Sugar Grove
By Paula Mitchell
Autumn is….
The smell of frosty mornings, grapes hanging on the vine, old burning leaves, and sparkling apple jelly, red as wine.
It is the feel of honeyed sunlight, and crisp nights that sets the blood to tingle.
The sudden gust of wind against the window, the whir of migratory birds in flight, and the muted sound of church bells. The enduring constellations in the night sky that makes one understand the rhythms of the season and the years.
To hear the whistle of the bobwhite, the somber cooing of a mourning dove, and a mockingbird’s last summer hurrah, to see the pheasant whirring from the grass that grows along the fences in a tangled, heavy mass, and the busy squirrels hoarding their nuts in nests against the coming of the cold.
There are lots of mingled colors that leaves each bush and tree a flaming hue, a clump of asters and goldenrod that has a misty filigree of dew. The sugar maples stand in deep pools of their own leaf gold, and the milkweed offering a richness of silk and seed to every breeze.
There are beauties of sunsets, skies of a crisp blue, a harvest moon that fills the air with magic, the gift of rich fulfillment that nature promises early each year, and a time to stop and count our many blessings and thank the Giver with a prayer.
Life’s daily instructions include the following:
- Compliment even small improvements.
- Drink champagne for no reason at all.
- Sing in a choir
- Remember other people’s birthdays.
- Wear polished shoes.
The Sugar Grove Rescue Squad building was a very busy place this past Tuesday. Poll workers were ecstatic when there were five first time voters, and when around 69 percent registered voters cast their votes. Voting in every election, over time, was Virginia Propst who is 101 years of age. What a remarkable mentor for the younger generation.
This week’s quotes are as follows:
“Small deeds done are greater than great deeds planned.” — Peter Marshall
“The most influential of all educational factors is the conversation in a child’s home.” — William Temple
“Happy is the house that shelters a friend.” — Emerson
“Our deeds are like stones cast into the pool of time, though they themselves may disappear, their ripples extend to eternity.” — Author unknown
“When I’m good, I’m good, and when I’m bad I’m even better.” — Gary Sheffer
Sitting by the fireplace is the best place to hear the “Talk of the Grove.”
On Sunday, Charles and “Pidge” Anderson visited Willard and Judy Rader.
The VFW Post 9666 held its annual Veteran’s Day ceremony Monday at the Richard Homan Memorial Park. A nice day of sunshine and blustery winds greeted the attendees who came to celebrate the brave men and women who fought for our country. Roger Champ and Wanda Stump, guest speakers, were very inspirational with their respective messages.
Eldon “Butch” Puffenbarger is returning home this coming Thursday. He will definitely enjoy being home after having surgery at Ruby Memorial, and receiving therapy while at Morgantown.
Clickety-clacks for the chin waggers are as follows:
- The earth’s tectonic plates move a few centimeters a year. They move at about the same rate as your fingernails grow.
- Hattie McDaniel has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame — one for radio and one for motion pictures.
- Vaccinations are considered the greatest public health achievement of the 20th century.
- Vatican City is the smallest independent state in the world with a population of around 800.
- In 1982, Priscilla Presley opened Graceland to the public.
The remainder November birthdays are as follows: Paula Mitchell, 16th; Chip Harper, Sandy O’Gorek, Kasara Kiser and “Pidge” Anderson, 18th; Deloris Adkins and K.D. Puffenbarger, 19th; Gary Simmons, 20th; Bradley May, Roger Hoover and Gerald Rexrode, 21st; Christina Simmons and Ryan Swartzenburger, 22nd; Rick Adkins and Harry Lee Scott, Jr., 23rd; Carl Williams, 24th; Joni Nelson, Beth Felton and Mary Catherine Cassell, 25th; Lee Roberson. 26th; Trish Nicely, 27th; Austin Simmons, 28th; George Hamel and Greg Smith, 29th; and Danny Crider and Steve O’Toole, 30th.
Concerns list: Bob Adamson, Dyer Anderson, John Ashley, Roger Ashley, Mercedes Aumann, Richard Bennett, “Bo” Boggs, Roy Spencer Bowers, Marie Cole, Stanley Dahmer, Christian Dasher, Phil Downs, Benny Evick, Isaac Eye, Linda Eye, Marie Eye, Mary Eye, Carl Gant, David Gillespie, Lola Graham, Patsy Green, JC Hammer, Missy Harrison, Marvin Hartman, Steve and Armanda Heavner, Jack and Starr Hedrick, Jim Hiner, Evan Hise, Tim Hively, George Hevener, Edsel and Mary Ann Hogan, Virgil Homan, Jr., the Adalbert Hoover family, Keith Hoover, Myrtle Hoover, Tim L. Hoover, Debbie and Enos Horst, Lisa and Mike Jamison, Jessica Janney, Alice Johnson, Richard Judy, Marsha Keller, Kim Kline, Tracie Knight, Laura Kropp, the Terry Kuykendall family, Melissa Lambert, O’Dell Lambert, Robert Lambert, Rex Landis, Roger and Skip Mallow, Yvonne Marsh, Ed May, Gene and Joan McConnell, Gary McDonald, Neil McLaughlin, the Donald Miller family, Rose Miller, Bruce Minor, Barbara Moats, Gloria Moats, the Dorothy Mohler family, John Morford, Bill Mullenax, Helen Nash, Aaron Nelson, Angie Nelson, Ruth Nelson, Cheryl Paine, the Julia Pennington family, the Delores Palaski family, Andy Pond, the Steve Pope family, Janice Propst, Eldon “Butch” Puffenbarger, Alda Propst, Janis Propst, Mike Propst, Sheldon Propst, Tom Rader, Brandon Reel, the Deyerle Rexrode family, Jason Rexrode, Linda Fay Rexrode, Dennis Riggleman, Donna Ruddle, Jenny Ruddle, Mary Sawyers, Brittany Shriver, Annie Simmons, Erin Simmons, Eva Simmons, Greg Simmons, Judy Simmons, Nelson Simmons, Robbie Sites, Mike Skiles, the Jeanette Sponaugle family, Tina Stuben, Steve Stump, Linda and Larry Vandevander, Sandra Vandevander, Amy Vaus, Judy Waggy and Sheldon Waggy, Estelle Wagner, Mary Louise Waldschlager, Rene White, Sherry Wilfong, Judy Williams, Ann and Ed Wimer, individuals and families affected by the natural disasters and the people of Ukraine, Israel, and Palestine.
