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.

News For the Week of July 11, 2018

The grass withereth and the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand forever. Isaiah 40:8 (KJV). This verse was in my Bible reading this morning. It is one of my favorite verses in the Bible, it is such a comfort to know God is there no matter what, no matter what happens to us, he is there, our rock, our comfort, and He never changes and never will. Besides being one of my favorite verses ever, it is very appropriate in a very literal sense right now. We need rain badly in this area. My garden doesn't appreciate the cold well water as much as it loves the rain.

Bob and I went to the Starvy Creek Bluegrass Festival again this year over the past weekend and enjoyed it very much. We saw some of our favorite bands and some that I'm sure will become some more favorites. We saw several people we knew while we were there. We visited a few minutes with Doug and Kay Morgan, Matt and Carolyn Wakeley and got to visit with Ken and Carol Case a while, who were camped out there for the weekend. We also saw Larry and Dee Clark but didn't get to visit with them. After you go to a festival several years you make friends with others that you only see at the festivals each year. We had fun seeing several of these friends and visiting with them. I would like to sit in on the jam sessions but since I can't play any instruments it might not work too well. I can listen real good though!

We had to leave the bluegrass early on Saturday to get back to Forsyth at Shadowrock Park where our great grandson, Rylan was having his first birthday party. Lots of family and friends were there to watch him open presents and get into his birthday cake. He really got into that cake, he was very polite at first and was just picking little pieces of frosting off and eating them, then he got wild and had it smashed all over the high chair, all over his arms and head. He was a chocolate covered baby. I think he really enjoyed it.

New Mansion Church had a big fried chicken/potluck dinner and lots of fireworks last Sunday night that was well attended. There were bounce houses and water slides for the kids to play on and sno-cones while waiting for fireworks time. Our grandkids went and Bob went over later to enjoy the fireworks with them. I stayed home this time with Bob's mom who is staying with us off and on. I gave the grandkids a choice if they wanted Bob or me to be there and they picked Bob. They said he was better to watch fireworks with.

Ethan Todd turned sixteen years old on the 4^th of July, so we have another driver on the roads. He is a good driver so there shouldn't be any worries. I think every parent secretly cheers hooray when their child gets their driver license, at least I did, because now they can take themselves back and forth to ball practice, or whatever practice they are involved in.

Give me a call or e-mail with your news. Until next time, take care and be blessed.

News For the Week of July 4, 2018

The news I sent in last week vanished somewhere between my computer and the paper. Actually when I was looking, I could see I never did send it, but I thought I did. That must have been one of those senior moments I have read about, right? I'll try to do better in the future.

A very nasty virus has been making the rounds through our family the past week also and has really taken a toll on us. It makes a person very sick for just a day or two, and then when you think it is finally gone, it might come back for a second round. I am ready for it to be gone for good.

I have heard rumors of ripe blackberries and blackberry cobblers, but the ones across the fence are still mostly red. My grandkids check them every time they are out in the yard to see if they are ripe yet. Daughter Julie says she is coming down today to find and pick what she can. She is a blackberry picker deluxe. We let the gooseberries go by the wayside this year because the poison ivy has grown all through the bushes. I catch it very easily and so do a couple of the grandkids so we passed on them this year. I want Bob to cut the poison ivy out and spray some brush killer on it but I am still waiting for that to happen.

Our hearts were saddened this past week when Bob's stepdad, Scott Collins passed away. Scott had suffered from pancreatic cancer for just a few weeks and we are very sad but so glad he is not suffering any more. Lots of family and friends gathered to lay him to rest at the cemetery in Protem last Friday afternoon.

The bridge over Beaver Creek at Brownbranch is finally complete and open to traffic. We drove across it last night and it's sure enough a bridge and done. They will start replacing the bridge right beside it now but there is a drive around in place so you can get around the bridge and back on the road. Please use caution when going around the drive through.

New Mansion Church will be having a Independence Day celebration on Sunday, July 8, fireworks at dark, everyone welcome.

Please call me with your news.

News For the Week of June 27, 2018

We had a good rain here last Sunday morning, measuring an inch in the rain gauge. The garden seems to like the rain way better than the well water. Of course I got a late start on the garden as usual, but I think I will be canning green beans in the next week or so.

I have heard rumors of ripe blackberries and blackberry cobblers, but the ones across the fence are still red. My grandkids check them every time they are out in the yard to see if they are ripe yet. We let the gooseberries go by the wayside this year because the poison ivy has grown all through the bushes. I catch it very easily and so do a couple of the grandkids so we passed on them this year. I want Bob to cut the poison ivy out and spray some brush killer on it but I am still waiting for that to happen.

The bridge at Brownbranch over Beaver Creek is finally nearing completion and will be open in about a week. Of course, that means the bridge over Caney Creek will be out next for a few months as they demolish and replace that bridge. They have prepared a drive around for that bridge.

Nick Herd has been down visiting his grandmother, Helen Maggard and other family. They all spent the day last Saturday at the lake having fun. Nick built Helen a really nice looking firepit in her yard while he was here.

Our lifelong friends, Ed and Leona Hunsaker celebrated 52 years of marriage last Monday, June 25. My sister in law and husband, Louise and Gene Stevens also celebrated 52 years on the same day. Congratulations to these two couples.

The revival in between Bradleyville and Taneyville has been well attended and is still going on until Sunday. There are different speakers each night and good singing. We only got to attend one night when our grandson, Hayden Crouch preached but enjoyed getting to go that night. It was nice seeing many friends there and visiting a little with them.

Call me with your news.

News For the Week of June 13, 2018

Summer has arrived, even if not on the calendar yet. My little garden, pitiful as it is, could use a nice rain. I hate to water it because it seems it doesn't do as good as a good rain. The bermuda grass has almost taken it over anyway. It is a constant struggle with that stuff.

No news for the past 3 weeks due to my back going out and I didn't really care if any news got submitted or not. Last week my grandson had his tonsils out the morning I write the news and I thought I had to be there, so that took precedence with me too.

Bob and I joined a good number of people at the Bradleyville Alumni Reunion last Saturday night. It was a good time of visiting with classmates and people from other classes. The earliest class represented was by Hi Lambeth who graduated in 1944. The Beta Club offered a nice meal for a donation for their fundraiser.

The late Olin Lee and Pauline Lee were honored and received a plaque and a place on the Bradleyville School Wall of Fame. Olin and Pauline were bus drivers for many years and Olin also drove on many senior trips through the years. Pauline was there with her children and grandchildren to receive the plaque. It was so good to see her.

Also honored and receiving a place on the Wall of Fame was Don Johnson. Don served many years on the school board, and was President of the board for many years. He and his family was there to receive his plaque also. It was good to see them all.

During the weeks that I missed writing, Joe and Paulette Combs celebrated 50 years of marriage, so if you haven't told them congratulations, do it now.

That is all the news I have for now. Everyone be blessed and I will try to do better in the future.