From the Better Business Bureau of Central East Texas:

Swimming is one of the most popular activities during summer weather, and many choose to purchase a home swimming pool as it can bring years of family fun and could serve as permanent improvement to your property. Keep in mind, however, that each year thousands of American families confront tragedies at the swimming pool. BBB reminds owners to make safety a priority when planning and using a swimming pool.

“About one in five people who die from drowning are children younger than 14 years of age;  for every child who dies from drowning, another five receive emergency department care for nonfatal submersion injuries”, said Mechele Agbayani Mills, President and CEO of BBB Serving Central East Texas. “That’s why it’s so important for pool owners to take proactive measures to ensure a fun and safe swimming pool experience this summer.”

East Texans love their tomaotes.  Last weekend's Tomato Fest in Jacksonville is evidence of that love; it is a 29-year-old event that honors this favorite food! The presence of this festival underscores the importance of the tomato in East Texas culture.

Many of you don't depend upon buying tomatoes at festivals and markets, instead, planting your own garden full of tomatoes. The time will soon come when your production outpaces your ability to eat the fresh tomatoes. If you're  not a farmer selling your crop at a farmers market or festival, what will you do with the abundance?

I had this "problem" some  years ago, when we had forty or so tomato plants in a patch of good dirt next to our home. Those tomatoes were happy as can be there in Anderson County, and by June, my counter, bar, windowsills, and kitchen table were covered completely by Celebrities, Better Boys, as well as cherry and grape varieties.

We ate bacon and tomato sandwiches several times a week to help use the bounty, (my husband won't eat lettuce on this sandwich, so we have BLs for him instead), and we had a plate of sliced tomatoes on the table every night at dinner. I learned to can that year in order to manage the bounty without wasting food. I gave away bags full of them to friends, family members and neighbors, as well.

The salsa, the tomato sauce, and the canned whole tomatoes were a great blessing for my family all year long. I loved breaking open a jar of salsa to pour over a plump chicken before roasting, or making a big pot of chili on a cold January evening with a jar of juicy whole tomatoes. Nothing in a grocery store tastes quite as wonderful as that.

From the Better Business Bureau of Central East Texas:

The 2012 hurricane season produced nineteen named storms, including 10 hurricanes and two major hurricanes – Sandy and Michael, and this year, forecasters  anticipate between thirteen and twenty named storms,  and at least seven of those stand a good chance of becoming hurricanes.  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released its initial outlook for the 2013 Atlantic hurricane season as “active” and “above normal”; BBB urges consumers to pay attention to weather alerts, take necessary safety precautions and plan ahead to avoid potential scams in the wake of storm