Capital Heights at Night

Almost every night, I walk in the dark. By August, it doesn't feel unusual to step into the lush thick air. Even though the sun has been down for a couple of hours, the streets still release the heat that they stored during the day. Manicured yards and neglected yards are all thick and green, albiet with different flora.

For the first time, I brought my camera into this world with me. My new one was touted to have good low-light capabilities, so I thought I would check it out.

Richland Street, looking North from Claycut Rd.

My first picture was right around the corner from my house. The bright moon hadn't risen yet, so all of the light is from houses and street lamps. I was amazed of two things. First, my hand was steady enough to get this picture in about a .75 second exposure, and second, that the sensor was able to capture this picture with a .75 second exposure. Yes, it's grainy. But with my naked eye, it was too dard to read that speed limit sign at all.

I followed Ward's Creek from the Capital Heights subdivision into Webb Park. I played golf for years, passing back and forth over the creek, and then lived in its neighborhood for many years more before learning that it was called "the big cement ditch running through Webb Park." On this night, it was alive with frog song in hundreds of pitches and patterns.

This is too little and dark for the scrren, but the little bit of reflection from the water makes this photo of Ward's creek looking North from Capital Heights my favorite of the night.

It's actually fun to follow Ward's Creek on a map. It loses it's concrete sides somewhere between the park and Corporate drive, where you know it as that creek that runs under the street and past Izzo's. From there, it passes under the interstate, passes neighborhoods or office parks unknown to me, and comes out by the Bluebonnett big box stores next to I-10. It follows the interstate from there to Siegen. There are those who will have us believe that this section will become an inner-city greenway. I hope I live to see it.

Until then, Lily and I will venture out on our own, once the rest of you are snug in front of your football games and reality shows.

Spooky tree in the moonlit sky.

I didn't end up with a whole, whole lot of keepers, but I posted them all in this photo gallery.