Sugar Grove
By Paula Mitchell
Conversations are supposed to be fun. Keeping a conversation going is something of an art, and one which many folks now seem to lack. It can be difficult with its emphasis on “broadcasting” and its “me” focus.
One should remember that the most important rule of a conversation is that it is not all about one, or not all about the other person. A monologue is not conversation. Try to achieve a balance between talking and listening to a conversation. Everyone likes to be listened to, and to be asked for their views.
Smiling and being nice will take one a long way in conversational terms. Don’t say unpleasant things about someone. The person may not appreciate discussion about someone behind their back. Until the person to whom one is talking is known better, sticking to neutral ground in the conversation is the best practice. Take time to listen and observe body language. When a conversation is flowing well, it moves naturally from one person to the other. The key is sharing appropriate information.
The “yesterdays” found families sitting by the fireplace and sharing the day’s happenings, as well as passing down to their children, stories from the past. This oral tradition served well in those days. Oral storytelling is telling a story through voice and gestures. The oral tradition can take many forms, including epic poems, chants, rhymes, songs, and more. Not all of these stories are historically accurate.
The writer thinks that something important was lost when the humble campfire, and fireplace, was replaced by technology. Families and neighbors no longer gather around campfires, or fireplaces in the evenings. Instead, many families go their separate ways in the evenings, each to their respective televisions or computers or smart phones or whatever — substitutes for campfires, stuff that robs one of opportunities to have conversations and share the stories that shape the next generation.
The challenge is to put down the iPhones, and other forms of technology, and practice good old conversation, just like the “good old days.”
Life’s little lessons include the following:
- Don’t flush urinals with one’s hand — use one’s elbow.
- Remember the three most important things about buying a home: location, location, location.
- When a person arrives at one’s job in the morning, let the first thing one says brighten everyone’s day.
- Make the bed when a person is an overnight visitor in someone’s home.
- Lock the car even if it’s parked in one’s own driveway.
Fall arrived this week, and there is a definite change in the air. Humidity has hurried on to its next location, thank goodness. Just like that the September calendar told the hummingbirds to head south for the winter. Be sure to wash the feeders before putting them away until spring. Showers brought about 55 hundredths in this area.
This week’s quotes are as follows:
“September tries its best to have us forget summer.” — Bernard Williams
“I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion.” — Alexander the Great
“All happiness depends on courage and work.” — Honore de Balzac
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” — Mahatma Gandhi
“Take rest. A field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.” — Ovid
Upcoming October birthdays include Carson Mitchell, Lindsay Propst and Liz Bodkin, first; Nathan Puffenbarger, third; Rosa Lynn Tichenor, Billy Eckard, Daryl Bodkin and Mary Jane Bolton fourth; Ryan Mitchell, fifth; Angie Nelson, sixth; Rodney Kiser, seventh; Patty Bolton, V.R. Homan, Jr., and Galen Crummett, eighth; Stanley Simmons and Jim Schulz, ninth; Travis Owens and Marie Simmons, 10th; Braden McClanahan and Kathy Eye, 13th; and Ann Thomspon, 16th.
Clickety-clacks for the chin waggers are as follows:
- An average hummingbird weighs about the same as a penny.
- All race horses celebrate their birthday on New Year’s Day.
- Cobras can’t hear the snake charmer’s music. They’re deaf to sound in the air.
- Primitive combs were used by stone age men about 5,000 years ago.
- Over a million earths would fit in a sphere the size of the sun.
Sitting inside is the best place to hear the “Talk of the Grove.”
Mary Frances Wadsworth was on an expedition ship in the remote Canadian Arctic and Northwest Greenland taking in God’s northern beauty of glaciers, icebergs, polar bear, walrus, seals, whales, etc. She was traveling with ladies she had met pre COVID in the remote Russian Arctic. Amazing places and scenery for sure, but there’s no place like her adopted home…Almost Heaven West Virginia!
Nice to see that Neva Rexrode celebrated her 95th birthday. She had a wonderful time.
Following her brother’s (Barry Simmons) funeral, Rose Smith of Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania, spent several days visiting with Phil Downs.
“Pidge” and Charles Anderson are happy to report that they are now proud great-grandparents to Okley Dawn. She is the daughter to C.J. Anderson, and granddaughter to the late Allen Anderson.
Evelyn Varner is also a great-grandmother to Remi Ann Kesterson. Remi is the daughter of Kelsey and Hunter Kesterson; and granddaughter to Joyce and Robin Marshall of McGaheysville, Virginia, and Cincy and Kevin Sponaugle of Brandywine. Big sister, Ali, is excited to have a little baby to play with.
Mary and Eldon “Butch” Puffenbarger are pleased to announce another granddaughter’s birth. Ella Maze, the daughter of David and Tabitha Puffenbarger, was born on Sunday.
Visitors of Rosalee Grogg this past week were Marleta Wimer, Shannon Simmons and Bill and Diane Kuykendall.
Karla and Jim Moats enjoyed sharing their grandson’s, Cedar’s, birthday this past weekend. A great visit with family was had.
Concerns for this week are many. They are as follows: Charles Anderson, Roger and Joan Ashley, Mercedes Aumann, Vernon “Fuzzy” Baldwin, Lynn Beatty, Nila Bland, “Bo” Boggs, Marie Cole, Jeff Craig, Norma Propst Cunningham, the Maurice Davenport family, Bethany Eye, Mary Eye, Neal Eye, Donna Fleisher, Lola Graham, Jordan Greathouse, Marlene Harman, Marvin Hartman, Steve and Armanda Heavner, Grace Hedrick, Jackie Hill, Edsel and May Ann Hogan, Virgil Homan, Jr., Adelbert Hoover, Myrtle Hoover, Debbie Horst, Alice Johnson, Richard Judy, Ruthlene Judy, Marsha Keller, Danny Kimble, Dennis Kincaid, Kim Kline, Tracie Knight, Melissa Lambert, Robert Lambert, Rex Landis, Angela Lung, Linda Malcolm, Betty Mallow, Roger and Skip Mallow, Willard May, Neil McLaughlin, Rose Miller, Tucker Minor, Carrol Mitchell, Barbara Moats, Melvin Moats, Aaron Nelson, Ruth Nelson, Don Nilsen, Cheryl Paine, Barbara Parker, Sutton Parrack, Shirley Pratt, Alda Propst, John O. Propst, Kathy Propst, Linda Propst, Harley Propst, Mary Puffenbarger, Charles Rexrode, Jason Rexrode, Jimmy Rexrode, Pam Rexrode, Donna Ruddle, Annie Simmons, the Barry Simmons family, Phyllis Simmons, Davey Simmons, Erin Simmons, Eva Simmons, Robbie Sites, Connie Sulser, Rosa Tichenor, Sandra Vandevander, Evelyn Varner, Amy Vaus, Sheldon Waggy, Judy Williams, Junior Wimer, Margaret Wimer, Dana Yokum, and the fire victims of Maui, Hawaii and earthquake victims in Morocco.
