Dogwood Acres, 03/01/10

DOGWOOD ACRES, 03/01/10, ELANE CRUM

Hello friends. Ricky Lee and Roger Dee are celebrating a birthday on Wednesday; they have already talked on the phone congratulating one another on a long life and lamenting the years of their youth. I told Rick we would go out to eat for his birthday every day this week; we’ll see how that goes.

Granddaughter Erin played in the Plainview Tournament last week, so we made that trek three nights for ballgames and on Wednesday night for church. We also tried to watch the Olympics, but most nights saw only the last hour or two.

Both girls came home with us after the Friday night game and we bounced out of bed early on Saturday to attend the 2010 Walk for Wishes with our friend Dane Humbyrd. The walk, held at Battlefield Mall, was to raise funds for the Make a Wish Foundation. It was definitely a great experience and a wonderful way to make memories with our church family.

After the walk was over, there was shopping to be done. After all, one cannot expect to take two girls to the mall and leave without shopping. Nor, can it be expected to find everything you need at one store, so we walked and walked some more. All in all the day was a success with Ashton finding shoes that pleased her and Erin finding beads for a new necklace. Oh yes, visits to two different bead stores rounded out our shopping trip.

I got reports that a Bilyeu Family Christmas party was held on Sunday afternoon. It was not ours; we did manage to do it before Christmas, but the offspring of Hosea and Thelma Bilyeu, that gathered at Rick and Gay Lea Thomas’ home. One of the kids put a video on Facebook and it reminded me of the Christmas parties we used to crash at Uncle Hosea and Aunt Thelma’s. There was singing with kids and grandkids from seven to 70+ singing songs about Heaven.

Just a few weeks ago when Neal and LeaAnn spent an evening with us, we watched videos that I took of Uncle Hosea playing the guitar and singing at a family Christmas in their Taneyville home. Sweet, sweet memories….glad there are new ones being made and thankful for Flip Video and Facebook that let me peek in the living room window.

The H Hwy Pink Ribbon Mystery has been solved. Perhaps I am not the only one who wondered why there was an array of pink ribbons tied around the “Old Pine Tree” near Leon and Connie Hammond’s driveway. Leon had no yellow ribbons, only pink, to welcome Connie home from her Vancouver hockey and Olympics adventure. As they say, “it is the thought that counts”.

Connie’s adventure was truly a mission from the heart as she shared her story of childhood polio and the challenges and opportunities that resulted. She accompanied daughter and family, Stephanie, Ross and 5-year old Caleb, and the Northern Lights Hockey Team from Bloomington, MN. Their team was invited to play exhibition games in British Columbia, participate in Olympic Torch ceremonies, speak in schools and raise money for polio vaccines as part of the Rotary International Polio Plus Campaign.

It was a strenuous trip with several modes of travel involved, including a ride in a wheelbarrow. I have enjoyed reading about the trip on their website,

www.athletevillage.com . Grandson Caleb has his own page filled with great pictures and stories of the trip through his five-year old eyes.

Glen and Patsy Kenyon’s granddaughter, Lorna Deskins, is taking off on a trip Tuesday morning. Now a sophomore at Jefferson High School in Boulder, MT, Lorna was nominated to represent her school and community at the National Young Leaders Conference in Washington D.C. Lorna’s family is so proud of her commitment and accomplishment. Bye for now.