Barbara Walton
April 1, 2010
Susan Smith and her mother, Maurene Barron, were watching the birds last Monday when a flock – hundreds it looked like – swooped down and landed in their holly tree. This tree just came alive with birds hopping, jumping, and flipping around throughout the branches as they devoured all the holly berries. Susan said that within a matter of ten minutes these Cedar Waxwings had eaten every red berry had flown off, like a big cloud, just as quickly as they had come. We were amazed that I hadn’t seen any as I have two big trees just covered in berries – or I thought I did. Upon a quick check when I returned there was not a berry to be seen. They must have left the Barron house and come to mine. Susan said it was a beautiful sight to see. We both did some research online and found that they can store these berries in a pouch and use them as needed to feed others or themselves which explains why the can eat so many at one time.
Peggy Rockett was released and came home from the nursing home on Monday where she has been undergoing therapy. Since she is unable to get around unassisted Mrs. Jeanette Hunt, her neighbor, is going to help her until she regains more use of her legs. We covet your prayers as Peggy wants to be able to stay at home as we all would. With God as our Great Physician, we know all things are possible. Peggy’s nephew, Danny Manning, has improved some but is not out of the woods yet and continues to need our prayers for a complete recovery. Bro James gave a report on Bro. Forest Post and his recent trip back to his doctor in Dallas. They found him to be anemic and started him on medication and he is doing much, much better – this was an answered prayer and for this we give thanks.
Louise Denton has been able to get out of the office and visit us “old folks” in the past two weeks. She is always so sunny and such a delight to be around. It is so good to have our spirits lifted by seeing such a recovery with Louise back to her laughing and joking again. This is another “Thanks to our good and gracious Father for His goodness to her and to us.
Sunday we celebrated Bro. James’ 5th anniversary back at Spearsville. This makes fifteen years in all – for this we have been, truly blessed. Shirley was unable to attend church but he took the “envelope” back to her as well as a big plate of food that she had specifically asked for. Their daughter Jan, and her grandson, Josh, were able to come but Alan was having a little problem with his heart and was a bit afraid to get this far from Monroe. Of course, everyone fixed those favorite dishes and the counter was covered with so much it was hard to get a taste of each thing on the plate; then we had to think about finding a place for a “sliver” of those delicious desserts. After the meal our young people hid Easter eggs for the kids. I don’t know how many there were but it looked like a park full of kids and they all found a basket full of eggs. We don’t have to ask if they had fun; just remember when we were kids and the fun we had with coloring the eggs; then finding them in every little crevice or bush; later peeling them and seeing how many we could eat.
This past week a driving safety class was taught at the Senior Center in Farmerville and about 20 or 25 of us attended. Spearsville had a good representation of seniors. Attending were: Ronald Foster, Betty Barron, Bruce Barron, John Rhodes, Barbara Walton, Oda Rockett and Marie Rockett. It was very informative and most enjoyable taught by a 90 year old – Mr. Edmonds (I think that was his name) from AARP. By taking this there is a bonus of a lower insurance rate for the next 3 years. I highly recommend this to any of you if you missed out on it this time. Old Dogs can learn new tricks or new information, especially about those interstates and big trucks.
I need to make a correction about Lynsay Deason Lee’s baby. She is expecting Landon Connor in May not July as I stated in last week’s paper. She said that she was sure glad that it was May and not July; I know that is the truth. Kristin and Chris Canterberry brought little McKenzie Brooke for her first visit to church along with Chris’s parents to babysit. That didn’t seem to be a problem for them. McKenzie is perfectly beautiful, dressed in pink from her head to her toes even down to a beautiful pink blanket. There is no way that you can look at such a precious young baby, perfect in every way, and not thank God for the miracle that he has performed and gave to these parents and grandparents.
Bonnie Rhodes, Floy Rea, and I met my daughter Shana, and her friend Patrick Mackin in Vicksburg for lunch along with her dog Tyger that I have been keeping through the winter. After a scrumptious lunch we visited the National Battleground of Vicksburg as Bonnie has never been there. As we drove through we kept seeing monuments of Illinois, Bonnie’s home state, she came to the conclusion that the reason the North won the Civil War was because Illinois was doing all the fighting. We told her they had more and bigger monuments because we were too poor to erect many; good laughs followed as we fought this war all over again from our different perspectives and sometimes shared perspectives.
A week or so ago, I received a phone call from Barrett Malone, the son of Deanna & Alan Malone and the grandson of Diana & Ducky Colvin and also the grandson of Bro. Charles Malone & his wife, Sue. I visited Barrett last year, at his home in Honolulu last June, and got to see him play baseball in his All-Star game. He wanted to catch me up on this year. Barrett has already started his practice sessions and they will begin playing this week, I believe, and he is really looking forward to it. He did a good job last year, even though he was probably the youngest player in the All Star, so should be really good this year. I’m going to cheer him on and I know those proud grandparents will as well. We’re all pulling for you, Barrett and as you pitch this year.
Last week Jonathan Nunnally, son of Theresa Stone Bruno, was on leave and visited with his grandmother, Ann Stone-Heard. This week he was still on leave and visited with his Aunt Jennifer Lenard and was treated to of Stanley’s good hamburgers. Don’t you know that was a treat as he has only been back from the war zone since Christmas. Jonathan is being transferred from Ft. Hood in Texas to Ft. Campbell, KY. Justin Pepper was last heard from when he was in Singapore. All is going well and he is taking lots of pictures. We can hardly wait for him to get off that ship and head home; we want to hear all about it.
Floy Rea is celebrated her upcoming birthday on Sunday. Her children Sharon and Jan and their husbands Dale Line and Ski Wawrzyniak came for church and stayed for lunch. Sharon & Dale brought their youngest granddaughter, 8-months old, Lexie; she is just precious and didn’t make a peep during the church service; the afternoon was spent visiting for a while, also. Ski liked Marie Rockett’s corn casserole so well that Marie just gave him the leftovers to take home with him – with a recipe to follow. Ski has retired and he is doing a lot of cooking now – of course, he has always been a good cook. Ski taught me to eat fish when he fried pieces special for me – very thin, lots of good batter, fried crisp and gave me one piece at a time to try. It’s good and can you believe a Yankee from PA fried them well so well that I actually learned to like them and even go to Hollis’ now.
Vergil Rhodes was not feeling like being at church Sunday and we missed him. Maybe by next week he will have bounced back and he will, once more be greeting us.
Ruth Sunday School Class met in the home of Patsy Sunders on Thursday night. Patsy had a delicious meal of tacos with all the trimmings and dessert. After the meal, Ann Stone-Heard gave the devotional. Those attending were: Marie Rockett, Oda Rockett, Betty Barron, Ann Sones, Ann Stone-Heard and Patsy Saunders. It was announced that the next meeting would be in three months and the place would be announced at a later date.
Thought for the Day
Be mindful that happiness isn’t based on possessions, power or prestige, but on relationships with people we like and respect. Remember that while money may talk, Friends (and Chocolate Ice Cream) sing.
Shiloh to Canaan 