Pecan Grove (www.pecan-grove.net) Pecan Orchard and Senior Residence

September was fairly quiet.  Marybelle returned from Malcom convention, Lois’s broken ribs healed nicely, Kathy and I enjoyed visits in California, and Dominique and Mimi left for France.  Winston and Lynn LaPrarie visited from Louisiana, shown here with Jack and Gilbert.  Rex and Martha Taylor and daughter Heather visited from Wichita Falls.  Here they’re shown with 6 of the residents.  While they were here we had a sing.

Marybelle’s brother Charles visited from Oregon.  Here he’s with Marybelle and is holding Katelyn.  Ed Lloyd came for a visit and took Elton to see Roger in the nursing home.  Roger has been on hospice for several months and is slowly declining.  Then Ed took Elton to eat at Pie in the Sky – one of Elton’s favorite places.

We have a new employee, Kameran, shown here with Salena.  The Hoffman’s are raising a fawn, shown with Elton after meeting one Sunday.

We decided not to farm the pecans this year… too much labor and expense.  There are plenty of pecans on the trees, but most are black with scab.  The crows are having a great time!

October will be a busy month. Some folks are planning on going to all 4 conventions in Texas and we’re expecting visitors associated with the conventions. Also, several of Elton’s family are coming for his 101’st birthday!

Ken

Jean Hagemeier passed away August 18.  She was at PG from May 2010 to May 2018… 8 years, our longest resident.  In May she went to her nephew’s, Kent and Linda Opels in Pearland (south of Houston).  Jean had health issues her whole life, but lived to be almost 95.  She loved to study the bible and always had bread in our studies.  Here’s a picture of Jean with Kent, Linda and Abigail Hoffman, when they came for a visit in June.

August has been a busy month!  Elton flew to PA for a week to be with family and at Newry.  Marybelle flew to Iowa for 2 weeks to be at Malcom (she will return Monday).  Lois fell and broke 2 ribs.  She’s recovering painfully.  John graduated from a walker to a cane, but still has to be careful walking.  Marcos and Lety Valdez decided to return to Mexico.  A few weeks later they were gone!  We’re glad that they are happy to be there, though they left many dreams behind here.  Here’s a picture of Elton with some of his family at Newry, and Marcos, Lety, Hannah and Jonathan, with Joyce, Blanca (Marco’s mother) and Kathy.  There was a going away lunch at PG… here they’re with the “Y’all Come Back” cake.

Marie and LaVina have been having meetings in Huntsville, and staying at PG some of the time.  Here they are with Gilbert.  We have a new renter for what was my parents house, Ericka.  She’s a mounted patrol at the mall so we have a horse in the horse pasture again.  She came in uniform to the going away lunch for Marcos and Lety.  Here she’s holding our grand daughter Maren Furrow.

There were 2 birthdays in August, our daughter Karin Kelleher’s (35) and my dad’s, Jack Newman (85).

We had many visitors in August, some of which we didn’t get pictures of.  Steve Peirson from WA was here for a few days, mainly to visit Fern, but we all enjoyed his visit.  Here he is with Fern, then with Fern, LaVina, and Andy and Patty Rosehill.  Also on a 4 wheeler taking Fern around the farm.

Other visitors included Nathan and Allison Potter and their girls Caroline, Kayleen, Allie, from Mountain Peak.  Ulysses and Vernell LaPrairie from Effie, shown with Marie, Gilbert and John.  Then Eugene and Laura Robertsen from LA with Gilbert and John.

Lolita Chavez and Dany from Laredo and Glenn and Shirley Spunaugle from Redbud Canyon, shown with Dominique.

Some family photos… Wayne and Dawn Overby and their family, and our 6 grandchildren.

Ken

The current residents at Pecan Grove are:  (back) Elton Cleveland, Gilbert Reese, John Culver, Jack Newman, (front) Fern Duncan, Alice Oetken, Lois Culver, Marybelle Armstrong.

Our staff includes the 4 girls below, Chanda, Jocelyn, Jennifer and Salena (the manager).  Lety Valdez has worked at PG but is now busy with 2 kids.  Marcos is working on the farm now.  Residence staff not shown are Penny and Abigail.

Chuck Buchanan is doing some work for us, shown here with Salena.  Mimi Mille cuts hair… here she’s cutting Gilberts.

John decided we neede a fried chicken dinner.  We had it for our July 4th celebration, which actually happened July 7th.  Everyone living on the farm came.  We had a sing afterward, waiting for it to get dark, and then enjoyed some fireworks.

Joan Hinkley had a birthday.  Duane and Joan live near PG now, but are trying to sell their place.  They had a pot luck which most of the residents attended.

Visitors in July included Pearl, Pauline and Alma who visited Fern.  Lyle and Roberta Overby visited Wayne and Dawn, and had good visits with Gilbert.  Our grandchildren played house under one of the tables.

Alice was able to go to Happy for convention.  Before she went her niece Carol and Mike Martin from OK visited with their granddaughter Kayden.  After Happy Chuck Bunger brought Tsutomu Miyata from Japan for a visit.

The Hoda family from Fosters, Alabama, and the Bryant family from Louisiana visited.

We’ve enjoyed sweet fresh figs at PG.  Unfortunately they don’t keep very long.

Kathy and I are currently in Brittany, France, enjoying cool weather and looking forward to the French convention this weekend.  Kristina Roudiy came to visit us today.

Ken