Hello Family

Has anyone else had trouble getting on the vowell voices blogspot? My pc had been down for some time and now when I try to get on it reads not available or something. Donna said she had trouble also and wants to know if anyone else does. Hope all is having a great summer and not as HOT as it is here in Mississippi

New Lake Beulah Story

This week's paper had a picture taken last year of a "gator sighting" on the lake. The article stated that according to the distance between the eyes (picture was pretty graphic) the gator was 8 to 10 feet long. Guess where the gator was spotted! Right down from the Fireman's Club.
That is a very scenic spot of the "West Coast", we take wildlife cruises to that end of the lake. We have in the past 2 or 3 years seen: up to 4 bald eagles; a passle of piglets; deer; Asian carp "jumping" fish; and now maybe a gator!!!!
Anyone up for skiing?
Come on over!
Manager 1

from Scarlett: D'ya think the gator ran off the nest of snakes?

Drew and Margaret Bennett

Once Marjorie took Ruby, Sandra, Donna, Gayle and maybe Jake off to the hills to find Nebo Cemetary. She stopped to ask a woman raking the yard the directions to Nebo. The woman took her into a house trailor. When she came out, she said the woman wanted her to talk to the old man. The old man? We thought the woman was old! "This is Marjorie, Eli Jordan's granddaughter," the old woman told the older man. The old man said, "Eli Jordan? He married Nancy Ola, didn't he?" Neither Eli Jordan nor Nancy Ola is in this photo. This is Nancy Ola's parents, with her siblings still at home. I figure it was made after Eli Jordan and Nancy Ola ran off to be married. When I locate my info with their names, I will tell you who the Bennett siblings are. The parents are (An?)Drew and Margaret.

If you click on the picture it will enlarge.

Vowell Voices: A Fun Time

Vowell Voices: A Fun Time
Dominic is still talking about Tristin & the trucks!

A Fun Time

I have to add my two bits. I had a wonderful time at the reunion. I know Tristan did. All the dirt proves that. Everybody who worked so hard to make everything come together deserves kudos. And, Donna, you might have to freeze your bunnies (so they won't melt yet) and think of something to use them for at the next reunion. As Mary said, sharing memories is more fun than keeping them to yourself.

I missed being able to stay up talking. But when you volunteer to keep up with a 3-year old, you generally go to bed shortly after they do. I hope I can help create some memories for him. Maybe next time I can stay up a little longer.

Aunt Donna says: I don't know what Tristan will remember, but I will always remember him running out of the lodge, hitting the sidewalk headed for the green space between the two buildings. He knotted his hands into fists, pumped the air with them, and squealed with pure happiness, like he couldn't believe life could be this good. Watching the kids play with kinfolks they couldn't possibly know, where everyone had a friendly hand to reach out for them, or a ready smile, reminded me of all those times we had when we were growing up...a passel of kids and loads of adults who loved them.

To all the Aunt and Uncle and Cousin Bunnies

THANK YOU!!!!

(and to Good Ed and Holly Bunny, I gobbled that Lindt rabbit up quicker 'n a wink)

Chocolated Again and Again and Again

AND AGAIN

Chocolated

OH NO NOT AGAIN??????

The reunion

I just want you all to know how much I enjoyed this weekend! It was great to see everybody and hear all of the stories firsthand. I also really hope that everyone keeps on blogging! I'm sure that there were stories told that need to be written down somewhere so that everyone can read them!

Mary Alice said: You are correct!!! This weekend was great! There were some stories told that do NOT need to be written down HA - for example: My mother in Nashville with Jean and there was not any bathrooms at there disposal. Pizza anyone? That story prolly needs to stay off of the blog. I did enjoy many stories and visiting with everyone. I am already looking forward to 2 years from now.

Donna says: I had a wonderful time at the reunion. Stories...I love stories. And if you are passing through Mississippi, or Greenwood, Mississippi, stop, rest a while and tell me some more stories. I agree with Elise and Mary Alice...seeing everyone was great.

Becky says: I have a hard time telling people what they each mean to a reunion and to me, I seem to choke up really bad! But I do want to say to the WHOLE group how great this reunion was and thank you all for your part. Let's do this again sometime!
Love to all - I AM PROUD TO BE A VOWELL!!!

I did it ONE Memory a day until I left for the reunion

Well this is the last day at home here in chicago. I was able to find and publish a memory a day until I left for the reunion. I am on the road tomorrow with a full car and 2 children that are mine and 2 grand children that are mine also. To think I thought I was going to have a quiet drive to mississippi this time. Well things change and I will be listening to Thomas the train and DORA movies for 11 hours over the next 2 days. See yall on Friday

Why did Granny Vowell's yard have St Augustine grass

Does anyone remember? My dad decided once that he could bring plugs from New Orleans and start them in Grannies yard. So everytime for awhile on trips to Ruleville he would bring St Augustine grass to granny's to plant in her yard. He started planting them just to the right of the porch as you were facing her house.

Camellia said: Oh, Good Ed, thanks for this memory...that's the same reason 310 McClain had St. Augustine. I remember plug detail, and I think once when we visited in N.O. we came home with a sack of plugs? Scarlett, is this true? How on earth would we have fit a sack of grass in our car to come home? OH, yeah...Daddy was packing.

St.Augustine at 1511 Deering also came from N.O. by way of 310 McClain. When Charles edged his yard, he gave us the runners which we planted in the front yard. We had a good stand for a while, until bugs moved in. Still have a good bit in the back yard.

St Augustine at 317 Skeeter Robertson Road also came from NO - I didn't know this until this week, when Gary starting raking the dead cinch bug's grass.

Vowell Voices

Vowell Voices

Hey,my name is Kelsey Hale.I could not get on vowell voices so I am on with my grandmothers.I have wonderful ideas.The idea is what I always wanted to do with children.Athough I am only 13 years old I will need alot of help if you accept it.My idea was to have a scavenger hunt with all the little childdren.I am not sure when,where, or if there is alot of children that we could do it.I think it would be fun to do this actvity but, we will need some adults or older people that can direct the children.I hope that you will accept this.I dont know exactly how many chilren there is but,I also have another idea and that is to dress up like an easter bunny and let the children take pictures with the easter bunny.Maybe one of my brothers could help this come true but,I am not sure.After the hunt and after the easter bunny then maybe we could take a walk and look at the lake. If any adults need a babysitter then I would be glad to watch their or your child while you visit with the family.I promise I will be the best.Those are some of my ideas so please let me know how you feel about these activities.I will also be glad to hide easter eggs if you would like any help.Thank you so much for reading my blog.

INDIAN MOUNDS

Once a long time ago way went out in the country to an indian mound. I think we were visiting Uncle Carlos in Memphis. But it could have been Aunt Nita. I remember going out on an old road and then crossing some railroad tracks . THen we came to a mound. I think we walked into an excavation under a roof or dome. And layed out in front of us was the Inidan bones they were excavating. This was a long time ago. But the memory is still there.
If this was Uncle Carlos hause we did stay the night at his house. I got to watch Howdy Doody for the first time. Remember I did not have a tv when I was growing up.

Camellia says: when did you get a tv? Our first was when Uncle Carlis spent the night with us. We might have already discussed this...I think the Terrells got the first tv, and we went over to watch it...all we could see was snow with shadows moving across it. And Pearl and Ross got the first color tv...and the color was so bad, I wondered why.

Now...the Chukalissa Indian villege http://cas.memphis.edu/chucalissa/ is in Memphis. Jake and I saw it when I took him and a friend to the zoo, and we got lost on our way out of town. Jake told his friend, "My mother gets lost in the best places." We had done it enough, he knew it to be true. I figured getting lost was tourist instructions from God, so we took advantage of it. The villege was great...especially the grave. There was a woman with a baby who also had her head between her legs. I have pondered that for many years. And a young man of high status who died of a tooth abcess. I don't think they show the grave any more.

How many of you went to the Winterville mounds outside of Greenville? and raise your hands now, how many of you have seen the Petrified Forest at Flora? I have! I have!...and it really doesn't look like that forest where Annie hid out in Orphan Annie. But it's a nice trek. ****

Shelling peas

I am running to the end I dont know if I can pull 2 more memories out of my old mind before I leave
on Thursday morning. But I will keep trying

But back to shelling peas.

I do remember been given a bowl and told to shell them. Enough said.

Vowell Voices

SPECIAL MEMORIES

In all our memories lets not forget the latest ones:::::::
Aunt Nita and the RiverRoad Restaurant, all the family meeting we had there and the many times she fed us all the good food I hated to cook at home. Uncle Jack at the Pic-A-Bit with the kinfolk icee. Aunt Margie and Uncle Charles dressing the church with The Cleveland Rent All (that rents almost everything) wedding equipment and making the receptions so special for all our girls that were married here. Uncle Yogi that always gave us a good deal on a car, (wonder if I could get a good deal now?) Lady Jane directing our weddings altho she had to talk some into changes, SHE DID IT. Aunt Nell and Uncle Eddie, all the trips we made to their home in N.O. Maryland and Chicago, then to Diamondhead and to the casinos. Jack and Charles always trying to help Eddie pack his car to go home, Eddie had his own way of doing this. and where would we all be without the veggies from Aunt Imogene and Uncle Franklin's Truck Patch He always planted enough for everybody. Our first family reunion at their home in Ruleville. These memories will be hard to beat We all can't remember the younger memories like you young ones but these stick in my mind

Raw peanuts

I remember Gary and I driving in the old pickup truck, and stopping in the fields to throw some peanut bushes in the back. WE then would stop and eat the raw peanuts. They were really good. I thought this was neat but Holly has better memories with visiting Dothan Al. and her mothers side of the family. THis was the heart of the peanut country. THe only bad memory was that her grandmother would take her to Baptist church services and she would be pushed forward for the altar calls to be saved. Real bad memories.

Another trip

So once we decided we were going on vacation, only we didn't know where. Jake elected to go to Sherveport with Grandmother and pick up Michael and Amanda. We stuck Erin and Elise in the car, and started debating about which direction to head in. "What about the mountains?" Kent or I asked. "I've seen mountains," Erin said, "I live in the Oxford mountains." "I've seen mountains," Elise said, "we stay in the Starkville mountains." Oh, yeah. We better see mountains. And we did, until Elise and I satpressed against the seats and sucked our thumbs, and Kent and Erin ooohed and aaaahed out the windows. On the way back we were real glad they couldn't read yet...we passed all the signs for Dollywood and didn't have to stop.

THE PIG

Ok, I've been waiting on my sister to tell the pig story because she tells it so much better than me, so someone PLEASE remember to ask her about my mother's experience with the big greeen car and the stray pig!!


DO NOT ASK - It really isn't a funny story!
guess who?

Uncle Charles auto repair place

Ok I remember going with Dad to Uncle Charles auto shop. He had to work on the ski boat engine because it was not running right.
He set it up in a big drum and then started it after tinkering with it.

I also remember Uncle Charles car it had emergency lights I think in the hood area and also a siren. WE were told to never set of the siren
in the car but I think we did one time. He also had an emergency radio in his bedroom to listen to fire calls so he could go on calls.

This might be why I became emergency response manager in my town because I had it in my blood.

Scarlett: We also went there one year to do the pinata at Christmas. It was too cold to try it outside and we couldn't figure out how to hang it under Uncle Jack's garage. No one in Cleveland had a tree big enough to throw it across a branch anyway. And I think he was always tinkering with the boat motor. Thank goodnes he could or we wouldn't have all those wonderful memories about skiing at Beulah.