Ode to the Crape Myrtle: I think that I shall never see Anything quite so lo-ve-ly A tree that blooms while we sweat And summer isn’t here yet. A bush that looks Like a bouquet To make us forget That one day It will be hot And hot And hotter. Better pray for rain So we don’t have to water. [The end.] And the end of spring. And the beginning of summer. Next week ...

A silly riddle from bygone years: “Railroad crossing, look out for the cars. Can you spell THAT without any ‘r’s’?” Wow, that was a mountain to climb until older kids’ explanations finally made sense! Eureka! Light dawned; there are no “r’s” in “that.” Now, mention of railroads awakens pre-school imagery of stops at crossings where train cars lumbered forward like so many elephants, each grasping the next tail.

The Black-eyed Susans and Indian Blankets have just been spectacular recently! Can you imagine the abundance of wildflowers we would have all summer through fall if we had a little shower or two each week! Flower power…………..see how it gets to you when you envision fields and fields of beautiful wildflowers!

“Hi again.” I am Ms. Batty, one of the 1.6 Mexican free-tailed bats that come to The Eckert James River Bat Cave and stay from May to October. We, myself and other female bats, get to the cave in late April or early May and just fly around the hill country eating millions of bugs until about the middle of June.

If you’re looking for a place to have a reunion, bridal or baby shower, business meeting, or other group gatherings, don’t forget the Stribling Room. The rates have been reduced, and we have seating for about 80 people. We also have a new multimedia projector, scree,n a big TV, and a full kitchen.

High blood pressure is one of the most common health concerns in America, affecting over 50% of those over the age of 65. Because high blood pressure usually causes no symptoms until complications develop, it is known as the “silent killer”. High blood pressure triples your risk of having heart attacks.

I have been stopped around town this past week and asked several questions, so I want to provide the answers to everyone. Yes, the photo on last week’s front page was me going down the new slide at the pool fully clothed; Yes, I ended up completely soaked at the end, but I did take off my cell phone and wallet first; Yes, it was FUN, I did it willingly and would be glad to do it again!!

We all struggle to provide good nutrition in an appealing food at an affordable price for our families, and helping you do this is a large part of my job. Working with nutrition education through the schools and out in the community is one of my favorite things about being an FCS Extension Agent.

The Mason Lions club met Tuesday, June 5th, for its monthly business meeting. There were 29 members and five visitors in attendance. "Boss" Lion Kirby Groves was responsible for the program and Secretary/Treasurer Gene Gammill read the minutes and gave the financial report. Lions H. C. Reichenau and Pat Reardon received pins for 10 years membership in the Lions Club.

Seems city kids without electronic contraptions can really have fun in the country! All they need is an imagination! Skitter Bug and Jitter Bug built a rabbit trap! They used peanut butter for their bait! Guess, if they like peanut butter, they thought the rabbits would, too! However, they only caught ants!

Colorado seems to be a popular vacation destination for Texans lately, probably because of the cooler weather there. Several of my friends have taken their families north recently, and some have yet to come back. A few have indicated they’re thinking about staying up there for good, if they can manage to learn the language. While Paden and I were in Ouray recently, we talked with some of the locals about what they liked, and didn’t like, about living in an area known as &l ...

If given a choice, I don’t eat “store bought” bread. Over the years, I’ve tried dozens of recipes trying to find one that will produce a loaf of “light bread” that is easy to make and tasty enough to make me happy with it. I found that by borrowing from several recipes, I’ve been able to create one that meets my requirements for everyday bread.

For several weeks, I've avoided saying anything in my column about vacation. I didn't want everyone to get tired of me talking about it before I had even left... but; now it's time. For the next week, I and some of my closest friends are off to New England. It's not a very long vacation (I'll be back by next Wednesday); but, it means that I'll be missing putting out a newspaper for the first time in nine years.

About Impasse is the lyrical story of six souls who have withdrawn from life, and the small but precious events that trigger their re-engagement with the world. Description “Creating Impasse was a collaborative effort of writers, actors, technical crew and artists,” said Director Rodger Marion. “The result is a charming experience that delves into how we can drop into those dark places of immobility and stay there practically unaware we are deep in a ru ...

The Hilda Community Club will meet this Friday, June 15 at 6:30 p.m. in the Community clubhouse. Don and Gerry Daniel are hosts and will provide drinks and dessert. Please bring a meat or vegetable dish to share. Carol Kothmann will present a program on the newly formed Second Chance Mason Animal Rescue.

Llano, Texas– On Wednesday, July 20th, a member of Congressman Mike Conaway’s (TX-11) staff will be in Mason to visit personally with constituents. This will allow you to share concerns, request help on a federal issue or to ask any questions you may have. What: Constituent Outreach Services Where: County Commissioners Courtroom Mason County Courthouse When: 10-11 AM July 20th

Computer Basics II: Thursday, June 21, 6:30-7:30 P.M. Computer Basics III: Thursday, June 28, 6:30-7:30 P.M.

The regular meeting of the Mason Garden Club will be held on Tuesday, June 19, 2012, in the Stribling Room of the Mason County M. Beven Eckert Memorial Library located at 410 Post Hill St. The speaker will be Marlene Gillman of Killeen, Master Gardener and past president of the Killeen Garden Club.

Fredonia Community Association would like to invite you to attend a business meeting on Saturday June 16 at 6pm. The meeting will include our plans for a Fall Festival. After the meeting we will offer a delicious pot luck dinner and game night. Attendees please bring your suggestions, a favorite home cooked dish, and a fun game.

The Mason Garden Club took a trip to the Lavender Festival in Blanco on June 9th. Pictured are Sherie Clarkson, Judy Koch, Mary Eckert, Bill Luedecke III (one of the speakers), and Sara Banta. Bill Luedecke spoke on “Taming the Texas Hill Country” and later Melanie Van Aken spoke on “All About Lavender- History, Use, and Growing Tips”.

Rotary District 5840 held its District Conference (DistrictFest) in San Marcos at the Embassy Suites Convention Center on June 1-3, 2012. There are 57 Rotary clubs in District 5840, including San Angelo, Del Rio, Brady, Ballinger, San Saba, Fredericksburg and San Antonio as well as other towns in Central Texas.

An estimated four million cats and dogs are euthanized in animal shelters in the United States each year. You can do your part to control pet overpopulation by spaying or neutering your pets. The goal of Second Chance is to have every dog and cat adopted through our organization be spayed or neutered prior to the adoption.

We would like to remind everyone that Thursday, June 14th is Flag Day. We hope that everyone will fly their flags on this day. And if you should decide that your old flag is worn and needs to be replaced you will do so. But then the problem of disposing with the old flag comes to mind.

This year The Mason Junior High cheerleaders will be creating Puncheropoly for their annual fundraiser. The "townopoly" game will be a tribute to the 2011 State Championship football team! This historic event will be immortalized on a board game. We welcome all businesses and individuals that would like to help donate to this amazing cause to call 325-347-2753 to reserve your spot on the game board.

Jacob Randall Maenius, Mason High School graduate and son of Randy and Jacki Maenius, graduated May 19, 2012, with a degree in Civil Engineering from Texas Tech University in Lubbock. Jake will begin working as an agricultural engineer for USDA- Natural Resources and Conservation Service June 18th.

The Dean’s List for the 2012 spring semester has been announced at Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas. To be eligible for the Dean’s List, students must be enrolled fulltime at ASU and maintain a 3.25 or better grade point average on a 4.0 scale. The honorees include the following from the Mason area: Castell: Aaron R.

In March of 2012, The Texas Commission of Environmental Quality announced to the holders of water permits from several rivers in the central part of the state that it had received request since the drought of 2011, to appoint a Watermaster over the COLORADO BASIN RIVERS. This apparently includes the Colorado from the Buchanan Dam up river to its head.

Russ was born April 13th, 1935, in Colorado County, Texas, to Russell Schraeder and Grace Furguson. He passed on from this life on Sunday morning June 10th, 2012. Russ made a grand entrance wherever he went in his cowboy boots and cowboy hat with the friendliest greetings ever. If you ever met him you would remember him and be the better for it. Russ had a fantastic ability to put a smile on your face and would always see through the bad times with a positive outlook and belief ...

Naomi Elizabeth (Betty) Meyer, 78, of Rochelle, passed away Wednesday, May 9, 2012, in San Angelo. A memorial service was held Friday, May 18, at 2 p.m., in the Rochelle Baptist Church in Rochelle. Naomi was born in McCulloch County to Clarence James and Naomi Vera (Walker) Knox, Sr. She married Fred H.

This is the Mason Majors All Stars baseball team! They played in Eldorado's tournament on Saturday, June 2nd and won first place! The team is coached by Freddie Silerio John Keller and Sammy Martinez. The team got third in the June 8 & 9 Llano tournament.