Every time one thinks things will settle down, another bit of polish is applied to the Camellia City and she shines more brilliantly than before.

Last Thursday night, the top official of the Alabama Softball Association was here to assist with the opening ceremonies at Greenville Softball Complex.

Bartow Driver, president of the ASA, compared the new addition to Greenville's infrastructure to that of Montgomery's Lagoon Park, citing the business it will draw to the community, particularly in the retail and lodging venues.

The bottom line is, everything this city can do to draw people off the Interstate is a step in the right direction.

With those exiting into Greenville for recreation, come many who are associated with business and industrythe better the community looks, the more it will attract.

And how about those Idland boys?

No one could have imagined that Rhett would imitate the history his father recorded, when some 19 years ago, Rock sent a leather-clad sphere screaming over the fence for the first homer at Beeland Park.

It just isn't fathomable that Rhett would pull off the same thing at the new softball complex, but he did.

Never let it be said that sports are predictable, right?

Now, on to the Dixie Youththey have already finished their season, and are awaiting dates for All-star playwhere has the time gone?

Of course, many of the earlier games were scrapped for the much needed rain, but two of the four teams came out with impeccable records, and three of the teams have had players selected to the All-star roster.

Those nine and 10-year-olds have an uncanny ability to play ball, coupled with their happy-go-lucky attitudesthose kids just have fun playingif they win, great, but if they lose, it is not the end of their world.

As I hack away at this column, it is Monday afternoon.

The rain has just ended, so it has no doubt washed away some of the pollen that we are so cursed by, and many allergy sufferers will see a relief.

Ah, yes, there is something refreshing about a rainstorm during the day, especially after it has ended. The humidity level is lower, grass is rushing out of the ground to meet its untimely demise with a rotary oscillator known as the lawn mower, and the Earth seems to be more centered on its axis.

I can't wait to dive into that choreNOT!

But mind you, I am not complainingalthough I suffer from allergies, I love the smell of freshly cut grass, and I certainly appreciate the appearance of a well-manicured, green lawn.

Haven't had the opportunity to go fishing yet, but I can feel it coming on strong.

Yep, pretty soon I will have to break down and buy some crickets to go teach them how to swim, before the fish make snacks of them. Doesn't seem like such a hard thing to do, considering that I live a mere two blocks from Those scenic shores of Persimmon Creek' (as Ken Hartmann used to say on his AM radio program at WGYV, Tell it all, Butler County.)

I hope that the holiday weekend finds you all safe and sound, and remember, if you party, give up the keysthat way I will be able to see you again at the ball parks.

I'll be the slightly balding, slightly rounded-at-the-middle section shutterbug out there in Deep Left Field.