September 2022

Students from schools of Randolph County assisted Governor Bill Clinton and Senator Nick Wilson in ribbon cutting ceremonies at the dedication of Randolph County Development Center. From left are Governor Clinton; Brenda M. Kinney. Black River Vo-Tech; David Baltz, St. Paul’s High School; Nick Thielemier, Maynard High School; Angie Moore, Biggers-Reyno High School; Sam Breashears, Oak Ridge Central High School; Dana Warren, Pocahontas High School, and Senator Wilson.

Remember airplane plants and hanging macrame’ planters? Going through old photos I saw one that used hang at a window of our old kitchen. Out at the farm, Carmen had given me a couple of pieces of old macrame’. One being the flowerpot holder, and the other a beautiful hanging glass table, which I had used in the living room beside a chair. And I found two pots, one a bit smaller than the other that worked perfectly in it. Red hung it in front of the window facing the garden from the high ceilings. When you come from a trailer house those were some high ceilings and I loved it. Next found some old clay pots with bowl-like bottoms. Next was finding just the right plants for them. It’s funny how one thing just calls for another, at least in a woman’s world it does! I posted a photo and mentioned on Facebook, how I hadn’t seen airplane plants in forever. Also, there were no macrame’ hangers either! Out of nowhere, Denise, (denephew, Terry’s wife a play on an old joke here, which Red has long had fun) messaged me pictures of her beautiful airplane plant on the porch of their home in Eakly, Oklahoma. Which happens to be next door to Grandma and Grandpa’s old house. From their huge windows, the views across the valley are spectacular! Sweet girl, saw it and had started a plant for me! And I can hardly wait till the family reunion to bring it home with me. The planets must have been aligned two weeks ago, for I also found there is once again macrame’ hangers to be had. Even though now at least at (Home Goods) all macrame seems to be white rather than the jute color rope of old, which I loved!

What comes to mind when you think of your home–Randolph County? Perhaps it’s some favorite places. Lots of water– five beautiful rivers, many creeks and sloughs, lakes, and springs. Maybe it’s wooded hills, oxbow lakes, or state wildlife management areas. Or towns–take Maynard for example. You drive into town and you see the school and churches up on the hill, going on down the road, you expect to see unique buildings of native stone, the old hotel, the dungeon that was the old jail, the place where locals gather to tell tall tales and eat well. If you’d turned onto Hwy 328, you’d pass Pioneer Park with its restored log cabin and other features. That’s what you expect to see–that’s Maynard to you. Take those things away, and you’re somewhere else.