DOGWOOD ACRES, 07/20/09

DOGWOOD ACRES, 07/20/09, ELANE CRUM


Hello friends. The summer rains are producing wonderful fresh vegetables, to be enjoyed by man and beast. My neighbor has been chasing a groundhog out of his garden and Ronnie Bilyeu finally got a picture of the spotted twin fawns that have been feasting on his tomatoes. I do not know how Norm France keeps the critters out of his garden, but he has grown some delicious burpless cucumbers. I did not know there were so many different varieties.


I do not have a vegetable garden, only a few flowers. The puppies have not had much freedom to roam since they ate the Cannas and I am happy to report that the Cannas are showing signs of life.


Last week I visited the White River Valley Historical Society at their roomy new location in downtown Forsyth. Lisa Owen and her helpers were busy as bees readying their site for the upcoming Smithsonian Institution exhibit on American Roots Music, “New Harmonies”. New Harmonies will run from August 15-September 26.


There are many informational and entertaining events planned in conjunction with New Harmonies. Watch the local papers and/or visit the website, www.wrvhs.org, to learn more about the schedule.


Sean and Madison Tilley visited with Uncle Rick today. They looked at the puppies and watched an old movie, “River Runs Through It“. Madison, who prefers Sponge Bob to Brad Pitt any day, found Barbie dolls and a coloring book to occupy her time.


Erin Crum went to basketball camp at College of the Ozarks earlier in the month. I picked her up one day and after we had lunch with her mommy, she spent the afternoon with me at the office. With a computer and private office, she got lots of “work” done. Only three weeks now until school starts and she will get down to business with real work.


Rick was gone to Little Rock for several days and left me to fend for myself. It was not too bad; I did have extra chores to do, as the dogs needed their daily care. Aside from that, I watched whatever I wanted on TV, stayed up as late as I could, and ate what I wanted, when I wanted.


Saturday evening I met Neal and his family at Swan Creek. I thought it was too cool to swim, but they had been working in the yard and seemed to enjoy a refreshing swim. The girls came home with me and helped get out the annual Meadows Cemetery newsletter. They are good helpers and I was happy to put it in the mail on Monday.


Glen and Patsy Kenyon celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary on July 17 with a party at the Taneyville Municipal Building. There was cake and punch and the company of many friends and relatives. Congratulations Glen and Pat….May you enjoy many more “Golden Years” together! Bye for now.

Betty Jo & Her Boys

Just Me and the Girls

Rick took a friend to the VA Hospital in Little Rock and I have been "on my own" since Thursday morning. Ashton texted me late this afternoon and asked if I would like to meet them at Swan Creek for a swim. ... and then asked if she and Erin could come home with me.

We met at the creek about 8:00 p.m. and after they all had a good swim, the girls and I came home. What do they usually do first when they get here? One turns on the TV and the other gets on the computer. Well, we have misplaced a remote for the TV and when she tried turning it on the old-fashioned way, something got out of whack. I messed with it a little and finally told her we would just have no TV tonight. Little did they know I had another project in mind.

As secretary/caretaker for the Meadows Cemetery, my project today has been pulling together the annual newsletter which goes out to a mailing list of sixty people. I printed newsletter and pictures and the girls folded them all, stuffed and licked the envelopes. What great helpers they have been. Here it is almost midnight and we have spent the entire evening without TV in the background.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

MADISON'S BIRTHDAY

We celebrated Madison Tilley's 5th birthday at Grandma Christie's house. Madison and her big sis, Makaylee, helped Grandma decorate the pretty cake. Here is the birthday girl with cousin Erin and friends, Jordan and John.

DOGWOOD ACRES, 07/13/09

SWAN CREEK

DOGWOOD ACRES, 07/13/09, ELANE CRUM
Hello friends. A family outing at Swan Creek Friday night was a refreshing end to a hot summer day. I sat my chair in the water to cool my toes. Erin and Madison played in the water well into the twilight. Their playtime ended when Erin thought she spotted a snake and they came running out as fast as little legs could move them.

Rick and Neal built a fire to roast hot dogs and Neal roasted fresh vegetables from his garden. Ears of sweet corn chopped into small pieces, zucchini squash and chunks of new potatoes, wrapped in tin foil, cooked up tender and tasty.

Ashton and Erin came home with us and stayed until Sunday morning. Saturday was a sleep-in time for them, but I got up early and went to John and Marguerite Sloan’s barn sale. Rick always tells me not to bring home any more “stuff”, but I bought a picnic table that he needs to go get for me.

It is a nice big round table with benches attached and an umbrella stand in the center. They had brought it with them when they moved from their flatland Kansas farm. Unfortunately, their Taney County yard is not flat enough for the table to sit level. I sure will be happy to get it.

Saturday afternoon we went to Bill and Christie’s for Madison Tilley’s birthday party. Madison turned five years old and had a good time with several small friends and cousins to play with.
After leaving Christie’s house we took the girls to see Brule’ at the RFD Theatre. Brule’ and his band, American Indian Rock Opera, performed an amazing show of Native American Music, unlike any we had ever heard. There were also a number of dancers dressed in beautiful Native American costumes. They will be in Branson through July 19, so if you get a chance to see them, I don’t think you will be disappointed.

This week we will say good-bye and pay final respects to a Bull Creek original old-timer. Charley Glover, age 93, passed away on Saturday. Visitation will be Wednesday from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Whelchel’s in Forsyth. Funeral service time and location has not yet been finalized.

Rick and I drove down to the cemetery Sunday afternoon and on across the creek. Crossing the Goodnight Hollow Slab on a hot weekend day can be an interesting social experience as there are always a lot of young people keeping cool. We enjoyed seeing Jonathon and Levi Bilyeu this time. Jonathon was carrying a long handled shovel with the intent of killing a snake and Levi was getting ready to boil a pot full of crawdads. I have never eaten boiled crawdads but Rick says they are quite tasty.

I received a phone call from my friend, Judi, who found six young dogs on Glade Top Trail. It was apparent that they had been left to fend for themselves, but in this horrific heat, the Glade Top is not a great place to find food or water. After carrying feed and water to them for several days, they were finally able to capture all six. Four will be going to the County Animal Shelter in Hollister, she has found a home for one and will be putting the other one on Craig’s List. Not likely that the person who dumped the dogs will ever read this, but Judi just wants them to know she does not think much of them for their thoughtless actions.

Rick stopped to visit Danny Frazier and came home with some of Danny’s newest artworks, necklaces made from deer antler. They have a cross cut into them and strung on a piece of leather make a real pretty necklace. I chose one that came from the button of the antler.
Danny’s mom, Ruby Brafford, is recovering very nicely from a broken ankle. She is happy to be home again and the Dr. has lifted most of her restrictions.

The FREE annual fish fry, sponsored by Taneyville Union Chapel, is scheduled for Saturday, July 18, at Sullenger Park in Taneyville. Bring a covered dish and lawn chair as dinner begins at 5:30 and the singing starts at 7pm. Guest entertainers will be Southern Raised, Bob Hammons and Wildwood. That sounds like a good way to end the week. Bye for now.

VIETNAM ~1967/68

Rick served in Vietnam in 1967-68 - Ninth Infantry Division, 3rd Battalion, 47th Infantry in a Reconnaissance Platoon. The young soldiers who served together share memories that will never be forgotten. Just this week, forty-two years later, Rick reconnected with Keith Craig, one of those war-time buddies.

Almus & Dorothy Ragsdale~July 4, 2009

Uncle Almus with great-grandson "Little Almus"

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Almus Ragsdale, 07/04/09

Thank you for serving our country!

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Almus & Dorothy with some of their children & grandchildren. With 12 kids and busy lives; it is hard to get everyone there at the same time.


Almus & Dorothy's daughter-in-law, Carrie Ragsdale and daughter, Candy, shared these pictures on Facebook. They had a big family picnic on July 4.

DOGWOOD ACRES, 07/06/09

DOGWOOD ACRES, 07/06/09, ELANE CRUM
Hello friends. Is time flying? July 4th is history once again and I saw Halloween decorations in a local retail store today.

Rick, I, Bill, and Mary Lou Hodges went to Starvy Creek Bluegrass Festival on Friday. So did a lot of other Taney County neighbors. We saw several that we know, but did not get to say “HI” to all. I saw Bill and Barbara Starrett walking through the crowd, but when I went to look in the general direction they were headed, never could find them.

We took a walk through the campground; someone said there were about 400 campers there. As you know, I am not a traditional camper, but I could enjoy one of those air-conditioned RV’s.

It rained for the first two to three hours and I relaxed in the car, read a book and took a nap. Rick toughed it out with an umbrella keeping him semi-dry and never missed a note. The sun came out about 3:00 p.m. and then it was a beautiful evening. We stayed until the last song was sung and got home about 1:00 a.m. on Saturday.

Funeral services are scheduled for our long-time H Hwy neighbor, Helen Everett. Visitation will be on Wednesday from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. and the funeral will be on Thursday, July 9, 10:00 a.m. Both services will be at Whelchel Funeral Chapel.

Lois Andela called and asked me to announce a reunion for the family of Efton and Mary Boyd. The reunion will be at Forsyth First Baptist Church on Saturday, July 11, beginning at 9:30 a.m. The meal is potluck and she said for everyone to bring a family joke to share.

The Biggs family had their annual vacation (staycation) at Blue Waters Resort on Bull Shoals Lake. I don’t know just who all was there but from Bill and Christie’s clan there was “5 grandkids + 1 dad + 1 uncle + 2 grandparents in a cabin on the lake“. Dakota Ray Bilyeu woke them with a song and I think the fun just got better from there.

Chuck Keithley celebrated his 82nd birthday on July 6, with a houseful of wonderful friends and his sweet family. I heard that there was some good pickin’ and grinnin’ from Howard Hale and David Houseman.

There was a big Fourth of July celebration at Almus and Dorothy Ragsdale’s on Saturday afternoon. I have enjoyed seeing pictures that the kids took; Uncle Almus and Aunt Dorothy are looking good.

LeaAnn’s aunt and uncle, Terry and Sandra (Turner) Clopper, from Farmington, were at church Sunday and at Bill and Mary Lou’s for Sunday dinner. Terry, Sandra, and their two daughters, Amy and Stephanie all graduated from College of the Ozarks. While here this weekend Sandra visited Hazel Dilday, who she had worked with many, many years ago at Headstart. It sounded like they had a good visit, catching up on one another’s family happenings.

We still have two puppies that need to find new homes. They are sweet and will apparently eat about anything. This I know, because they ate my Cannas down to the ground while having a frolic in the flowerbed. Please call Rick at 796-2357! Bye for now.

Happy Birthday America!

There is something very American about sitting in the porch swing, eating an apple dumpling with ice cream and listening to fireworks celebrations from Rockaway Beach to Bull Creek.

Congratulations Graduates!

Rick's niece, Marcia Crum Galata,with her folks, Kenny and Patty Crum
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Crums who attended Marcia's graduation
Keith Crum, Debbie Crum, Ivan Benston, Marcia Crum Galata, Patty Crum, Kenny Crum
Shari Crum Mitchell, Dustin and Kara Mitchell
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"Marcia Crum Galata"
Ultrasound Technician
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"Kasie Bilyeu Fisher"
LPN

Dogwood Acres Weekly, 06/29/09

DOGWOOD ACRES, 06/29/09, ELANE CRUM

Hello friends. Oh, How I love the cool front that has blasted through. Saturday was the hottest day of June at about 98^ and I had people looking at acreages. Buyers like to explore and I was more than happy to hand them a can of chigger spray and a map while I waited inside the air-conditioned house.

The First time homebuyer tax credit of $8000 and low interest rates are good reasons for buyers to take advantage of all the good buys in our real estate world.

Rick went with me on the last appointment Saturday evening and from there we went to Doyle and Frances Humbyrd’s home for Doyle’s birthday cookout. There was just a little bit of breeze down in their little hollow, but the ice cream did not stay frozen very long. Remember, it was the hottest day of June, 2009!

As the cool front came through Saturday night, we were blessed with almost one-half inch of sweet rain. I loved knowing that it was giving my flowers a good soaking, although I had carried water in the middle of Saturday’s heat. Most of my flowers are within reach of the garden hose, but I have a few looking sad out by the road. While I was out there with a bucket of water, Farris and Wanda Bilyeu stopped by for a visit. They were on their way to cut cedar…While we were visiting; another truck came along so the Bilyeu’s went on. The next truck stopped and fellow in a big cowboy hat said, “I have seen you one time since high school”. I had to admit that I had no idea who he was. It was Ernie Dalton, just coming from a visit next door with Mike and Joyce Stenger, Anna Belle Dalton and the grandkids.

Friday morning I made an early yard sale stop at Newton and Billie Matthews big barn. They were both relaxing in the shade while daughter, Saundra, and granddaughter, Lisa, ran the sale. The barn was full of treasures and I brought home a few although Rick had told me not to bring home any junk. There were enough coffee pots to start a coffee shop, but I’ll bet you could still get a cup of coffee at Newt & Billie’s. They have served thousands of cups of coffee to friends and family in the last fifty or so years, welcoming prayer meetings, family reunions and music parties.

Speaking of reunions, Mary Farris called to tell me about the large gathering of the John and Frances Rowland family. More than eighty family members met on June 14 and a good time was had by all. Mary did not know how many years the family has had a reunion, but she and Ray have attended 53, one every year they have been married. Ray’s mother, Myrtle, was one of John and Frances’ fourteen children.

The Biggs household is busy this week. Bill is on vacation and cooking spaghetti for the house full of grandkids that arrived on Monday. Dakota Bilyeu and Colby Biggs went to Bull Creek Sunday afternoon and I think there is some talk of camping. Surely, not in the back yard; I would not sleep a wink if I thought there was a chance my little nephews and nieces could be carried off by a black bear.

Etzel Tilley passed away this past week. Sean went to family night Sunday night and funeral on Monday morning. He got to visit with cousins he had not seen for awhile.

Rick has two frisky squirrel dog puppies that need a home. They are Treeing Feists, small, energetic and extremely loveable. For more information, call 796-2357. To see pictures look at my blog,

www.dogwoodacresOnline.com or Facebook page, facebook.com/elane.crum. Bye for now.

Welcome to our World

Puppies Looking for a Home!

Two of these little guys are looking for a home. They are about 8 wks old, weaned and eating hard food. They are Treeing Feists....google for more info!