Columns

I interviewed Annie one summer ago.
She was getting her hair and make-up done, along with her grandma Fran, in preparation for a long-awaited trip to New York City.
Annie had been cancer-free for several years. The Make-a-Wish foundation was finally making good on its promise of a trip and makeover for the 17-year-old.
She was a quiet girl.Wouldn’t talk about her mom much; her grandma was her legal guardian now.
Annie told me she wanted to be an advocate someday and help other children who had cancer, children who came from broken homes.

Where did this month go? It’s the end of June, already. Well, don’t worry. We still have plenty of growing time. Things really are growing. Rains have been so frequent it’s been tough to get in the garden to weed. Consequently, I have a huge companion crop of weeds.
Those of us who work and garden are always battling the weeds. Seems like when I do have time the weather isn’t cooperative. I keep trying to get my newspaper and straw down but when I have the time off, it storms. Tough to lay newspaper in the wind.

As we approach July, I thought it was appropriate to the county business license.
In 1987 the fiscal court adopted an ordinance that imposed business license fees for the privilege of engaging in a business or profession in Anderson County. The ordinance was last revised in February.

Living in Arizona for 23 years gave me a lot of insight into heat. As a park ranger I saw a lot of its effects. Visitors would always, always say, “but it’s a dry heat.” My reply, “so is an oven.”
High heat takes a toll on all living things.
If you work outside in this heat, my advice is to drink lots of water and eat ketchup and/or bananas. The potassium helps. If you have plants in the ground, then mulch and water is the best reviver.