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Archiver > TNDICKSO > 2000-07 > 0963172297


From: "theshadow" <>
Subject: Re: [TNDICKSO] DC Homecoming
Date: Sun, 9 Jul 2000 14:51:37 -0500


Hi Jan,
Well said----as usual---and I know we "done our ancestors proud!" Only
you forgot to mention the wonderful prints you brought----naturally I bid on
one and got it! Yup, I did outbid you on a "couple" of items but wanted to
be sure we got enough money to have another reunion!
It was grand.
Jean
----- Original Message -----
From: "j" <>
To: <>
Sent: Saturday, July 08, 2000 7:05 PM
Subject: [TNDICKSO] DC Homecoming


> Mary...here was the story I had to tell when I returned...sent it to DC
and
> Stewart, but don't think I sent it to Dickson. -jan
>
> Afternoon Yall,
>
> I have just returned from the Danville Crossing Homecoming and I am sure
> many of you are anxious for a full report. <vbg> That you shall have. I
> started out on this jaunt with my good friend Mattie, who has no ties to
> that area, but had agreed to accompany me and present a session of
> Appalachian storytelling (at which she is most talented), and I started
out
> on this jaunt not having a clue how much I would actually be able to take
> part in the Homecoming, having several family elders in the area in very
> bad physical condition and hospitalized. As it turned out, that did indeed
> take a great deal of my time, but I also was able to spend a good deal of
> time at the Homecoming too.
>
> Mattie left saying "I feel like I have left family" and fact is that is
> probably just how all of us felt. Now it is just a good look at our
> southern heritage and the feeling behind this event our dear friend Cher
> founded that Mattie felt that way too, not being bound by blood-ties to
> this area, but having been adopted by all of us there. In short, we left
> with a good "warm fuzzy" feeling and that Homecoming is food for the soul.
>
> Mattie and I arrived on Wednesday night having spent the day looking out
> for some of my elders. And sure nuff, some of the folks were already there
> and I finally met Betsy who has been so much help to the Stewart Co. list,
> and who took my own Mama on a cemetery jaunt last fall (even though the
two
> were veritable strangers and Betsy was just being helpful-again-to someone
> in her area). Let me tell you that gal is ALL RIGHT! Downhome, and easy to
> get to know with a laugh that will tickle you to your toes. Also met
> Monette that night and she is one more dandy as well!
>
> Thursday dawned bright and early with Cacky, Cacky's daughter and Linda
and
> her daughter already on site registering folks and handing out DC
t-shirts.
> Bill Gleaves came all the way from Oregon again!!! Betty and a number of
> others came in from Texas. We got acquainted with a good many cousins that
> day, some taking off for cemeteries and courthouses for the day
afterwards.
> Got reacquainted with many from last year including Mary Russell and Anne.
> That night, yours truly, hosted an Appalachian folklore workshop and had
> those folks acting plumb silly!!!!! Had them pushing buttons with their
> tongues and going on a Snipe Hunt. I will have to let them tell you about
> it, but I do have it all captured on videotape and for a price will erase
> the danged thing! <vbg> Just kidding! But it WAS hilarious. Now Tim is a
> nutcase, let me tell you, but he is also a fine Boy Sprout and had our
> campfire ready over in the campground when that particular shindig was
> over. Got to know Mary Carol and her husband on the walk over, as well as
> Phil from Michigan who was a "surprise" visit to the homecoming. We all
> braved the ticks and headed that direction for an evening of weiner and
> marshmellow roasting and plain old good company! Did we EVER have a dandy
> time with a lot of good folks.
>
> Friday we had a workshop on Fort Donelson with Ranger Jobe, that evening
> M.T. showed up with Janet (and yup, they are "good folks"!!! Fun to be
with
> too) and of course M.T. started picking on me soon as he arrived, but Jay
> Cee was there along with her family to tone him down! More fine folks to
> hug and feel right at home with having known them so long from our lists.
> M.T. got everyone jawing about "old times" in his workshop and Mattie
> followed up with some good old mountain stories.
> Saturday Harry Buchanan kept us all enthralled with his workshop on log
> cabin building and old time woodcrafts (by the way he had brought a fork
he
> carved himself for the silent auction and Gene Walker brought some
> beautiful handmade picture frames-yes, Cher, I got you one!). Met so many
> fine folks I don't know how to start, and afraid I might miss someone but
> we did share breakfast with the Ragons...more fine folks. And hugged a
> bunch of folks that we have shared with so very long on these lists and
> enjoyed the company of so long. That Jones family is a fine bunch too!
> <vbg> Enjoyed looking at the handiwork of several in the auction too. Ida
> had made a DC steppingstone, Sue had made a quilted tablerunner, Jay Cee
> had made an egg basket...oh I don't know what all! Everything I bid on
Jean
> Hancock or Tim came right behind me and outbid me on! (now that ain't like
> family yall! <vbg>) Don Simmons was with us too, with all of his wonderful
> books for sale, and Stewart Co. Historical Society showed up. I believe
> Benton Co. was there at one time as well and Henry Co. sent us some info.
> Humphrey Co. went out of their way to cooperate with this shindig as well.
> Well just met a lot of fine people, and if I don't name you it is not
> because I have forgotten or ever will...but because I am about addled from
> no sleep driving all night to get home to my daughter's birthday which I
> have to go celebrate soon as I finish reporting in! <vbg>
>
> Saturday night we had a fine catfish dinner, and M.T. m.c.'ed while Cacky
> awarded more than a few for contributions to the homecoming and we all
> applauded her for a job VERY well done! Cacky stepped in to be our
fearless
> leader when Cher and I both wound up with way too many family health
> problems to do the homecoming justice. Together she and Linda did the most
> of this, and they certainly did a fine job. Dinner was wonderous (even if
> we had to spend a little of the time picking on Tim! <vbg>)
>
> Now the most wonderful thing to me in all this is that once upon a time
> every single one of us down there came from an ancestor who most probably
> knew and cared about the ancestor of the others, or who was the SAME
> ancestor. Once upon a time that ancestor had a little family he hoped
would
> proliferate and be successful...hoped that down the line his folks would
> somehow still be kin, still be neighborly, know one another, care for one
> another as he cared for those little heads under his roof. Being parents
> and grandparents, we understand those feeling when we look at our own
> children today. And being the way of things, of course at sometime those
> ties got lost. Every time we meet together at this Homecoming we are
> renewing some tie from long ago. We are pulling back together that family
> from long ago that shared the same roof, or we are pulling back together
> those neighbors who walked the trails to Tennessee together, floated down
> the river together, settled together, nursed one another, buried each
> other's dead, helped one another through hard times, laughed together and
> celebrated together. And for one shining moment in time every single year
> we are hugging and caring about one another again, listening to the
> troubles and the happy moments of one another, celebrating all over again
> as our people of the past did. And that is why even Mattie, without a
> single connection to Middle Tennessee, could feel that overflow of love
and
> sense of kinship and leave saying "I feel like I am leaving family!"
Indeed
> she did, and having been adopted by all of us there, I imagine she now has
> roots in Middle Tn. and will be back same as the rest of us. Hope to see
> many of you there with us next outing!!!!
> jan
>
> At 07:20 PM 7/8/00 -0400, you wrote:
> >Mary,
> >Comments will come later... from Jan...I couldnt attend...
> >Cher
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: mary payne <>
> >To: <>
> >Sent: Thursday, July 06, 2000 10:45 PM
> >Subject: [TNDICKSO] Disappointed
> >
> >
> > > I'm very disappointed in this group. I have gone thru 3 or 4 months of
> > > preparation's for the Danville Crossing Reunion. I've read all about
the
> > > making of reservations,the selling of t-shirts,where everyone is
going
> > > to meet and how many were going to be there. Then comes June 24th and
> > > What? Nothing. Not all of us got to go. We who didn't or at least me,
> > > would like to know. Did you have fun?Did you have a good crowd? Did
you
> > > eat lots of good food? Did it rain or sunshine? Please give some
> > > details. I'm sorry I missed it. Maybe next year, I'll make it. Thanks
> > > Mary
> > >
> > >
> > > ==== TNDICKSO Mailing List ====
> > > http://www.rootsweb.com/~tndickso/index.htm
> > >
>
> ______________________________

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