News For the Week of February 19, 2014

(skipped a week again)


Seems like I always have to mention the weather but I am so looking forward to the forecast warmer temperatures this week. I don't really trust the forecast, seems like it changes every hour, but I really hope they are right this time. At least all the snow is gone but the mud is just as deep. I don't like the mud but our almost three year old grandson Garrett gives it an enthusiastic “I LIKE the mud!” so he has a much more positive attitude towards it than I do.


We went to Homecoming at Bradleyville School last Friday night and had a great time. The Bradleyville Varsity teams both had very big wins so that was nice. The girls were dressed up in their Homecoming formals for the Homecoming crowning and dance held after the game and all looked so pretty. Charley Boyd was crowned Homecoming Queen with Malcolm Smith as her escort.


New Mansion Church had a Valentine potluck dinner with a few games thrown in last Sunday night and had a good crowd attending. It was good food and good fellowship all around.


This week's ballgames are at home and the last regular game will be with Chadwick at home on Thursday, February 20, starting at 6 pm. After that the teams will play in districts which will be held March 1-8 but I don't know the location. The PeeWees are having an amazing season too but I have never had a schedule of their games so don't know when they play next.


Birthdays for the coming week include: February 19: Rosa Williams; February 20: Trevor Blair, Brett Hall, Bailey Isaacs; February 21: Gail Adams, Jackie Cook, Casey Ridings, Riley Scott, Belinda Wyman; February 22: Joe Combs, Louise Jennings, Jarrid Stafford; February 23: Ronnie Combs, Melinda Rogers; February 24: Sherry Yeary; February 25: David Case, Jack Essary; February 26: Sharon Robertson.



Anniversaries for the coming week include: February 26: Tom and Carla Braden.

News For the Week of February 5, 2014

Wouldn't you love to be a kid again this winter? Snowmen, snowball fights, snow ice cream, sledding, and the best of all, no school! I remember how exciting it was when I was a child and woke up to several inches of snow on the ground. Even when I had small children it was fun to get outside with them and build snowmen or go sledding. Now it is just aggravating to me to think I might have to get out on the snowy porch and get firewood. And goodness, forget about keeping a floor clean until the stuff melts and the mud dries up. My how a perspective can change. I still like to watch it snow and I like to watch the grandkids playing in it but that is the extent of what I find pleasurable about snow.


I have heard my dad tell stories about when he was a young boy and he said he remembered when Beaver Creek froze so solid they could drive team of horses and wagon across without breaking. That would have been probably around eighty years ago. Then his mother used to tell of when she was a girl and said her dad always planted potatoes in February, which would have been around 120-125 years ago, so I guess the weather has always been very unpredictable around here.


Congratulations to our great-niece and her family on a new addition of a baby daughter. Alison and Brent Maggard and their daughter Leighton welcomed a new baby girl, Lux Olivia on January 29. She is beautiful, of course.


One day last week was very scary and dangerous for our neighbor across our back fence. Wanda Whitaker was at home when her house was partially destroyed by fire. I am so thankful that nobody was hurt.


I don't know if any ballgames will get to be played this week or not because of the weather so check with the school before you go. If there is no school that day there will probably be no ballgame that evening. The schedule shows a girls game with Gainesville at home on Thursday, February 6, starting at 6 pm. Both the boys and girls will play Everton at home on Friday, February 7, starting that night at 5:30pm. That will also be Bradleyville's Homecoming. On Monday, February 10 both the boys and girls are scheduled to play at Niangua starting at 5:30pm again. On the 13^thof February, both the girls and boys will play Norwood at home, starting at 5:00pm that night. Both teams will also play the next night, Friday, February 14 at home, starting at 5:30pm.. They will play Lutie that night. Only one more game after that on February 20 with Chadwick and that will wrap up the regular season.

Birthdays for the coming week include: February 6: Kenneth Braden, Sheila Burkhart; February 7: Richard Braden, Alan Dorsey; February 9: Cathy Dalton, Sam Norwine; February 10: Eddie Hunsaker; February 11: Russell Burkhart, Tom Shultz, Tom Todd; February 12: Bobby Combs, Sam Day, Ada Dennis, Betty Maggard.


No anniversaries this week.

News For the Week of January 29, 2014

Didn't get this sent in to the papers but here it is.


If anyone has been wondering or missing what winter felt like for the past few years, we are getting a good reminder this year. Actually, this winter is probably mild compared to some in the past. I remember one winter when we had about 6 inches of snow on the ground for a month. I have heard my dad tell of when he was a young man and Beaver Creek was frozen solid and they could drive a wagon and team of horses over it. That had to have been at least seventy to eighty years ago. So it could be worse or better, however you look at it. I am not a fan of cold weather and I am looking forward to hot temperatures.


We watched the finals in the Mark Twain Conference tournament which was held at Niangua last Saturday. They played good ballgames and both the girls and the boys came away with third place trophies.


Thieves are at work in the area again. Bob went to one of his cedar patches where he hadn't worked in a week or so and thieves had been at work, cutting apart his winch truck. They had cut the boom off with a cutting torch, cut out one of the rear ends and had started on the motor. They had built a fire to keep warm while they worked. They got what they got and Bob brought the rest of the carcass home and took it to sell for junk.

Birthdays for the coming week include: January 30: Kevin Compton, Seth Rogers; February 1: Johnathon Adams, Boyd Combs, Bailey Combs, Eli Harmon, Sandra Moore; February 3: Owen Smith; February 4: Amy Blair, Mariah Clemans, Tammy Hankins, Don Horner, Mike Roberts; February 5: Hester McBratney.



Anniversaries for the coming week include: February 4: Mickey and Darlene Roberts.

News For the Week of January 22, 2014

These sunny, bright days are very welcome around my house. I have been enjoying the sight of blue skies and warmer days. Even though we might have more bad weather, every day is closer to spring. Seed catalogs have arrived and I have been looking at all the varieties and would like one of each variety. The only thing that has never looked appealing to me is the purple potatoes. They just look rotten to me, just the thought of it and I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to eat them.

We saw Jeff Lawrence come in at a ballgame last week and he is sporting a walking cast on his foot. Seems he jumped off a trailer and landed wrong and broke his heel. Hoping it won't be long until he is good as new.


Bill Comer is having to spend several days in the hospital after suffering a heart attack and having two stents placed. He is doing good and hopes to come home soon.


It was a very scary time for Mike and Nancy Howie's daughter Hannah, and her boyfriend and their daughter, Aaliyah last weekend when the Mexican restaurant where she works was robbed at gunpoint. Aaliyah was there at the time but in the back room. So glad nobody was hurt.


According to my ball schedule, ballgames for this week are at Niangua all week, in the Mark Twain Conference Tournament. I don't know any times but you can call the school to find out. Next week both the boys and girls will play at School of the Ozarks on Monday, January 27 at 5 PM. The girls will play Greenwood at home on Tuesday, January 28 at 6PM and then the girls and boys both will travel to Hurley to play ball on Friday, January 31, starting at 5:30 that evening. It's a little early to talk about but Homecoming will be February 7 this year.


Birthdays for the coming week include: January 23: Ann Blair, Jason Haden, Jackie Hodges, Greg Robertson, Kelli Stafford; January 24: Jonathan Blakey, LaDonna Johnson, Trinity Hunsaker, Maya Saffle; January 25: Emmett Dalton, Sherry Day, Linda Wiggins; January 26: Kim Gideon, Zach Hunsaker; Shirley Gott Stoecker, Donna Sloan; January 27: Derrick Puckett; January 28: Buddy Compton, Carol Hunsaker, Trent McHaffie, Jamie Miller; January 29: Job Krause, Jake Robertson.



Anniversaries for the coming week include: January 23: Rod and LaDonna Johnson.

News For the Week of January 15, 2014

Can you believe it is already the middle of January? How time flies, whether you are having fun or not. Seems like flu and viruses are running rampant as usual this time of year. We have missed any sickness so far and I am thankful for that. I'm so glad the snow is gone but the mud is knee deep. I won't complain though, Garrett loved the snow and I am sure there are lots more that love it!


As for our family, we are having tons of fun. We had a houseful of grandchildren over the weekend and were we ever busy! Julie and her kids stayed with us while husband Scott fulfilled a duty weekend with the Air National Guard at Whiteman Air Force Base.
Garrett is here for a little while almost every day but this weekend he decided to take it up a notch and explored every nook and cranny in Granny's house. He found old, incomplete board games I had forgotten all about. Granny has decided to do a little spring cleaning a little earlier than usual and get rid of stuff like Monopoly houses and game pieces that don't need to be dragged out with eight month old babies. It is long overdue but the packrat in me was convinced somebody might need the extra game pieces sometime.


On Saturday we all went to Seymour to watch the boys play in the Seymour Tournament. Our boys played Bakersfield for the Consolation game and ended up losing but played a hard game. The girls were playing in the Sparta Tournament Saturday and were more successful, bringing home the Consolation trophy. Alexis Landis and Ellie Combs also received “All Tournament” recognition. Congratulations girls and coach, Autumn Thomas, good job.


The girls will be playing a home game with Forsyth on Thursday, January 16 and the boys will play a home game with Mansfield on Friday, January 17. Both games are scheduled to start at 6PM. If you want to watch some good, clean exciting basketball, come out to watch our kids and support them. They play hard and are doing very well this year.


Sympathy goes out to the family and friends of Earlean Evans who passed away last Friday, January 10. Earlean lived her whole life in the McClurg and Crossroads communities, living and working on the farm with her husband Paul and raising their four daughters. Earlean always had a smile for everyone and I know she will be sorely missed by her family and friends.


Congratulations to Jordan Gilbert and Shannon Lair on the birth of their son, Kayden Paul Gilbert. Kayden was born on January 10 and weighed 4 lbs even and was 17.5 inches long. Kayden was born a little early and has to spend some time in NICU but baby and mother are doing well. He is a beautiful little boy.






Birthdays for the coming week include: January 17: Kim Compton, Edie Puckett, Candy Schreier, Robyn Tweedy; January 18: Sue Bettis, Carla Braden, Marlana Bryne, Brad Hodges, Brittany Lumley; January 19: Jess Cook, Tucker Lux, Emma Marsh, Donetta Terry; January 20: Riley Combs, Gene Pool; January 21: Ethel Metcalf; January 22: Megan Howie.



Anniversaries for the coming week include: January 16: Alva and Edna Mae Johnson; Brenton and April Whittaker; January 21: Lee and Sue Bettis. 

News For the Week of January 8, 2014

A new year with lots of new resolutions has begun, I suppose. It is a good time of year to think about what you might improve in the future but I don't make resolutions because from my past experience I know I won't follow through with most of them. I am wishy-washy I guess.

It was a -6 degrees at our house this morning. Bob said it was cold enough that the peepers quit peeping. Yes, just a joke, they hadn't been peeping anyway. I noticed on facebook that was pretty average around this area this morning. The school kids are enjoying an extended Christmas break for no telling how much longer with a forecast of more snow later in the week.


We are warmer than some since we are pretty high up with no creek or branch nearby. Bill Hurst used to tell Bob that many times they had frost every month of the year except for two. Bill and Clessie's farm sits right where two hollers meet. Bob thought a lot of Bill and sure has missed coon hunting and talking with him.


Saturday we spent a lot of the day at the make-up games for the Bradleyville Invitational Tournament. The girls won first place in the tournament with St. Joe, AR winning second and Lutie taking third place. On the boy's side Bradleyville won second, St. Joe, AR took first place and Riverview came away with third place. We enjoyed getting to see the teams play. There was exceptional sportsmanship showed at these games.


Not much news to report. Call or e-mail me if you have anything.


Birthdays for the coming week include: January 8: Leona Hunsaker, Barbara Casey; January 9: Darla Day, J.D. Day, Venessa Mills, Gale Osburn; January 11: Greg Blair, Bill Dalton, Peggy Krause; January 12: Marty Boyd, Denise Flanigan, Everett Sartin; January 14: Kaitlyn Hunsaker, Corey Ridings; January 15: Linda Black, Jim Crouch, Manny Nelson.

News For the Week of December 18, 2013

Are we going to have a white Christmas or not? I vote for not, but I am sure that won't matter much. First the weather man said we will have another big storm by Christmas and then he says we won't. Guess we'll just have to wait and see. I haven't done any Christmas shopping yet and I am dreading it like the plague. I really don't like the crowds and have never shopped on Black Friday either. I am not a good shopper anyway and that is why I always wait so late. Of course if I would get it done earlier I wouldn't have to put up with the crowds but it seems that is a lesson I never learn.


My grand kids were very happy to have some snow days so they didn't have to go to school, but granddaughter Danielle had to drive in some bad weather to get to her college classes at Hollister. She is happy to finally be done with classes for this semester.


It is the season for Christmas programs and quite a few were held in the area. Some of those I heard about was Hercules who had their Christmas program Sunday morning. I saw a few pictures of children all dressed up for Christmas that were very cute.


New Mansion Church had a Christmas program Sunday afternoon. It was scheduled for the Sunday before last but the snowfall changed plans. It was well attended in spite of some snow left in the parking lot. The children and teens did a good job with their skits and songs they sang. There were several cute moments with all those children. It reminded me of a song I've heard on the radio that Squire Parsons sings called “Christmas in a Little Country Church”.


Bradleyville General Baptist also had their Christmas program Sunday night. We didn't get to attend but heard it was very good also. They always have a good program.


Mike Blair spent a couple of days in the hospital recently and it was determined that he could have had a mini-stroke. He is home and feeling fine now for which we are very thankful.


Thursday, December 19, both the girls and boys will play a basketball game at Sparta, starting at 5 PM. School will be out for Christmas break on Friday, December 20.


If you would like me to put anything in the paper, please let me know. My phone number is 796-2651 and you can also e-mail me if you want. My address is karencase.55@gmail.com. E-mail would be better if you use it. Sometimes I can't understand a phone call as well as the written word that I can refer to again. A funny cartoon I saw describes me. It said, “My brain is like the Bermuda Triangle, information goes in, never to be found again.


Birthdays for the coming week include: December 18: Donna Newman, Katie Reece, Kenyon Whittaker; December 19: Alva Johnson, Lorri Johnson, Kenneth Sims, Maxine Mason; December 20: Jessi Laughlin, Melissa McCleary, Jarell Yeary; December 23: Sandy Wilson; December 24: Dakota Isaacs, Mike Karges, Pauline Lee, Kimberly Pollard; December 25: Rita Box, Larry Chance, Clara Combs, Jessica Koenig, Jewel Maggard, Clarence Rogers.


Anniversaries for the coming week include: December 19: Bob & Sue Birdsong, Kenton & Linda Wiggins; December 23: Mike &Vicky Blair; December 24: Bob & Karen Case.