A few years ago my daughter-in-law put a bug in my ear regarding magnolia blooms.   Wouldn’t it be nice to have one to place on your wall?   Thus began a fascination with these aromatic botanicals.  Since then I try to snap a few photos of magnolia blooms, usually at a neighbor’s home.   Unfortunately, the blooms are way too high in the trees to photograph this year.   So I began to look for other trees in Taylor and Georgetown.   When finding a good one, I’d stop by the owner’s house to ask permission to come on their property.   Soon enough I found out people don’t come to their doors.   Neither do I.   During my daily walks, however, a couple of blooms were  close enough to the sidewalks to allow a photograph.  The first and last photos offered are taken during those walks.    The opening shot was taken on a rainy morning in Taylor.   The light was nicely muted on the last one, too.   The other five photos were made possible by a lady who answered the doorbell.  She apologized for taking so long to answer.  She uses a walker to get around.   I apologized to her for the intrusion, but she smiled and gave permission for photos.  Such a nice lady.   I’ll find a way to present her with a printed photo for her kindness.

This is a grove of trees I haven’t photographed before.   I stopped here hoping to see a deer meandering through, but settled for just observing some warm and crisp evening light.

It’s just a very quick grab shot, but fascinating to see a big old hawk being chased across the sky by what I think is a scissor-tailed flycatcher.   The natural world is interesting.

A visit to activities at Holy Trinity Catholic Church of Corn Hill is always a treat.  Today they held a fried chicken and sausage dinner, followed by an afternoon polka dance.  I was afraid nobody would be up to dancing, but I’m so glad I was wrong!  Music was provided by the Jodie Mikula Orchestra, from Ennis, Texas.   This area of Texas is immersed in Czech, German and Swiss culture.   After fifteen years here, I’m still learning how to pronounce some of the names!

While at Murphy Park this week to watch the birds and clouds, I happened on two very young fishermen giving it their all.   They are brothers, ages four and three.  After making sure mom was okay with photos,  I snapped away for a few minutes.   Throughout the past 54 years I’ve been doing this, these quiet moments probably mean more than anything else I’ve done.   Moments like these are becoming rare in newspapers, but I think they provide a needed respite from all the major things going on in the world.   While photojournalists chase the big stories, I hope they don’t ignore life’s little moments.   Those moments are everywhere.  Every single day.

Interesting cloud patterns, perhaps mammatus clouds,  formed over Taylor’s rookery at Murphy Park this evening.    I had planned to venture out into the countryside, but flight patterns around those skies  kept me close to home.

“Bright Star,” with a Tony-nominated score by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, opens tonight on the Springer Stage at the Georgetown Palace.   The story is set in the American South during the 1920s and 1940s.   To see more photos, you’ll need to visit my Facebook page, plus a few on Instagram (@andybobsharp).  

There’s little doubt in my mind that people probably wonder what the heck I’m taking photos of when seeing me out and about.    The way light spills onto a scene can draw me in.   The Taylor hike and bike path crosses under a bridge, connecting Bull Branch Park to Murphy Park.   It’s part of my daily morning  walk routine.   Wednesday evening I was at Murphy Park when the rays embracing that wall kept me entertained for about 10-15 minutes.   I never did get the desired juxtaposition, but the warm glow was sweet.  The pattern was most noticeable when the path was empty.     As the sun sank lower the light moseyed on.    Maybe another time it’ll work out.   Photographers, keep a close watch on things around you.  They’re significant if you want them to be.

It’s probably not a secret, but I have been enamored with the community of Granger ever since we returned to Texas in 2009. Its population is around 1500 now, maybe a little more.   Recently, I decided to just take a few photos around the downtown corridor.   A scene-setter was needed.  Nearing sunset, I happened on a girls 8U softball game in progress near the school.  The sun was about to go down, but I was determined to get a photo.  Once parked, I grabbed cameras and moved quickly to find a good spot high enough to work.   A picnic table would provide the elevation, but it was hard for this old set of bones to navigate the spot.  A mom, seeing the issue, asked “Can I help you up?”    Thankfully, the photo was made just in time, but the lady’s kindness spoke volumes about this town.   Continuing to wander, I followed North Willis Street until it ended at a beautiful old church, St. Love All Baptist Church.   Noticing the session, a resident named Jackie  told me it was her church, obviously very proud.    Jackie told me it opened in 1905.   Its membership is down to about 10-12 folks, but it’s there.   Other churches included what I think is Granger’s oldest, Granger Brethren Church, here since 1901.  And there’s Saints Cyril & Methodius Catholic Church, which opened in 1921.   This is a welcoming community.   A few years ago I found myself with a flat tire as darkness set in.   A young man, probably in his early-20s, offered to help get me on the road again.   He wasn’t asking for anything, just lending a hand.   Hopefully, Granger, only ten minutes north of Taylor, will hold onto its small-town feel, but growth is inevitable.

While seeing the crops thrive where we live, it’s also nice  to see the grasses sprouting up on  the countryside.   Local folks, farmers and ranchers in particular, might not cotton to their glistening  beauty, but I enjoy pointing a camera at them from time to time.   Light expands its reach  in their presence.   I like what I like.