News For the Week of March 20, 2013

One week closer to spring on the calendar. I have been cutting brush and piling and burning it when the wind quits blowing long enough. I waited and burned one pile during the rain we got on Sunday. I was afraid it wouldn't burn in the rain but that particular pile of brush had been there for a couple of years so after I got it started it burned hot and fast.

Lynn Case and her daughter, Courtney Laughlin celebrated their Grandma Shortt's birthday last Saturday by taking her for a day out in Branson last Saturday. She took Grandma Shortt shopping, then to the Butterfly Palace and ended up eating at Steak and Shake before coming home. Lynn said they all had a great time. Another granddaughter, Anita Wiles came down from Republic on Sunday and visited all afternoon.

If the weather permits, New Mansion will be having an outdoor Passion Play Saturday and Sunday night, March 23 and 24 at 7:00pm. Everyone is invited to watch the Easter story acted out with fellowship and refreshments afterwards. Please call Belinda Wyman or Jeff or Cindy Marsh for more information.

Several took advantage of Spring Break and took a little vacation. It seems the beach was the most popular destination. I saw pictures on facebook of Greg and Lisa Potter and their three boys on Dauphin Island, AL. It looked like Braden, Landon and Cameron along with their mom and dad had a wonderful family time together.

Sympathy is extended to the family of Bill Engelhardt who grew up in the Bradleyville area. His daughter Lora passed away last Friday evening due to complications of diabetes.

Birthdays: March 21: Kelsie Adams, Ronnie Hunsaker, Riley Kisling; March 22: Garrett Lawson; March 23: Samantha Gailey; March 24: June Boyd, Dustin Tilley; March 25: Danny Flannery, Clessie Hurst; March 26: Leon Combs.

Anniversaries: March 25: Tim and Ann Blair.

News For the Week of March 13, 2013

Typical late winter weather here, freezing cold one day, beautiful spring-like weather the next. Daffodils and crocus blooming, then a little bit of sleet, snow and then maybe a thunderstorm. The good rains we have been getting has filled the creeks for now. Wind, wind, and more wind. Nice weather for flying kites. If the old saying is true, since March came in like a lion, it will go out like a lamb. I hope so, I am getting gardening fever. I finally got a few varieties of tomato seeds planted and several different kinds of peppers. I always have big plans but the truth to tell, my green thumb is not so green. I am not a very successful gardener. If nothing else, I enjoy trying.

The Screaming Eagle Band performed again this year during breaks at the NAIA tournament at College of the Ozarks. The band has been invited to play at the tournament for the past several years. Band director, Chris Sprague said they received lots of nice comments on their performance. That doesn't surprise me because they are typically outstanding no matter where you hear them.

I had an e-mail from Dot Combs and she wrote that no words she could say would ever express the appreciation she feels for all the prayers and love she has felt the past few weeks. Dot said that 14 days in intensive care gives a person a new perspective on life. She says she knows she would not have survived without all the prayers and support of her friends in Bradleyville and she misses everyone and looks forward to coming home.

Just a reminder that the Getaway Gift Shop is open again for the season, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 9am to 5pm.

New Mansion Church has been busy practicing for the outdoor Easter play that will be acted out two nights on March 23-24. Lots of practice and costume making in our near future. Everyone is welcome to come watch the re-enactment of the Easter story and stay and have snacks and fellowship afterward. For more information please call Cindy or Jeff Marsh or Belinda Wyman.

Scott Lawson has been calling home two or even three times every night since he started Tech School in Wichita Falls, Texas. He was only able to call once a week during his basic training so he is making up for it now that he has more liberties. He started school a week or so earlier than he first thought he would, so now that moves the time table up a little and we are hoping he will be through all the schooling and be home before Julie has the twins.

Birthdays: March 14: Virginia Clayton, Jacob Nelson, Scott Whittaker; March 15: Lacey Davis, Brent Koenig; March 16: Daniel Gillespie, Juanita Shortt; March 17: Brandon Harris, Koleder Ross; March 18: Nardena Brown, Becky Krause; March 19: Bradley Flannery, Kerri Hampton; March 20: Rebecca Campbell, Emma Hampton, Sue Swadley.

Anniversaries: March 19: Brandon and Lori Burkhart, Sam and Judy Clemans.

News For the Week of March 6, 2013

There is not a more lonesome sound than the wind howling around the side of the house. If you like wind, this is surely your kind of weather. I like a cool breeze on a warm day, but this far exceeds a breeze. It was quite a shock to walk out on my porch this morning to 30 something degree weather. The sun is shining though, and that makes up for the cold temperatures.

Bob, Julie, Garrett and I left last Wednesday and drove to San Antonio, Texas to watch Scott Lawson graduate from Basic Military Training at Lackland Air Force Base. There were 800 young men and women graduating and it was a very moving sight to watch all the graduates marching past in the graduation parade. Scott's dad, Ivan Lawson and Scott's mom and step-dad Carrie and Cody Jenkins also traveled there to attend his graduation and be with Scott for a few days before he entered Tech School at Sheppard Air Force Base near Wichita Falls, Texas.

We all had a wonderful time visiting with Scott and each other, and it was especially sweet for Garrett to be with his daddy for a few days. We started home after Scott's leave ended at 6:00pm Sunday evening and arrived back in Bradleyville 9:30am Monday morning.

Congratulations to both the boy's and girl's Pee Wee Teams that both won first place in the Plainview Tournament. I never did get to see the Pee Wees play this year but heard they had some very exciting games.

Well, as I've been gone for the past six days I don't know anymore news so if you have anything for the paper please contact me. Until next week.

Birthdays for the coming week include: March 7: Lori Burkhart, Ray Hurst; March 9: C.J. Badovinatz, Tyler Braden, Rex Clemans, Cletis Shortt, Dennis Whittaker; March 10: Joe Scott; March 11: Georgi Clark; March 12: John Day, Ethan Douglas; March 13: Jayda Maggard, James Marsh.

News For the Week of February 27, 2013

I'm beginning to think the groundhog didn't know beans about whether he saw his shadow or not. He might need glasses. It sure has been awfully wintry weather to be an early spring. Of course, I guess if it is even a few days before the calendar says it is spring, it would qualify as “early” and the old whistle-pig would be right. It is a fun tradition even when it is usually wrong. It is snowing here this morning as I'm writing this and some of the flakes are as big as quarters. Our roads are clear right now but that will change if it keeps snowing like this.

I am getting spring fever in spite of all the bad weather and am ready to start some tomatoes and peppers indoors. I guess I'll wait a few more weeks, mine are always pretty leggy by the time I get anything prepared for a garden.

I talked to Ethel West a few minutes at church Sunday night and she said Dot Combs was doing really well and was expected to leave the hospital on Monday of this week. She said Dot planned to stay at the condo they were staying at in Florida to do her rehab.

Scott Lawson will be graduating from basic training in San Antonio, Texas on Thursday. Then he will spend the next few months in tech school before spending another month or so at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. Julie is taking her latest ultrasound pictures with her when she goes to see him graduate and they are going to open the sealed envelope together to find out the gender(s) of the twins they are expecting. The rest of the family is anxious to know also.

I haven't heard much news this week, if there is something you would like to have included in the paper please contact me.

Birthdays for the coming week include: March 1: Bob Dalton, Brett Johnson, Heather Maggard; March 2: Dannon Hall, Morgan Lawrence; March 3: Janice Gray; March 4: Lee Bettis, Lindsay Thomas, Boone Hodges; March 6: Dillon Gross.

Anniversaries for the coming week include: February 28: Richard and Sue Baker; March 2: Bill and Paula Walker.

News For the Week of February 20, 2013

We woke up last Saturday morning to a dusting of snow on the ground. I think there was maybe half an inch that had fallen. I got up around 4 o'clock that morning to holler at our dog that was barking her head off and there wasn't anything going on at that hour. Tom Todd said he had woken early that morning and couldn't go back to sleep so was watching an old Gene Autry movie and noticed it started around 4:30 or 5:00. Anyway, it was the kind of snow I like, it was pretty on the trees but it was gone in a few hours.

There were a couple of slick spots but MoDot had the roads mostly cleared of whatever snow stuck on them so it didn't hinder us on the way to watch the ballgames at Sparta that morning.

We spent the weekend watching the last ballgames of the season for the Bradleyville ball teams at the district games at Sparta. The girls played Hurley at 9 o'clock Saturday morning, and the boys played Verona that afternoon at 5 o'clock. Both teams played hard but were finally defeated by the opposing teams. They played their best and gave it a good try and I was proud of each and every one of them.

Of course, like every year it was a bittersweet game for the seniors on each team as it was their last game, but now they will move on to the next exciting stage of their lives.

The Pee Wees have a few more games left in their season. They will be playing at Plainview on Thursday, February 21 and then again at Plainview the next week as they play in the Plainview tournament. I hope we will be able to see one or two of the games, we haven't seen the Pee Wees play this year and they are having a great season.

Congratulations to Hannah Howie and Trey Davis on the birth of their daughter, Aaliyah Grace Davis on Monday, February 18. she weighed in at 7 lbs. 8 oz. I don't have any more details but I did see a picture of Aaliyah on facebook and she is beautiful. I know Grandma and Grandpa, Nancy and Mike Howie are on cloud nine.

Dot Combs suffered a stroke last week while in Florida and is still there in the hospital. Please keep Dot and her family in your prayers. I know it is extremely stressful to be so far away from home when something like this happens.

Had a good visit with my sister, Ginger Sloan last Friday evening when she stopped by. We caught up on all the family news and recalled many memories of good family times. Ginger is really interested in genealogy, not only of our family but of other people she knows, so she was telling me of several family connections of people I knew. It is really interesting to find out how people are related to each other.

Birthdays: February 21: Gail Adams, Riley Scott, Casey Ridings, Belinda Wyman; February 22: Joe Combs, Laura Rentfro, Jerrid Stafford; February 23: Ronnie Combs, Melinda Rogers; February 24: Sherry Yeary; February 25: David Case, Jack Essary; February 27: Maycee Lumley, Scott Puckett.

Anniversaries: February 26: Tom and Carla Braden.