by John Jefferson
Some are good, some are scary, and a few are dangerous.
To begin with, leftover rainfall from June has left Texas much better off than in recent July years.
Lakes have plenty of water, most boat ramps are open, fish are still biting, lawns are green, the cows have a lot on the ground to eat, and your water bill won’t be as high as last year’s bill for June!
To elaborate on the lakes’ conditions, the fluctuating, summer get-away lakes (Travis and Buchanan) are almost at full pool following the June Monsoons. Travis is 85% full – 20% higher than last 2025. Buchanan is so close that a spilled drink might take it over the goal line! And the latest weather forecast calls for possible rain soon.
If that forecast fails to materialize, at least early July’s lack of rain spells death to mosquitoes in areas afflicted by their summertime assault on much of Texas. And that means that either way, the forecast could be a win-win! That doesn’t happen often.
MOSQUITOES NEED WATER in which to breed. We prefer that it rains, but if it doesn’t, mosquitoes will begin to disappear. (Photo by John Jefferson)
But then, there are the bad leftovers. If you’ve never had a hangover, I respect you for it. But for others, that’s the price for too much of a fifth on the fourth. And that leftover can jump up and bite ya any day of the year!
And if that also involves operating a boat, watercraft, or a motor vehicle under that condition, it could be a leftover that keeps on giving.
Court ordered damages for injuring or killing someone through your fault can ruin your holiday, your peace … and future. Although holidays create more chances for accidents, opportunities exist every day of the year.
And don’t forget sunburn. The summer I spent at Fort Sill in Oklahoma provided a chance for really cooking oneself. Lake Jed Johnson and other area waterbodies provided great relief from learning to fire those big 105 Howitzers in the sunshine. But our sergeant warned us ahead of our first weekend off that the U.S. Army considered it “Willful destruction of government property” to get sunburned. What a killjoy! But we were afraid to find out if he was just kidding.
Other bad things from too much heat and sun are heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Some don’t recover from their stupidity.
Even leftover fireworks from the Fourth can be dangerous. Fires start easily on dry tender. And pets suffer from the noise.
But family picnics on the Fourth help us be thankful for living in this country. They should remind us of what the founders did to create America — like risking their lives by declaring independence from the heavy hand of another government. Even visiting World Cup fans were amazed that America was such a surprisingly fine place to live in spite of what the news media had told them. Their experiencing things we take for granted like supermarkets, shopping malls, Buc-ees’, Blue Bell, Ranch Dressing — even free refills – should help us give thanks for living here…
In America the Beautiful!
JJ
