The 501

Body COMMENTARYWho remembers mercury? Itwasthatstuffyounever really got to know till the thermometer broke. Then, if you were lucky enough to catch it, you could play with it. Just one thermometer’s worth wasn’t enough for much fun.

Take me out to the ball game

Body “Well, it took me 17 years to get 3,000 hits in baseball, and I did it in one afternoon on the golf course.” -Hank Aaron You may fall into the camp of “baseball is the most boring sport known to man.” Fair enough.

Solar eclipse means big money to Texas

Body AUSTIN—Oneeconomist is calling it “the most profitable 22 minutes in Texas history,” according to the Texas Standard. The total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8 is expected to draw up to a million visitors to the Lone Star State,especiallyinitsnarrow path of totality.

The 501

Body Euphemismsbyanyother name are terms with extra syllables. Sometimes extra words.“Poor” comes to mind. A euphemism is “underprivileged.” Five syllables. Count ’em.“Underprivileged” was one of the first euphemisms I ever learned.

This country needs another resurrection

Body Palm Sunday Bible class at East Side Church of Christ meant we were going to get use rubber cement. That liquid adhesive smelled so good, slathering it onto the brush was in itself a religious experience.

The 501

Body The breadboard-less kitchenI married for love. What was I thinking? I married a man with no kitchen breadboard.I must’ve had stars in my eyes to overlook that flaw. You guessed it. There’s still no breadboard. Sigh.

TALES FROM TUMBLEWEED SMITH

Body Bret Cali has the general store at Bend, a small place neartheColoradoRiversouth of San Saba. It has beer and music and the flavor of Luckenbach. “Some people say it’s the new Luckenbach,” says Bret. “It’s kind of hard to find,likeLuckenbach.

Texas counties among nation’s fastest growing

Body AUSTIN— Recent estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau indicate that six of the 10 fastest-growing counties in the United States from 2022 to 2023 were in Texas. According to the Texas Tribune, Kaufman County, just east of Dallas, led the list with a 7.

Hill Country blues

Body Spring officially makes its entry this week, but the Texaswildflowersceneisway ahead of the game this year.If you get the chance in the next three weeks, hit the highwaysandbepreparedfor quite the show that bluebonnets have in store for you.

Training stone fruit trees

Body In the March 6 and March 13 columns were guidelines for choosing fruit trees for our USDA Hardiness zones 7 and 8. In today’s column are guidelines for training stone fruit trees.Pruning of fruit trees is done to train the tree to a specific growth system.