T he risk for wildfires across the state has risen along with the hot and dry conditions, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. “With the recent uptick in wildfire activity, Texas A&M Forest Service has mobilized additional personnel and equipment to assist with response,” said Wes Moorehead, Texas A&M Forest Service fire chief.

W e continue our look at the religious affiliations of U.S. government officials, this week focusing on the executive branch.

I read an article years ago claiming that instead of making life easier for us, many so-called time-saving devices indeed made even more work for folks–and took longer to accomplish the job. If they freed up any time at all, they suddenly opened that many more minutes or hours in which to accomplish even more work.

M y recent visit to Colorado was fine. Other people say, “Oh, lucky you.

L t. Gov. Dan Patrick last week issued a sweeping gag order ahead of the impeachment trial of suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton, the Houston Chronicle reported, saying “out-of-court statements” by both sides threaten to jeopardize the trial.

P roponents are calling it the “biggest property tax cut in Texas history.” Both chambers of the Texas Legislature passed an $18 billion package during the second special session, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

I returned last week from seeing my kids in Colorado and am still exhausted. Haven’t had a chance to catch up on my rest. Oh man, I’m so tired. I mentioned to Zack how worn out I was. More than once. Probably multiple times. Still not even close to the number of complaints I hear from him on any given day. I don’t think he was really listening. He still got me up way too early on my first day home–to help him work on the back deck. Couldn’t it have waited a day so I could get some rest? Apparently not! He didn’t need that much help, just wanted the company. We weren’t out there long before he wanted an early lunch. He’d been up and out working just after dark-thirty. I’ll never understand why a retired man will rise to an alarm at 5 a.m. if he can’t get out before the sun comes up.

O f the original apostles, only one, John died of old age. Scripture has few details about the deaths of the others.

Capital Highlights Texas House Democrats unveiled a $20.9 billion plan for property tax relief that drops tax rates, increases the homestead exemption, gives annual rebates to renters, and includes pay raises for teachers, the Austin American-Statesman reported. The newest proposal comes as the Legislature continues wrangling over the issue in the second special session this year.

Rustic Ramblings O n Mother’s Day, I saw a cartoon where a kid announced that the family had hired a few people to take Mom’s place so she could take a day off. Pictured were about two dozen people lined up to provide every service from cooking to taxi/Uber to tutoring to nurse and so forth.