Gratitude and optimism define the beginning of July. Sweet family and other reunions, the pomp, pageantry, and patriotism of the Fourth of July, the Starvy Creek Bluegrass Festival, and the Vanzant Community Picnic together filled to wonderfully overflowing the first full week. Optimism for what the rest of the month has in store will keep us going. Farmers and gardeners are hoping for rain for their beans and corn. Cucumbers, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and squash are thirsty. That optimism accompanies planning and work.

Extensive planning and work went into the Smithsonian Folklife Festival up in Washington D.C. featuring the Ozarks. Kaitlyn McConnell shared much of the excitement with us through her online blog “Ozarks Alive!” Those of us who do not have computers, most likely have friends and families who do. Ask them to look up Kaitlyn and her blog up on Facebook. She is dedicated to sharing and preserving stories and histories of the area. Marideth Sisco, David Scrivner and the Ozark Highballers were part of the festivities that made the festival a marvelous event, sharing our part of the world with the rest of the world. Back home, the Starvy Creek Bluegrass Festival wound up in Conway on Saturday. If you had been missing your bluegrass friends, that is probably where they were.


Sean McCormick
   
Finley River Boys


Whetstone

Laura Biddick of Wild Care Oklahoma, says, “Turtle racing has an interesting history and is still popular at events and festivals across the Midwest. But animal welfare groups, conservationists, and scientists are concerned about the effects these races have on individual turtles and the species as a whole.” The late Cathy Odneal’s grandchildren and their cousins who participated in Saturday’s race at the picnic were instructed to take their turtles back to the place where they found them so they could resume their normal lives. Some of those critters may be fifty years old.

Backyard Bluegrass Grandson

Friday night’s amazing sunset washed smiles and wonder over the Vanzant Picnic. The enjoyment in seeing old friends and making new ones is the heart of community. Romping little children, delicious picnic food of all kinds, the door prizes, raffles, games, and music made both nights memorable. Remembering the many missing for known and unknown reasons filled conversations. Catching up with everyone’s news, health, number and accomplishments of grandchildren, gardens, road conditions, plans and prospects made lively chatter. Dramatic, billowing clouds dropped just a dribble of drizzle to start things Saturday but did not dampen the spirit of the gathering. David Whetstone flew his drone over the picnic and later connected with the talented Eastern Douglas County Volunteer Fire Department photographer, David Vaughn. Thanks to the Davids, perhaps soon, on one of the Facebook pages or on YouTube, we will have the opportunity to observe the fun we had from the air. We had the joy of continuing the traditional old fashioned summer festivals and the excitement of embracing new technology, all set to the great music of Sean McCormick, Whetstone, Backyard Bluegrass, and the Finley River Boys. We appreciate the good planning and hard work of the EDCVFD for giving us a beautiful picnic. They are East Champions—Looking on the Bright Side!

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