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I can’t remember what day it was last week, but I had just started for the office one evening, and I saw what looked like a World War II bomber buzzing the area around the square in Llano. I hurried back home to get my camera, but by the time I got back outside, the plane was headed toward the airport. I was feverishly distributing magazines most of last week, so I waited until Monday to call the airport. I’m told that it was an Army C-130 (they’re huge; it must have been farther away than I realized at the time), just doing some practice maneuvers. Anyway, it was very interesting at the time.

I made sure I got home in time to attend events at Fuel on Thursday and Friday evenings (Mike Blakely and W.C. Jameson on Thursday; the First Friday Jam on Friday,) but I think the only other thing I took pictures of was the very impressive “model of Llano” put together by kindergartners at Llano Elementary School. The way I understand it (and I’d know more if I’d thought to ask questions before everyone left for Spring Break!), some fifth-graders helped by laying out the streets on the gym floor. Then a few dozen kindergartners made cardboard-and-paper models (one each) of the landmark buildings around town.

The project reminded me of something I have wished we could do for the historical museum. I wonder if there is a skilled modeler in town who could build a small-scale model of Llano as it appeared in 1900; I think that would be a fascinating exhibit for visitors to look at, and a wonderful history lesson for kids from school. It might not be possible to get it exactly right, but there are enough old photos that someone could come close to giving us all a pretty accurate picture of Llano 110 years ago. Any volunteers?

One more event from Fuel that I want to mention was the “free burgers” meal on Sunday evening. I think there were almost as many volunteers this first week as there were guests, but it was a great turnout for Week 1, and I predict that more and more people will stop by on Sunday evenings in the future as they realize that there is a delicious meal available just for the asking (and a friendly crowd to enjoy it with). It’s great to see such a down-to-earth demonstration of neighborliness and “Christianity in action.” I hope it will become a tradition in Llano.

Once or twice this past winter, Ervin Light reminded me that the “Prayer on the Square” was still happening every Thursday evening. Last Thursday, I had a chance to visit with a few of the faithful attendees. They tell me that they hope to continue that weekly event indefinitely, and that the Llano Ministerial Alliance is also now sponsoring a “Ladies Night Out” in Llano on the third Monday of each month and over toward the lakes on the fourth Monday. They are also planning a big event in Llano for the “National Day of Prayer” on Thursday, May 6.

There are quite a few events coming up this weekend: W.C. Jameson will host the Llano Songwriters Review at Fuel Coffee House at 7 p.m. on Thursday, with Brandy Sanderson, Jenny Taylor and Justin Simpson; the Llano Art Gallery will be hosting a Beef Stew and Cornbread lunch, from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday; there will be a Community Dance with the Highway 16 Band, from 7 to 11 that evening at the American Legion Hall; Saturday evening, country and gospel music star Barbara Fairchild will perform at the Llano Country Opry. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Lantex Theater.

You may not have noticed, but work has begun in earnest on the new Park Ridge Apartments on Ranch Road 152, just west of town. Workers are clearing the 8-acre site for construction of 64 “affordable” apartments; the apartments should be ready for move-in around this time next year.

It’s almost time for those long-promised bluebonnets to start blooming. I heard some weatherman on TV saying that we have had six consecutive months of above-average rainfall, and that this year’s wildflower season should be spectacular; I certainly hope that’s the way it happens. I was noticing recently that Lake Buchanan is filling up again, too. That has to be a good thing for the local economy; at least people will be able to use that excellent new boat ramp recently completed at the county park. And maybe (just maybe) people will start buying lakefront property again. Who knows?

There’s going to be another meeting to discuss the particulars of a possible new Christian school in Llano. This time, the meeting will be at Fuel; it’s scheduled for 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 28. As an added bonus, you can stick around after the meeting to enjoy a free hamburger (every Sunday at Fuel from 5 until 6); maybe I’ll see you there.