Be mindful — bears are attracted to discarded food

by BY MARY LOU BUSH APPALACHIA NEWS • 565-1386 gabgrandadva@yahoo.com

Bear Encounter

On our way to Norton Monday morning, just past the Stone Mountain Health Clinic, much to our surprise, on the side of the road getting food from discarded trash thrown on the highway was a black bear! He was looking at us head on.

Now I am no bear expert but I would say he was a cub, very black and beautiful. We slowed down to see which way he would go. Luckily he grabbed the food left in the papers and ran over the hillside.

The trash cans and the trash thrown out of cars is what they are looking for. Maybe if everyone would be more careful about discarding left over food in the trash cans and on the highways the bears might go back to the norm and eat the acorns and the nuts that makes them fatten up for a winter’s nap.

This was a first for us, to come face to face with a black bear.

Back to School

School starts back September 28, four days a week. This was the school board’s decision.

Celebrates Birthday

My friend, Nancy Buchanan, has a birthday Monday, September 28. She will be 85 years old. Nancy is living at The Laurels now. She is happy and well satisfied and has made new friends. We cannot go in to see her due to Covid.

Prayers

We have a number of people in our area that are recovering from the Covid virus. Remember them in prayer as they are rehabilitated to regain their strength.

Autumn is Here

We can now officially say we are having autumn days and nights. With the weather change so will our mountains. I hope the colors will be brilliant this year.

We all need a boost of God’s handiwork to help us through these difficult times. 

I love fall of the year. It’s the most colorful time of the four seasons.

We had two big poplar trees in our back yard and Shawn, Sabrina and I would rake up piles of leaves and then they would jump on top of the piles.

Mr. and Mrs. Walker lived behind us on Templeton Street and he would rake the leaves in his yard and after 4 pm he would burn them. That smoke smell would kill any gnat that came around. The next day there would be more leaves.

Now those were the good old days for me, when people were outside and doing things together.

Now we enjoy taking a ride and admiring the beautiful scenery of our mountains.

Lions Club Meeting

Appalachia Lions Club will meet Thursday, September 24 at 7 pm in the fellowship hall of the Appalachia First Baptist Church on Kilbourne Avenue in Appalachia.

President Ben Hooper urges all Lions and Lionesses to attend this meeting.

Appalachia Town Council

Appalachia Town Council meets Thursday, October 15 at 5 pm at the old AHS Auditorium. This is due to social distancing  for the time being due to the Covid virus.

Repair Problems

When you think you are just about to get back to normal after a remodeling job, think again.

We had our kitchen and bathroom floors redone in waterproof flooring.

We finally had to call the people in charge of the installing to come and look at the job. His answer was it needs to be redone!

The floor is not waterproof the way it was installed. Now the new installers will come tear this out and do it right, I hope! They may be here when the Christmas tree goes up.

One thing about senior years, we don’t get in a hurry!

Birthday Celebration

Our daughter-in-law Emily Bush’s birthday was September 20. Her family, parents, sister’s family and Gary and myself enjoyed a very good celebration at 4 Seasons in Big Stone Gap.

Great food and the distancing was also good.

Surprise Encounters

It was good to see Robert and Brenda Anderson on Sunday. I believe that was the first time since March. Six months and we live in the same town. Now you know we stay at home.

Shawn, our son, was thrilled when he saw his second grade teacher, Susie Vandergriff, on Sunday. His wife, Emily, asked how old is Susie, she looks very young. Don’t ever tell a lady’s age and she won’t either. Susie has a special place in the hearts of her former students. Great teacher!

Condolences

It is with deep sympathy we send our condolences  to Rev. Roy Smith’s family.

Roy passed into his heavenly body and home last Thursday at Holston Valley Hospital.

He wore many hats in this lifetime. Son, husband, father, soldier in our US Army but most important a soldier in God’s army. He pastored the Appalachia Pentecostal Church in Appalachia for many years.

Roy always had a smile and a greeting each time he saw you anywhere.

A man very much respected for the stand he took in this life.

His love for Jesus, his wife, children, grandchildren and church family was very evident in his life.

Roy and Ann Lee’s wedding anniversary is Sunday, Sept. 27.

Rev. Roy Smith’s body was laid to rest at Powell Valley Memorial Gardens with military rites on Monday.

Sunflowers

We have taken down the giant sunflowers that grew in our yard this summer.

When the flowers were dried we were able to get the seeds and place them in coffee cans. Now we will place them in our dark basement until next April and they will be ready to plant and grow and make more beautiful yellow flowers.

Linda, I have not forgotten you and you will have the seeds in April to plant. 

Prayer Request

Please continue to pray for our nation, so much turmoil and unrest. Every direction you look has so much disasters going on. Could this be the end times?