Life in the Ag Lane

•“We have to help get up cows.” — a phrase I’d never heard (let alone acted on) before moving to a small town in Georgia. Nor had I given a lot of thought to this since I had no idea that animals, of all kinds, get loose from their pastures, all the time. Here are just a few of the recent posts on a neighborhood Facebook group: Pigs are out in the road on Ransom Free/Two big pigs on Mount Vernon Road near North Hall/Is anyone missing a hawk? It has black straps and a bell/Cow loose on Wild Smith Road. Brown with horns/Is anyone missing some pigs? They’ve wandered over to the Glen Field subdivision/There’s a peacock at Deep Roots/My goat’s on Wayne Trace Road are missing/Anyone missing a heifer? She is roaming around Skitts Mountain Road. More endearing than these posts, however, is that the good people of this area, more often than not, hurry out to help. And if they happen upon a stray animal or two, they’ll always stop and “help get ‘em up.” I may want to keep some sweet feed or a good, strong lead rope in my trunk from now on.

•My wife and I travelled recently to St. Simons Island. She launched her new book, St. Simons Island: A Stella Bankwell Mystery. Thank you, thank you to Parra Vaugh, Darlyn, and Jennings from Sea Island and to the gracious folks at The Lodge (which remains my favorite destination). Great appreciation to Mary Jane and her tireless staff at G.J. Ford Book Store. Hugs to Vandy, Cindy, Patsy, and Tommy at St. Simon Drug company for your hard work and all the fun. And, finally, much gratitude to Buff Leavy, Miss Judy, and the genial staff (including the men who run the printing press) at The Brunswick News. Ronda is the first to say, and I agree, that her success is not the result of her efforts, alone. God has blessed and gifted her — not only with talent but friends and colleagues who have come alongside Ronda and supported her all the way. Our extreme appreciation to you all, thank you so much. (If I’ve left out anyone, please, forgive me.)