Nothing short of massive rainfall will alleviate the dry conditions that have turned every leaf, tree and blade of grass in the state into kindling. Mark Stanford, the Texas Forest Service’s fire chief, said that the state is forecasted to be in a drought until November.

“We don’t see any change, barring tropical moisture,” Stanford said.

Central Texas is in a dire situation: over four hundred homes have been lost, and that number will rise over the next few days as the fires worsen. Because of my attachments to Austin, I have been following this closely.

Praying,

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We ate the lunch with painful politeness and avoided discussing its taste. I made sure not to apologize for it. This was a rule of mine. I don’t believe in twisting yourself into knots of excuses and explanations over the food you make…Usually one’s cooking is better than one thinks it is. And if the food is vile, then the cook must simply grit her teeth and bear it with a smile — and learn from her mistakes.

My Life in France

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