Central Texas west of I-35 – west of the Balcones Fault – between San Antonio and Austin is, loosely, the Hill Country.

The Balcones Fault is, I say, where the west begins. It’s where you go from blackland prairie to limestone hills. It’s where you go from farming to ranching. It’s where junipers begin domination before they give way to Chihuahuan Desert further west.

However, there’s a twist. A part of the Hill Country has granite – not limestone – hills. This region is called the “Llano Uplift”. It’s where granite has swollen upwards from underground to protrude the surface.

Enchanted Rock is the most famous formation of this granite upswelling.

Got up at 3:45 am to get north of Fredericksburg yesterday. Took this on the Samsung. I like it and don’t like it. The Samsung makes it look too much like a painting. There’s too much of an element of “fake” to it.

Raw in the Nikon is the best. However, I must learn more to make the Nikon work for the contrast between dark land and bright sky at sunrise, as the Samsung does with no work from me.

But whatever. I don’t claim to be a pro. I’ve got a lot to learn. And it was nice just to feel the cool breeze at 7am before the air turned 102.