Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Vacation time

We're taking a much-needed vacation this week.  Wayne stayed home to look after the hardware store and the goat, and my sister Elaine is coming by the house to check on the garden.  We'll be at the cabin up at Jumping Branch Lake doing some fishing and enjoying the scenery for the last time this summer.  See you next week! :)
Love,
Caroline

Friday, August 19, 2011

Why do they call it "canning" when we use jars?

The canning tomatoes are coming ripe in everyone gardens.  Floyd ordered an extra supply of mason jars in anticipation of a busy weekend at the store.
This year's foreign students at the Plantsburg Agriculture and Vocational College and moving in this weekend.  They are expecting students from faraway places including England, Japan, Brazil and Idaho.
The Special Events Committee is getting ready for the big bicentennial celebration this fall.  Granny Crowder said it is a waste of time because nothing has happened around here in the last two hundred years worth celebrating.
And that's what's happening in Hoake's Mill.
Love,
Caroline

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

New menu items at the Cafe

The Main Street Cafe on Poplar Street has some new items on its menu.  Wayne ordered the sushi for lunch but sent it back.  He said he knows bait when he sees it.
Darlene and I tried going to the movie again last night but not enough other people showed up so it was cancelled.
The Hoake's Mill Ladies Club bake-off is scheduled for next week.  Gayle Mosely already is busy in the kitchen fine-tuning her recipes.  She's considered a sure winner in the apple pie category since both Chief Wilkins and Fire Chief Pace managed to get themselves on the judging panel.
And that's what's happening in Hoake's Mill.
Love,
Caroline

Monday, August 15, 2011

Political shocker

The town was stunned this morning with the surprise resignation of Cleve Hunnicutt from the Town Council.  He has to be out of town on a bull buying trip next month and would miss the annual town meeting.
The Plantsburg Business Development Committee is holding a business festival at the motel on the edge of town.  It's goal is to expose Plantsburg businessmen to our community.  Leyland Wilson said that the last time a Plantsburg businessman was exposed at that motel it didn't end well.
There will be a cooking demonstration at the library on Wednesday at noon featuring local author and culinary expert Vicky Crowder (Billy Ray's wife.)  She'll be preparing her famous venison hot dogs with parsnip relish and fluffermutter cookies.  The police and fire departments are expected to be well represented.
And that's what's happening in Hoake's Mill.
Love,
Caroline

Friday, August 12, 2011

Date night in Hoake's Mill

Sarah Wilson called a few minutes ago to say she wouldn't be attending Monday afternoon's meeting of the Morning Club.  She has to drive Leyland to Plantsburg for his hearing aid check-up.  She told Leyland to set the day aside but she's not sure he heard her.
Floyd was quite upset last night after the town council meeting.  The state has mandated that the town get new voting machines.  Floyd said it would have been nice to know that before they wasted money on five elections' worth of new pencils.
The last community concert of the summer will be held tonight.  It's town "date night" so child care will be provided in the Buckner's barn if their mare has foaled.
And that's what's happening in Hoake's Mill.
Love,
Caroline

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Fund-raiser planned

The Hoake's Mill Ladies' Club will be holding a pancake breakfast to raise funds for the volunteer fire department.  We're hoping to raise enough to buy a siren for the second truck so that Daryl won't have to stick his head out the window and yell for people to get out of the way.
L.C. Finney is a little worried about his brother's upcoming visit.  L.C.'s sister-in-law is a foreign lady and he doesn't speak Canadian.
Our son Buddy came by for lunch.  He had an elderly gentleman come into his office this morning wanting to have a new will drawn up.  Buddy said it was the usual until the fellow said that he wanted to leave half of his estate to his second wife and the other half to his favorite cow.
And that's what's happening in Hoake's Mill.
Love,
Caroline

Monday, August 8, 2011

Bulletin in possible legal trouble

Our son Wayne helped with closing up the Boy Scout camp at Jumping Branch Lake this weekend.  They thought they had lost three canoes, but they found them at the Girl Scout camp across the lake.  That might explain why several boys went AWOL the last week of camp.
E.J. Greenwood has big trouble at The Bulletin.  He ran a nice story about Granny Crowder's birthday celebration last week and mentioned her age.  She's threatening to sue.
Floyd's brother Boyce sang the solo during the church service Sunday.  Pastor Bramlett thinks that Cleve shows real promise to win the hog calling contest this year.
And that's what's happening in Hoake's Mill.
Love, 
Caroline



Friday, August 5, 2011

Quilting Bee this weekend

Darlene and I were going to go to the movies last night while her husband Jack was at the hospital board meeting, but they needed the projector for a film on a new defibrilator so the theater was closed.
The annual marathon Quilting Bee will be held this weekend.  All the ladies, and a few men, have stacks and stacks of squares ready to go.  Most of the local businesses are anticipating a long sick list on Monday.
Daryl Hucks has decided that he wants to get in on the food truck phenomenon that is sweeping the nation.  He'll be out for his first time tonight, parked at the gas station on Poplar Street.  Look for the blue pick-up truck with the cooler on the tailgate.
And that's what's happening in Hoake's Mill.
Love,
Caroline

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Bad weather

The big storm we had flattened one of Bill Mudder's chicken coops.  He's selling the birds that succumbed as assorted chicken parts.  He just isn't sure which parts are which.
My sister Elaine's youngest son Danny has been working at Cleve Hunnicutt's feed and garden store this summer.  It's worked out fine since Cleve put him in the feed part of the store after Danny tossed out dozens of pots of ornamental grasses because he thought they were weeds.  
The Hoake's Mill Town Players are in rehearsal for their summer production of "Sweeney Todd."  Floyd's brother Harper is playing the male lead.  His wife, Janice, will be glad when it's over because he's been addressing the customers at the drug store in character.
And that's what's happening in Hoake's Mill.
Love,
Caroline

Monday, August 1, 2011

Art exhibit opens

The Hoake's Mill Film Festival this weekend was a huge success.  E.J. Greenwood's Power Point presentation on the history of the printing press drew a nice audience.  The video of Daryl Hucks' whitewater rafting trip won the award for best comedy.  Jimmy Wilson took home the big prize, the Golden Meadow Muffin, for his film "A Year in the Life of Corn."  It was a race against time but they got the green carpet returned to the funeral home in time for George Atchinson's funeral.
The family gathered at Granny Crowders' Sunday for her birthday celebration.  Much attention was paid to my sister Elaine's little granddaughter.  She chose to take her first steps and headed straight out Granny's front door.  Her father said that he has had that urge himself on more than one occasion.
There's a new art exhibit at the library featuring oil paintings by the Hunnicutt sisters.  Ethel might need new glasses because a few of her paintings looked like she got the colors for some of the numbers mixed up.
And that's what's happening in Hoake's Mills.
Love,
Caroline