The wind is blowing, the flowers are growing, the grass is tall, and did I mention the wind is blowing again? I can’t cut my grass yet, because the flowers are too pretty. It’s a fight to get the whole system to work. You cut the grass so you can see the flowers. Then lo and behold, the flowers grow, but so does the grass. So to get the grass down where I can see the flowers, I have to cut the flowers! You can’t win for losing in this battle. The bluebonnets are hanging around much longer than they usually do. It’s just a beautiful time in the hill country.

We are really excited. A bluebird has decided to make a nest in our bluebird house. Big whoop, you might say, but that house has been up for at least two years, and nary a bird has stopped to visit! So we are very pleased that we shall have baby bluebirds around. The cliff swallows have little ones chirping in the nest over my kitchen window. I must admit I have been discouraging another pair from nesting on my front porch. I’m good for the kitchen window, but not on my front porch. Like many other places, we have far too many cowbirds. We have two baby calves romping in the pasture.

I attended the funeral services of Pete Smith on Sunday. I like this new video idea. It’s like little flashbacks down memory lane. You can show a little time capsule of a person’s life. I think that it must be both saddening and consoling at the same time. Psalm 103 was the scripture reading chosen for the graveside service. "Bless the Lord oh my soul and all that is within me bless His holy name." Our prayers go out to the Smith family as they cope with the loss of their beloved Pete.

Kay and Gerald McKee told me the Junior Senior Prom was a success last Friday night. They said the atmosphere was nice. Kay said everyone danced together and made sure all were involved in the evening’s program. I’m glad it turned out to be a delightful evening for everyone. I tangled my events up and didn’t get to the V.F.D.’s fish fry. If any of you, like me, didn’t remember to go, you can still send them a donation to help with expenses. They are worth 1000 times the money they collected.

Next week we have several more events. I just hope I can keep all the ends together! We have the Alumni Banquet, Mother’s Day and I believe the Sports Banquet. There’s a school board election coming up soon also. Plus the elementary is headed to Lake Brownwood on Friday. All this and they want me to teach school as well! I’m for making these end of year tests just that, end of year. If we had these in May, then when we were done, we could plan different activities.

Marshall Slayton blessed us with a little gospel guitar picking and singing on Sunday. He will be back with kinfolks in a couple of weeks to give us a gospel service. I’m looking forward to that event.Ginger is hunting her tapes so that she can sing. It seems they were misplaced during the moving process. My voice is gradually regaining strength, so I have been able to sing a few specials lately. Praise God for music!

Practice is ongoing for the baccalaureate presentation. If you would like to be a part of the choir at the Christian Church please contact Mary Kate. Practice is on Wednesday at 6:30pm. I’m ashamed to say I forgot it last week. There are a number of events for our graduates. The 8th grade luncheon is on Tuesday. The senior luncheon is next Tuesday.

Ginger Skelton is walking without her walker, so obviously she is healing well. Donald was showing off by walking up the stairs. Junior Evans was feeling well enough to attend church. He is our "candy man." The kids, big and small, love to see him coming around with his little bowl of candy. Mike Fitzgerald and Frank Green are still in the hospital. I had a chance to visit with Billie Standlee last Sunday. She was feeling well, and Bev, Louise and I enjoyed our short chat with her. Please keep our sick, our homebound, and our grieving families in your prayers. Pray for our President, our congress, and our precious troops and their families. We are a blessed country. Smile whenever possible, it lightens the heart.