Sugar Grove
By Paula Mitchell
Bitterly cold wind whipped through the hills during the weekend, driving away the summer like temperatures of yesterday. It wailed through the treetops like a lost soul seeking a place to rest, rattling the windows with icy fingers. Scattered snowflakes danced in the air, landing on the ground, which in some places was too warm to preserve them. The long, lovely fall season is gone, to be replaced by frigid temperatures and swirling snowflakes as winter arrives in these hills.
Christmas looms closer and the shopping malls are busy with people pushing carts filled to overflowing with all manner of merchandise.
As a youngster, the writer and her siblings would pore over the Sears and Roebuck catalog for many weeks preceding Christmas. Most of the toys pictured were the old standbys of the generation — wagons, tops, dolls, bicycles and books. Christmas was the only time we could hope for a bought toy. The rest of the year was a time to play with homemade toys, board games, and vivid imaginations. The button box was a great place to pick out large flat buttons to make “hummers,” with a piece of twine threaded through the buttonholes. Spinning the button around and around found one to pick up enough speed by moving the hands back and forth making the button literally hum. One hasn’t lived unless one’s hair wound up in one of those!
Wooden sewing spools were saved to make tops, with a stick inserted in the hole and the bottom half whittled into a V shape. The insides of an old alarm clock provided lots of whirligigs, and springs to fashion other toys.
Nothing was wasted. Empty containers were used in countless ways. Wire could be run through the box, adding some lids for wheels, and trucks or cars were made. These cardboard boxes provided hours of play as castles, houses, boats, dollhouses, or caves.
That is why Christmas toys were so special.
Life’s little instructions include the following:
- Contribute to a Salvation Army bell call.
- Listen to the seasonal songs.
- Reflect on the satisfactions and achievements from the past year.
- Pray for peace in this confused and divided nation and world.
- Enjoy the cardinal perched on a barren tree branch.
Sunday was a day filled with ice, sleet, snow, and rain. A chilling day it was. Temperatures never got warmer than 39 degrees in this section of the county. Look for the Dec. 4 Cold Moon. It will be the last full moon for the year 2025.
Quotes for the week are as follows:
“May and October, the best smelling months? I’ll make a case for December; evergreen, frost, wood smoke, cinnamon.” — Lisa Kleypas
“To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake it is necessary to stand out in the cold.” — Aristotle
“Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree. In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall.” — Larry Wilde
“I wish you a beautiful new month from the first day of this month to the last day.” — J.K. Rowling
“December is a simple wish that brings spectacular moments.” — Unknown
Sitting by the fireside is the best place to enjoy the “Talk of the Grove.”
What do Thanksgiving and Christmas have in common more that any time of the year? A huge dinner table! The local residents had family to be seated around the dinner table, which was laden with all delicious foods. Conversations hinged around memories of the past.
Tom and Paula Mitchell enjoyed the Thanksgiving time spent with their family and friends in their home —Jennifer, Tim, Morgan Hoover of Bridgewater, Virginia, Damian and Allison Morris of Fulks Run, Virginia, Janelle, Jace, and Destiny Sroka of Charlotte, North Carolina, Brandon, Cara, Macie, Carson, and Carly Mitchell, Donna and Roger Hoover of Franklin. Natalie and Robert Humes of Brandywine, Cynthia Hughes of Harrisonburg, Virginia, and John Hughes of Mineral, Virginia.
Saturday, Evelyn Varner enjoyed having 23 family members to gather around her Thanksgiving table. Her daughter, Judy Costello of Verona, Virginia, spent several days with her this past week.
Rhonda Nash made a brief trip to Georgia and Florida for the wedding of her “honorary” nephew, Clayton Galloway, and his bride, Jordan. Clay is the son of Rhonda’s best friend, Bonnie Hill Galloway and husband, Greg of Woodbine, Georgia. Although the visit was far too short, Rhonda delighted in reconnecting with the Hill/Galloway clan and celebrating the newlyweds. While she was away, Helen Nash enjoyed a visit from daughter, Vickie Nash of Fredericksburg Virginia, and son, Todd Nash of Kinston, North Carolina.
Willard and Judy Rader and C. J. Eckard enjoyed visiting and having a delicious Thanksgiving Dinner at the home of Benny and Linda Custer in Verona, Virginia.
This week’s clickety-clacks for the chin waggers are as follows:
- The famous song “Frosty the Snowman” was written by Walter E. “Jack” Rollins who was born in Keyser.
- Alabama was the first state to recognize Christmas.
- Spider webs in a tree are good luck.
- Candy canes are shaped like a shepherd’s hook.
- In the late 17th century, people used fruits like apples, pears, and oranges to decorate Christmas trees.
Concerns are for Mike Adams, the George Adkins family, Charles Anderson, Alfred Armstrong, Joan Ashley, Roger Ashley, Mercedes Aumann, Dave Basagic, Allen Beachler, Bobby Bodkin, “Bo” Boggs, Larry Byers, Doreen Calhoun, Joyce Calhoun, Marie Cole, Stanley Dahmer, Kim Davis, Tommy Davis, Phil Downs, Steve Durham, Jennifer Errett, Isaac Eye, Mary Eye, Carl Gant, David Gillispie, Nan Goland, Nancy Gonshor, Patsy Green, JC Hammer, Steve and Armanda Heavner, Hannah Hedrick, Jack and Starr Hedrick, Chuck and Tracy Hiett, Jim Hiner, Evan Hise, Tim Hively, Edsel and Mary Ann Hogan, Karen Holsten, Julia Homan, Keith Hoover, Debbie Horst, Bob and Cynthia Hurry, Mike and Lisa Jamison, Linda Jones, Richard Judy, Marsha Keller, Tara Kelley, Ruth Kile, the Tom Kline family, Kim Kline, Tracie Knight, Laura Kropp, Melissa Lambert, Robert Lambert, Rex Landis, Donna Mallow, Roger and Skip Mallow, Audree Marsh, Anna Mauzy, Ed May, Dave McConnell, Gene and Joan McConnell, Dennis and Jamie Mitchell, the Mary Lea Hahn McCoy family, Gary McDonald, Rose Miller, Bruce Minor, Carroll and Dottie Mitchell, Tom Mitchell, Barbara Moats, Gloria Moats, Sherri Moyers, Helen Nash, Aaron Nelson, Dominique Nelson, Dwight Nelson, Ruth Nelson, Cheryle Paine, Terri Parker, Andy Pond, Wayne Price, Janice Propst, Alda Propst, the family of Bobby Propst, Mike Propst, Sheldon Propst, Eldon “Butch” Puffenbarger, Tom Rader, Willard Rader, Jason Rexrode, Jimmy Rexrode, Linda Fay Rexrode, Vesta Ruckman, Bernie Sasscer, Annie Simmons, Erin Simmons, Eva Simmons, Greg Simmons, Judy Simmons, Nelson Simmons, Tonya Simon, the Brian Sites family, Robbie Sites, Mike Skiles, Bruce Smith, Ed and Carolyn Smith, Natalie Stephenson, Tina Stuben, Steve Stump, Linda and Larry Vandevander, Junior Waggy, Mary Louise Waldschlager, Rene White, Sherry Wilfong, Judy Williams, Patty Willis and Ann and Ed Wimer.
