Photographs get collected while wandering around.   Sometimes they morph into a theme.   While they mostly stay off the roads, a few deer cross some busy paths.   One deer seemed glad to stay close to an abandoned farmhouse, but soon skedaddled at the sight of a camera.

Grain elevators,  or if you prefer, grain bins, are our version of  pyramids.   Blackland Prairie pyramids.  These metallic wonders absorb light in wonderful ways.   They serve a utilitarian purpose, but add a dash of elegance, too.   These are from recent wanderings.  

Saul Cemetery, along FM 1660 in Norman’s Crossing, Texas, is a place documented several times over the years.   Rapid development in Williamson County hasn’t (so far) impacted this historic site.   The Saul Family Cemetery has 23 marked gravesites here.   Burials began in 1870, continuing until 1918.   The Saul family settled in Texas around 1850.  Charles Saul bought a 640-acre tract near Brushy Creek  in 1862.  This land  was first used a final resting place when Charles died in 1870.  The family continues to own this space.  One of the family members, who lives about an hour west of Houston,  was there doing cleanup  during  a photo visit here a few years ago.  A good deal of traffic passes here  every day.   Developers would enjoy owning it, but the hope is that it will remain intact.   It’s difficult to explain just how much growth is coming to  this area of Central Texas.   This cemetery is just 10-15 minutes from the Samsung Semiconductor plant in Taylor.  

While you watched a  game, some of us wandered around tonight.   Always a preference.  

All walk photographs this past week are from Taylor.   Most of the time they are unless an assignment somewhere else changes the plan.   Yes, another squirrel is included.   And two cats.  

Continuing to clean off the desktop.  Way too much junk there.  One taken a few mornings ago as sunrise neared.  Nothing special, just good light.

Driving through Georgetown’s San Gabriel Park this morning it was a nice surprise to find members of The Stellar  Kingdom of Ansteorra  conducting their Bryn Gwlad Candlemas at the Community Center.   Ansteorra is the Austin chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronism, recreating life prior to the -17th Century. The costumes and activities were wonderful to see.   The Cut and Thrust sword play was fascinating.    Many participants made their own costumes.   The musicians were adept at playing several instruments whose origins are centuries old.  There’s no adequate way to convey the event, but let’s offer a few photographs anyway.

Georgetown’s Berry Springs Park & Preserve is a go-to space for photographers, this one included.   When moving back to Texas in 2009, discovering the abundant pecan trees was a definite plus.  These days, it’s just nice to tote a couple of cameras and walk around the park, hoping to see deer, owls or a hawk.  Nearing day’s end Thursday, a Great Blue Heron found the space  in a tree to her liking.   Nearby, however, was a little bit of community journalism taking place, a dad his daughter enjoying their time together in a quiet cove near the  pond.   They were practicing catch and release, the young lady doing a good job of returning the fish to their habitat.   We all decided to go since the light was fading quickly.    Dad and daughter, holding hands, heading for home.   As did the photographer.   Just stuff, friends.

Mager Cemetery in Beyersville is a place often visited.  In Southeast Williamson County, area has so far retained its rural charm.  For this outing the cemetery turned out to be secondary to a herd of curious cows.   They were good company.

Photos from Tuesday night taken at Taylor’s Bull Branch Park. A handy tripod allowed for some interesting evening photos, enhanced by warm street lights throughout the park, plus nearby baseball fields adding to the mix.   The last photo in this set is a 13-second exposure at f/5.6, an ISO setting of 200.  Tripods don’t solve every issue, but they do come in handy.  Just an old guy moseying around the dark, friends.