see a vase in her office filled with not flowers, but stems of golden wheat.   It seems I’m not its only fan.   The last two offerings in this group are at a field just a mile from my home.  They’re probably my favorite of this bunch.     Late-day light, even on cloudy days, is elegant.

It’s been a long day, but I wanted to drop in some photos from last weekend’s Blackland Prairie Days, in my town of Taylor, Texas.   The colorful miniature horse is Snowflake.  Festival visitors enjoyed adding some finger paint colors to Snowflake and she didn’t seem to mind at all.   Since it was washable color, I’m guessing Snowflake is once again snowy white.   The little pooch?  That’s Bradley Cooper.   Yep, that’s his name.  Bradley is a retired show dog, says his owner.  I can see why.   One photo that shows a little bit of downtown Taylor was taken from one of the beautiful loft apartments in the McCrory-Timmerman Building.   Another looks up at visitors looking out from that same apartment.  Finally, just a street scene:  a gent on his bike, taking in the scene, which included a 1954 Chevy.   Taylor’s an interesting little town.

One of the events I enjoyed visiting this weekend was Pioneer Days,  a great happening at Old Settlers Park, in Round Rock, Texas.   Pioneer Days is coordinated by the Williamson Museum.   Although based on the historic Georgetown square, the Williamson Museum is dedicated to all of Williamson County, Texas.   It’s a good group of folks.   I loved visiting the huge barn, and the 1850 cabin that began its life at San Gabriel Mills, Texas.   Kids learned how to wash clothes the “pioneer way” using a big metal tub, a washboard and a bar of soap, and hanging the clean laundry out to dry.  They also churned their own butter, threw tomahawks, grind corn and made candles.  A Civil War reenactor was on hand, too, doing a very good job of playing his bugle.   It was fun, but educational, too.  

A very hectic Saturday began at Southwestern University, the oldest college in Texas, chartered in 1840.    Approximately 400 seniors received their diplomas during the school’s Spring Commencement Convocation.  One of the graduates, Emmett Gonzalez of San Antonio, was accompanied by Oscar and Daphne, his service dogs, trained to assist Emmett with seizures.  Both canines marched across the stage at the Corbin J. Robertson Center with Emmett.  Keeley Coburn of San Antonio had her mortar board adorned with real yellow roses, added by Keeley’s sister.   School President Edward Burger, a big Twitter fan, Tweeted a photo of the entire student body before diplomas were issued.   Connor Layne Koper crossed the stage with his selfie stick, documenting his big day for posterity.   At the end, graduate Oscar Dominguez of Austin had two big fans to greet him when all was done, his sisters Yadira, 15, and Cynthia, 18.   It was a happy day for everyone.

Try as I might, it’s hard to resist photographing the baby ducks that arrive in abundance each Spring at Bull Branch Park in Taylor, Texas.   My daily walks usually take me right past these new examples of feathered life.   Tonight, with little else going on, I stopped by the park before heading home. 

Anyone who has followed my posts, either here, the Williamson County Sun, or on Facebook, know about my little red barn in Jonah, Texas.   Actually, it’s not “my” barn, but it’s a place I visit when the mood hits me, like it did last evening.  The field surrounding the barn is now filled with a healthy-looking crop of corn.    Every photographer needs to have a subject they return to occasionally.   Each visit presents new ways to look at a subject.  Light, for instance, changes rapidly at the end (or beginning) of a day.  It’s a reason the barn’s red facade looks redder in some images, less so in others.  It’s always about the light.  Cheers, friends.

Recently, on an already-busy Red Poppy Festival day, I took a break from the outdoor activity on the Georgetown square to visit Bridges to Growth, a part of The Georgetown Project.   Each month, Bridges to Growth offers free learning activities for kids.   On this visit, it was yoga.   It was obvious the kids enjoyed the class.  Perhaps even more apparent, however, was the complete lack of photographer flexibility!

While out wandering last evening, a road I’d been by frequently momentarily got my attention.   It’s a dirt road, in East Williamson County, Texas.   After living in metro-Atlanta for many years, I found these country byways intriguing.  In Georgia, I found one road like that, but kept a lookout for others.  Alas, the city had overwhelmed the land.  Progress had taken over.   Back home in Texas, however, these roads are more commonplace — at least where I live they are.   But back to last night’s little road.  I’d only passed by it, but never actually driving its gravelly surface.  Honda coupes aren’t good fits there.  As I slowly drove along, in the distance a very old house, obviously abandoned,  came into view.   This merited a stop!   For about 30 minutes, I snapped away, at both the road and the house.  During that time, only two vehicles passed.  I waved, they moseyed along.  With the light fading, I moseyed on, too.  One last car coming my way was kicking up its own dust.   I stopped one last time to take a photo, then headed home.   Dirt roads are rough, but it’s nice to see a few still around. 

Maybe not many people know this, but today was National Therapy Animal Day.   With that in mind, this morning I jumped in the car, my destination Wolf Ranch, in Georgetown, Texas, where several non-profit groups brought their therapy animals.  While most were of the canine variety, and very sweet, a couple were miniature horses, brought to the shopping center by the folks from Miniwonders Texas.   But here’s the interlude: en route to Georgetown, there was this field with a very frisky foal cuddling up to his mama.   I know little about horses, other than the fact that I love taking in their beauty, with my eyes, and with my second set of eyes, my cameras.   So I stopped for a few minutes to watch the interplay between mom and her little guy.   Once at the shopping center, I spent a good bit of time watching those miniature horses, who are named Goodness and Mercy.  The second-to-last photo here is Goodness, as she takes a wary look at Breeze, a 9-year-old therapy dog from the Sun City Dog Club.  The last photo might be my favorite.  It shows Wendi Threlkeld, the founder of Miniwonders Texas, showering Mercy with some love.   For me, horses fall into the same category as birds:  my knowledge of them is limited, but they are lovely to behold.