I was just about to start the “lead” sentence of my article with remarks of the high temperatures & dry weather we’ve been experiencing as of late, when the thunder-boomed a few times and started pattering on the tin room of the office here at the House. I had also planned to visit with you some this week regarding water during droughty periods. When I say “watering”, we are referring to lawn, landscape plants, garden, & orchard. That can still be touched briefly this week, but it’s not quite as imminently pressing as it was on Monday.

It’s not uncommon to drive through town late in the afternoon and see several folks out in the yard or garden with a water hose in hand. I have worked with several learned Horticulturists over the years and to the man, they would all tell folks at workshops & seminars that probably the most dangerous item to a yard or garden would be the person with a water hose in hand. I’m referring to folks such as Loy Shreve, Sam Cotner, Tom Longbrake, Jerry Parsons, Chip Lee, Jerald Johnson, & Buster Begnaud that attended to all this sort of stuff for a living. It’s not uncommon to see folks sprinkling their lawns late in the evening, which goes against the grain, and when confronted on the error, they will say that they know better, but that’s when they can get to it.

It’s understandable that a golf course has to do some watering during the dark hours as they have folks on the course most of the daylight hours, but they are also experts turf disease management, which folks with home lawns would know little of.

Proper watering, mowing, & fertilizing are the best management tools the home owner has available. Speaking of mowing, it’s best to raise the mower blade up a bit now that we’re in hot weather, so that the runners & stolons will not be subject to sun scald. A pretty, well kept lawn is a sight to behold, but it also comes from a lot of loving attention or a darn good yard service.

Seems like we recognized Memorial Day just a few days back & here we are getting ready for Independence Day. A lot of folks around our fair land will be celebrating the birth of our Nation in all sorts of ways this weekend. Friends & families will gather for large events in cities, parks, & fair-grounds, while some will be on the Lakes or rivers, swimming, fishing, boating, and cooking.

Alot of communities will hold celebrations with parades, cook-offs, dances, etc. I know of several places that hold a Rodeo during the Fourth of July. I’d have to say that the “Stars & Stripes” celebration up at Richland is one of the best I’ve been to in several years.

Lady Z likes to have a couple of hot dogs, watch a few patriotic movies during the day & close out with the Boston Pops celebration in the Harbor on T.V.

I admire what they do down at Mill Pond, but we’re getting less fond of fighting crowds in our mid-years. Peggy and Richard Barker will have alot to celebrate this weekend.

Anyhow, whatever you do or wherever you go, be safe & have a good time, but take a bit of time to pay tribute to what the 4th is really about. If you happen to see an ol’ Veteran or even a soldier, shake their hand & Thank them for their service to your & my Country.

I haven’t had time nor opportunity this past week to check on the Mayor. Thus having no idea as to what he’s going to be doing this weekend, it would be safe to say that Shaw & I will probably be baiting lines with Cameron pretty much in the locale of somewhere out around———————Harkeyville!!!!!!!