My hummng birds did not come back

Gravelly News by GlennaG oodson


One day while he wasat the race track betting on the ponies and nearly losing his shirt,
Mitch noticed a priest who stepped out onto the track and blessed the forehead of one of the horses lining up for the 4th race. Lo and behold, that horse--a very long shot--won the race.Mitch was most interested to see what the priest did the next race. Sure enough the priest stepped out onto the track as the 5th race horses lined up, and placed a blessing on the forehead of one of the horses. Mitch made a beeline for the window and places a small bet on the horse. Again, even though it was another long shot, the horse the priest had blessed, won the race. Mitch collected the winnings and anxiously waited to see which horse the priest would bless forthe 6th race. Mitch began to pull in some serious money as he bet on the horses the priest blessed. He knew his wildest dreams were gong to come true, he made a quick trip to the ATM, withdrew all his savings, and awaited the priest's blessing that wouldtell him which horse to bet on.. The priest stepped out onto the tract before the last race and blessed the forehead, eyes, ears, and hooves of one of the horses.
Mitch bet every cent he had and watched the horse come in dead last!! Mitch was dumbfounded. He made his way to the track and found the priest and demanded, "What happened, Father? Allday long you blessed horses andthey won. Now thanks to you I have lost all my savings!!" The priest nodded wisely andsaid "That's the problem with you Protestants, you can't tell the difference between a simple blessing and the Last Rites!!"

Bill andJanette Milligan were on vacation for 2 weeks. We missed them at Rover Baptist Church. I love to substitute for Janette at the piano but it's always good when she comes back and I'm sure the congregation says "Amen" to that!!

I got a chuckle out of Linda Beggs telling about the lady that took care of Eva Lynn's animals while they were gone and about her encounter with Blake's python. It took my mind back to when my grandson, Ryan, was about 10 and he begged me to buy him a Python from the pet store--I did--along with a fancy cage and a hot rock that the snake would curl up on. Ryan would want me to watch him feed the python. It was awful and I never watched but one time.. One time a friend of his mother's was cleaning their house. She got to Ryan's room--the snake's cage door was open and no snake could be seen--She went home immediately!!I wouldbuy the animals from the pet store for Ryan to feed the python. as the snake grew and it progressed to larger animals, I told Ryan when it was time to feed him those beautiful little chickens--that was the end. Ryan had the snake in the yard one day and a man walking along saw the snake and wanted to buy it. Praise the Lord, the snake was gone!!!!

I have been so sad this year because . Last year had 10 or 12 all the time but this year I have none. I keep changing my water and hope they will come back but they don't.I thought about going to Beda Sue Hogue's where there are dozens flying around andcatch them in a sack and bring them to my house!!

Paula and Steve Wiley are new additions to our Rover Baptist Church and to the community. They have rented Johnny Turner's house at Rover and Paula will teach special education at Danville this school year. They have two daughters who are 14 and 17. Steve is as crazy as Johnny Turner, so now we have two clowns ijn our church!!

My cousins from Ok, Mary Lee Sams, Sue Ann Cheatam and Billy Highfill traveled to LR ;last week to see their sister, Leah Hogan.Leah had a stroke a few months ago and is not doing very well so her siblings wanted to check on her.Bob, her husband, is doing a good job meeting leah's needs and we are thankful for him.

Iworked in our church's food pantry last week. We only had 3 people come but they went away with 3 big grocery bags for each family. I feel so good when we can help people this way. We are subsidized by Rice Depot and USDA and our church gives a lot.

This Sabbath at the Ola Adventist Church, Bo Hutchison preached a good message. Peggy andTom Jeys asked me to go home with them for lunch. Kelly Virbel, their granddaughter, and my special friend, went also. The lunch was delicious andthe visiting time was great.

I went to check on Betty Lampkin last Friday and took her some books. Betty is doing much better, health wise, and it sure was good to see her lookso well. Her 9 year old granddaughter, Ashton(isn't that a pretty name?) had visited her grandparents all week. Betty said Ashton had really been a lot of help for her. On my way back home andstill on the Bluff Road, I saw two deer alongside the road. Since the road is so rocky and in such bad shape, I was going very slowly and thankfully the deer bounded into the brush.That's the first time I have seen a deer on the highway since I hit the one a few months ago.

Remember the old Burma Shave signs along side the roads.? Here's a good one:
Brother speeder let's rehearse-----All together--Good morning ,Nurse

We did some shopping at Sams

Gravelly News by Glenna Goodson

A couple drove down a country road for several miles, not saying a word. An earlier discussion had led to an argument and neither of them wanted to concede their position. As they passed a barnyard of mules, jack asses, and pigs, the husband asked sarcastically, "Relatives of yours?" "Yep, the wife replied, 'in-laws.'

Midge Whitlow called me last week. One of my expressions is "shoot a monkey" and Midge says "I told Don that Ms. Glenna has quit shooting monkeys and is now shooting at school board members!" She had read my article in the Ar. Gazette concerning the L .R. school board. I was so sorry to learn that recently Don had spent 5 weeks in a L.R. hospital. Don is home and doing better.

I saw John Young in Fowlers last week. John told me that he enjoyed my article in the Gazette.

Loucinda and I went to Fort Smith the 18th, to meet my cousin Billy Highfill,and Charles and Rita Daniel to plan for our FV reunion which will be October 13th. We met at the Golden Corral and our friend Bob Aaron Caviness came and had lunch with us.The restaurant gave us a private room that was a wonderful place for us to plan. Our server was there to bring us more coffee, tea or water and help in any way to make us more comfortable.We got a lot of work done. Then after our meeting, Loucinda and I went by the home of Bob Aaron and Mary Caviness. What a lovely home they have and we had a great visit. After leaving their home, we did some shopping at Sams.We stopped in Danville at Little John's and ate.I got back to Gravelly at 7:30, It was a long--but fun day.

My sister, Kathy Minnie,counselor at F.V. has been one ofthe 5 teachers from the 2 Rivers School District that has been studying the 6 geological regions of Ar. To do this study they are participating in several field trips. They have been to Petit Jean, Forrest City, the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains, River Valley, Holla Bend. They have walked trails and studied rock formations. Sounds very interesting.

Do you ever read about a crime and it really bothers you because the crime has hurt innocent people Sometimes I say,:"God is really gong to zap them! That was the way I felt when I discovered that Jewel Marie Webb of Briggsville had all her corn stolen that she had in her freezer on her back porch. Jewel had worked so hard in her garden and putting up her corn, so I really believe that the person that did this, God is going to zap really bad!!

If you have not visited the

Plainview library you need to do so. They have wonderful books and one room that really impresses me is the Children's Library room.They have story hour for the children every Thursday from 2 until 3. Deidra Thurman is the story teller. When Deidra can't be there, Dean Blalock reads to the children.Eddie Howell, the Methodist minister of Plainview and Ola works in the library until noon on Saturdays. The librarian, Jan Loney is so helpful and kind.That's more then I can say about SOME librarians at other libraries around.I had some sermon notes from Joe Harrison I wanted copied and Jan copied them for me. There was a picture that Loucinda and I wanted to use for our FV reunion. Jan really went the second mile and met me at the library Saturday as I was coming from the Adventist Church. Jan used the scanner and the picture was so much better. I appreciate the caring attitude Jan and the others in the library have.

Saturday, I saw Betty Johnson at the Farmer's market in Plainview. Betty has had many surgeries the past few months. About 3 weeks ago she had the arteries opened up in her neck at the heart hospital in L.R. Betty has really an optimistic attitude and I wish her well.

Try this sometime--Order a diet water when you go out to eat--with a serious face!

Extra trips to the dessert table

Gravelly News by Glenna Goodson

In a small mid western conservative town, a new bar/tavern started a building to open up their business. The local Baptist church started a campaign to block the bar from opening with petitions and prayers.Work progressed, however, right up till the week before opening, when a lightning strike hit the bar and it burned to the ground. The church folks were rather smug in their outlook after that, till the bar owner sued the church on the grounds that the church was ultimately responsible forthe demise of his building, either through direct or indirect actions or means The church strongly denied all responsibility or any connection to the building's demise in its reply to the court. As the case made its way into court, the judge looked over the paperwork at the hearing and commented: "I don't know how I'm going to decide this, but as it appears from the paperwork, we have a bar owner that believes in the power of prayer, and an entire church congregation that does not!!"


I have a favorite writer in the OKC Daily Oklahoman. He is Gene Owens and he writes an editorial every week called Buck's English. Last week he was writing of President Bush's flawed grammar. President Bush was quoted as saying, "This process has been DRUG out a long time." and Gene Owens says, "Did he say "DRUG?" Gene goes on to say that his English teacher in high school,
Miss Prunella, would call it ignorant usage. Well,
Miss Jessie Buford, my English teacher at Fourche Valley would have said the same thing!!

I was in Fowler's Plainview last Tuesday and saw Sharon Hamlton with a couple I did not know. While talking to me, Sharon tells her lady friend she's better be careful or I would put her name in the paper. Sharon intorduced us and I had a long conversation with Georgiana Tatum. She said, "I was married to Bill Tatum and he was the best ofthe Tatums." I told her it was good she felt that way. She told me she was a Caviness and her mother was Elnora Caviness. I told her I remembered her mother and her Aunt Helen Caviness. I commented that I wuold have known she was a Caviness. She asked me why and I told her the Caviness women were just elegant!!She said she would remember that. It was good to meet Georgiana.

Two Sunday's ago Bill and Yvonne Workman and their daughter, Robin, of Gravelly served a wonderful lunch buffet of Pork Chops, chicken, all kinds of vegetables and salad and a dessert you could die for!! I could not have dessert but Jim Roberson ate enough for me!!He and another guy kept going back for more dessert and Jim says, "You know, I have a stomach ache," I told him I believed the extra trips to the dessert table might be the reason.This past Sunday, Bill and Yvonne served fish and all the trimmings. It is sure a temptation for me to go to Bill's and eat each day since it is just down the road from my house. And Bill checks my oil in this Camry that still uses about 2 quarts of oil every other day--I just must have that oil leak fixed some day. Bill says at least I never have to have my oil changed--it's changed every day!!!

Betty Lampkin of Bluffton came home last Tuesday after spending 2 weeks at St. Mary's re-hab at L.R/Betty just has not done well since the stroke she had about 2 months ago. I went by to see her Friday and I could tell that she had a horrible headache, which she had tried all kinds of medication to get better-to no avail. I felt so very sad--I want Betty to get better so PLEASE pray for her. She would appreciate your prayers.

Gary and Sheila Garner took a trip to China last week. They will be home sometime this week. Now that sounds interesting!!!

I went with Loucinda to Russellville Thursday. We stopped at Danville at Little Johns and ate lunch. In Russellville we shopped at Stage and Wal Mart On the way back to Wing, we stopped at Plainview at the week-end home of Bill and Lou Ann Aikman Lewis. Lou Ann gave Loucinda and me several cucumbers they had grown in their garden at L..R They are the burpless cucumbers and they are wonderful. When we got to Wing, Loucinda asked me to stay while she fixed us a sandwich for supper. Then we watched a movie together. It was a fun day!!!

I haven't told you a Michael Buford saying in several weeks but here is one I thought was cute. Michael is 7 now and grows more curious each day and has such a desire for knowledge. Loucinda and Scott were talking about an Attorney and Michael says"What is an Attorney?" and Loucinda answers "They augre for a living." and Michael says, "Well, I can do that!" Loucinda agreed that he certainly could do that well

One of my favorite cartoon characters is the one called Maxine. Maxine is really something!! I was reading one of her comments that probably all of you have felt at one time or another. She says, "Don't like my attitude--send me an email at," www.like I care.com."

I saw G. Spenser at Plainview last week. She voiced my feelings too as she talked about the rain we were having preventing us from mowing our grass.She said we were going to have to bush-hog our lawns!! One of the newsmen said his children could play hide-and-seek in his yard and that they lost his rwo year old for 2 days!!!

From the mouths of babes come knowledge--a teacher asked a little first grader," Nathan why do you get so dirty?" Nathan replies"I am, closer to the ground then you are.!!"

I sure want to see that next deer

Gravelly news by Glenna Goodson

A blonde pilot decided she wanted to learn to fly a helicopter.She went to the airport but the only helicopter available was a single seat helicopter. The instructor figured it would be all right to let her go up alone since she was already a pilot for small planes and he could instruct her via radio.. So up the blonde went. She reached 1,000 feet and everything was going smoothly. She reached 2,000 feet. The blonde and the instructor continued to talk via the radio. Everything was going smoothly.At 3,000 feet the helicopter suddenly came down quickly, skimming the top of some trees and crashing into the woods. The instructor jumped in his jeep and rushed out to see if the blonde was okay.As he reached the edge of the woods, the blonde was walking out of the wreckage. "What happened," the instructor asked, "ll was gong so well until you reached 3,000 feet. What happened then?" "well," began the blonde, "The higher I went the colder it became so I turned off the ceiling fan."


I just stayed in OKC a few days last week.
My eye specialist said I just had an infection in the eye from which he had removed the cataract. Also, he gave me a new prescription for glasses. That's one good thing about OKC, Russell and I left the doctor's office, went to Lens Crafters and I had new glasses n one hour.Now I can see pretty well. I sure want to see that next deer that jumnps out in front of my car!!

I spent one night with my granddaughter Robyn and Jake and Allyson. I slept with Allyson but Jake had a friend spending the night and in the next room they talked and talked. It was after 10 before they finally got into trouble and went to sleep. Jake and Allyson have to get up at 4:30 a.m. to get ready for school and day care. Robyn fixes their breakfast, makes sure they are dressed and a trolley comes and picks all of them up by 6, Robyn to college and the 2 kids to school. Jake was really tired that morning and I said "Jake, I'm afraid you are so tired today that you will do something bad and get into trouble and i jusr do not want you to do something bad." Jake says, "Nanny, that is nonsense, everybody does bad things sometimes!" I had to agree.

I went to the Lake and was with Fred a couple of days. Of course the flooding they have had has made everything ugly and no one can get into the water. Fred always enjoyed eating and we always had two healthy mneals every day. Now he just never is hungry and doesn't want meals. He has gotten very thin. But besides the loss of his sight, health wise ,he seems to be doing well.

Saturday my niece, Machel. came from L.R. to Gravelly with her three children. Emily will be in high school this school year, Christopher will be in 1st. grade and little Andrew is 4 years old.It was so good to see all of them.

Last Thursday, Russ brought me back to Gravelly from the Lake.It's over a 5 hour drive and you never got on the interstate or a highway---just go through all these small places. Just read some of the names/ " atoka,Stringtown, Boggy Bottoms, Adel, Caney, Potato Hills and the queen of them all, Nanih Waihya." Wecoiuld find no place to eat until we got to Talihini. In the restaurant they had funny sayings on the wall. One that tickled my funny bone was this one: "Missing, one broke husband and a flea bit dog--25cents reward for the dog." We got home about 5. Russ had bought a lot of fireworks and that night, he shot a lot of roman candles and the other pretty things while Istood in the yard and watched. I really enjoyed watching the show.

Maggie and Tom Sullivan traveled to Chattanooga, Tennessee last week to go to Maggie's stepo-sister's funeral. It was a very long trip--they traveled 3000 miles that week. Then they got back to Russellville late ;last Saturday night. They went to church that Sunday. Then Tom went to his garden and gathered corn, okra. tomatoes, and beans .
Maggie washed the vegetables and Monday they left for Texas where they had intended to go before the funeral in Tenn. They got to my cousin Calton Highfill's on Mondayafternoon and presented them with the vegetables from their Ar. garden. Lucille fixed supper for them that night andthey sat up very late-visiting. Tuesday, Maggie and Tom left to go to San Antonio for Tom's Kiwanis meeting. ee, I bet that couple is tired.!

John
Meredith tells me they had a good revival at Harvey Assembly church.last week. John and his wife allowed the evangelist to stay in the former Bea Neighbor's house at Gravelly that John bought a couple of years ago.

I saw Orlan Ray Thomas at Fowler's at Plainview, Saturday. It was good talking to him. Orlan Ray says he plans to come to our F.V. reunion this October. I hope to see him there.

A lady named Rose from Ola called me last week to tell me how much she enjoyed my column in the Record. I was glad to hear from her. Also a lady at the Adventist Church in Ola is an R.N. in a Russellville hospital and she told me the nurses get the Record on Wednesday and turn to my column and really enjoy it. Makes me feel good!!

Some good advice-----Forgive your enemies--it messes up their heads!!