DOGWOOD ACRES WEEKLY

DOGWOOD ACRES, 03/23/08, ELANE CRUM

Hello friends. Easter Memories. I have thought a lot about them today. Mother always made sure we kids had new clothes for Easter even though she didn’t always have a new dress. There was sometimes Easter Sunrise service to attend; I remember those more at New Haven Church when we were very young. Aunt Doris Bilyeu made wonderful cinnamon rolls that I will never forget.

During the 60’s we went to church at Pine Ridge where there was often dinner and an egg hunt after church. Of course, we used real eggs; I don’t think candy eggs were even thought of. Sometimes Carolyn and Barbara Rossner would go home with us and we would hide and hunt the same eggs all afternoon.

After Rick, Neal and I moved back here in ‘91, we again enjoyed Easter Dinner with our family at Faith Assembly in Forsyth. Dawn always baked the Easter ham and the ladies of the church outdid themselves with a wonderful meal. Mother looked forward to having her family together on those days; I guess we had five Easters together there before she passed away. Kasie, Trent, Melissa and Colby were little then. Now they are grown up, Mother and Daddy are gone and we all have our own families and create new family traditions and memories.

We were at church with Neal and his family at SandyGeneral Baptist, our church home for the past six years. LeaAnn, with help with young people in the church, presented a marvelous drama renacting the events that make Easter so meaningful to us. Sunday dinner was with LeaAnn's family where we feel right at home. After the dishes were washed there was new calves to check on and naps to take before Sunday evening service.

In spite of the changes in the directions that life takes us, one thing remains constant and unchanging. That is the reason why Easter is important, the confidence and faith in a risen and living Lord Jesus.

Rick and I went to Elmer Walker’s funeral Saturday afternoon. I remember Elmer and Thelma almost as long as I remember anything or anybody as they were always at Pine Ridge Church. Such good friends to my grandparents, they worshiped together, prayed with and for one another, coon hunted and worked together. They were fun, I remember going to revival meetings at Long Run with the four of them. It seemed like such a long trip and Granny and Thelma would pack a picnic meal to eat on the way down and back.

Having lived almost six decades of my life, it is inevitable that I will say good by to more and more of those who made memories for me. As that happens, I feel a greater urgency and responsibility to leave good memories with the ones I love and someday will leave behind.

Aunt Roma celebrated her 80th birthday on March 18 and Mother’s 82nd birthday would have been on the 19th. Uncle Bill had planned to take Aunt Roma out for dinner with Roscoe and Wanetta but the heavy rains kept them home. Colby stayed all night with them so they had a fun evening after all.

Our rain gauge registered 7.5 inches of rainfall earlier in the week. Rick went over to Neal and LeaAnn’s on Tuesday and had to go the long way around as the little branch near their house had over flown its banks.

Thursday evening we attended visitation for Pete Biggs who had fought a valiant battle with cancer.

Hobart Collins called me with a reminder about a Benefit Concert which is to be on April 5 at the General Baptist White River Association. Concert time is 6:30-9:30 and donations will be accepted with proceeds going to Alzheimer’s Research in memory of Virginia Collins and Tom Rowland. Special guest singer is Bill Burns. Hobart and I had a nice visit. I offered to bring him a cat but I don’t think he wants one!

On Sunday nights sister Christie often sends me an email with notes about her family’s activities for the week. She had so many good thoughts to share this week that I will just end this column with NOTES FROM CHRISTIE:

“Dakota and I had a good time ALL weekend. Friday evening we attended visitation for Elmer Walker. Dakota enjoyed everyone telling him that he looked like his Daddy. Benny DeWitt was telling us of his memories of how Grandpa Clarence used to brag on little Marty always looking for hammer and nails to play with. Boy, do we remember that; I think there are still hammer prints where Marty “helped” build the log house.

Saturday we went to Branson Landing and did a power walk along Taneycomo looking at the boats and then I took him for his FIRST visit ever to Krispy Kremes, he had NO idea how good a warm donut could be. I had NO idea what sugar from FOUR donuts could do to an 11-year-old boy either. It was worth it to see his enjoyment of something new.

Bill and Colby spent Friday evening over at Uncle Emmett's with a houseful of Biggs cousins. Bill was hoarse from laughing and talking so much. He mentioned that with all of the cousins living miles apart that the times they do get together it can wear out a person. Emmett is pretty brave to have given them free reign in his house.

Sunday at Calvary Full Gospel, the Biggs could no longer contain family to just one pew with Bill and Christie's clan getting together for Easter.

Wanda Crouch enjoyed having a pew full of her Grand and Great Grandchildren filling up pews as well.”

Bye for now from Elane and Christie

OBITUARY

BIG ROCK

Our rain gauge measured 7.5 inches of rain earlier in the week. Going to work the next day I went through Walnut Shade crossing both Bull Creek and Bear Creek before reaching Hwy 65. This shot was taken from the Bull Creek bridge looking toward Big Rock, a well known local swimming hole.

DOGWOOD ACRES WEEKLY 03/17/08

DOGWOOD ACRES, 3/17/08, ELANE CRUM
Hello friends. Time changes things and Rick Crum’s quiet time ended as my voice began returning late in the week. Several sleep-filled days and a trip to the Dr. for antibiotic finally brought me back to almost normal.

My woes seem rather insignificant when I think of those who lost their loved ones last week. Rick went to visitation for Bill Casey on Monday evening and on Wednesday, we went to Maxine Clark’s funeral. We sat behind Rick’s cousins, Paul and Hazel Spurgeon, but I couldn’t talk above a whisper. They have been busy on their farm at Miller and we don’t see them often enough.

Friday afternoon we went to the graveside service for Bessie Casey at Snapps’ Ozark Memorial Park. Later several family members went to the home of Leon and Connie Hammond where they spent time looking through old pictures. Mary Kim’s husband had brought a box full of family pictures many of which were so old that none of the younger generation had a clue to their identity. Nona Casey Norwine joined the group and was able to identify many of the older pictures of people and places. If pictures could only speak, what stories they could tell.

White Bass were making a run in Beaver Creek last week and Rick was able to get into those a couple of times. The first evening he fished with Harry Coleman and Jess Lawrence. I think Rick brought home four big ones but he said Harry really whomped it on ‘em, reminding them of how my dad would fish. While others would be fishing in vain, Daddy would always be reeling them in.

The next day he went out in the boat with Harvey Westfall. I think he brought in one that day, but it sure was good.

I kept a skillet on the stove all week and don’t think anything ever tasted as good as those big thick bass filets. We may not get any more as Rick thinks the rain that is coming in could spoil the White Bass run.

As I went to work Saturday morning, Bull Creek bridge on F Hwy was a hot spot for Sucker grabbers. There must have been a couple of dozen fishermen pulling them in. I’m sure there were some fish stories to be told that day.

Late in the week I got over to see Linda Groves for a much-needed haircut. She was cooking a pot of beans seasoned with bacon to take to Newt & Billie for supper. Billie is feeling much better now after the fall a couple of months back that left her with a bone fracture and kept her in bed for weeks. Linda said she was able to walk into the beauty shop last week. Of course, the new hairdo also lifted her spirits.

We had Sunday dinner with Rick and Judi Horner at their home on DD Hwy. They just recently moved in and are still getting settled but have put up a fence for the dogs and done a lot of painting. Joe and Nadine, Jack, Donna and girls, Kelly and Gus were all there too and the table was spread like a Thanksgiving Dinner. Judi baked a big turkey with dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy; Nadine baked hot rolls, Donna made a pineapple-upside down cake and there was just way more food than could be eaten at one time. Not that we didn’t try, of course!

Before and after dinner the men were kept busy putting up a new storage shed. It was a project with challenges but with a little “tweaking” here and there, I think they got it done.

Dakota and Andrew were with Grandpa Bill and Grandma Christie this weekend. Christie said they were out hiking in the woods and tried to find their way to our house but Rick said he never saw them. It’s quite a hike over a couple of ridges and up and down a holler or two.

Here it is the middle of March, the sunny faces of Daffodils are popping up all over the place and my Forsythia has burst into bloom. The Forsythia was blooming last year when Daddy passed away on March 15. Nothing seems brighter than those tiny yellow flowers that create such a splash of color against the brown leaves and everything else that still speaks of winter. I guess that shall be a reminder of the many ways that Daddy brightened our lives. Today his cousin Roy Dean might say something like this, “Cliff is probably out fishing everyone else as he reels in those White Bass from The River of Life”. Bye for now.

ASHTON'S BUTTERFLY

Computer Class Assignment. Look closely, you will see the butterfly!

DOGWOOD ACRES WEEKLY 03/10/08

DOGWOOD ACRES, 03/10/08, ELANE CRUM
Hello friends. My husband is a happy man today. Could it be because I cooked a kettle of brown beans seasoned with ham hocks? I made sausage gravy for breakfast two days in a row and that seemed to please him. I vaccinated his puppies, saving a lot of money in veterinary bills. In spite of all the points made by doing things, actually what I am not doing seems to put a smile on his face. I have lost my voice, yes that is right; I can barely speak above a whisper. While trying not to seem too terribly pleased, he has expressed an adequate amount of concern about my well being. Sympathetic looks are sent my way when I try to cough and only a sad squeak comes out.
Even in this day of email and text messaging it is very trying for a busy woman to be speechless. I continue to take pills and spray stuff in hopes that something will make a difference.
On Saturday afternoon we took Ashton and Erin to visit the new babies in our neighborhood. Jim and Dawn have two happy mamas with sweet squirming puppies. While Bill, Christie and Colby just might have some interest in those puppies, they have their own babies. Mooch had three kittens, one black and two with just enough yellow in their fur to implicate Jim and Dawn’s tomcat.
Last week when I wrote about the 1932 graduates of Lone Star School, I could not have known that another one of them would be gone this week. Bessie (Bashaw) Casey passed away on Saturday in Lee’s Summit, MO. A memorial service will be held for Bessie on Monday in Lee’s Summit. On Friday in Branson there will be a graveside service at 1:00 p.m. in Ozarks Memorial Park Cemetery under the direction of Snapp-Bearden Funeral Home. Bye for now.

LET IT SNOW!!!

So, what do you all think?? The 10:00 o'clock weather indicates that from Branson and on North we are likely to receive very little snow if any. Does that mean I should set the snow shovel by the front door and expect a blizzard when I wake up? In preparation for the predicted storm earlier this week Christie took her suitcase to work. Now, that is a lady dedicated to her clients. Of course that storm totally missed us, so who knows what to think anymore?

RICK'S BIRTHDAY

After church tonight we had a birthday party for Rick. I made a German-Chocolate layer cake (his favorite) and ordered a picture cake from the bakery. The girls loved that I put a picture of the puppies on the cake!

Rick is so proud the card that Neal chose for him. It comes with a big shiny sticker that says "I'm the boss!" The front of the card says "On your Birthday, Dad, Wear this button to show your position of authority in the family!" .........Inside .. it says "But don't forget to give it back to Mom tomorrow!

DOGWOOD ACRES WEEKLY 03/03/08

Hello Friends. After recovering from last week’s ice we are getting ready to dig in again. I guess there is always the chance it might miss us but will not hold my breath.

Last week’s ballgames gave us quite an active social life. The District Basketball Tourney took us to Sparta Tuesday and Friday. Blue Eye’s Lady Bulldogs played hard and made it to the final play-off where they took second place. Vanessa is a freshman so we expect to have three more good years with the Lady Bulldogs.

We saw an old Pine Ridge neighbor, Knial Iorg, at the Sparta games. He said he had gone to eight games in a row. Also saw Cathy Bray and Jenean Gimlin who were there to watch Ed and Jenean’s granddaughter who played on Sparta’s team. Jenean said Ed was keeping busy with new calves, including a set of twins.

As basketball season is winding down, Forsyth’s Jr. High volleyball season has just begun so we helped kick that off on Thursday night. Sean’s daughter, Makaylee Tilley, is our volleyball player and we will be catching those games for the next few weeks. Christie and I talked about how differently the game is played than when Jack Davidson coached us as Taneyville Tigers.

Rick helped Sean with some home improvement projects Saturday and they had a good visit with next door neighbor, Wilma Houseman and her kids. David and Brenda had brought Wilma outdoors to enjoy the beautiful weather.

Friday morning I had breakfast with my Great-aunt Bonnie Gimlin Bilyeu and looked through her recently completed autobiography and old picture albums. I am amazed at the detailed memories she still has of so many events in the early years of her life. She was one of four who graduated from the eighth grade at Lone Star in 1932. The other three were Bodie Stolpe, Rosa Crum (Lathrope) and Bessie Bashaw (Casey). I think it is rather interesting that all four of them ended up being Uncle and Aunts to my husband and I by marriage one way or another. I treasure the copy of the graduation picture that Aunt Bonnie gave to me.

We have all heard the term “Cheaper By the Dozen”, but is it really true? My brother Jim would be the one to ask about that, especially if you need a puppy! Bye for now.