Dogwood Acres, 05/31/10

DOGWOOD ACRES, 05/31/10, ELANE CRUM

Hello friends. Yard sale is over, tables put away, leftovers boxed up for the Pregnancy Clinic fundraiser and we are almost back to normal. It was a good weekend and Rick is so very pleased to have sent our stuff home with many of you. From what I heard, the other three yard sales just about had a sellout too.

In addition to cleaning out the corners, the other benefit to a yard sale is getting to visit with friends, family and neighbors, both near and far. There were people here from Arkansas, Oklahoma, West Plains, Theodosia, Bradleyville, Forsyth, Chadwick, Ozark, Crane, Branson, Cedarcreek and Spokane, just to name a few.

Pete and Lois Andela celebrated their 52nd wedding anniversary with us on Saturday. Pete sat in the shade and visited with Rick while Lois shopped for the grandkids. We wish them many more years together.

Ashton and Erin were good helpers; we could not have made it without them. They were troopers and didn’t quit until the last box was packed and tables put away.

Jim and Dawn had a house full of company with her family from Oklahoma visiting for the weekend. I think there was a trip or two to Bull Creek being worked into their schedule of fun.

I was delighted to see my sweet cousins, Gay Lea Thomas and Anita Kay (Pete) White, come driving in on Saturday. Rick enjoyed showing the namesake dogs, Bud and Pete, to Anita Kay. Her late husband, Bud White, had given Rick his first Treeing Feists, which are pretty special to Rick.

Gay and Anita’s Aunt Anna Belle Dalton was here with son-in-law Mike Stenger early Saturday. Annie has had a tough time with some health issues, but looking good now!

After everything was over on Saturday, I was so bone tired that I could not imagine ever doing another yard sale. Today I am rested and looking around the house, notice a number of things that should have gone in the sale, so we will see what next year brings. Thanks to so many of you who came to shop and visit.

Late Saturday evening, Christie and Bill, Rick, Ashton, Erin and I drove down to Meadows Cemetery to decorate the graves of our loved ones. It is so beautiful and peaceful there and a great reminder to us of our heritage. I always point out the graves of their ancestors to our granddaughters wanting them to remember that they have deep roots in the Bull Creek Country. They counted on their fingers how many generations of "greats" there are.
Sunday was a big day for us as Ashton celebrated her 16th birthday. We got up early and stopped at McDonald’s for breakfast on our way to church at Sandy. They spent the afternoon with Turner family cousins at Squires and we celebrated her birthday after church Sunday night.

Neal grilled burgers and there was cake and ice cream to go with her birthday surprises. While Ashton was at our house for a few days, Neal and LeaAnn had made some changes at home giving Ashton a new bedroom with private bath and huge tiled shower. Our little girl has grown up way too fast.

Rick picked Ashton up from her last day at school on Thursday and she brought home a couple of awards certificates. One was for outstanding art, which did not surprise us as she continues to do amazing drawings all the time. The other was for Outstanding Academic Excellence, a President’s Education Awards Program. She was one of two students in the school to get this impressive award.

It is picnic time again in Taneyville with the annual picnic to be on Saturday, June 5. Fun starts at 10:00 a.m. and goes through the day, ending with a music filled evening. There are dozens of events planned, surely something for everybody, so grab a lawn chair and head on over. Bye for now.