The ponds are full...

The recent rain this week has once again, pushed the water levels to the spill-way. We've had about 4.2 inches this month, and its August! We've had 37.4 inches this year! That is a lot of water. Our hay is prospering in grand fashion. We cut 44 bales off of about 40 acres only 6 weeks back. Now it's ready to cut again but the hay man is far behind and can't get here. Too bad there isn't an economic way to share hay with those in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida that are desperate for rain.  Speaking of lakes, about 5 or 6 years back we had a bad weed problem in the ponds. I tried raking it out, but that was just too much hard work. You'd get out there with a rake and waders, and end up stuck about 24" deep in muck. Not quite worth the trouble for a spot to cast a spinner bait. So I inquired with the State of Texas about grass carp. They gave me a permit to fill out and it was approved once we showed that the carp couldn't enter the waterways of the rivers and streams down below our place. Even though the carp are sterilized, they are still wary of them getting out of your local pond. We put in about 20 of those little rascals total into the two ponds. Today, there is only a few left, but they make you think of Jonah and the whale story. They are huge beasts, and very ugly. I caught one on my fly rod a couple years back and it was like dragging a dead man onto the shore. This morning, while sitting by the tree in the swing at the large pond at sun-up, I witnessed one of the grass carp trying to eat grass on the shore. There are plenty weeds, but this thing wanted to get to the better grass outside of the lake. Kind of like us, huh? Never satisfied with the weeds we have.