The Mountain Eagle
WHITESBURG WEATHER

Ohio Valley is finally out of the deep freeze

Southern Ohio



Howdy partners! For a few days the good old Ohio Valley known as Harrison is out of the deep freeze! We have a few days of semiwarmth and sunshine, nothing to get a suntan but warming to the soul.

We had some very special company. My brother, Richie, and Wanda came by. My little sidekick Bennie Wiederhold almost wore Richie to a frazzle.

After they made their departure, I received a phone call from my daughter, Kay Gray, asking if I could take her to Dayton International Airport to catch a flight to Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Of course I said yes. I called my friend, Vickie Power, and we picked Kay up and headed for Dayton. It was a very nice drive.

On the way back from Dayton, Vickie and I stopped to visit Barefoot Bill and Betty Kelly in Franklin. I had the pleasure of meeting their daughter, Missy, and her husband, Jason, along with their son, and Betty and Bill’s son, Shane, and his sons. It really was a pleasure to see Betty and Bill and to finally meet their children. Vickie enjoyed the friendliness and the joking that we do.

When I drove to Dayton to pick up Kay at Dayton International Airport, just as I got to the edge of Dayton Kay calls to tell me her flight is delayed over three hours. Since I had already been to Betty and Barefoot Bill Kelly’s I didn’t want to wear out my welcome, so I drove back to my house, fed little Bennie and then had to head back to Dayton. We had a very bad storm and I was right in the middle of it.

Kay’s flight was late due to the weather. By the time I got little Bennie home to his mother’s he was soaked. He is very good to travel with, driving in that horrific wind, rain and later a mist that you couldn’t see through.

On my way out of the airport somehow I took a wrong road and had to backtrack as I suddenly found myself on 70 West instead of 75 South. Had it been a bright, summer sunshine day I would have gone to Harrison via Indianapolis way!

It had been a long time since I had been out in such fierce weather. The wind made my car rock as I was driving home. Had it not been that Kay was expecting me to pick her up there’s no way I would have been out in that mess, much less have a baby with me.

Vickie and I went on an adventure. We drove to Liberty, Ind., to see the courthouse, which is a work of art in itself, plus it has a small log cabin that sits next to it. We stopped at The Blue Heron Art Gallery then we took a long country drive through a little town called Fairhaven, nothing but wide open fields. Later in the evening we had supper at Olive Garden on Colerain Avenue. We only had a an hour to wait for a table! You might say we had a full weekend.

Ann Calihan had cataract surgery so Johnny has his hands full trying to keep her from moving around too much. So far she is doing great. Her vision is blurred a little, which is to be expected.

I hear there’s a 10-yearold lad who is a very talented banjo picker. He is the grandson of my uncle and aunt, Boyd and Mary Barton. I hear this young lad has only been picking the banjo for six months.

Lee Sexton is his teacher. When I heard this, it made cold chills go over my whole body as my grandmother, Betty Barton, could play guitar and banjo. Boyd was a good guitar player and so is my uncle, Charles Barton. I think both fooled with the banjo too. Now here is a younger generation.

I met Lee Sexton a few years ago. Lee is a fine person to talk to. He is one of the best banjo pickers I have ever listened to.

Genita Calihan’s daughter, Lesa Turner, will be featuring some of her paintings at an art show in Germantown soon. I will let you know more of the date later.

Gwen Huff Farmer of Illinois, is finally out of her house as the ice is melted. Gwen was cooped up for two weeks.

It seems Gwen sent an email to a person by mistake, which turned out to be a good thing as she discovered Roberta Wille is from Jeremiah and they seem to know some of the same people. Shirley Wells, Roberta Willie are friends or relations.

Shirley Wells is relieved she can finally get out and about. The weather has kept everyone housebound.

I am sorry to hear of Tessie Mae Johnson’s husband dying suddenly. Tessie Mae and our mother, Ora Hall, were cousins.

I had a phone call from Willa Mae Boggs. Her husband, Carl, had a birthday Feb. 17. Belated happy birthday, Carl.

Well, it seems as if I am forever more running short on time and I need to get this on its way.

Until next time. Rose Ballard, 9110 Lawrenceburg Road, Harrison, Ohio 45030, email:Bluegrassmama4@aol.com, (513) 367-4682.


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