Looks like we’ve gotten Memorial Day behind us, as well as the observance of D-Day. I know that many of us watched a good bit of the footage of the the invasion of the beaches of Normandy that was shown on the History Channel much of the weekend.

Although I wasn’t even around these parts until October of that fateful year of 1944, many of us have been exposed to a good bit of history outlined in the chronicles of print, pictures, movies, and personal experiences of some of the honored Veterans of those historic battles. I was fortunate to have a few ol’ buddies down in Kerrville that were WW II Vets. & they shared a few experiences of the Normandy invasion, and the ensuing Battle of the Bulge.

Earl Rudder, of Brady & Eden, was President of Texas A&M during my tenure and could hardly ever give a speech without describing his act of leading his company of Rangers up the cliffs at Point duc Hoc. We owe all those folks a lot & need to keep well reminded of the fact.

All the Agricultural concerns of Llano Co. cooperated in holding the 32nd annual Beef & Range field day, last Thursday. The County Agent’s office, NRCS, and the Soil & Water Conservation district hosted the event that started off with a tour of the Channas Ranch, hosted by Rodney Hooten, down on the River and several presentations by various speakers on educational aspects of brush & weed control, predator control, grazing frequency effects on range forage, and a brush clearing demonstration by Roland Rode.

Tom Glasscock, an ol’ Aggie buddy from Sonora, gave a lively & informative demonstration on live traps & snares that initiated a good bit of interaction by the audience. Tom is the area State Trapper and is in Valley Springs. We made it back to the Am. Legion Hall & enjoyed a good BBQ lunch served by Oestreich’s BBQ that is Lester Inman’s former outfit. The banks in Llano sponsored the noon meal.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of the Field Day was the fact of getting to visit with so many of the area folks that we don’t get to see all that much, anymore. Joe Miller & y rs. Truly were about the only ones I saw from San Saba, However, Cherokee was very well represented. John & Lovell Kuykendall, Roddy Maddox, Richard Randolph, Larry Crum, and R. Boultinghouse attended.

I also got to visit with several of my acquaintances from around Llano as Eddie Holland has moved back to Bluffton and brought Button Forehand with him to help take care of the Ranch.

Norman Grenwelge, Dexter Sagebiel, Johhny Sawyer, Kenneth Brandenburger and Roy Inks were on hand for the sessions. The Field day was well attended with about 226 folks showing up. The activity concluded mid-afternoon with an evaluation of the program and passing out certificates of CEU’s awarded for Pesticide applicator’s license.

Shaw & I have been fairly busy the past several days keeping some throw-lines baited in the San Saba.While our catch certainly has not been monumental, it has been steady. We’ve managed to take at least one or two off each day for the past several days, along with an occasional water moccasin and soft-shelled turtle. Most of our catch has been small Yellowcats in the 5-10 lb. range, along with a channelcat and one ol’ Chucklehead bluecat.

Jimmy Don & Kathy held their annual fishing contest sponsored by the 6-Pak as a benefit function for the S.S. Volunteer Fire Dept. I don’t recall many of the results, but I did hear that Morgan Gilger snagged the biggest Yellowcat trophy. Anyhow, Shahan told me that the Benefit fish fry is to be held on the Courthouse square the last Sat. of this month.

If anyone ever tells you that fishing, as in running lines, is easy, you’d best be keeping an eye on them. Jarvis & I can testify that getting bait, running the lines, & cleaning fish can turn into quite a chore after several days. One of the toughest aspects of the activity we’ve noticed now-days is how much steeper the banks have become, the bait bucket a bit heavier, and the afternoons a lot hotter than back when we were kids. One never knows what it’s all coming to out around———Harkeyville!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!