Dogwood Acres, 01/31/11

DOGWOOD ACRES, 01/31/11, ELANE CRUM
Hello friends. Will we have ice? Will we have snow? Will it be an ice storm, a blizzard, or both? Only God knows and the rest of us just have to wait and see. Rick has prepared our wood furnace for a fire, just in case we should lose power. I joined the hungry throngs at the super market and am prepared with sandwich material. When I got home he had a Venison neck roast in the crockpot, potatoes and carrots, peeled and ready to put in later.
It has been years since we have had a snow or ice storm of proportions that truly altered our lifestyle. I brought home equipment needed to work, but if we lose power, I will read books, take naps and try to stay warm. That will be an altered lifestyle for me.
Last week was a sad one for our Lone Star neighbors. Rick and I attended visitations for Clell Smithson and Leora Myers. While it is such a sad time for their families, we saw several people that we do not see often. There was Jim Davis who was one of Rick’s classmates and they had not seen one another since high school. Jim’s sister, Linda, was one of my best high school friends; now kids call them bff’s or “besties”. Anyway, several other classmates came along and they all had a good visit.
LeaAnn’s Uncle Ed Turner passed away early this morning. He was such a sweet man, so special to all of his family and will be missed greatly.
Rick was with a friend at the V.A. Clinic in Branson last week and got to see our niece, Kasie, at work. She does eye tests and showed Rick her office and the equipment that she uses.
Our nephew, Colby Biggs, came to the house one night to use my printer. A Dean’s List student at Vatterott, Colby is doing his internship for Medical Assistant at The Doctor’s Hospital Clinic in Nixa. We are proud of these kids and feel better just knowing they are close to us. When I fell and cracked my head a few months ago, they were both here in minutes to administer first aid.
Rick and I are watching a movie on TV and he keeps pacing to the door to see if the weather is doing anything yet. The roast is smelling good and we are ready to settle in for a long winter night. Hope everyone stays warm and safe until this is all over. Bye for now.

Dogwood Acres, 01/24/11

DOGWOOD ACRES, 01/24/11, ELANE CRUM
Hello friends. We have survived another snow storm. I stayed home one day but still had internet and phone service so was not really a day off. Seems that kind of weather puts me in the mood to bake and I did find time to bake a batch of oatmeal-raisin cookies.
I had a client who flew from Chicago into the Branson Airport two days before the snow came. Of course, she didn’t think our little snow amounted to much, but was a good sport and stayed in her motel on the snow day. We made up for it the rest of the week with several trips to Galena, Cape Fair and Rockaway Beach.

While I had long days, Rick was a good sport and ate canned soup, frozen burritos and Braunschweiger sandwiches. I didn’t feel too bad about it as those are some of his favorite foods. Little Fox and Zoey kept him busy as he let them in and out about 20 times a day trying to avoid any accidents from the puppy.

Jeff Dalton got out to take Janet to work on the snow day and then came to visit Rick. It reminded me of how Daddy liked to get out in the snow just to see if he could.

Daddy’s birthday is tomorrow. It hardly seems possible that he has been gone almost 4 years. We always had a birthday party but his favorite birthday tradition was to go hunting; he called it his “Birthday Hunt”. He would spend all day in the woods, either on or near the day of his birthday. Whether or not the hunt was successful, it was still his special day. Happy Birthday Daddy. Bye for now.

Dogwood Acres, 01/10/ll

DOGWOOD ACRES, 01/10/11, ELANE CRUM

Hello friends. I hope none of you got in the ditch on this snowy day. Not one to blaze a trail on snow-covered roads, I waited until Shannon Wilson and my sis got to Branson and gave me an all clear. I saw three cars in deep ditches and felt sorry for their drivers.

Rick called mid-afternoon to let me know it was snowing and I might want to hurry home, but I was writing a purchase contract which takes a little time. It was 4:30 before I left the office, 31 degrees, light snow and wet roads. Those things changed when I reached the “High Country”, officially at the top of Jim Berry’s hill. The road was snow covered, temp dropped to 29 and my breathing became labored as my hands tightened on the steering wheel. The one car following me turned off at Lone Star Road, probably glad to not have my tail lights in view any longer. There was fresh car tracks going into Christie’s driveway so I knew she was home safe. I talked to Dawn who said Jim slipped and slid some, but, I know he likes a little excitement.

Rick helped Neal install cabinets at a new home near Seymour last week. I didn’t think a construction sight was a very safe place for the puppy, so Zoey went to work with me. She stole the hearts of everyone in my office, but I finally got her to take a nap so I could get some work done.

Neal, LeaAnn, Ashton and Erin came over for supper Friday night. LeaAnn brought yummy whole wheat pasta with organic tomato sauce, avocado and black bean dip with whole grain crackers and I made venison sloppy joes to go with our green salad. The girls brought their clothes and stayed until church on Sunday. I showed property Saturday while they watched movies with PaPa Rick, Little Fox and Zoey.

Christie Biggs and Madison Tilley visited the Dogwood Acres Aunts and Uncles Saturday night, starting first at Jim and Dawn’s. Then, they came here and had fun playing with Puppy Zoey. Madison is in the first grade now and we had fun talking about the olden days when Grandma Christie, Uncle Jim and Aunt Lanie were little kids in school at Taneyville.

Joe Bob Gideon triggered a few memories tonight when he posted an old pictures of his Great-Uncle Harrison Gideon on Facebook. Actually, it was a copy of a yellowed newspaper clipping with Harrison holding a 4ft+ Rattlesnake with 9 rattlers. It was the third Rattler that he had taken near his Pine Ridge home that year. That may have been back around the time that the Rattlesnakes and Copperheads made such a stir at Pine Ridge Church.

We don’t see many Rattlesnakes now, but they were sure plentiful back in “them good ol’ days”. Bye for now.

Dogwood Acres, 01/03/2011

DOGWOOD ACRES, 01/03/2011, ELANE CRUM

Hello friends & Happy New Year! I got last week’s column in late and missed the deadline, so will write a little more to go with it. Christmas and New Year’s activities were wonderful and I wouldn’t trade the memories for anything, but now it is time to get down to business with this new year. I had a closing two days before year’s end and am working on January’s business, showing properties and taking pictures of a new listing.

Ashton and Erin went back to school on Monday, but they spent the last few days of Christmas vacation with us. There was Christmas money burning holes in their pockets so we went shopping. They know what they want and make their own decisions, which makes it easy for me. I can browse through the “old lady” departments or sit on a bench as long as necessary. Ashton needed art supplies so we visited Michael’s where her cousin, Makaylee, checked us out. She was so efficient and had us signed up for a rewards card in no time flat! Ashton was busy before Christmas doing some special order pencil sketch portraits for a lady in Branson. She is so talented and really makes the eyes sparkle in her drawings.

Erin’s basketball season started with a 5/6th grade scrimmage at Thornfield on Thursday night. We took Trent with us and had a fun trip which was 55 miles one way from our house. Just before we got to Thornfield, we went through Long Run where my grandparents used to go to revival services. The kids couldn’t believe they would drive so far and decided they must not have had much to do back then.

Bill and Christie have been traveling a few miles to watch Vanessa play basketball. This is her Senior year at Blue Eye and will be a busy ball season for all of them.

Kasie Fisher brought Justin’s three little nieces to see us Friday afternoon. They are little tykes, all pre-school age, and surely have fun with Uncle Justin and Aunt Kasie. Instead of driving over she walked through the woods, down the hill from the barn, drank water from our spring pipe, then up the steep hill to our house. No doubt the little girls must think that we live in the deep dark woods.

While Ashton and I went to Branson Friday afternoon, Erin stayed with Kasie and the girls. They all went to Dawn’s house and the little girls made pretty Christmas cookies for the Fisher family Christmas party. Kasie is young and must have a lot of energy, but she is making precious memories with these little ones.

Jeff Dalton is offering a $500 reward for the confirmed identification of person or persons who took his Horton Legend XL Crossbow and return of the crossbow with scope and quiver, all in good condition. Anyone with information can call Jeff at 546-5827.

We are sad for the Hoggard and Smith families as Dad, Don Smith, passed away unexpectedly. Don was also brother to our Uncle Bill Smith. Linda Sue and Jim were glad to have the kids and grandkids in to spend a few days with them, but all have gone back home now to work and school.

Kathy Keithley Johnston has been posting some wonderful “oldie, but goodie” photos on face book. With her permission, I am snatching some of them to put on the Bilyeu Family Website. Okay now, you Bilyeu cousins, be sure to check them out and add some of your own.

Rick talks to his mom in Oregon often and sounded like she had a good Christmas with Aunt Barb visiting from Portland. Bye for now.

CHRISTMAS PICTURES 2010

Dogwood Acres, 12/27/10

DOGWOOD ACRES, 12/27/10, ELANE CRUM

Hello friends. This will be the last time in 2010 that I say “Hello friends” and share with you some of the memories made in my life.

Rick and I looked forward to going to Neal and LeaAnn’s for Christmas Eve. I was wrapping gifts and mentally packing the car, making room for two dogs, two crates, the gifts and our own overnight stuff. During this planning process “Son” called to see if we could pick up LeaAnn’s gift. It made sense to him, after all it was somewhere between Taneyville and Bradleyville and would be “on our way”.

Me: “Well….maybe, but….just how big is this Pygmy Goat? Is it as big as Little Fox? Can I hold it in my lap?”

Son: “Maybe a little bigger than Little Fox…more the size of Dad’s squirrel dogs.”

Me: “I don’t think so. Can’t you and the girls go get it and hide it at Granny’s house?”

So, it was agreed that Dad and I would not help with that surprise. Thank Goodness!! During the evening festivities Neal disappeared and came back carrying the “surprise goat” which promptly scattered black pills all over the kitchen floor. LeaAnn was thrilled with this creature which holds the promise of rich milk, soft soap and sweet babies. I could not imagine just how we would have transported that goat in my car and so thankful to have missed the opportunity.

Neal was just full of living, breathing surprises this Christmas. On Christmas morning he disappeared early and just about the time Ashton and Erin began to wonder where he was, he came walking up the hill leading a pretty little quarter-horse.

Christmas Eve was fun with a visit from “Red-Neck Santa” or “Hillbilly Nick” as Neal likes to call her. This year it turned into a P.J. party as Mary Lou had a box full of matching flannel P.J.’s which we all pulled on over our other clothes. Oh, and there was also red Santa Hats for everyone. We were quite the comical looking bunch, but it made for cute family pictures.

LeaAnn watches yard sales all year long and chooses special items which can be personalized to each family member. Last year Rick was the proud recipient of colorful authentic “HeeHaw overalls which he still wears with pride.

Mary Lou fixed her traditional huge country breakfast on Christmas morning and Erin read the Christmas Story from Luke Chapter two. It was a very good day filled with blessings and memories.

Jim, Dawn, and their kids had an Oklahoma Christmas, visiting Dawn’s mom and the Haffner family in Western Oklahoma. We kept Malcolm here with our dogs and Bill Biggs fed Dawn’s chickens. He said something about having chicken and noodles for Christmas dinner.
Bill and Christie had Christmas Eve dinner with Steve and Anita and on Christmas Day they visited Uncle Bill and Aunt Roma. It was a good Christmas. Bye for now.

Dogwood Acres, 12/20/10

DOGWOOD ACRES, 12/20/10, ELANE CRUM
Hello friends. Another busy week down with chocolate fudge, white fudge, carrot cake and pecan pies. No, I did not make all of that but sure have enjoyed it. I did make white chocolate fudge just for Rick. I have made it two ways using the traditional marshmallow crème recipe If you leave out the chocolate chips, it is white and if you use white chocolate chips, it is a little more white and creamier. I don’t know that I can tell much difference between the two.

Christie Biggs and Madison Tilley came to see us Sunday afternoon. They were getting ready for Madison’s role as an angel in the Christmas program at Calvary Full Gospel and borrowed some angel wings from me. I had a tough time being good for the rest of the day without my wings, but got them back in 24 hours, so I will be okay.

While they were here, Fran Robertson came to visit. She was bringing Christmas wishes and fudge; we were really really glad to see her!

Santa came to our house a few days early last week and that is because Rick was so anxious to surprise me and just could not wait until Christmas. He brought me an adorable “teenie weenie” puppy, also known as a miniature Dachshund. The little girl is about 6 inches long and just precious. She reminds us so much of the puppy we bought in Killeen, TX, on our wedding day. Little Fox is cautiously accepting the little one. We just have to keep a close eye on their play time to make sure that Foxie doesn’t play too rough.

Monday night was our annual Bilyeu Family Christmas Party at Bill and Christie’s house. Christie played old family movies and we had a good spaghetti dinner. Our gift exchange was the “Dirty Santa” game and there was loads of fun and surprises. Vanessa was proud to get a roll of Grandpa Bilyeu’s Wheat Pennies, Makaylee got a collection of original “Lake Queen” mugs with Grandpa and Grandma Bilyeu’s names engraved on them. Kasie was the winner of a bag of blonde hair dye (wonder who does not use that any more?). It was a fun evening and the most precious thing any of us took home was new memories.

Neal, LeaAnn, their girls and Grandpa and Granny Hodges went to Robert and Arlena Maggard’s house for the Hodges Family Christmas on Saturday. They shopped in Ozark on their way home and had a very full day.

Bill and Christie’s family went to Sean’s house Saturday night for their immediate family Christmas with kids and grandkids.

Amidst all the parties, Colby begins 10 weeks of “Clinical Studies” at Ozark Community Hospital in Nixa. this week. He has worked really hard and I am proud of him.

Rick and I went to Plainview’s Christmas program on Tuesday night. Erin is a 6th grader now and loves to sing. Music teacher, Sheila Thomas, does a great job with the kids and they put on a good program.

Muzzle loader season opened on Saturday and Rick filled a tag Monday. He has hunted hard for weeks without seeing anything, so we are thankful for the fresh deer meat in our freezer.

As we try to keep up with all of the fun and activities, let us be ever mindful that “Jesus is the Reason for the Season“. We have Christmas because of the Christ child. He did not come to create a “Winter Holiday” as some would like to make it. Bye for now.

Compatibility View

So - you may wonder what the title of this post means? Well, so do I, although I know a little more about it than I did two months ago. Dogwood Acres is always written in a word processing program (I use Works), then, using "copy & paste", I copy it into the blog....a very simple procedure. . . . . until a couple of months ago when the procedure no longer worked! Tonight I decided to "google" the issue and behold....millions of other people were experiencing the same problem and "Google" had the answer. Don't know why it changed, but to fix it I had to go into "Tools" on the right hand side of the So, HERE'S WHAT YOU DO. Put IE into compatibility view when on the blogger page. It's in the Tools menu. It works! This may not be an issue for every computer, but happened to me after I got a new computer with IE8 (Internet Explorer 8)

If anyone is still reading my blog, check back and I will try to get caught up with Dogwood Acres.

Dogwood Acres, 12/13/10

DOGWOOD ACRES, 12/13/10, ELANE CRUM
Hello friends. With Christmas now less than two weeks away, I am beginning to feel the time crunch. We do not typically have a hectic social schedule, but with three invitations for last Saturday night, a choice had to be made and we went to my RE/MAX office party. It was a fun evening at my broker’s home, eating good food and spending casual time with my office family. We were all glad to see Norm France up and about, walking on both legs. He had a battle with one of his bulls back in the summer and the bull won that round I think the bull is gone now, but you can’t keep a good man down and Norm is moving round bales and salt blocks.
It was such a bitterly cold night to be out and we were really glad that our party was not on the Showboat Branson Belle. That would not have been my idea of a great way to spend a night on the lake.
One of the events that we missed was the Lone Star Christmas. Justin and Kasie were there and she texted me a picture of Aunt Bonnie sitting on Santa’s knee. I know she must have been the oldest person to visit Santa that night.
Rick had a busy week helping Neal and our church family get the new sanctuary ready for Sunday services. There were several volunteers who helped make it happen and what a blessing it was. Our piano man, Al Pulis, made a special trip from Branson to move the baby grand and tune it. New pews were in place in the new sanctuary and old pews were moved into basement classrooms and tables put in the old sanctuary which is now our fellowship hall. God moved with us and met us where we were.
Our annual Community Christmas Dinner was Sunday at 4:00 p.m., so we got to use the new fellowship hall too. After many years of eating in the classrooms it was fun to be able to meet together in one space. My sister, Christie, and her granddaughter, Madison, came to eat with us.
In spite of the Christmas spirit, Scrooge has also been sneaking around. He, or one of his sneaky helpers, broke into Jeff and Janet Dalton’s house last week and stole Jeff’s crossbow. Jeff had used the Horton bow for many years and sure hated to lose it. That is so hateful, I don’t know why anybody would want to do such a thing.
I saw Aunt Roma and Uncle Bill Friday afternoon. We had a good visit and watched the DVD that cousin Alvie sent with Uncle Bruce telling his funny stories. He sure had a knack for that and we always loved hearing them over and over again.
Jim and Dawn had an early Christmas surprise when they got up Sunday morning and found a strange car in their driveway and Trent sound asleep in one of the spare bedrooms. They had expected to see him next week, but we are all happy to have him home early. Bye for now.

Sandy Church