Valle Crucis News
by Callie and Ethel Foss

May 27, 2009

I asked someone the other day a very simple question. If April showers bring May flowers, what do May showers bring? The answer is weeds! Lots of them. We finally got our plants in the ground – very late one night. But, before we could do that we had to hoe the garden to get rid of all of the weeds! Isn’t that crazy? Hoeing before you even have anything planted. Thank goodness it’s just a small patch. I can’t imagine the mess that LC has. His garden is a whopper.

Congratulations to Nate Estus, a fifth grader from Valle Crucis. He won first place in the state’s 2009 Soil and Water Conservation Poster, Essay, and Public Speaking Contest. The theme for this year is “Soil and Water, Yours for Life.” It is really important that we think about the little things around us and take care of them. Water is one of those resources that we often don’t give a second thought about because it’s always been there, but what if there was no water or what if it wasn’t safe to drink. I hope we never have to find out the answers to those questions. Way to go Nate!

Speaking of congratulations, students from Caldwell Community College participated in statewide competition in automotives. The students from CCC&TI did so well that they went on to compete on the national level, and I think they finished third there. What a great accomplishment.

I am constantly amazed at how well CCC&TI does. Its students, faculty, and staff are top notch. AND, if you really want to see a beautiful view, stop by their campus out on the bypass along about sundown. WOW! It sure must be difficult for students to keep their minds on their studies what that beauty right outside their windows.

Ethel and I watched the special on the Missing Link fossil on Monday night on the History Channel. It was very interesting that they found a fossil of a primate that is 47 million years old, and it is complete – every bone is intact. Researchers were even able to discern that it was a female and what she had for her last meal. Amazing! The scientists set out to see if Ida, as they called her, is a distant relative of humans or if she is related to lower primates. It seems that around the time that Ida lived is when the primate tree began to split into prosemians and anthropoids. The prosemians eventually evolved into what we know today as lemurs. The anthropoids developed into chimps, gorillas, and humans. Through their research, which I’m sure is continuing, they believe that Ida is a transitional species, one that has characteristics of both.

All of this reminded me of stopping by the Gray Fossil Site over in Tennessee. That site only dates back to the Miocene era (4-7 million years ago). I wanted to debate more about what the scientists found (in both places) and Ethel went back to reading her book. Oh, well. You can find out more at History.com/thelink.

Mark your calendars… For those of you who enjoy the fiddle playing of the Forget-Me-Nots, this month you’ll have an opportunity to hear the three girls display their classical music skills. Willa Finck, Ledah Finck, and Maura Shawn Scanlin will be performing an end-of-year recital of classical violin pieces starting at 7:00 pm on Friday, May 29th in the Recital Hall of the Broyhill Music Center on the campus of Appalachian State University. The recital is open to the public.

And don’t forget that Music in the Park has started. This week Family Ties will play bluegrass music starting at 7 p.m. Get your neighbors together and join others at the Park for a wonderful evening.

The Valle Crucis Farmers’ Market starts this Friday. It will be behind the Original Store from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. Drop by to stock your shelves for the coming weekend with healthy foods from your neighbors.

Happy Birthday to Bill Rankin on May 28, Jakob Sjostrand on May 30, Peggy Mast on May 31, Stuart Tugman and Judy Bondi on June 2. Happy Anniversary to Jim Brown and Kim Baker on May 27 and to William and Denise Ringler on May 30. I hope you all have wonderful celebrations!

Valle Crucis News
c/o Sandy Shook
Watauga Democrat
474 Industrial Park Drive
Boone, NC 28607

Here’s a great quote about rain, Life is like a rainbow. You need both the sun and the rain to make its colors appear. Unknown.

Have a wonderful week!