The Mountain Eagle
WHITESBURG WEATHER

Time to think about Letcher County Day in Ohio

Southern Ohio



Happy Fourth of July, everyone!

My, how the time is passing. Here it is the beginning of July. Before we blink a few times Christmas will be once again here.

My sympathy goes out to Ann Calihan and her sister, Vivian Day, and families. Their niece, Debbie, lost her husband at a very early age. Debbie lives in the Dayton, Ohio, area.

Johnny and Ann Calihan lost a longtime friend and church member of Harrison Nazarene Church, Shirley Cook. Shirley fought a long battle with cancer. Shirley was a sweet person and was very active in church. Her husband, Huey Cook, drove the church bus for several years when my children were little and went to Sunday School and church.

I first got acquainted with Ann and Johnny Calihan when my daughter Angie was four years old as the Nazerene Church was having Bible School. Mom had talked about Nora and Lloyd Calihan as far back as I can remember, though I had not met them. Now I am proud to say almost 40 years later I can call both Ann and Johnny friends.

Are you ready to start thinking about Letcher County Day in Harrison, Ohio again?

I would like to start making plans for the later part of September. I will mention the date in my next column!

We really had a good turnout last year. Maybe I can find someone to play some music if I start asking between now and September.

I haven’t got very much news to write about this week as I haven’t been out very much. I walked into a door facing and broke two toes on my left foot. No, I haven’t been drinking. Not yet anyway! I think I am just an accident looking for a place to happen. I will say one thing, I have a lot of things to hurt me, however these two toes have sure been painful.

My friend, Elaine “Ma Crow” Doyle, and I were supposed to go to Friendship, Ind., to the flea market. There was no way I could walk the distance, so Saturday and Sunday found me sitting with my foot propped up.

If anyone is in the Cincinnati, Ohio, area and you hear of a group that has Ma Crow in it, you will find a very pretty petite woman who has a beautiful voice, a very quiet personality. I usually don’t envy people too much, now this woman I do admire very much. Her guitar is almost as big as she is. Not only is Ma a good singer, she is a real good guitar picker. It is hard sometimes to call her Ma as she is a few years younger than me, yet hardly anyone calls her Elaine.

I met her in 1993 and instantly took a liking to her, not knowing she was such a fine singer. We were at a bluegrass festival and were listening to a young group which featured Johnny and Joey Browning, who have has a bluegrass band called Johnny Browning and the Cornbread Express.

My granddaughter, 19-yearold Jodi Gray, and four other girls spent several days in New York. Jodi was so thrilled with the Big City. She said the style of dress is so different than here.

One of the girls’ parents has a mini-van so off they headed. Jodi said it took 12 hours to get drive there. The girls would take turns driving a couple of hours each. While in New York the girls took the subway to save on expense. She was so excited telling of seeing the Statue of Liberty and so many different sites. Jodi and her friends have already started planning a trip to Europe next summer.

Jodi has just finished her first year at Ohio University. She is planning to be a teacher. She has wanted to be a teacher since she was very young. She is working at two or three jobs this summer. She works at a day care facility, then at an ice cream parlor in the Delhi area, plus sometimes for LaRosa’s.

I am very proud of her. She is a replica of her mother, Kay Gray. Jodi is a beautiful young lady. She has Kay’s personality. Now I do hear she has a temper, that part of her I haven’t seen.

Her 15-year-old brother, Jamie Gray, will be a sophomore at Oak Hills. Jamie is into skateboarding; he is so tall and thin. Jamie is very quiet, sometimes I wonder how he gets a word in edgewise with Kay and Jodi.

My little sidekick Bennie Wiederhold is keeping me very busy as he is growing like a weed. He is trying to talk, he loves sitting on the swing on the front porch, singing and listening to the birds. I believe this little tike could walk a mile if you would walk with him. I am still trying to talk good old Ann Calihan to come down and relieve me sometimes so I can sneak in a nap.

Betty and Doyle Ison are doing alright. I keep saying I am going down for a visit to sit on their deck and never have. Actually I haven’t been on my back deck in so long that vines are starting to grow up.

I am proud to report Barefoot Bill and Betty Kelly’s daughter Melissa is doing really great. The cancer is in remission; so far she is showing cancer free. Prayers and doctors have it under control.

Betty’s brother, Doug Bryant, is till having a bad time. Betty and her family are from the Hot Spot Premium area. The Bryants, Caudills and Amburgeys are related. You can’t travel too far that you won’t run into someone from the mountains of eastern Kentucky.

Hello, Bruce Jones, are you keeping an eye on my brother, Richie Hall? I know Barb Jones made sure Richie and Wanda had some fresh peas. Did they share with you?

Levine Jones, bring your friend and come to Old Time Fiddlers at Miamitown, Ohio some Sunday, as this club meets the first Sunday of each month from 1 to 4 p.m.

Gwen Huff Farmer is being kept very busy in her garden, She sent me pictures and it is a beautiful garden.

Shirley Wells spent a special day with her grandson, Tyler, as they went fishing. Actually Tyler was fishing as it was a just for kids day. Shirley loves fishing plus she enjoys being with her family, especially this grandson.

My son, Keith Ballard, really likes fishing. He and his friend, Kelly, are planning an all night fishing trip. Now I wouldn’t know how to use a rod and reel. Does someone have an old cane pole?

Hello, Clarence and Arlyn Halcomb, I hope all is well with you two.

Bobby Joe’s “Gospel Jubilee” is once again back on air from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Each Saturday, go to Bounceradio.net and click on the site.

I try to listen to WMMT with Tony Burke, and switch back and forth between the two.

Never take someone for granted, hold every person close to your heart because you might wake up one day and realize that you’ve lost a diamond while you were too busy collecting stones.

Well, it is time to get this on the way. As I often say, that clock is giving me the evil eye!

Rose Ballard, 9110 Lawrenceburg Road, Harrison, Ohio 45030, email Bluegrassmama4@aol.com.


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