June 2025

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What is more quintessential than Summertime in Texas and Fredericksburg Peaches? Not much, if you ask me. Growing up in Texas, a trip during the summer always meant a trip to the Hill Country to pick the peaches right off the tree. Nowadays, multiple orchards supply these sweet fruits. Most will agree Fredericksburg Peaches stand above and beyond the less favored Georgia Peach, unless, I guess, you are a Bulldog Fan. My favorite stand is Studebaker Farms right outside of town, headed to Stonewall.

We belong to God. Jesus tells us we belong to Him, and so we also belong to the Father who sent Him. So what is so special about that? All of creation belongs to God. Every tree, every flower, every bird, every flying creature, every fish and creature of the water, every animal, everything belongs to God. All these creations glorify God with their beauty and majesty. But God was not satisfied with the wonder and amusement of his creations. He wanted more. He wanted to be loved and worshiped. But no God wanted more than worship and love; he wanted a relationship with his creation, so He created humans, us. And He made us a little lower than the angels and set us over the rest of His creation. He did not want humanity to worship and love Him because they had no choice. He gave us free will so that we could choose to follow Him and love, and worship Him. He gave us a choice to either walk with Him or do it our way. He did not want us to blindly follow Him. He wanted us to choose to walk with Him, to have a relationship with Him.

Dear Neil, This oak was planted a few years ago. Initially, it was diagnosed with sun scald. Despite measures to try to help it, it just seems to be going downhill. There was new growth when it budded out this spring, but now much of that has died back. At this point, I think the best thing I can do is put it out of its misery and replace it, but if there is anything you think might revitalize it, please tell me.

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While the summer sun beats down on Far West Texas, pounding the horny toads into submission, Alpine High School student-athletes are rising early, not for leisure or video games, but for sled pushes, plyometric drills, and weight training. It’s all part of a focused effort to sharpen their bodies and minds ahead of another demanding year of playoff-caliber competition.

Gov. Greg Abbott says he got everything he pushed for during the Legislature’s 89th session, which ended on June 2.