News From the Round Table at Pouland's

Mike and Terry Gipson are still traveling across the country in their very nice RV. They enjoy watching birds, fishing, hiking, cooking, eating, shopping, all the fun things one hopes to do when they retire. While they were at Picacho Peak in Arizona State Park the two of them were hiking up the mountain when Terry decided she wanted a closer look at a wren nest built in a Teddy Bear cholla cactus. Just as she stepped up on a big rock to see inside, the rock rolled and Terry fell INTO the cactus, viewing the nest at a very close range. Three sections of the cholla stuck in her forehead. When she caught herself with her left hand, it too was covered with the cactus. I think Mike said they picked over 200 stickers, needles or whatever you call them, out of Terry and she still has bumps under her skin. They lead such exciting lives, I can't wait to hear about their next adventure, stay tuned!

It's never a dull moment when James Lumpkin is around. He came in with his grandson, Jacob Sinclair, a Huntington ISD seventh grader. He and Jacob had returned from Jacob's first turkey hunt near San Angelo. James said, "We didn't slay a turkey but we scared the daylights out of them." James was talking about his garden and said he couldn't grow watermelons because "my ground is so rich the vines grow so fast they drag the watermelons off." It was hard to believe that James Lumpkin couldn't tell us a quote to write on our "wall of philosophy" (the bathroom door) but his wise grandson Jacob gave us a quote. "The early bird may get the worm but the second mouse gets the cheese." Let us know if you have any words of wisdom you would like to share with us.

Ernest Rowe is also an interesting customer. He came in to pick up his trimmer and we learned he has been trying to teach a youngster that a chainsaw will not work in sand. He and Janice Ann will be celebrating 30 years of marriage this year and the whole family plans to help them celebrate it somewhere but the plans are not final as yet.

Pastor David Blakey was in Diboll visiting with his sister Leverne Ward, his nephew Brian Ward and other family members. Pastor Blakey lives in Canton and with him were his son Erik from Longview and his son-in-law Brian Davis, also from Canton. They were attending a men's conference at the Pentecostal campground. Pastor Blakey's wife Nancy has been teaching for 10 years in their school district and it didn't take me long to determine they are quite proud of their first granddaughter, 2-year-old Hannah.

Allene (Hollis) Johns came in to buy pea seeds. She spent some time growing up in Burke, moved away and came back in 1996; she and her husband bought the rock house of Maxine and Arvile Stringer in Burke. Allene said she did not realize that Burke was an incorporated city until about a month ago. Just in case you didn't know, the mayor is John Thomas Jones and council members are: Larry Morris, Gary Courtney, Paul Mettlen, Wayne Hodges and Benji McKinney. Haywood Quarles was the volunteer city manager and was in the process of trying to get a grant to install new windows in their city hall which is the old Burke school building.

I learned that Freeman and Judy Thompson have been raising birds for more than 10 years at their Thompson Hollow Aviary in Diboll. They have finches, cockatiels, parakeets, lovebirds, canaries, a variety of parrots, and other fine feathered birds. They also sell cages, perches and bird supplies. If you're interested, call them at 829- 2703. Louis Landers is always interesting to visit with when he comes in. He is full of knowledge about Diboll's past and is always sharing interesting pictures and articles from working at The History Center. Jonathan Gerland is the director of The History Center and his beautiful wife Jill is featured on the cover of this month's edition of The Journal. If you can find a copy (we used to have them here) be sure to read their touching story and how the "Empty Arms Ministry" got started.

Mary Lou Havard's beautiful country home was the setting for the Lufkin graduating class of 1949, 60 years ago. Several came a couple of days early to help set up the big event. Mary Lou said she enjoyed several delicious meals and enjoyed being treated like royalty. A total of 44 attended on Saturday night and enjoyed fun, fellowship and a delicious catered meal by The Square Shooters. Those that came earlier in the week included: Mary Lou's cousin, JoAnn (Ruby) and Wray Lawley from Dallas; Peggy (Barclay) and Frank Ragland from Mansfield, La.; Kadie (Dyess) and Charles Whitard from Onalaska; Barbara and Billy Vaughn from Dallas; Max Rucker from Dallas and Pat (Bowser) Williams from Evadale.

It was messy at the RT after school buddies Joe Wilkerson Jr., Joe Anthony and Bobby Chandler got through with all their squirrel hunting stories around Batson where they camped out and cooked in Dutch ovens. After their visit there must have been at least two ice chests full of squirrels they killed around the table that morning.

Our thanks to Levy Ellison for sharing with us fresh potatoes from his garden; he also brought two huge onions. Wayne pulled some rather large onions from our crop in front of the store and Andrea baked them in butter along with the fresh potatoes, squash and green beans from the freezer. It was a tasty vegetable dinner.

Gary Horton and many other veteran gardeners are having a tough time this year and having to replant. Carroll Nash was in buying a new chainsaw. Jeff Stuff stopped by the RT while he was in Diboll. Sterling Burnett is walking unassisted after having a total hip replacement two weeks before. Our thanks to Ima Jean Weisinger for the delicious pineapple icebox pie she made; it's hard to believe it was free of sugar.

Donald and Billie Jean Capps received lots of damage to their house and orchard from the recent high winds. They were discouraged but had lots of help that day and are moving forward. The Four-S Orchard began in 1983 and had over 100 mayhaw and other fruit trees; they lost 44 trees, some were major producers. Mayhaw jelly lovers don't panic, Billie Jean said they had already harvested 182 gallons of mayhaws in spite of the wax wing birds that got over 100 gallons. She reassured us there will be plenty of jelly available.

Those celebrating birthdays the next few days include: May 13, Amy Kilgore, Glenda Andrus, Ricky Morris; May 14, David Mathis, Pam Oliver; May 15, Bobby Chandler, Paige Ward, Lane Bass; May 16, Tracy Murray, Olivia Bell; May 17, Amanda Jackson; May 18, Meredith Ruby and Geraldine Pouland. Come see us…'round the table.