The fields and yards around Blanco were a beautiful green but are quickly turning brown. The sound of lawnmowers filled the air a couple of weeks ago but all is now quiet. The hot days of summer are alleviated by an afternoon playing in the flowing waters of the Blanco River. It sounds like we live in paradise! But beware!

According to the Texas Forest Service Daily Fire Danger Map, as of 8/1/2012 Blanco was in the moderate danger zone. At present, there are no very high or extreme areas of fire danger in our State. Last year, in June, most of Texas was rated extremely high. We fought fires all summer!

Although we are not under water rationing, Blanco is still considered to be in a severe drought according to the LCRA. Lakes Travis and Buchanan are less than half full. The rainstorms two weeks ago that caused flooding in Austin and San Antonio all fell downstream from the lakes. Do your part to preserve water!

I had the good fortune to hear and meet poet, songwriter and singer Jim Jones. He gave me permission to use lyrics from his song.

TEXAS IS BURNIN’

In the land of my childhood, the heart of who I am

The prairies…are turnin’ brown, to dust and blowin’ sand

Ranchers sellin’ cattle, precious breedin’ stock

Cause cows can’t feed on burned out grass, nor drink caliche rock

You drive along the highway, cedar’s flamin’ red

Beside the road, you see a mountain lion, lyin’ there dead

Is it the wrath of God or man’s mistakes, no one can explain

It’s like back in the 1950s, the time it never rained

And you know the drought is gonna break, you just don’t know when

Mother Earth takes away her water, she gives it back again

If you live off the land, your roots had best run deep

Tend your soil, thin your brush, as you sow, so shall you reap

And it looks like Texas is burnin’, the land is stone bone dry

Dust devils keep on churnin’

And the rivers and streams and all livin’ things, they’ve shriveled up and died