DOGWOOD ACRES, 12/21/09

Jim Bilyeu, proud owner of Uncle Bill's Mule Deer mount

Marilyn, Aunt Roma, Uncle Bill, Chuck

DOGWOOD ACRES, 12/21/09, ELANE CRUM
Hello friends. Christmas is almost here and our social life has kicked in for the season. Two nights in a row found us at family gatherings and by Sunday night, we were ready to curl up our toes and relax. On Friday night we were with LeaAnn’s family at her brother’s house in Nixa for the traditional “Redneck” Christmas Party. LeaAnn writes, coordinates and choreographs this part of the evening. PaPaw Rick was the proud recipient of brightly colored original HeeHaw overalls; my gift was a chandelier light bulb pendant elegantly strung with a piece of rope. For her daddy she wrote a poem to go with a warm stocking cap; for Mary Lou, an avid Fox News fan, another poem. Martin and Amy were serenaded with an original song titled, “MyAmy”, accompanied by LeaAnn on the Ukulele and Ashton’s boyfriend Charlie playing his new “Hillbilly” drum (plastic ice cream bucket). There was more and it was all in good fun. After the boisterous visit from the Hillbilly Santa, the pace changed when Martin began tuning his fiddle and LeaAnn warmed up the guitar. They always sound good, but seemed like this was just extra special. We finally called it a night and got home in the wee hours of the next day.
Bill and Christie had all thirty of us over to their house on Saturday evening for the Bilyeu Family Christmas party. They prepared several gallons of Venison Stew with cornbread and Sean fried Venison steak. Our mother’s two sisters, Wanetta and Roma were there with uncle Roscoe and Uncle Bill. Bill and Roma’s kids, Chuck and Marilyn, got to be with us and John and Marianne Webster came with the Keithley’s
There was no Redneck Santa at Christie’s house, but we did have a Chinese gift exchange, with everyone bringing something from home. There were several highly desired gifts; one being Uncle Bill’s big Mule deer mount from Modoc County in California. Marty’s son, Dakota, thought he had it pinned down, but there was stealing to be done and Uncle Jim ended up with it. Jim brought a gallon jar filled with lots of stuff, kinda looked like he may have emptied out a junk drawer, but amongst it all was a roll of Grandpa Bilyeu’s wheat pennies and some of his turkey beards. That went through a few hands before Neal Crum claimed it for the last trade.
Between those two Christmas parties, Neal, LeaAnn, Ashton, Erin, Martin and Amy, Bill and Mary Lou all went to Republic for the Hodges family Christmas dinner at Robert and Arlena Maggard’s home. After three big meals in a row, I don’t think anyone was close to starvation.
Mother’s brother, Walter Davis, will celebrate his 85th birthday on December 30. His kids have reminded us all to send cards, so if any of you old friends would like to send a card, here is his address. Walter Davis, Rt. 1, Box 11, Fall River, KS 67047.
My Christmas shopping is just about finished, most of my cards are mailed out, and we are looking forward to Christmas Day. With all the busyness of the Christmas Season, may we never forget that “Jesus is the Reason for the Season". May the message of Christmas bless you with God’s hope and peace. Bye for now.