Looks like we’re beginning to get our fair share of summer weather the past couple of weeks. I, personally, would prefer that 90 - plus temperatures would wait until about the end of July & then start cooling down. We did have a few spotted showers around the County this past weekend with some folks measuring around ¼ of an inch, while some other folks got about 4 inches of lightening & thunder. We heard that folks around Mason had about an inch of rain and there was some hail down around Gillespie. We did have a short thunderstorm Monday afternoon that dumped some well needed water on us as well as blowing down a few limbs around town. From all the wind, thunder-boomers, & electric show we encountered Mon. evening, Guess we can safely suffice that we’re already into the spring-summer storm season. Batten down the hatches.

One of the major items of interest in the Agricultural arena around these parts each spring is the timing of emergence of the pesky Pecan Nut Casebearer. I didn’t put any Moth pheromone traps out, myself, but have kept up with some of the trapping activity around the County and surrounding area. Seems as if the trapping has encountered a pretty heavy buildup of moths but hardly any reports of any egg laying activity. To try and stay on the safe side, some producers will probably rely on the most probable dates they have encountered over the past years. I visited with Johnny Duncan over in Big Valley and they will probably begin spraying the latter part of this week. We did agree that they are in the sandy land and it can be a bit earlier than most of our bottom land groves and orchards. Leonard’s also have 3 orchards in San Saba County, so it takes them a good while to get over all their Pecans with ground rigs. If you are a homeowner or have a small orchard, one of the commonly accepted methods of Casebearer spraying is to make 2 applications; one at the early part of predicted emergence, with a 2nd application to be put on about 10 days to 2 weeks later. If you need further information regarding spray schedules, materials, or mixing instruction, go by or give them a call down at the County Extension office in the Courthouse.

Son Will, Shaw and Yrs. truly were down at the Colony baiting out some throw-lines on the River Place this past Saturday afternoon. As we were making our way back out of the Loop, there was a yearling doe out by the creek in the ol’ Parks Place with a newborn fawn following. Anyhow, it was so freshly dropped that it was about the size of a Jack rabbit, and was still pretty wobbly legged trying to follow Mom through the high weeds and grass. Macy Ledbetter & I visited on the subject briefly, and agreed that it was definitely early for our area. I’ve been watching deer in the Hill Country fairly extensively for over 40 years and it’s the earliest I’ve ever found one dropped out in the wild. John Byrd indicated that he’d already found one down in the Byrd Bottom at Sloan. Ledbetter added that the earlier a fawn was birthed, the better it would be able to get along later on. Bubba Barber went with me over to Horseshoe Bay this past Friday afternoon to help sizzle Sirloins for the Adams’ Open. Buddy gets the steaks custom cut down at G& R each year and Buster pre-seasons and marinates the meat for a couple of days prior to the grilling. Anyhow, Barber & I got the grilling done for about 30 hungry golfers and if consumption is any indication, they seemed to enjoy them. Guess it’s time to get on down the road and be assured that the Mayor & yrs. truly will be lookin’ out for you out around——————Harkeyville!!!!!!!!!