DOGWOOD ACRES
Hello friends. The month of May brings the end of another school year, graduations, birthdays and Mother’s Day. Our five birthday kids are Marty, Dakota, Makaylee, Neal and Ashton. We have three graduations with Ashton and Makaylee graduating from the eighth grade and Colby from high school.
As I listen to the excitement in these kids’ voices as they look forward to graduation, I try to remember the same moments in my life. Ashton has had her graduation dress for several months now, hanging in the closets with tags still on (just in case she changes her mind and wants something different). For my eighth grade graduation, Mother ordered my dress from Sears and Roebuck. It didn’t quite fit, but I thought it was just beautiful. Cousin Linda Matthews and I had similar dresses and with our hair done in a grown-up pageboy style, we were real cute. Really…we were! You will find our picture on my blog www.dogwoodacresonline.blogspot.com
I have not decided what to get the kids for graduation gifts, it is so hard nowadays with all the electronic gadgets that everyone has or wants. Looking back at my old picture I realized that I was also wearing my graduation gift. Daddy got me a new wristwatch from Shorty Coooper’s jewelry store. It was my first wristwatch; I was so proud of it and believe it is still tucked away in one of my memory boxes.
When I graduated from high school my hairdo had not changed much, but dress styles had. My girl friends and I all made our dresses, they were kind of a floaty, tent style dress. It’s funny, but I don’t remember as much about that one and can’t find any pictures of it. My graduation money was used to buy a 3-piece set of luggage at Sears. It must have been good stuff because I have traveled around the world with it more than a few times.
I guess that is enough of my trip down memory lane for this week, but Glenette Brown called me with a memory lane story. She and Adrian took Ruth Lawrence Barnes for a drive one day last week. Ruth is the only surviving first cousin to my grandpa, Clarence Bilyeu, and Glenette’s mother, Della Keltner, so Glenette gave her the tour of family burial places. They went to Spokane, Schubach, Oak Ridge and Meadows where uncles, aunts and many cousins are buried. Their day ended by visiting with Iva Cummings Folck.
Glenette also reminded me that the annual Bilyeu Reunion will be September 20 at Spokane High School.
Rick and I visited our new Pine Ridge neighbors, Mike, Lynn and Laura Plemmons. They bought Bob and Margy Reed’s home near Pine Ridge church and are still settling in following a big move from North Carolina. Mike is a roofer by trade and now that roof repairs are done on their house is ready to go to work.
Jim and Dawn Bilyeu had coffee club at their house Saturday morning and women were allowed. Dawn had baked hot biscuits, homemade cookies and had fresh-cut melons. Helen Thompson, Marguerite Sloan, Julie and Violet Evans were early birds and I stopped in a little later, but still in time to eat and drink coffee.
Ken Puchta brought his bear pictures to coffee and had some hair raising stories to tell. He has learned that although the bear moves quickly, it’s climbing skills did not let it join him on the upper balcony. After that little incident Nita is less than enthusiastic about working in their country garden.
We had a family get-together Sunday beginning with church at Calvary Full Gospel. Cousins, Alvie and Judy Davis, from Charleston, IL, have come to spend a few days in Branson, so we joined them at church with Uncle Bill, Aunt Roma, Bill, Christie and their family. There was also Jim, Dawn, Melissa, Trent and Justin.
After church, we had Sunday Dinner with the Biggs’s and enjoyed an afternoon of looking at old pictures and visiting. Some of the fellows took a little time outside getting squirrel guns sighted in. I am not sure when season opens, but sure would like to have a skillet of fried young squirrels with gravy or a kettle of squirrel and dumplings.
I just got word that Billie Matthews is in the hospital. Newton took her in on Sunday with back pain and they hope to have some answers today. Bruce and Linda were on their way to the hospital when Saundra's daughter, Lisa, called and asked for a ride. She had broken her ankle so their Sunday family gathering was not as much fun as ours. Linda keeps me updated best she can as she makes sure everyone is fed and well-taken care of. Bye for now.
ELANE CRUM
Website: www.elanecrum.com
Website: www.elanec2580.remax-midstates.com
Blog: www.dogwoodacresOnline.blogspot.com
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