Sugar Grove
By Paula Mitchell
All about everyone the earth is coming alive. Evidence of new life is seen everywhere. The voice of spring has awakened the hills. She whispered first to the songbirds and they gathered their flock and arrived by the busloads. Their songs of joy ring out every morning. The fields have been caressed with light fingers, and tender green grass is springing up. Yellow dandelions have emerged to shine their special glow. The forsythia blooms are in a shower of gold, and the peach trees are bursting into clouds of pink blossoms. Daffodils are prancing with their bonnets bobbing in the breeze, and tulips are beginning to top the show. Calves run with abandon in the pasture, and then return to their mothers to nurse, and then run again.
Easter has the message of hope and life, which comes with the return of spring upon the earth. Easter means frilly new dresses, dying eggs, egg hunts, a bounteous dinner with family, sunrise and Easter services with the promise of rejoicing because He Is Risen!
The writer wishes her readers “A Happy Easter!”
Pendleton County is so very fortunate to have members of the community to “step up to the plate” to utilize their volunteer skills. This week found many volunteers in that “community” mode to reach out and assist in some way to control the many, many fires that resulted from the strong winds.
Be sure to thank those volunteers when seeing them on the street, in church, at the grocery store, etc. Most importantly, thank dispatchers who must have good communication skills, a high moral character and integrity, emotional self-control, and empathy. They must remain calm and collected to get and provide valuable information. Fire dispatchers are crucial in receiving and responding to emergency calls. They determine the nature and location of the emergency, determine priorities and dispatch police, fire, and emergency services. Firefighters are crucial in receiving and responding to the emergency calls. They are highly equipped in managing a variety of firefighting activities to control and eliminate the fires, performing technical work to rescue trapped people and provide pre-hospital first aid treatment.
This county has an outstanding service of personnel, and community volunteers to meet those emergency needs. This past week of so many fires in so many areas, stood the test once again, and they “stepped up to the plate” in a gregarious way (even youngsters helped). How lucky is everyone to live in this county where so many persons care and deliver. Whether it was fighting the fire, delivering food, praying…in every way, they were there. And they are so very much appreciated. So, take the time to thank them! Call them, write a thank you note, write a donation check, and be thankful a person lives in such a wonderful and caring community. To each of my readers, consider volunteering in some way, to be of service, wherever a person resides.
Life’s instructions include the following:
- Have an Easter egg hunt.
- Attend an Easter sunrise service.
- Decorate Easter eggs.
- Plant a garden considering pansies, tulips, marigold, and petunias.
- Take an Easter basket filled with goodies to one’s neighbor.
- Have a grand Easter brunch or dinner with family around the table.
This week’s clickety-clacks for the chin waggers are as follows:
- The red jelly bean is the most popular flavor.
- The largest chocolate egg was over 34 feet tall. It was produced in Italy in 2011.
- The White House Easter Egg Roll event has been celebrated by the President of the United States and their families since 1878.
- Egg dyes were once made out of natural items, such as onion peels, tree bark, flower petals and juices.
- Seventy percent of Easter candy purchased is chocolate.
Sitting by the front window to watch it rain, is the best place to hear the “Talk of the Grove.”
Connor Armstrong celebrated his 13th birthday, Saturday. He is the son of Bobbie and Tracy Armstrong.
Phil Downs spent Monday through Wednesday with his aunt, Wanda Pitsenbarger.
Rhonda Nash had a great second weekend at the Maple Festival in Highland County, Virginia, selling candles. She and Helen also enjoyed a visit from daughter/sister, Vickie Nash of Fredericksburg, Virginia, Allen Hayden of Newburg, Maryland, and Jenny O’Neil and Candace Davis, both of Fredericksburg, Virginia.
Quotes for the week are as follows:
“Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘LET’S PARTY!’” — Robin Williams
“The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day he created spring.” — Bernard Williams
“Unless there is Good Friday in your life, there can be no Easter Sunday.” — Fulton J. Sheen
“The Easter egg symbolizes our ability to break out of the hardened protective shell we’ve surrounded ourselves with.” — Siobhan Shawely
“I still believe in Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, and true love. Don’t even try to tell me different.” — Dolly Parton
April birthdays include the following: Charlee Hoover, first; Willie Fisher, Judy Austin and Nancy Evick, second; Greg Hoover, third; Junior Rader and Derek Crider, fourth; Danielle Hoover and Wesley Puffenbarger, fifth; Adam and Holly Wilfong and Keith Kiser, sixth; Margaret Sasscer, Judy Rader and Wes Eye, seventh; Maxine Rader, John Todd, Vera Teter and Josh Parker, ninth; Thelma Puffenbarger and Sherry Wilfong, 10th; Jim Holstein, Sonny Morrison and Mike Alt, 11th; Ruth Craig and Landon Bowers, 12th; Bryer Puffenbarger, 14th; and Terry Simmons, Beth Propst, Frankie Roberson and Ava Bowers, 15th.
Concerns for this week are many. They are as follows: Bob Adamson, Rick Adkins, John Ashley, Roger and Joan Ashley, Mercedes Aumann, Lynn Beatty, “Bo” Boggs, Jane Conrad, Marie Cole, the Harold Cupp family, Christian Dasher, Isaac Eye, Linda Eye, Marie Eye, Mary Eye, Neal Eye, Carl Gant, Loralee Gordon, Lola Graham, Patsy Green, the Rosalee Grogg family, JC Hammer, Marlene Harman, Marvin Hartman, the Woodrow Hartman family, Steve and Armanda Heavner, Grace Hedrick, Edsel and Mary Ann Hogan, Virgil Homan, Jr., Adelbert Hoover, Keith Hoover, Myrtle Hoover, Debbie and Enos Horst, Lisa and Mike Jamison, Jessica Janney, Alice Johnson, Richard Judy, Marsha Keller, Kim Kline, Ginger Knight, Tracie Knight, Melissa Lambert, Robert Lambert, Ronnie Lambert, Rex Landis, Roger and Skip Mallow, Yvonne Marsh, Ed May, Gary McDonald, Neil McLaughlin, Rose Miller, Bruce Minor, Tom Mitchell, Barbara Moats, John Morford, Richard Morrison, Helen Nash, Aaron Nelson, Ruth Nelson, Cheryl Paine, Wanda Pitsenbarger, Alda Propst, John O. Propst, Kathy Propst, Mike Propst, Sheldon Propst, Tom Rader, Brandon Reel, Charles Rexrode, Jason Rexrode, Jerold “Jerry” Rexrode, Pam Rexrode, Dennis Riggleman, Donna Ruddle, Brittany Shriver, Annie Simmons, Phyllis Simmons, Erin Simmons, Eva Simmons, Kent Simmons, Robbie Sites, Mike Skiles, Donnie Smith, Stanna Smith, Steve Stump, Elizabeth Terry, Rosa Tichenor, Sandra Vandevander, Evelyn Varner, Raymond Varner, Amy Vaus, Judy Williams, Ann Wimer, Margaret Wimer, firefighters, dispatchers and rescue personnel.
