Bradleyville News is done.

Done. Won't be back. Thank you for reading.

News For the Week of August 29, 2018

I got my hummingbird feeders hung back up over the weekend. I had neglected the little fellers for a couple of weeks. I had lots of flowers blooming they liked and they weren't using the feeders much. They have rediscovered them and are going to town on the sugar water! They need to get tanked up for their trip south. I have a feeling that is going to be earlier than usual this year. Seems that fall may be earlier this year.

Thanks to Modot for putting up a new school bus stop sign near our road. We had one of the older ones and it seems like people get used to seeing the same old sign and it fails to register in their minds. The new ones are a lot more brightly colored and more noticeable.

Paulette Combs was telling me that on Monday, August 20, several people who graduated from Bradleyville High School in the '50s had an impromptu casual reunion at the Fillin' Station in Bradleyville. They enjoyed coffee and breakfast and for a couple of hours had a great time reminiscing of their high school years. One thing that was interesting was Betsy (Wakeley) Kester wore a T-shirt that had cars on it from her high school era. Two of the cars were identical to two of her classmates cars, even down to the color. Those that were gathered that day included: Robert Carrol McIntosh, class of '56; Ted Horner, class of '53; Etcyl Coulter, class of '56; Buzz Essary, class of '58; Marie Essary; Betsy (Wakeley) Kester, class of '57; Howard Welch, class of '58; and J.L. Hurst, class of '56, who was here from Selah, WA.

Our pastor at New Mansion Church, Jeff Marsh, had a birthday last week so on Sunday the kids from children's church came in at the end of service and presented him with a cake, along with several cards they had made him, and several cards from the congregation.

Scott and Julie Lawson spent Saturday at Scott's dad's house, then spent Sunday at Scott's mom's house, and attended a birthday party for Scott's cousin.

Bradleyville School is selling extra yearbooks from previous years so if you are missing one you can call the school to see if they have the year you need.

Thought for this week: No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.- Eleanor Roosevelt

News For the Week of August 22, 2018

What good rains we have been having in our area. We thank God for every drop. My yard sure does need a mowing. Our lawnmower broke down a month ago when Bob was trying to mow the cemetery and spent two weeks in the shop. Bob told them to fix the problem and also to sharpen the blades. When we got it back Bob used it at the cemetery and said it really mows well now. He doesn't mow at home, at my request, and my back and hip have been aggravating me so much I couldn't mow, so it's starting to look like a hay field in spots. Julie has wanted to mow for me several times but I really like to mow plus it has been hard to squeeze it in between the rains. I'm feeling much better now so I think this is the week!

A couple of my grandkids spotted a huge bear on DD last weekend, so be on the lookout. Every one I have heard of being seen runs away when they see a human, but I still would rather not push the issue.

Congratulations this week to Hannah and Levi Elsworth on the birth of their daughter, Brynlee Elizabeth. She is a gorgeous baby. She is welcomed home by big sister Aailyah and big brother, Aayden. Her grandparents are Mike and Nancy Howie.

Congratulations also to Shilee Ballard and Dallas Chritton on the birth of their daughter, Brooklynn Marie. Brooklynn is the granddaughter of Marci (Stevens) Ballard and the great-granddaughter of Mike and Tammy Stevens and Mary Stevens and the great-great-granddaughter of Loretta Stiles and the late Short Stevens. I know Loretta will be in heaven gettting to rock that new grandbaby!

That is all the news I have for this week. Contact me if you have news to include in the paper.

This week I leave you with this thought: When you talk, you are only repeating what you already know. But if you listen, you may learn something new.-Dalai Lama

News For the Week of August 15, 2018

I am so thankful for the nice little rains we have been getting. Not a lot at a time, but just enough that our place has stayed green. We were driving around on Sunday afternoon and I noticed that a lot of areas around are very dry looking and still need rain.

Just a reminder that school starts this week. Please be careful when out driving and look out for kids getting on and off the school buses. I know there are signs up at most stops but sometimes we get so used to seeing the signs we really don't conciously think about what it says. I have three grandkids that will be getting on and off the bus at our road, on a curve, and I don't know how many times I have heard screeching brakes when I have been waiting for them to get across the road. I am always thankful the vehicles have gotten stopped in time. I have another great grandchild starting school at Willard this year. Gosh, how time does fly.

Vic and Deanna Badovinatz made a trip last weekend to see their Iowa family, including a sweet grandbaby.

Kayla and Boyd Combs had their 11th anniversary last Saturday. Kayla said that nothing celebrated an anniversary like vaccinating calves and getting pooed on all before 9am. She said at least her subjects were adorable!

Tom and Michelle Todd celebrated their 23^rd anniversary the same day, on August 11. Congratulations to them. The Todd family recently visited the Wonders of Wildlife Museum and reported a very good time.

My daughter, Alicia Crouch graduated from cosmetology school in Harrison Arkansas a few weeks ago and passed her state test for license in Arkansas. She said it will be a few weeks before it is transferred so she can work in Missouri.

Jackie and Gail Adams, all their kids and grandkids recently made a vacation trip to Florida together. Gail's sister and husband, Kim and Scott Davis and Gail and Kim's mom, Loretta Stiles also vacationed with them. It looked like they had a great time all being together in a beautiful place.

The bridge on Hwy 125 at Garrison should be done and able to drive over Thursday, August 16. This will make is so much easier for so many people to get to work and school, or to anywhere else that is on the other side of the bridge. Seems like the detour around this one was so long and turned into 2 detours before it was over with another bridge being replaced on T Hwy. The one on T is still out.

This week I leave you with this thought. The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched-they must be felt with the heart. - Helen Keller

News For the Week of August 1, 2018

We did receive a nice, slow rain last Sunday morning. I'm not sure how much we got but it rained most of the morning here. Others reported they only had a sprinkle or none at all. We are grateful for every drop we get.

Well, my tomatoes in my garden tubs ended with a bang, or I should say a burp, when some of our cows got out and ate parts of every tomato plant I had. There were a few leaves left here and there so I am going to water them and see if they will make a tomato or two before frost. I am really discouraged with my gardening abilities of the past few years. I have had some excellent gardens in the past but it seems like I can't get anything to grow like it should anymore and then there are my rogue cattle to contend with. I think every year that I won't make garden the next year but when spring comes I think I just have to get out there and try to grow something.

On a better note, Kayla Combs posted a video on facebook of two of her aunts, Doyne Murray and Clara Jo Hinshaw playing hymns on the piano together. It was wonderful. She was joking when she said she was doing booking for them but I do believe I would pay for a ticket to see them play!

Congratulations go out to Luke and Ally Clemans on the birth of their son, Sawyer Dell Clemans, last Thursday, July 26. Sawyer weighed 9lbs. 8oz. and was 22 inches long. He is adorable with a full head of black hair. Grandparents are Rex and Kelli Clemans and Rodney and Gina Swift. I know all these grandpas and grandmas are ready to rock and snuggle.

Congratulations also go out to my great nephew, Steven Sloan and Mandy May on the birth of their beautiful daughter, Alice on July 23. Big sister Rylee was all smiles in the pictures I saw of her holding her new little sister.

Kelvin and Melanie Whittaker and Melanie's sister and family, Melinda and Robert Hall and their two girls, Hailey and Jaycee, recently took a vacation to the Great Smokey Mountain National Park and the surrounding area. They reported having a wonderful time. Bob and I were out there last August to watch grandson Hayden graduate from lineman school and we loved that area.

Sophia Meltke recently made a trip to New York City for training for her new job and it sounds like she really enjoyed the trip. There were pictures on facebook and she mentioned the Statue of Liberty and Central Park, The Trump Tower and Rockefeller Center as a few of the places she visited.

Condolences to the family of Tim and Gaylene Madison, who live in Sipsey, Alabama. Tim's son, Chuck Madison, passed away last Wednesday, July 25. Gaylene grew up in Bradleyville and is the daughter of Darrell and Nancy Todd.

We were glad to hear there were no serious injuries when Eldon and Kay (Neuenschwander) Kratz were in a serious car accident recently while driving on I-44. They were forced off the road by a distracted driver in another vehicle and while trying to avoid a collision, they hit the grass then overcorrected and their car flipped. Both Kay and Eldon were checked out at the hospital and released later that night.

This week I leave you with this thought: I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination. - Jimmy Dean

News For the Week of July 25, 2018

Although I am a summer person through and through, I have really been enjoying the cooler temperatures we have been having. Can't say I won't change, who knows, I may like fall as time goes on. I understand why people like hubby Bob and son-in-law Jason and several more family members don't like the high summer temperatures since they work outside in the heat. It gets almost unbearable to them.

My garden still doesn't look so good. We have had several tomatoes but they have been about the size of plums instead of the softball size I wanted. I had 8 zucchini plants and lots of bees but never had one zucchini. I pulled them all up last Saturday and planted four more seeds. I am hoping for a better crop for the end of summer. I also mowed down my green beans as I only got one canning from them and they quit and dried up. This has been a strange year for the garden at my house. I'll try a little more this year then just say, prepare better for next year. There is always hope for next year.

Deanna Badovinatz reports that they have had several good size tomatoes, with one weighing in at two pounds. Now that is a nice size tomato! A few years ago Deanna gave me a couple of cushaw squash because I had mentioned Bob liked pies made from them. She and Vic must have very green thumbs. I've decided the only way mine will be green is if I paint it green.

Our hearts were saddened when we learned of the death of Dot Combs last Monday. Dot was the wife of Leon Combs and she was the former owner of the Getaway Gift Shop in Bradleyville. She had such a big heart and warm personality. Our sympathy and prayers go out to this wonderful lady's family.

Condolences and sympathy also go out to the family of Pauline Compton, Buddy Compton's mother, who passed away last Friday, July 20.

Of course, we were devastated by the awful tragedy near Branson when one of the Ride the Duck vehicles capsized in the lake resulting in the deaths of 17 people. Our prayers are with all the families that lost their loved ones.

Scott and Julie Lawson and their four children had a nice vacation in Florida recently. They visited the beach every day and had a pool right outside the door so the kids were having the time of their lives, getting in a lot of swimming time.

Jeanett Pelton reported a really good time recently when she was able to go with her husband Allen in his semi while he was delivering loads to different areas of the country. She spent a few week with him, traveling all over the country and got to visit family in the Pacific Northwest before returning home.

I have heard they are making great progress on the bridge over Swan Creek at Garrison and they are hoping to have it open around the middle of August. I know lots of people will be glad to have the bridge back and not have to take the detour or wait until late to cross the drive around.

If you have any news to include in the paper please let me know.

This week I leave this thought: Blowing out someone else's candle won't make yours shine brighter.

News For the Week of July 18, 2018

There will be blessings of showers. Showers is all we got over the weekend but it sure perked up the garden and flowers. Now if that just continues it will be good. I am grateful for every drop of rain we get in the hot summertime.

Family gathered at our house last Saturday to celebrate another great grandbaby's birthday a couple of days early. Avery Laughlin turned 5 years old on July 16. We had 8 little ones under age 7 to help celebrate and it was a lot of fun. Nana Lynn made Avery a mermaid birthday cake and cupcakes, we had ice cream, lots of balloons and decorations and later a pinata that was very entertaining. The five biggest grandkids took turns hitting it with some plastic bats and each one was determined to be the one that busted it open. It finally gave up the candy that was inside and everybody was happy.

Robyn Whittaker reported that her and a former classmate from Forsyth, Kay Kenyon Deskins had a good visit when Kay made a trip home from Montana where her and her family now live. Kay visited Robyn at Robyn's Treasure Barn and looked for some treasures while they visited.

My daughter Julie and I visited the Treasure Barn over the weekend also. I hadn't been in several weeks and was anxious to see what new items Robyn had. I found a set of silverware I wanted, plus a few more things. I don't know about anybody else, but my silverware must get together with the socks from the washer and they take off for parts unknown. I lose forks and spoons pretty regularly. I don't have a matching set anymore, but they do the job just the same.

Ed and Marilyn McDaniel have been married 52 years this past Monday, July 16. Many good wishes for many more years together.

Vic and Deana Badovinatz recently celebrated their 50^th anniversary last Friday, July 13. We hope for many more anniversaries for them.

Phillip and Sherry Day spent the day last Saturday at a family BBQ to celebrate Phillip's birthday. I would make a smart remark about how old he is getting but he just turned the age I am currently so I guess I'll forget about that.

Bradleyville School will start Thursday, August 16, which is a little less than a month away. Time to cram in as much fun as we can before it's back to books and homework. Already time for school clothes and school supplies shopping. If you are blessed with plenty, please consider donating some school supplies to your school, no matter which one. School supplies are on sale and at the cheapest prices right before school starts. I know the teachers buy supplies out of their own pockets all the time to take up the slack.

I leave you with this quote which means more and more to me through the years since I first read it:

“ If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” - Martin Luther King Jr.