DOGWOOD ACRES, 09-28-09

DOGWOOD ACRES, 09/28/09, ELANE CRUM

Hello friends. September’s last weekend was about as perfect as one could hope for as we welcome autumn. Rick met with the neighbors for Saturday morning coffee at Dan Crane’s cabin. As usual, he did not share much news with me, except for the fact that Harry Coleman was riding close to the ground in a little three wheel vehicle.

Sunday services at Sandy Church were good; the kind that make you especially glad that you did not miss. Sunday dinner was extra good too. Bill Hodges fried a nice mess of catfish to go with the white beans and cornbread that Mary Lou had prepared. Ashton and Erin decorated a yummy molasses cake for Amy’s birthday.

While “some” of us found a comfy spot to while away the rest of the afternoon, LeaAnn and the kids went for a long walk to the back of the farm. I sent my camera with her and she came back with sweet pictures of the kids, young calves and the old homestead. Martin ran nine or ten miles and Rick walked the dogs to the mailbox and back a couple of times.

Hodges Sunday Doggy Daycare is interesting with Martin and Amy’s two fluffy boys, Harley and Duke, and our frisky Little Fox. They run and tumble with one another and, when given the opportunity, may tree a cat or two.

Harvey Westfall came to see Rick last week and brought some salmon from his Canadian fishing trip. He had some big fish stories to tell , but did have pictures to back them up.

My Thursday volunteer duty at the White River Valley Historical Society is over as the “New Harmonies” exhibit ended this weekend. I especially enjoyed the lunch time concerts held every Thursday and appreciate new friends made through the six weeks exhibition.

This last Thursday was especially busy with Forsyth high school students coming for a morning tour. Then, the Bradleyville School Band came to set up on the parking lot for a noon-time concert. After setting up their chairs and instruments they came inside to explore the exhibit before concert time. Students from both schools were just a delight to visit with. There was a lot of interest in the variety of instruments on display; some plucked at the 5 strings of the banjo; others experimented with spoons and the washboard. The toilet seat guitar was also intriguing to several, so there was a great variety of music.

At noon they were all in their seats with instruments tuned and ready to play. The “Screaming Eagles” band was awesome; certainly did make their school and families proud.

Hunting season has changed the lifestyle patterns of bow-hunters and their families. Rick’s alarm wakes me up at 6:00 a.m. every morning, whether he gets up or not. Bow season is long enough that there is not a great urgency to be up and at ‘em every single day, so he is pacing himself.

All of these fellows in the woods are looking for deer sign, but bear sign and pig sign also crops up here and there. The latest pig sign was over by my brother, Jim’s house, right in their yard! Had we not seen for ourselves, we would not have believed it, but life on Dogwood Acres is full of surprises. Bye for now.