Opening ceremonies were held this afternoon at Georgetown’s Field of Honor, a Rotary Club of Georgetown offering in its 8th year here.   2,000 American flags adorn the ten acre field at San Gabriel Park.   I’m making this a shorter post since the last couple have also been from here.   The first photo is a dandy salute to the National Anthem by an Army Sgt Major, the day’s keynote speaker.   A 5-year-old joined his mom, an Army Sergeant, as they made their entrance during a parade.   The little boy covering his ears during a rifle volley is the nephew of a Marine from Pflugerville who was killed in action on November 13, 2004 in Iraq.   Taps is played near the end of the ceremony.   And I return once more to the “Remembering Our Fallen” exhibit, 5,394 photos of soldiers who have died.   The lady at the exhibit lost her Army husband in 2015. His photo is among those here.   If you visit the Field of Honor, this might be the most moving thing you see, maybe more so than the flags.  The Field of Honor continues until November 17th.

Several hours today were once again spent at the Georgetown Field of Honor, an event sponsored by the Rotary Club of Georgetown, with 2,000 American flags placed on ten acres in San Gabriel Park.   At the Field of Honor families and individuals can repost flags honoring someone close to them.   It’s neat to observe and photograph these moments.   New to this year’s event is “Remembering Our Fallen,” 5,394 photographs of those who have lost their lives while serving.   The inspiration for this was from a Nebraska father who felt that his son had been forgotten.  I spent a lot of time looking at those photographs.   And will do so again.   The one included is of a soldier from Pflugerville who was killed in Iraq in 2006.   There are many more.   This post just includes snippets from today.   I liked the 2-year-old with a long blond mullet holding onto grandpa’s hand after they posted a flag.    And a 3-year-old latching onto the hand of his great-grandpa.   The couple embracing after a posting a flag honoring his World War II veteran dad.   The Rosa Parks quote placed on a sign is pertinent today.  You don’t know who she was?  Look her up.   Finally, a 94-year-old Marine joined fellow Marines in commemorating the 249th birthday of the Marines, which is November 10th.    There was a cake-cutting with a sword, but for this post I preferred that gentleman’s face.    If you’re in the area, stop by.   It’s there all week and costs you nothing but time and energy.

Just something I noticed this evening while at Georgetown’s San Gabriel Park.   The moon and that tree made a nice pairing.

Georgetown’s Field of Honor, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Georgetown, finished setting up their display of 2,000 American flags on Friday at San Gabriel Park.   It officially opens Saturday, but I was there for a while this evening for an early look.   With events planned throughout the week, the Field of Honor will be there until November 17th.  

A few things observed during my daily strolls this week in Taylor.    This and that, all taken with an Olympus camera probably costing less than your smartphone.    This isn’t rocket science, friends.   Just watching light.  And critters. 

Photographs like this one of Granger’s  1909 S.P.J.S.T. Hall are among the reasons I don’t like Daylight Savings Time.   I took this one at around 6:30 tonight.   In July, it would’ve been close to 9:30 before I could take it.   With tripod at the ready, I’m a big fan of evening photography.   Downtown Granger’s West Davilla Street is brick.   When evening comes it just glows.  S.P.J.S.T. halls are a Czech  fraternal society founded in LaGrange, Texas in 1897.  The latest information I found indicates there are 104 sites, with 40,000 members throughout Texas.   In case you’re wondering the letters stand for Slovanska Podporujici  Jednota Statu Texas.  In English, Slavonic Benevolent Order of the State of Texas.   Someone would ask.

When completing another set of photographs in the Milam County countryside, this curious visitor ambled over  to check things out.  After she gave me the stink eye, I moseyed on.  A few Zen moments for this big  girl.  

For about the last 16 months I’ve periodically stopped to take photographs of vultures.   The photos have mostly been sitting on my computer desktop, gathering digital dust.  This evening, however, I was enthralled to see a large gathering of them nestled around  a tower in Thorndale.   They’ve been congregating here for a few years, but tonight they were accompanied by a Waxing Crescent moon, at 27.4% visibility.   Vultures truly get a bad rap, but I happen to find them industrious and fascinating.   Perhaps I’ll dig into those old files for others, but for now, just what appeared in the sky tonight.

Most of us know this is election day in the United States.  There’s so much noise right now.   These photographs, taken this evening near Thrall, Texas, are my attempt to soften that noise. 

A few photographs from this evening’s annual Wurstbraten, held for decades at Walburg’s Zion Lutheran Church.   10,500 pounds of sausage were prepared for attendees.   For most years, folks could get drive-through to-go dinners, or dine inside.  Since the pandemic, however, it’s only drive-through.  I hope the dine-in option returns next year.