To Fly Under High Clouds

Attebury Grain Elevator

       Parhelion overhead, to the right of the buildings. 

       Built in the nineteen-teens by Frank Kell and run in part by his great-grandson, the Attebury Grain company still works with the farmers in the area. Someone else owns the building seen in this picture peaking around the right of the grain elevator. 

       In a letter written to the editor and published in the Time Record News on November 20th, 2013, Davis Purcell, from Fort Worth, said, "Attebury Grain is pleased to be a part of the Wichita County economy and part of the agricultural base important to all of Texoma. The elevator on Kell Boulevard has the capacity to store 1.8 million bushels of grain and yearly we provide a market and delivery point for more than 23 area producers. The elevator is licensed by the Department of Agriculture and we meet their standards for cleanliness, maintenance and appearance. This month Attebury Grain received a statewide safety award for our operations.
      We work hard to maintain this facility and firmly believe, with all due respect to a recent letter writer whose letter was published on Nov. 15, the mill next door is the eyesore, not our grain elevator. We invested in the local economy when we purchased the elevator decades ago. However, Attebury Grain never owned the mill and we do not own it today.
      The Times Record News, Mayor Barham, City Manager Darron Leiker, and several other citizens all recognized that Attebury Grain does not own the mill in editorial columns and citizen responses in May and June of 2010. The railroad tracks between the elevator and the mill are an important part of the grain operation, but we fully support any efforts to improve the appearance of the abandoned mill next to our property.
      Civic responsibility, community commitment, and economic vitality are all important to Attebury Grain, a family owned business with headquarters in Amarillo. Our responsibility to the community is very important to me, in part because I am on the board of managers for Attebury Grain and because Mr. Kell was my great-grandfather. Wichita Falls is an important part of my heritage and will always be important to me and my family." 

Early Morning Deer Photos

Our view as we sat on a small cliff to wait for wildlife, cameras ready.

Geese flying overhead.

My friend looking warm and comfortable.

A nice buck, one of three and several doe, appeared and stood watching in my direction. 

In spite of taking my quietest camera, he could hear my shutter, wind and all. 

Nikon D600, Tamron 150-500mm.

Pretty Grove

I envision deer strolling quietly through the grove, and bobcat bounding by it.

Ye Ol' Horse, Festus

       I came upon Festus, the rescued horse, in the afternoon. His hooves look much better after being tended to by the farrier, and he has grown his winter coat. He ambled gently up to me and I spoke to him softly as he nudged my hand. Note to self: Put carrot treats for Festus in truck.

Coyote Poison Signs

       Nailed to the walls of the old barn, these signs make better use covering holes than hanging on a fence or gate. One shudders to read the words on them and understand the implication of what occurred in the past. Now, to the shop for paint and brush.

White Longhorn Standing Near Cacti

     Driving along the countryside, I had to turn around to drive back to take this image of the unusually-colored Longhorn standing amid the cacti and the wintering mesquite. Gorgeous fellow's photo post-processed in Nik's Analog Pro Efex.

Old Airports Have Old and Interesting Signs

Jaguar Jaunts

Flowers blanket the countryside in Texas providing a lovely background for a drive.

And one musn't miss a drive along roads embellished by bluebonnets . . . 

. . . and rise early enough to see a marvelous sunrise.

Rainy Final on a King Air

I heard MyMrMallory several minutes before I saw him through the rain. 

The distinctive sound of the King Air engines carried through several miles of distance.

Here he is on final in the light rain.

Church Silhouette

The Tree

Teetering Tanks

With a couple of good rains, these batteries might slide down the ledge.

Gate Latches, Part One

Clever ways to latch gates. There is great depth to cowboy practicality.

Wild Cam in Early November

A camera sitting surreptitiously in an old tree captures all manner of critters. 

Not shown are turkey and hogs.

Rainbow.

Huge buck. 

Coyote.

Young buck on a foggy day.

Cowboy truck pulling feeder to supplement diet for the cattle.

Barn Owl in its True Environment

     

       I asked MyMrMallory if I could quote him on what he said when I showed him this image I made of a shy owl: "A Barn owl in its true environment." I found the owl in an old, old barn, perhaps 100 years old, and she allowed me enough time to focus on her, enough time to capture her beauty with my camera, before she flew out and away. What an amazing-looking creature of God!

Orchid

Sunset Through Trees

Green Wheat under Dark Clouds

With the little amount of moisture we've received, the wheat looks good, anyway.

Smiley Devil Sprayed on Tank Battery