On June 27, I had the opportunity to volunteer at the Historic House Tour, organized by the Friends of the Wayne County Library.  What an interesting event! Afterwards, as I was driving back to Calkins, I began to consider the possibility of a Calkins area historic house tour. Just think of all the great houses that could be showcased  . . . on Calkins Road, for example, we have a number of wonderful old homes such as Ron and Ingrid Lukan’s, Al Erhardt’s, Doris Bryant’s, Garry and Irma Sheard’s, Elwin Sheard’s, and Ed and Anne Nocera’s home – the former Calkins School.  On Fallsdale Road, there is the home of Ronnie and Bonnie Sheard, the Mike and Vonnie Stone home, and the Mitchko house. Even here on Eighmy Road, we have the homes of George and Bobbie Christianson and Stephen and Lorraine Walker. There is the Noble homestead on Noble Road. And, on Valley Ridge Road, we have the homes of Bill and Debbi Bryant and Steve and Valerie Jachens. This could be quite a tour! ( Apologies to anyone whose older home I have left off this listing.)
June 28th was a very special day for the families of Zack and Kate Bryant and Jay and Emily Montgomery. Their four young children – Caleb and Abraham Bryant and Elyse and Rylan Montgomery – were all baptized.  Dale Wilcox performed the baptisms on Sunday afternoon at the home of Zack and Kate Bryant. Family and friends who were present for this blessed occasion were pleased to witness it!
Another July 4th has come and gone, and there were several celebrations in our “neck of the woods”.  Mike and Vonnie Stone had their entire family with them over the 4th.  Dawn and Jamie Rutherford had a family July 4th party at their home on Kellows Road. On Calkins Road, Judy Warnott had a celebration for family and friends at her house.  And, on July 5th, we had a Bryant family get-together here at the Moser house.
Doris Bryant has recently received a DVD recording the 90th birthday party of her second cousin Ada Lindquist of Hendersonville, NC.  Ada is the niece of Doris’s grandmother, the late Elizabeth Lord of Tyler Hill, a lovely little lady whom some of you might remember.
Ella Mills of Calkins Road who had been suffering from pneumonia is thankfully much improved.
Katie Fisch, daughter of Mike and Kim Fisch and employee of Calkins Creamery, recently graduated with honors from Agora Online Cyber Charter School. Katie plans to pursue a career in nursing. Best wishes to you, Katie!
The Damascus Historical Society recently held a successful yard sale. Thanks to all who supported it.
And just a reminder . .  .a community yard sale will be held on Saturday, July 18, at the Calkins Grange Hall.  All proceeds will go to the Alzheimer’s Association.  Please come out to support this effort.
“Rain, rain go away!”  It has been an especially tough haying season for the local farmers. Bill Bryant tells us that the first cutting of hay is often completed by July 4th or at least “the end is in sight!” Unfortunately, that is far from true this year.  Let’s hope there’s a shift in the weather patterns very soon!
Finally, I am going to use Calkins Chronicles as a sounding board for a subject that concerns me greatly: reckless driving on our local, country roads.  Glenn and I have just had the harrowing experience of nearly being killed as we were driving home on Eighmy Road this morning.  A young woman driving a large reddish pickup came barreling out of Noble Road and came within a fraction of smashing head-on into us; her pickup would have “made mincemeat” out of our car! Not only might we have been mortally injured, but she had at least two small children with her in the truck! We were so stunned that we did not think quickly enough to get a license plate number and the exact make of the truck.  However, young woman, I hope you or someone you know is reading this. Please think twice about driving far too fast and taking up much more than your share of the road the next time you get behind the wheel!
Yesterday while we were at my mother’s house on Calkins Road, we also noticed many drivers speeding by. The fact that there may not be speed limit signs does NOT mean there is no limit to your speed!  Use some common sense (and safety sense!): fifty miles an hour or more on these roads is way too fast! Several years ago, we took it upon ourselves to purchase and post signs on Eighmy Road indicating there was pedestrian traffic – “please slow down”. Someone ripped off one of those signs, and it is apparent from the speed we witness on our road that the other sign is ignored most of the time.
So for this week, I am “chronicling” the craziness of speed on country roads. Of course, it is a fast paced world; everyone is in a rush. But, better to get there late than not at all.  Let’s try to keep it to “twenty-five or maybe thirty-five (NOT fifty-five!) and stay alive.” Please SLOW DOWN and urge your sons, daughters and grandchildren to do the same. Thank you!