This week's official lake level

Just received the weekely, official SRA Tawakoni lake level. The new elevation is 429.44 which is 8.06 feet below pool level. Water is running into the lake from several different inlets today and I cannot wait to see the "official" level next firday- will keep you posted

Nice Rain Thursday- More on the Way!

With the lake still 8 feet and change low, we sure need the rain and we had about 2.5 inches here Thursday night. A co worker told me he saw the creeks between here and Greenville flowing this morning and that will bring the lake back up some. We need another shot of rain tonight to really add water to the lake. It is our turn. Most area lakes, with the exception of Lavon, are pretty much full again.

Crappie Time at Tawakoni

Melanie and I have been putting the full court press on the local crappie population recently. The tasty morsels are in shallow water and are much easier to find during the spring. We went right after work yesterday and managed to put a few fillets in the freezer. Last week on our way to a spot, we saw a bald eagle. Of course, yesterday, I had the camera and no eagle.

Pansies

Mom and Dad gave me the planter when I finished the Certified Public Managers Courses at Southwest Texas State and we have kept something in it since. The pansies will soon be done in by the Texas heat. Last year, we replaced them with geraniums.

Hummingbird Bush

Melanie and I love to watch hummingbirds at our feeders and it helps to have some color in your yard to bring them in. We planted this bush in Merkel and dug it up when we moved two years ago. It looks very happy just where it is.

The Texas Columbine

Our family fell in love with the Columbines in Colorado that graced the hillsides in June and July. The Columbine is the state flower of colorado and they, in the wild, bloom hues of blue and red. The Texas variety is native to Big Bend. We bought the three we have here from Steve's Nursery near Greenville last year and have managed to get two more from seeds harvested after last spring. It is my favorite wild flower.

Spring Arrives at Lake Tawakoni

What's Texas in the spring without the bluebonnet. We have a small wildflower garden down near the lake cove behind our house that contains poppies, hollyhocks and bluebonnets. The bluebonnets are the only ones blooming so far. The roadsides around the lake are coming alive with the bluebonnet and indian paint brushes

Viking Fans in Texas?

Recent city retiree Paul Joseph traveled to Minnesota and brought home gifts for the girls. They are (from left) Brandi, Anette and Susan. Brandi bugged me not long ago for putting Steve's fish picture on the blog and not one of them so maybe, just maybe, this will get her off my back.

Great Fishing weekend

This past weekend we had Melanie's dad Fred, sister Emily, cousins Jana and Randy and their boys Hank and Will plus grandson Kody at the lake. We ran the juglines Friday evening through Sunday morning and caught 35 catfish. Had a big fish fry Saturday night and they all took home a few bags of fillets.
Monday was an up and back trip to Austin lobbying for some changes in HOME program rules. It was the first easy Austin trip i have had recently as the meeting I attended started at 10:30 and was out by 2:30 so no traffic.

Mayor Signs Contract for Boat Ramp Project

The new boat ramp, courtesy docks, fish cleaning station, restroom, parking, covered pavillion project has officially started as the Mayor signed the necessary contracts yesterday. Within 90 days, plans for the project will be submitted to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. After the plans are submitted, the project will go out for bids and construction should start this fall.
We are very excited. The city's portion of the grant will be to improve roads to the boat dock, being built near the point in the city park. The road project will get a great big assist from Hunt County Commissioner Phillip Martin and his crews. City Council met last night, I am going crappie fishing after work and the Lake Area Chamber will be hosting a political forum at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Ford High Auditorium, just in case my loyal readers wanted to know what I was doing for the next 30 or so hours.

Amarillo Weekend... more

Melanie and I got to spend last weekend in Amarillo. We played a lot with grandsons Josh & Kody and Melanie helped out with a wedding shower for Kim's friend Tiffany. Ryan, the boys and I traveled out to Ryan's dad's place outside of Clarendon and had some fun watching wild turkey run around.
Looking forward to this weekend as grandson Kody comes for a lake visit, with three of his cousins. We will set out the juglines in hopes of a weekend fresh catfish fry.

Austin Trip- City Council meets Tuesday at 7

The City Council meets Tuesday at 7 p.m. at City Hall. A number of measures pertaining to the construction of the water plant will be considered.
I spent Tuesday and Wednesday in Austin this week. Hated to miss out on fantatstic spring weather for crappie but I spent Tuesday participating in a HOME Task Force meeting, Wednesday morning lobbying with the Association of Rural Communities in Texas at the capitol and Wednesday afternoon in meetings with the TCEQ.
Some of the most powerful people in Austin are the very young staff members who run interference for representatives and senators and whose other job it is to take the requests and listen to the please of those seaking the ear and support of elected officials.
It is always interesting.

Steve The Slab Catcher

Steve Staggs , our road supervisor, caught this nice crappie Friday, March 2nd at Lake Tawakoni in 5 feet of water. He had to bring it by City Hall and rub it in a little. Nice fish. Can't wait to go after work today

Annexation Committee Meetings- political forum set

The Mayor's Commitee on future voluntary annexations has held two meetings and is moving along and hopefully will make a presentation to the City Council in April.
The Lake Area Chamber of Commerce will hold a political forum on March 15 at 7 p.m. at the Ford High Auditorium. It should be an interesting disucssion centered on growth and impacts on local infrastructure and economy.
Oh, by the way- the crappie are moving into the shallows- I have already bagged two meals worth in the freezer.