The donkey enjoying a recent  sunset belongs to a friend, as does the longhorn named Princess.  They share tasty bales of hay.   A few cattle standing in front of an old hand shack take note of the camera’s presence.   A few of the old shacks, once used as housing for seasonal farm laborers, can be seen from time to time.    That calf in the last frame is also pretty focused.

Winter varies here in Central Texas.   Morning temperatures recently dipped to about  12 degrees.   Today’s high was in the upper-70s.   I don’t need a calendar to tell me it’s winter.   As they lose their leaves, the trees tell us what we need to know as they show us their resilient bones.   Just some recent tree images, some of them taken this evening.

Some interpretations of tonight’s sunset near Noack, Texas.   I don’t think I’ve offered enough flag images recently.   Let’s remedy that tonight. And  a couple more, including a truss bridge that always impresses.   It’s been retired a long time, but it’s still there.

Whenever the opportunity allows, I’ll snap a hawk photo, usually flying away from some power  line.    They’re regal creatures.   This one’s from New Years Day.

This morning I was out the door 45 minutes ahead of first light to record the beginning of another year.   My thought was a sunrise image, but instead there was fog and mist.   It was quite alright because I love fog.  Included: a street near home, cormorants at Taylor’s Murphy Park, a barn and plowed field, a mass of birds, St. Mary’s Catholic Church Cemetery.   By late-morning the the haze had begun to burn away, leaving us with sunlight.   I made another drive this evening, finding a pleasant scene to bring my New Years Day wandering to an end along a country road near Taylor.    Though I did document the actual sunset, I like this one more.

You’ll likely not see me posting parties, large groups, etc as another year winds down.   If you don’t know by now, I prefer quiet imagery.   These eight photos were taken this evening in Georgetown.   The opening photo is a couple enjoying a bike ride on the road going over Lake Georgetown, a road closed to motor vehicle traffic.    The others are from the San Gabriel River, and the park which bears its name.  The late-day light was a precious gift.  As darkness set in, I liked seeing the bridge spanning the river.   There’s even an area for basketball under it, but not this evening.  And interpretations of the river itself.    On a whim, I drove through the Georgetown square tonight.   To say it was hectic would be understatement.  After stopping an intersection, a kid decided to dart across the street.   Thankfully, a parent reeled him in.   Just too much noise on this night.   Relax, friends.   Resolve to find peace. 

Although 2022 is almost done, I’m still seeing bits of cotton here and there.   What’s out there looks rode hard and put up wet.   One wonders when (or if) it will be harvested.  This was from last evening, a little south of Taylor, not far from the Samsung construction site.

A cow has a hill to herself for a nice evening walk on the prairie.  

It’s funny, but I’m seldom able to get photos of hawks while driving around the countryside.  They’re usually perched somewhere.   By the time I grab a camera, they’ve gone.   Or vehicles approaching from behind make stopping problematic.    I seem to have better encounters during recent walks in Taylor.   This one was spotted on a wire (where the heck else would they be?).   I pointed the Olympus her way, thinking she’d zoom on away, but she stayed, just watching me while I watched her.   She was probably thinking I was a food source.   The collection of hearts on her feathers was intriguing.   After a ten-minute stare-down, I moseyed on home.   When I turned around, she was still there.  Focused.

Just some subtle lights shining under  evening clouds a little west of Granger, Texas.    I wish we could see them a little longer.