Sugar Grove
“Country Roads,” a song that is near and dear to one’s heart, has become an international song, sung by those who can’t speak English but who love the lyrics and tune.
“Country Roads” harkens to the most irregular shaped of all the 50 states, and varied reasons for West Virginia’s pride: the people, events, sights, and places. West Virginia is known for the Ramp Festival, Bridge Day, Hatfield-McCoy Feud, coal mining, state forests and parks, Cass Railroad, Canaan Valley, Spruce Knob, Harper’s Ferry, Greenbrier, Bramwell, Helvetia, Robert C. Byrd, Don Knotts, Lou Holtz, Jerry West, Mary Lou Retton, Pearl Buck, Stonewall Jackson, Little Jimmy Dickens, Chuck Yeagar, golf first played in White Sulphur Springs, Oglebay Park, West-Whitehall Winery, Bavarian Inn, Harper’s Old Country Store, Fenton and Blenko Glass, Mail Pouch tobacco, Old Rehoboth Church, Blennerhassett Mansion, gray bat, Philippi’s covered bridge, New River Gorge Bridge, Seneca Rocks, Organ Cave, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Mother’s Day and Moundsville…all talking points in a nutshell. This makes one want to come and enjoy the “Country Roads” that “snake” through mountains, valleys and nearby streams.
Not to be outdone by all of the above mentioned, its culinary delicacies are hard to beat.
The late Joy Harper had this recipe of Fried Pies:
2 cups flour
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
Stewed fruit
1/2 cup shortening
Sift the flour and salt together. Cut in the shortening and mix with hands, add water. Roll out about 1/8 inch thick on a floured board. Cut with a large cookie cutter about 4 inches in diameter. On each round, place 1-1/2 tablespoons sweetened mashed fruit (dried apricots, peaches, prunes or thick applesauce). Moisten edges with cold water, fold to make semi-circles and press tighter with a fork. Fry in deep fat.
This recipe was passed down from generation to generation to retain the usage of fruits.
Life’s little instructions include the following:
1. Watch a sunrise at least once a year.
2. Compliment even small improvements.
3. Don’t expect life to be fair.
4. Carry a chain saw in one’s trunk.
5. Never leave the toilet seat in the up position.
The cooler temperatures have been greatly enjoyed. Amidst all the storms around the area, the community received only minimal damage and rainfall.
Quotes for the week are as follows:
“Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.” — Forrest Gump
“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” — Theodore Roosevelt
“The above-average intelligence of a squirrel is now required on most professional exams.” — Don Knotts
“They say marriages are made in heaven. But so is thunder and lightning.” — Clint Eastwood
“If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.” — Napolean Hill
Sitting on the front porch is the best place to hear the “Talk of the Grove.”
On Saturday, Jake and Donna Anderson of Staunton, Virginia, along with Jake’s brother, Joe, and Anthony Anderson of Washington, D.C., visited Pidge and Charles Anderson.
Judy and Doyle Moats came Sunday to and help pick beans.
The Martin Smith and Harry Grogg reunion was held Saturday. Family came as far away as Illinois and New York to attend. Smokey Wilson from Concord, Virginia, shared his music with everyone. Everyone enjoyed the time together.
On Sunday, Judy Rader and Lorena Hoover enjoyed visiting in the home of Benny and Linda Custer at Verona, Virginia. Their visit included a delicious lunch.
Clickety-clacks for the chin waggers are as follows:
•Penguins have a special gland to filter salt from seawater.
•A newborn kangaroo (joey) is about 1 inch long.
•The average human sneeze travels at a speed of about 100 miles per hour.
•The credit card was introduced in the 1950s.
•One of the most important inventions in human history is the wheel, invented around 3500 B.C. in Mesopotamia.
August birthdays include Justin Via, David Puffenbarger, Loni Conley and Eddie Armentrout, first; Tracy Armentrout, second; Junior Bolton and Skyler Frame, fourth; Charlotte Hoover, Doris Hoops, Paula Price, Steve Stump and Carter and Colby Hott, fifth; Pastor Jerry Smith and Johnny Rerode, sixth; Amy Berg, seventh; Amanda Rexrode, Karen Peer, Gary Smith and Carl Hevener, eighth; Dolly Rexrode, ninth; Carrigan and Corrina Hedrick, Sherman Bennett, Margaret Kiser, Darren Olka and Sarah Loka, 10th; Brandon Mitchell and Becky Rightsell, 11th; Doug Simmons, Pat Godfrey, Sam Harper and C.J. Eckard, 12th; Moni Harman and Katie George, 14th; and Denise Neil and Bobby Shanholtz, 15th.
Concerns are for Charles Anderson, Roger and Joan Ashley, Mercedes Aumann, Dave Basagic, “Bo” Boggs, Jeff Craig, Stanley Dahmer, Isaac Eye, Carl Gant, Sue Hall, Clyde Hamilton, Albert Hammer, Armanda Heavner, Starr Hedrick, Keith Hoover, Mickey Huffman, Cynthia Hurry, Gary Jamison, Mike and Lisa Jamison, Tara Kelley, Stanley Kile, Keith Kimble, Lori Ann Lambert, Melissa Lambert, Skip and Roger Mallow, Yvonne Marsh, Dottie Mitchell, Rhonda Nash, Willa Nelson, Ronald Pitsenbarger, Alda Propst, family and friends of Janis Propst, Sheldon Propst, Jimmy Rexrode, Bernie and Margaret Sasscer, Robbie Sites, family and friends of Ann Wimer and Edwin Wimer.
