Peeping through my Venetian blind on this last day of June, I saw across the way Clay Clyde Clump, putting up bunting over at Covington Hall, as well as other decorations of red, white, and blue for the Glorious Fourth. The Colonel always has a gathering on July 4 and reads from the “Declaration of Independence.” Miss Cora oversees a picnic of barbecue, corn-on-the-cob, camp stew, lemonade and homemade ice cream. Miss Dora plays patriotic songs such as “America,” “America, the Beautiful,” “God, Bless America,” and “Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean.” Miss Flora oversees Clydie Clump. It’s a grand day and a grand time at the Hall!

June has flown by!

Lynne, Jay and Anna Bay McCord motored to Prattville to celebrate the second birthday of Mary Camden Amos, daughter of Chris and Melissa (McCord) Amos. Of course, there was plenty of attention, too, for Mary Camden’s older brother, Brooks Amos.

Jay and Anna Bay, by the way, brother and sister, were selected as ambassadors (official, campus guides) at Troy University. Congratulations!

Seen at Tabby D.’s for lunch were Willie and Thelma Thomas, Larry DeFilippi, Ophelia Albrittion and her attentive daughter, Emily Hill, both back from a stay at the beach, LeAnn Riley and her children, Ridge and Erin, and Ridge’s friend, Riley Graham, Allan and Nell Wiggle, Myrtice Davis and her daughter, Judy, and their friend, Sherry Watson, Judge “Trippy” McGuire, Marvin and Jeanette Britt, Wade and Gearlon Rogers and their lunchmate, Gayle Weaver, Charlotte Smith and her daughter, Tammy Roberts, Chris and Mary (Adams) Wilson of Dallas, Texas, her mother, Lera Adams, his parents, Roy and Audrey Wilson, Mary’s sister, Lynn, and her husband, Johnny Fuqua, and their daughter-in-law, Lori Fuqua and her children, Judd and Logan. Chris and Mary were on their way home, following a visit to McMinnville, Tenn., to see their son Matt; his wife, Stacey; and their son, Corbin. Matt is a youth minister in the Church of Christ.

Larry Shaw, president of the distinguished Baraca Class of First Baptist Church, sang a solo, “Faith of Our Fathers,” on Fathers’ Day during the Sunday-School assembly. He was accompanied by Martha (James) Givhan, church organist, at the Ann Martin Memorial piano. Larry is not only a father himself, but also a grandfather and now a great-grandfather.

In “big church” on Fathers’ Day at First Baptist all fathers were asked to stand and be recognized. Each was honored by having a Gideons’ Bible placed in his name. Also, the choir loft was filled with men and boys only. They led in worship, directed by Dwight Crigger, minister of music, and sang an anthem. Some members of the all-male choir were provided with buckets as well as sheet music.

Congratulations to the Girl Scouts of America for their 100th birthday.

The celebration of the 200th birthday of Charles Dickens, England’s greatest novelist, continues. It was one of my goals in life to read all of his novels, a goal I rejoice to have reached. Of course, Dickens wrote much more than his novels.

If you didn’t get to visit the Jasmine Hills Gardens above Montgomery but below Wetumpka during June, perhaps you can visit them next June, Lord willing.

This year is the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812. Alabama was the stage for part of that war. Ask your history teacher or parents to tell you about it.

Again, I ask that each citizen of Andalusia join the Covington Historical Society and pay its annual dues of $25 so as to help preserve the history of our county, whether you attend meetings or not. Mail to CHS, P.O. Box 1582, Andalusia, AL 36420.

To commemorate the Sesquicentennial of the War Between the States, let us return to this week 150 years ago.

The siege of Vicksburg, on a bluff above the Mississippi River, continued.

Union General McClellan’s troops pressed on to Richmond, Va., the capital of the Confederacy, which the Federals wanted to capture in their Peninsular Campaign. McClellan’s troops were resisted by Confederate Gen. John Magruder and Gen. Robert E. Lee in a series of engagements known as the Seven Days Campaign – Oak Grove, Mechanicsville, Gaines’s Mill, Garnett’s Farm/Golding’s Farm, Savage Station, White Oak Swamp, and Malvern Hill. The Federals pulled back, leaving Richmond safe for the time.

Congratulations to Voncile Stone for correctly identifying the latest mysterian – Bobby Scott. The new cluegram follows: hard-working, faithful, retired teacher, member of the Class of 1950 of the Andalusia High School, youthful, dedicated, a friend-to-the-end.

Now, gentle reader, allow me to encourage each of us to be in his place of worship this weekend, Lord willing.

Fare thee well.