A few dates on August on my calendar

August is not on my favorite months list, as a matter of fact, I cannot think of a month I would put below it. I know that some of you folks enjoy very hot weather, you should be studied in a lab over at UC Davis because there is something definitely wrong with you. I hate the 100 degree days of August. Give me a foot of snow and a sweater and I will be out enjoying the day.

I will admit there are a few dates in August that I look forward to. The first special day is my wife's birthday on the 4th. I enjoy the heck out of that day because from the 4th until my birthday in November, we are the same age. No calling me the 'old man', no wise cracks about being a 'fossil', just blessed parody. Together we will be a pair of fossils for 4 months, then she magically sheds 10 years in her mind as I get one year older and the teasing begins again.

The next big day on the calendar is the second Saturday in August. That is the opening day of deer season. Why the Fish and Game Department has A-zone deer season in the middle of summer is a mystery to me, but hunting the hills of the Blue Ridge is not for the faint of heart. When I see adds in hunting magazines of guys in flannel shirts and wool pants sitting around a cabin in the woods, I chuckle. Deer hunting in Yolo County is trying to park in a patch of shade so your ice chest won't boil, then sweating through your shirt and blue jeans as you hike into a sea of chamise brush. Its hot, its tough on your body, you may come face to face with a 40 inch rattle snake, but sitting in your folding chair at deer camp swapping stories with your friends makes up for it. I remember when I was little younger, and a lot dumber if you can imagine that, there was a good deal of adult beverages consumed after the sun went down.

Deer camp in Yolo County; Larry the Cable guy should make a movie about it.

The next date on my August calendar is the 13th, the opening day of the Yolo County Fair. I may only get to the fair once this year to man the booth for my church, and to check out Peter Neumann and the worship team at the bandstand. The team Peter puts together for the fair is just great. People who sit down to listen always say the same thing, "That's a church band? They rock." Yes, they certainly do.

One special day on my August calendar is Sunday the 10th. My friend, Pastor Pamela of Countryside Community Church in Esparto, asked me to preach at her church. When she first asked if I would consider guest preaching at her church, I thought she was kidding, but she asked again and after some considerable prayer, I accepted.

For anyone who attends church on a semi-regular basis, being a preacher might seem like an easy job. Goof off all week, then get up on Sunday and talk about God, how hard could it be? If I ever held those views in the past, let me assure you, I don't any longer. I have been working on this for two weeks now, and writing a 14 minute sermon seems like writing a doctoral thesis.

Countryside is a very quiet country church and I hope I don't shake these good folks up too much, but I will be speaking from my heart, with a little humor thrown in for good measure. My sermon is entitled "The pursuit of happiness". If your in the area, or even if you are not, stop by beautiful downtown Esparto on Sunday the 10th at 10:00.

The last date on my August calendar is Thursday, the 21st. The Yolo County Cattlemen and Wool Growers Association hold its annual Fall Tour. Its and educational program with local officials and representatives from the livestock industry speaking about issues that effect rural landowners and livestock producers. Rick Landon, the Yolo County Ag Commissioner along with Max Stevenson from Yolo County Flood Control will discuss the hot topic of ground water and our water wells. The program concludes with a barbecued steak dinner. Tickets are $25 and you can find more information at the YCCWGA.com website.