It has been awhile since I’ve been able to wander over towards Llano and see how the Eagles are doing. They have been nesting near there for quite a few years. I found they’ve moved the nest a little down the road but to my joy the nest is a little closer to the road (for all of us photographers out there this is wonderful).

It can take a little patience while you’re out there watching. Nothing interesting may happen for awhile – but sometimes you get lucky.

Momma and Daddy flew off and we were all wondering why they would leave the babies alone for so long. After about 45 minutes lunch was being servied in the nest.

Watching a Bald Eagle in the wild is fascinating. I don’t have as much luck fishing as these birds did (though I enjoy it) and I couldn’t help but to be inspired. What a joy to spend a morning watching these magnificent birds.

I’m told the babies will fledge around the first week of March – then one can only hope the Eagles return to nest again next year.  It’s wonderful having such a sight within driving distance.  You sort of adopt them and find yourself going out there to check on them.

Thank you for stopping by. If you’re ever near Llano, Texas the nest is outside the city limits on Hwy 29. Enjoy!

Peace, Love, and God Bless America,

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I guess I have to say I’ve been blessed by some pretty special people in my life. Just when I thought I was getting old and that it was all work and no play along come the grand children to teach me to relax again.

There’s nothing like the memories of hanging out…

The absolute joy of success…

As well as how to deal with failure…(just get back up and ride some more)…

The joy of exploration and learning (don’t hide in the dryer)…

How to eat rocks and still have teeth…

How to set goals and aim high…

How to stay cool during a drought…

To just let loose and dance no matter who is watching…

And most of all just to relax and LOVE…

I’ve taken THOUSANDS of photographs of the kids all growing up. It’s a joy to look back at each and every one of them.

Keep your memories close. And don’t forget you’re never to old to get ‘jiggy wid it”.

Peace, Love, and Life,

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I’ve been pretty self concious about my weight and my back lately. I suffer from a slipped disc and chronic back pain and my gut isn’t helping. So I have been going hiking quite a bit with my camera. Today, around Lake Georgetown.

Lord it was hot but I wanted to burn off some steam and relax with my trusty camera.

Little did I know that the times have changed. You cannot go walking around the lake with a camera without someone saying something.

I was walking back to my truck; dripping with sweat and thinking I must have lost at least a whole pound when some teenagers that had just passed me turned and started yelling at me. They were say F*** You! and Pervert! and Don’t you take any pictures of me!

I was dumb founded and hadn’t a clue what they were talking about and it rather hurt my feelings a bit.

I hollard that they were mistaken and they yelled something incoherant back. So I hollard for them to not be so full of themselves and I had better things to do.

About then a car drove up the hill and the lady in that car yelled “Pervert!”

Well, here are the photos I took today. No “teens” here. I was torn about taking them a business card and showing them my work but I felt the situation was already Stupid and I was sweating so badly I thought I better get something to drink first. Not the Bud Light pictured here, though. (Ashame folks have to litter the lake)

It’s ashame that it used to be a gentleman with a camera was thought to be an artist – but you can’t go walking around with a camera without someone thinking you’re a pervert or something.

I guess they were just kids or something and maybe I shouldn’t let it bother me, but it did for awhile. At least I know who I am.

Peace, Love, and Scenery,

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I love Austin, Texas. I wish there was a better, more articulate way of saying it, but that’s the truth. I love to just BE in Austin. I think it has a ‘vibe’ all of its own.

I love to go down around 1st Street or Congress Avenue and just people watch. Well, and dog watch as well I suppose.

People come out to exercise or play with their pets and just relax and enjoy the day or unwind after work. I can’t explain it really it’s just a ‘feeling’ about the place.

Lots of folks like to throw tennis balls or sticks out in to the water and have their dog go fetch it. It’s great for the dog who gets to cool off in the lake. There are days so hot though makes you want to jumpin with him.

Austin is a great place to meet people – and who knows – your pet may even come away with making a new friend.

I do like to come down here and people watch, relax, and pay my respects to Stevie Ray Vaughn. Reminds me of a family/friend of mine who played like him who recently passed away – I guess they’re playing together now. (R.I.P. Jason Baric).

Just thought I would share a little about this wonderful place so bring your dog, rent a canoe or kayak and come down and chill out with some wonderful folks, make a few friends and enjoy the day.

Peace, Love, and Good Vibes,

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I really love Austin, Texas, especially downtown. It’s picturesque and the people are amazing! I have to say that the city has its own ‘vibe’.

They’ve just completed the Austonian in downtown which is now the tallest building in Austin. I wonder if they let folks up on the top to take pictures or if you have to live there?

My favorite building is usually the Frost Bank Tower. I guess because it’s shiney – reflects the light well. Looks like an ‘owl’ sometimes. I haven’t placed my finger on it but I’ve sure taken alot of photographs of it.

Some photographs I play with in Photoshop or paint shop pro. I think I found a tutorial on turning photographs in to paintings such as this, but I’ve since forgotten where and how to do it.

Austin when the sun goes down is another story. So much to do, see, taste, smell. There’s music everywhere down 6th street and it’s just so ‘alive’ and beautiful.

I guess you can see why I love this area so much. It’s interesting, weird, beautiful, musical and just makes me feel like I’m at home. Thanks for stopping by again!

Peace, Love, and Keep Austin Weird,

V7 Network 30 Day Bloggers Challenge

What a wonderful day this turned out to be! It didn’t start out very well but I decided to just get out and wander.

The sun was out and it wasn’t too cold and I just decided to take a county road to see what I could see.

I don’t know why it is that I’m always ‘looking for a picture’. I don’t know how to describe it other than when I saw this bunch, I hit the brakes.

They were just standing there staring looking like something out of a wild west movie.

I couldn’t tell you how thrilled I was to stumble on this scene.

I was so tickled I later wound up with a double-exposure of some trees I was tinkering with.

I also took some more photographs of that wavey grass, and the San Gabriel River.

More waves of grain. I love the patterns they make. It was a good day for photography.

That’s all for now, my friends. Thank you so very much for stopping by!

Peace, Love, and The Wild, Wild, West,

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V7 Network 30 Day Bloggers Challenge

Have you ever imagined animals talking to you or is it just me? Alright, I’m going out on a limb here. I’ve been thinking all day “what am I going to blog about for this challenge?” I have all this work to do and then I have to get gas and have all these things to do after work.

So I’m sitting there in my truck this morning – and then I look out my window and there is this bird sitting on the curb staring up at me.

So I eased my camera over to my eye and snapped his picture. He didn’t blink – just sat there. And I could swear he said “So. You think you can just come along and park on my food and expect me to be all happy about it? I’m just sitting here with my stale McDonald’s french fry and YOU decided you had to have THIS parking space and darn near killed me mid bite”.

That must have been what he was trying to tell me. Because at lunch I come out and…

Well, I found his friends expressing themselves on top of my truck.

So there you have it. All because I didn’t listen or was too busy worrying about MY life to apologize to the little fella I got my truck pooped on. I guess that’ll show me, eh?

I plan to donate my fries to him and all his friends tomorrow. Sort of throw an “I apologize” party and learn to pay closer attention to what’s going on around me.

Well. I’m off to bed now. Big party tomorrow, you know.

Peace, Love, and Feed the Birds,

V7 Network 30 Day Bloggers Challenge

I remember passing this house a couple of years ago and loved the old style of it. My thoughts at the time were that it would make a great haunted house.

I just loved the old style of it. Actually I wished I had lived there.

Well, I was driving around and passed by the house yesterday and low-and-behold it had been totally remodeled and WOW what a beautiful house it is now!

Georgetown Texas is such a beautiful town. The people are great and I love how it’s growing. My hat is off to the folks that purchased and remodeled this home. It looks fantastic! Just shows what you can do.

Peace, Love, and Carpentry,

I’m just now learning how to expose photographs for night lights. The intrenet is a wonderful resource for looking up settings to start with. So, I took my camera down to Town Lake in downtown Austin Texas and played with the settings that I had found on the internet. The settings I ended up using: ISO 100, f.8, and exposed for approximately 10 seconds (on a tripod of course). You can generally get good results with these settings if you’re shooting for the lights.

Nice to sit and watch the city lights in Austin. From where this was taken there are still joggers out running around and there are dinner cruise boats on the lake as well. I love Austin.

Peace, Love, and City Lights,

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I’m so glad it rained. There is so much to see and do after a heavy downpour (other than dry off). I noticed my grandson’s bicycle had fallen over in the storm.

Image Copyright © 2009, Barrett Photo Art

Now you may be thinking that’s a shadow under the bicycle but it looks like God decided to draw on my porch.

Image Copyright © 2009, Barrett Photo Art

There on the pavement was the perfect outline of the bicycle like Peter Pan’s lost shadow.

Well, after being facinated by the outline on the porch we decided to go to San Gabriel Park to see what all the rain had done and sure enough the river now has water in it!

As you can see by this photo the San Gabriel bridge is coming along nicely — and you can also see why they are building it as illustrated by the vehicle crossing the low water crossing.

Image Copyright © 2009, Barrett Photo Art

The fishing was also fabulous down at the river after a storm.  The carp was released and allowed to fight another day though.

Image Copyright © 2009, Barrett Photo Art

Well, it’s time to go get some fixin’s and get something to eat after being wet for a day or two. Enjoy your day and your family and thanks for reading my musings.

Peace, Love, and Running Rivers,

Well they’ve announced that here in Georgetown Texas we are now under water restrictions. I was wondering when they were going to do that because I’ve enjoyed taking pictures in San Gabriel Park.

Image Copyright © 2009 Barrett Photo Art

The above photo was taken just this last June 2009. And here is near the same location today

Image Copyright © 2009 Barrett Photo Art

I’ve Seen Geese hiking the river bed in search of a “swimming hole”.

Image Copyright © 2009 Barrett Photo Art

Image Copyright © 2009 Barrett Photo Art

I sure do miss the river.   Maybe it’s because of the construction up and downstream? Guess I’ll have to investigate.

Peace, Love, and Swim for It,

I live in Georgetown, Texas North of Austin. I worked in Austin and commuted 47 miles to work.

I count that as a blessing as now I have the opportunity to find work in the town I love and live in.

Image Copyright © Barrett Photo Art

They have a wonderful downtown square that is very active! Restaraunts, shops, boutiques, and an active theater that puts on fantastic plays! It has been so long since I’ve seen a live play and it’s quite an experience to watch.

Image Copyright © Barrett Photo Art

Image Copyright © Barrett Photo Art

The Winery is wonderful!

Also the Rough and Ready Antique Store is FULL of treasure.

Image Copyright ©Barrett Photo Art

Every Friday night the Downtown Georgetown Association hosts “Georgetown Music on the Square” where live music is performed by various local artists.

There is also a Street Dance on the square which is held on the First Friday of the month. August 7th will be the last Street Dance so ya’ll need to come!

Image Copyright © Barrett Photo Art

Please visit the Downtown Georgetown Association Website and learn more about this wonderful place I live in! Downtown Georgetown Association

Come and spend a quiet day on the Square. The quality of the restaraunts and shops will amaze you and the wonderful people here will make you smile and never want to leave.

Image Copyright © Barrett Photo Art

Peace, Love, and Small Town Texas,

I think it’s rather unique to have a million bats fly out from under a bridge every night at sunset. Not to mention the amount of bugs they eat. It’s like the sunset party in Key West, FL watching the sun go down. In Austin, Texas – they watch the sun go down AND the bats come out! Beautiful!

Image Copyright © Barrett Photo Art

So all these bats come flying out of this bridge right at sunset and the people line the bridge to watch. It’s great!

Austin is very beautiful at night – I guess I like the city after all, though I do miss the country alot.

Image Copyright © Barrett Photo Art

Image Copyright © Barrett Photo Art

One last shot of the bats and I have to attend to the business of finding a job.

Image Copyright © Barrett Photo Art

Peace, Love, and Guano,