Saturday was the official summer solstice. That’s the longest day of the year and the beginning of the shortening of our daylight hours. We have had a pleasant spring. We still need more rain, but now begins the dog days of summer. I wasn’t prepared for the fierce winds we experienced on Saturday. It made the city cleanup day pleasant. Our football boys and other community members turned out to “beautify” our town. On the fifth of July, our town will be inundated with patriotic visitors and vendors. We have the best fireworks in the area, and hundreds of families gather to play games during the day and watch the fireworks once it gets dark. I hope you can make it to town.
I am not complaining, but the recent wonderful rains have caused my weeds and grass to grow tall and thick. It has been slow going to get the yard cut. Hiding in the tall grass are nasty little critters called fire ants. They seem to find me when I’m not looking. On the flip side, the thick grass means fodder for the livestock.
Plans are coming along nicely for the renovation of the old gas station on the corner. The city, under the leadership of Mayor Frank Pearce, is planning a parking area complete with public restrooms. This will be useful for our community events.
I’m hoping I will get my renewed passport back in time for me to visit my sisters and brother in Canada. I paid to have it expedited, but I am not confident that my understanding of the term expedited and that of the government are the same. Only time will tell. I’ve been enjoying the pictures that my family members are posting. I would prefer to have been a part of all those memories, but I have survived being left behind.
Mrs. Wilson, our new principal, is putting our upcoming school year into action. She is presently working on schedules. Our maintenance staff, Esmeralda and Carol Bryant, and several students are restoring order and cleanliness to school halls and classrooms. I’m excited to see the old science lab coming back to life. There are some ugly specimens that I’m sure the science kids will enjoy. Thank you to everyone who is working to make the 25-26 school year successful.
Please remember to support your local businesses. The Coyote Station, Skelton’s Hardware, RS BoHo Unique, Chrissy’s Plants, Shoppe 1910, Mimi’s Quilts, Lords, The Feedlot, and McKinnerney’s. The Beautification Committee, headed by Paige Moats, RSPS restoring the Old Bank Building are working to improve and revitalize our wonderful community.
The prayer list is long. Each of our local churches receive prayer requests from members and community members who may not be part of their church family. Every one of them stops and prays or helps if they can. Churches are where you go for prayers. We have multiple members fighting cancer. Walter Stratton is headed to the skin doctor to take care of skin cancers. Johnny Reeves and Mark Francis are taking radiation treatments; there are at least four others who have requested prayers for cancer. Services for Edith Lines will be Tuesday in Richland Springs.
Please pray for our country, for our President and Congress, for peace in Ukraine and an end to Iran’s threats. Please Lord, protect our troops in the Middle East. We pray for our border and ICE agents, our policemen and women, but most of all, protect our precious troops and their families.