This shows one of the free demonstrations offered Saturday, July 26 at the 5th Annual Quilt Hop in historic downtown Bonham.

Morgan Bond and Joe Shimek rehearse for The Belle of West Texas. McKinney Repertory Theatre is hosting an opening night party for the cast and all attendees at the August 1 performance of Carol M. Rice’s The Belle of West Texas. While there will be plenty of popcorn, there will also be wine, soft drinks and appetizers. The cast and director will be available for autographs and to visit with audience members.

Bonham Community Garden volunteers (Clockwise, L-R) Tere Curtis, Faye Wedell, Chris Voss and Scott Lipsett build raised beds in Catron Park. Bonham residents who would relish growing some of their own food are encouraged to plant seeds and enjoy the fruits of their labor.

Claude Caffee (right), mayor of Honey Grove, presents Johnnie and Geneva Smith a City of Honey Grove proclamation declaring the day to be Smith Feed & Seed Day. photo by Larry Standlee

1943 – World War II: Operation Gomorrah – The Royal Air Force bombs Hamburg, Germany causing a firestorm that kills 42,000 German civilians. The attack during the last week of July 1943, Operation Gomorrah, created one of the largest firestorms raised by the Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Forces in World War II, killing 42,600 civilians and wounding 37,000 in Hamburg and practically destroying the entire city. Before the development of the firestorm in Hamburg there had been no rain for some time and everything was very dry. The unusually warm weather and good conditions meant that the bombing was highly concentrated around the intended targets and also created a vortex and whirling updraft of super-heated air which created a 1,500-foot-high tornado of fire, a totally unexpected effect.