News For the Week of February 23, 2012

Last weekend was so exciting for me to watch the bald eagles near our place on Brushy Creek. They had a huge nest in the top of a sycamore tree near the creek for many years but last spring it got blown down during a storm. Anyway, that’s what we think happened, the nest just disappeared. So I hope they have built another nest somewhere near there, they spend a lot of time in the trees near the creek, fishing and hunting. They are such a beautiful, powerful bird. I love to sit and watch them. I have heard they can pick up small livestock and carry it off with ease, but we have never had any trouble like that.

Ruth Marie Hodge mentioned a prayer request at church Sunday for her grandson Jarred Hodges who will be leaving on the 27^th for his 4th tour of duty overseas. Jarred has been an Infantryman/Drill Instructor in the Marine Corps for several years. He and his wife Rebecca and their three children have lived in San Diego, California the past few years.

New Mansion Church’s younger kids youth group put on a skit for Youth Night last Sunday night about the Good Samaritan. I saw a picture of it on facebook and heard it was really good. I am sorry we had to miss it Sunday night.

I saw on facebook that Dawson McHaffie, one of Dustin and Brooke McHaffie’s twin sons, has taken his first steps, but of course, not his last. Dawson and his brother, Sawyer will be a year old in April.  It is going to be an even busier time around that household, and also at Nana Vicki’s since she babysits the twins through the week.

There are so many babies in this area that are at that stage. Garrett is holding on to everything and stepping around, and he turns loose and stands on his own but hasn’t taken that first independent step yet. It will be soon enough. Even now he is so busy that he doesn’t want anybody holding him, he wants to explore every nook and cranny in the house. He especially loves our fireplace and wants to climb up on the stone hearth in front of it. Fortunately we haven’t had any fires in the fireplace for several weeks, so I piled pillows in front of it.

The high school basketball teams have a game at home with Chadwick on Thursday, February 23 and it will also be Senior Night. Districts start on Feb. 27 at Norwood, but I’m not sure when Bradleyville plays. Call the school for the times. The Pee Wee teams are playing in the Plainview tournament this week.

Birthdays: Feb. 23: Ronnie Combs, Melinda Rogers; Feb. 24: Sherry Yeary; Feb. 25: David Case, Jack Essary, Howard Gott; Feb. 26: Sharon Robertson; Feb. 27: Macy Lumley, Scott Puckett; Feb. 28: Wesley Carson Pollard; Feb. 29: Denny Roberts              (Denny was in Bob's class at school. He was the class clown, and could make you laugh when nothing else could. His birthday is on Feb. 29, so of course, the joke was that if Denny was say, 16, we said he was really only 4, because he had only 4 birthdays. His dad was Glesco Roberts).

 Anniversaries: Feb. 26: Tom and Carla Braden; Feb. 28: Richard and Sue Baker.

News For the Week of February 15, 2012

  

Last Saturday we left at 11:30 a.m. and drove 96.9 miles to Koshkonong to watch the grandkids play basketball. We have grandchildren on the boys’ varsity, girls’ varsity and girl’s junior varsity teams, so we watched the whole thing, from start to finish, along with Koshkonong’s Homecoming which they held between games. After stopping in West Plains to eat and going to the big store for a few things we needed, we got home around 10:30 Saturday night. We could have stayed home but we enjoy watching the kids and think we have to be at each and every game, and we will be until we don’t have any more grandkids on the teams or we can’t physically get there. We are not the only ones; the bleachers on our side of the gym were filled with Bradleyville parents and grandparents. All four games were very exciting and all the kids played really good, but couldn’t overcome the host teams for a win.

I need to correct some of the details I put in the paper last week about Shirley Gott-Stoeckers trip she and her husband went on for her birthday. Shirley’s cousin is Betty Singleton and she and her husband Jack Singleton went with Shirley and Richard to Mountain Grove. It is their son, Tim Singleton who is the restaurant manager at the entertainment complex I mentioned. There is just one bowling alley instead of the three I said, along with a bowling pro shop.  There are three movie theaters, one of which fairly soon will be offering a dinner-and-movie deal some evenings. Sorry I got so many details wrong.

I had an e-mail from Truman and Mary McKillip and they wanted me to tell everyone that they miss everyone in the Bradleyville area and hope to be here and see everyone next fall.

The Pee Wee teams will have a ballgame at home with Mark Twain on Thursday night, February 16, then next week, February 20-24 they will play in the Plainview Tournament.

The high school teams are in the Mark Twain Conference Tournament at Everton this week. The girls will play Everton Friday, February 17 at 4:30, and the boys will play Hurley the same night at 6:00.

Congratulations to Bandy and Staci Dalton on the birth of their son, Zeke McCall Dalton on February 6. Zeke weighed 8 lbs. 7 oz. and is an adorable baby. The proud grandparents are Joe and Kim Norwine and Rob and Anita Dalton.

Congratulations also to Cody Combs and Bailey Day on the birth of their daughter, Treylyn Ryan. Treylyn weighed 8 lbs. 1 oz. and her “Nana Red”; Becky Gann said she is pure perfection. I saw a picture of Treylyn on facebook and I’d have to agree with Becky, she is a beautiful baby girl.

Birthdays: Feb. 16: Justin Combs, Edna Mae Johnson, Sara Krause, Wyatt Taylor; Feb. 17: Jeremy Chaney, Kathy Compton, Jarred Hodges; Feb. 18: Judy Bonner, Chuck Braden, Landon Cook, Michele Howerton; Feb. 19: Mike Combs, Rosa Williams; Feb. 20: Brett Hall, Bailey Isaac; Feb. 21: Gail Adams, Jackie Cook, Roger Johnson, Casey Ridings, Riley Scott, Belinda Wyman; Feb. 22: Joe Combs, Louise Jennings, Laura Rentfro, Jarrid Stafford.

Anniversaries: Feb. 17: Bandy and Staci Dalton, Shane and Georgia Whittaker; Feb. 18: Kevin and Sharon Grider.

News For the Week of February 9, 2012

   I have daffodils that are getting ready to bloom, I’m afraid they are going to get nipped in the bud! The weather forecast shows some really cold nights later this week. It would take a pretty hard freeze to do that, but gee, it is February, isn’t it? This weather can get confusing, but I guess I need to remember where I live, I have heard all my life that if you don’t like the weather in Missouri, wait a few minutes, or hours, or days, and it will change. Well I guess that could be said about a lot of different places. I was happy that I did hear the peepers doing their thing the other night when it was fairly warm. That was still in January when I heard them and they have continued their peeping a little bit even though the nights are getting really cold again. We don’t usually hear them here until late February so they are anxious for spring also it seems.

   Shirley Gott-Stoecker called me the other day to tell me about a birthday excursion she and her husband, Richard had on January 26. They got together with her cousins, Patty Sawyer Craft and Angie Hendrickson and another cousin, Betty Gott. They went to Betty’s son, Tim’s place of employment in Mountain Grove. She said this entertainment complex was very interesting and had lots of different activities there. There are 3 bowling alleys, a restaurant, dancing on certain nights, and dancing lessons and soon they will be adding a skating rink. It sounds like they all had a wonderful time.

   Sympathy goes out to the family of Virginia Warren who passed away last week after a recent illness and hospitalization. Virginia was a very nice lady and will be very sorely missed by her family and friends.

   Glenda Day has been very ill and spending some time in the hospital having tests run. We have you in our prayers, Glenda.

   Buddy Compton is back home after spending several days in the Veteran’s Hospital in Fayetteville and then several more days in the hospital in Little Rock while they treated him.

   The Bradleyville gym was packed with people last Friday night that came to watch the Homecoming game and crowning of the Homecoming Queen. Hannah Swift looked beautiful as she was crowned the Homecoming Queen, escorted by her cousin, Austin Hunsaker. The Screaming Eagles Pep Band played several songs during half times and between games and did an excellent job. The girls won their game but the boys lost a hard fought game to Everton.

   Boyd and Kayla Combs are hosting a “Gotcha” party next Sunday afternoon from 2-4, Feb. 12 at the Nazarene Church fellowship hall in Bradleyville to celebrate the adoption of their son, Jonah. Stop by and congratulate this special family as they officially start the rest of their lives together.       (After I had already sent in the news to the paper, we found out that there has been a snag in the adoption proceedings and Boyd and Kayla won't be able to adopt Jonah at this time. I don't know the details, but God does, and we have to trust in Him to work it all out. Join me in praying that they will be able to adopt their babies and have it over and done with soon! We all love you, Kayla and Boyd.)

   There is a Pee Wee game at home with Kirbyville on Thursday, Feb. 9, starting at 6:00. I haven’t been to any Pee Wee games this year but have heard they are doing really good.

  The high school teams both have a game at Lutie on Feb. 10 and both have another game all the way over at Koshkonong on Feb. 11.  The Mark Twain Conference Tournament will start Feb. 13 and continue through Feb. 17 at Everton. I will mention that after the tournament there is only one more game, at home with Chadwick on Feb. 23 before the districts start.

   The fur dealer was at the Fire Station in Bradleyville last Saturday and Bob went over to sell a few hides he had, along with dozens more people who were doing the same. Bob said there were lots of coyote hides, coon and possum of course, some beaver and otter pelts, and more bobcat than he had seen in several years.  The Fire Department volunteers served a breakfast of biscuits and gravy at the fire station.

   Another anniversary I have to mention is Bill and Clessie Hurst’s who were married 65 years ago on January 31. I had them on my list also but didn’t know how many years it had been. I think that many years deserve special mention.

   Birthdays: Feb. 9: Kathy Dalton, Sam Norwine; Feb. 10: Angel Hartzell, Eddie Hunsaker; Feb. 11: Russell Burkhart, Tom Todd; Feb.12: Bobby Combs, Sam Day, Ada Dennis, Betty Maggard, Joseph Wade McCleary, Melvin Shane McCleary; Feb. 13: Isaac Henning, Randy Wyman; Feb. 14: Kyndra Day; Feb. 15: Shirley Krause.

   Anniversaries: Feb. 13: Barbara and Gary Casey, Eugene and Betty Maggard; Feb. 14: Etcyl and Lorrinda Coulter.

News For the Week of February 1, 2012

Sometimes in the past few days it has been hard for me and the birds in my yard to not believe that spring is here. I go outside and it’s wonderful, the birds are singing and I expect to hear the peepers any night now. I know, I know, there is almost two months of winter left on the calendar, but I am hoping the groundhog does not see his shadow on Groundhog Day and spring will be here sooner than the calendar says.

I am trying to plan better this year and get my garden spot prepared earlier than usual. I am awful about not paying attention to get things done before I need them. My tiller needs repair, which was the excuse I used last year for not having a big garden. I told Bob we needed to fix it now, so it would be ready to go when I need to till up the garden spot, and he agreed. I need to do a lot of work on it since it has been invaded by cockleburs and Bermuda grass. Now that we have talked about it we can forget about it until May. We forget. Maybe we are too busy.  

Anyway, since I know it is a couple of months before I can get serious about gardening, I will satisfy myself with looking at the seed catalogs and looking online at all the beautiful vegetables and flowers I can grow.

Melissa Case called Sunday morning to ask us to remember her grandma Virginia Warren on our prayer tree at church. Virginia is extremely ill and in ICU at Skaggs Hospital. She has run a very high fever and the doctors are very concerned about it.         (a note to online readers, Virginia passed away and her funeral is Friday, February 3 at 2:00 at Whelchel Funeral Chapel in Forsyth and burial in Helphrey Cemetery in Taneyville).

I talked to Betty Day at church Sunday to find out if she still canned suckers. She said she would if she had any to can. I wanted to know how she canned them. I probably could have found out how to do it from someone else, a book or site online, but I knew if I wanted expert advice I should ask Betty. I know she has canned a ton of suckers over the years. Maybe not a whole ton, but close. I thought she canned them with the bones just like the mackerel is but she said she cuts the fish off the backbone and into chunks and packs the jars, adds a teaspoon of salt and pressure cooks them at 10 lbs. pressure for 80 minutes. They are good to have canned up, and you can use them just like you would use canned tuna or mackerel. Be sure and put a couple of quarts of water in the pressure cooker.

I’m sorry I haven’t mentioned it before now, but Homecoming for Bradleyville School will be Friday, February 3 with a game for both the girls and boys with Everton. Both of our granddaughters have been busy shopping for dresses for the dance after the game.

Other games this coming week include a girl’s game at home with Forsyth on Monday, February 6, and then both boys and girls will travel to Hurley for a game on Tuesday, February 7.

There is a Pee Wee game at Bradleyville with Plainview on Thursday, February 2. I talked to Boyd Combs at church but was busy admiring his and Kayla’s little girl and forgot to ask him about the games, so I talked to Kayla Sunday night and she was kind enough to send me a message to tell me about this game.

I overlooked a birthday the last time I wrote for the paper; Ethel Metcalf had her birthday on January 21. I didn’t have Ethel’s birthday on my list, but her granddaughter Heather asked me if I would include it, Heather lives in Illinois and she said she missed her grandma a lot.

I also missed another birthday last week because I didn’t get any news sent in. A special lady, my step mom, Donna Sloan had her birthday on January 26.

If you would like you or your family’s birthdays included, please drop me a note or call me and I will put them on the list.

Birthdays: Feb. 1: Boyd Combs, Bailey Day, Eli Harmon, Sandra Moore; Feb. 3: Owen Smith; Feb. 4: Amy Blair, Mariah Clemans, Tammy Hankins, Don Horner, Mike Roberts; Feb. 5: Hester McBratney; Feb. 6: Kenneth Braden, Sheila Burkhart; Feb. 7: Richard Braden, Alan Dorsey.

Anniversaries: Feb. 4: Mickey & Darlene Roberts.