Same old news, no rain and none in the forecast. Just more hot and dry weather to come. Several towns are reporting water shortages which makes it even harder to fight any fires that crop up. We just can’t be careful enough.

B.J. Maxcey killed a rattlesnake by his house a few days ago. We urge everyone to be on the look out and watch your step carefully. The snakes are on the crawl looking for water.

The 42 tournament will be at the Mercury Community Center this Saturday night.

The Busy Bee Quilters are cancelled until further notice.

The Elm Grove community meeting will be August 20th.

There were ten of us who sneaked in on Amy Tucker at 6 AM last Saturday and took her right out of bed, to Flamingos, for breakfast in her jammies! Stacie and Sophia Elizondo and Bethany Suber made the early morning drive from San Angelo to help us surprise Amy on her 40th birthday. It was a lot of fun and she was caught completely by surprise! Now she has 13 months to plot something to pay Stacie back on her 40th!

Another Elm Grove Rodeo is behind us. It was very hot but the crew had done a good job of watering the grounds so it was not dusty and the arena was in great shape. The crowds were smaller than usual but the stock was good and we had a good number of contestants. Jody and Shannon Sutherland worked as the pick-up team and did a great job. They tell me this was the 60th year for the rodeo. It has become a time of "homecoming" like the picnic in May. Andy Cummings, Glyn Bush and Ross (Rooster) Holland are the only living members of the original Roping Club organized in 1950. Rooster was not at the rodeo this year but Glyn and Andy were recognized on Saturday night. He might not want this in the paper, but Andy was mentioned all three nights as being the oldest person at the rodeo. At least no one else would admit to being older than 91!

Some of the things that make this rodeo unique are, the price of admission is still the same as it was 60 years ago, $1.00 for adults and 50 cents for children. The stock is all donated and there is no entry fee for the contestants. All in all, it was a good rodeo and I enjoyed all three nights of it. We invite you to be there August 2, 3, & 4 of 2012. A big "Thank You" goes out to everyone who helped in any way. There will be a workers appreciation supper on September 17th for all helpers and sponsors.

We were sorry to hear of the passing of G. Beckham of Oklahoma. The Beckham family were former members of our community. He was a cousin of Vada Duncan. He was always faithful to come back for the homecoming picnic whenever he could. Internment will be in the Cox Cemetery.

Marilyn Suber accompanied Amy Tucker and three kids to San Antonio Sunday to finish shopping for school and take in Fiesta Texas on Monday. They report a good time and not nearly as hot and tired as they expected to be.