DOGWOOD ACRES WEEKLY, 09/22/08

DOGWOOD ACRES, 09/22/08, ELANE CRUM

Hello friends. The first day of fall begins with a heavy fog that makes my world appear small. Only those trees closest to the house are visible. While the Oaks are holding fast to their leaves, the tall Hickory just outside my window is letting a few leaves drift into the mist.

Our cousin Alvie Davis and his wife, Judy, spent a few days at Big Cedar Lodge last week. That is one of their favorite places to stay and we always enjoy some family time when they are there. Colby brought Uncle Bill and Aunt Roma, Rick and I were there and Jim, Dawn and Melissa came after work. The fellows sat on the deck watching the sunset and visited until well after dark. We missed Uncle Ros and Aunt Wan, but he was down in his back and just did not feel like getting out and about.

I came home Thursday evening to find that Rick had been mushroom hunting again. He was so proud of the two bags full of coral mushrooms and said he could have brought more. I got one bag of them cleaned and fried for Sunday dinner at the Hodges. They seemed to go over well although the granddaughters had to be coaxed into tasting at least one. Cleaning and preparing the corals for cooking is quite a chore, but Rick said he would clean and salt down the next batch. After he has done that I will be watching to see if he goes out to pick more.

Sean and Madison Tilley visited with Uncle Rick Thursday night while I worked late. Rick said Madison was rather bored until he brought the kitten inside for her to play with. He tried to send it home with them but Sean did not think that was such a good idea. I wonder why??

Ashton and Erin got out of school early on Friday so Rick and I took them to Silver Dollar City. They were so excited about riding Thunderation with PaPa again and talked me into going along. It really wasn't too bad, although when we stopped my throat was sore from screaming and they laughed at me because my hair was slicked straight back from the fast ride.

Ashton and Erin helped me prepare food for the Bilyeu Reunion on Saturday. Ashton's choice was Oreo Pie and Erin chose to make Iced Sugar Cookies. They both did a good job and it helped me out a lot as I only had a salad to make. I used Anita Biggs' recipe for Cornbread Salad which is always a favorite at potluck dinners.

Sister Christie did not go the reunion, but did send her dish with Colby and Madison. She, too, had made Anita's Cornbread Salad!

Kathy Keithley-Johnston was at the reunion with her mom, Aileen Keithley, and so pleased to once again be a resident of Taney County! She and Steve have moved to Branson Creek, which is not far from Chuck and Aileen's home. She said it feels so good to drive through Branson and feel like she has truly come home.

Since Christie did not go to the Bilyeu Reunion, she cooked all day at home and tried some new recipes. The green tomato casserole was JoAnn Rice's recipe and very tasty. Family thought it was very good, but grimaced when she told them it had a full stick of real butter along with a whole roll of Ritz Crackers. In spite of, or maybe because of, all that extra fat, every bite was eaten.

Bill and Sean spent all day Saturday in Hollister watching Makaylee play softball. Forsyth won one game and lost two, but all three games were really good and they didn't lose by very much.

Erin Crum and Madison Tilley went home with Uncle Jim and Aunt Dawn from the Bilyeu Reunion. On the way home they went to Braum's for ice cream, then Aunt Dawn played with them until dark and they had dinner with Aunt Christie.

Madison Tilley helped her Grandpa Bill paint an outbuilding at Calvary Church over the weekend. Grandpa said she stood along side of him the whole time, just painting away and managed to come home with white freckles from head to toe!