Area News

School Days,
School Days …
… have begun for this year, and I was fortunate enough to be at the elementary school for a few minutes amid the excitement, chattering and laughter amid some also very serious, wondering expressions on the younger faces that first day.
When I dropped back by later, Sherry was getting ready for the dismissal at the end of the day, so I stood back out of the way and watched as the little bodies with the big backpacks headed for their buses, with Sherry and another lady making sure they boarded the right bus.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Thursday, August 25
• ExxonMobil Annuitants, noon, Vandalia Ponderosa.
Friday, August 26
• Brownstown-St. Elmo Sports Boosters all-you-can-eat fish fry, 4-7 p.m. See additional info following the announcements.
Thursday, September 1
• St. Elmo Business Association, noon, Mary Ann’s Restaurant.
• St. Elmo Women’s Civic Club, 7 p.m., St. Elmo Public Library.
Sports Boosters’ All-You-Can-Eat Fish Fry

‘Singing in the Rain’
In answer to the frog inquiries, we figured that Tarzan, the little tree frog, would have left our porch by now, but we have noticed that every time it rains, he vocalizes with his little frog sound, as if welcoming the “rain drops falling on his head.” We also like to hear him at night, as he joins in the night sounds on the homestead.
Bill heard another little frog nearby, seeming to answer Tarzan, so we have named her “Jane.”

Cogburn, the Homestead Head Banty Rooster …
… is the only  rooster on the place and is crowing even as this is being written. He is on the job early in the mornings and is getting prettier every day.
The ladies (Rhonda and Blackie hens) seem quite happy with Cogburn and have accepted him on the chicken roost.
He is not only a handsome little guy, he makes sure they both come to the pan to eat by making his little noises to them. We suspect he may have a tendency to be a bit controlling, but the ladies don’t seem to mind.