A few years ago, before nearby light pollution took hold, I spent an entire night on this truss bridge in anticipation of a meteor shower.   I didn’t get the desired photograph, but it was otherwise pleasant to rest above the San Gabriel River.

The Rowe Valley Bridge, also called the Easley Bridge, is along County Road 366, just south of Texas 29.  Built in 1909, it  sustained tremendous damage during the 1921 floods.  By 1930, a group of citizens had revitalized it, raising its base by four feet.   It closed in the early-1980s when a more secure concrete bridge replaced it.

The old bridge remains.   Through the years it’s been  a photographic destination for many couples and individuals.   It’s also been harmed by graffiti and other bits of vandalism.  Trees and shrubs continue to latch onto its metal beams.  The wooden floor has several missing pieces.   Spiders spin their webs around the steel.   Some might consider it an eyesore.   I do not.

Last week concerned nearby residents began hearing word that the bridge may be coming down.   So far, that’s not been established.

I’d love to see the county give this bridge some love.   It’s played an important role in the history of the Blackland Prairie.  It would sad to lose this bit of living history.

A bit of tropical disturbance is set to pounce on our Texas coast, but today in Taylor we’ve (so far) seen nothing but a gentle and consistent rain.   A view from inside my car this evening, a photo taken with an almost 50-year-old lens.

Did y’all know it’s National Pollinator Week through June 23rd?    I did not, but a few photographer friends knew all about it.   Do grasshoppers count?   That’s okay if they’re not because they’re just dynamic little critters.   These were taken Tuesday evening in the Sunken Garden at Georgetown’s San Gabriel Park. 

Coupland is a little community of around 300 just a few miles south of Taylor.  I often drive through there on the way to somewhere else, but sometimes I stop. For such a small town it’s got a lot of charm.   Over the years I’ve taken many photos there.  Favorite subjects include the Katy Depot, a wonderful caboose, St. Peter’s Church of Coupland, Jim Huntington’s Sculpture Foundation Garden, remnants of an old mill and a truss bridge spanning Brushy Creek  just outside town.   The bridge played a prominent role in the 2003 movie “Secondhand Lions.”   The sunset photo includes a barn that a few folks said was at one time a school for African American  children.   There’s a wandering peacock named Henry, but he eluded me on multiple visits.   There were, however, some wandering chickens strolling through the Huntington Sculpture Garden.  And riding lawnmowers are good modes of transport there. 

Beyersville is an area southeast of  Taylor in Williamson County, Texas that (so far) hasn’t been impacted  by unchecked development.    Visits to this area are resplendent.

The inaugural Bill Pickett Youth Rodeo was held at Taylor’s Williamson County Expo Center Saturday evening.   As most around here know, Bill Pickett was a Taylor native who created the rodeo sport called bulldogging.   The rodeo is specifically for those 18 or younger.   Two friends reached out to me to photograph it.   Initially, I balked since most of Saturday was spent covering Georgetown’s Juneteenth celebration.  Minutes before the gates opened I jumped in the car and headed over to the Expo Center, just a five-minute drive from home.   Since it’s a brand-new event, I was surprised to see quite a few participants from all over Texas.   The rodeo community did a good job of reaching out.  Unlike other adult rodeos, Mutton Bustin’ is a bonafide event, not just audience entertainment.  Mutton Bustin’ is fun!   The rodeo’s youngest participant was a 3-year-old, seen in the opening photo getting prepped for his first Mutton Bustin’ ride.  The rest of the photos are features, plus a bit of action.   The last photo is a really young fellow, a 2-year-old named Hudson.  Hudson wasn’t a participant, but his red-headed older brother sure was!  You can probably guess which shot includes his 11-year-old sibling,   Even though he’s very young, I think the little guy catches on quick!   The only issue I have is the lights at the Expo Center.  During daylight hours it’s okay, but once darkness sets in, you are hard-pressed to take a photo.   Maybe someday the county will address that.

The Georgetown Cultural Citizen Memorial Association held its 72nd Annual Juneteenth celebration today at the Georgetown Community Center in San Gabriel Park.   The event commemorates June 19, 1865, when slaves in Texas learned they were freed two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.

Returning home after snapping some photos of Norman’s Crossing horses Friday evening, I passed by a friend’s farm, noticing their horses grazing in front an expansive field of milo.   What can’t been unseen, however, is the massive presence in the distance.  The Samsung Semiconductor plant continues to progress toward completion.   The latest I’ve read says its scheduled opening is at year’s end.  The road where my friends have lived for decades is transforming into a massive highway.   Since its arrival on the prairie, the chip manufacturer  has donated to many good causes, but how do we repair the landscape?   The land’s evolution is inescapable.   I’m off and running for the day, but wanted to drop this one in before going.

A few photos taken during morning walks in Taylor.   My cheap Olympus has had issues lately, but so far it’s my camera of choice because it’s so easy to tote.   Since these walks are meant to be exercise, I don’t spend much time on any scene, but it’s usually enough.  Just watching light. 

Last evening close to sunset I was taking a walk around Taylor, watching the  warm light.    Stepping across the street for a better angle, I exchanged a greeting with Ernie.  “You remember me,” he said.   That was true.  I’ve seen Ernie making his way around town for a while.   “What millimeter is that?” he asked, pointing to one of my lenses.   We continued to chat while I snapped photos of the building.  When asking where he stayed, Ernie replied “here and there.”   Now in his mid-70s, Ernie says he’s a veteran.   “I used to have a home here,” he told me.   We didn’t take it any further than that.   He was okay with my camera’s presence.   For over five decades I’ve photographed souls experiencing hard times in three states, including Texas, Louisiana and Georgia.  I’ve yet to have a good answer for the problem.    Noticing what he had with him, I didn’t offer money, but next time maybe I can provide food and drink if he likes.   He asked for nothing.  I headed home.

The black and white photographs included here date back to the early-1970s along East 6th Street in Austin, where I spent a lot of time documenting the area.   In mid-70s Shreveport, I visited a shelter where a young lady clutched her doll.   In the early-80s I met Leah, an wide-eyed blond child housed at a homeless children’s shelter in Atlanta.

There are no simple solutions.   There never were.