Peeping through my Venetian blind, I noticed how many white blooms were to be seen – on the magnolias, the Confederate jasmine, a few crepe myrtles, the ligustrum, some red-tops yet, and the daisies and fleabane.

Tomorrow is Mother’s Day, Lord willing. If you will, as a token of love and respect, wear a red rose if your mother is still living. Wear a white rose if your mother has passed away.

Seen at the Corner Market “deli” were James Bristow, Jimmy and Jeanice Kirkland, Douglas and Frances Castleberry and the Underwoods.

Last Sunday the Corner Market “deli” opened for the first time – on a Sunday. Marilyn plans to be open for lunch Sundays from now on, as well as for lunch on weekdays. The price of a meal includes a drink, dessert, salad bar, and selection of meats and vegetables – “all you can eat.”

I sat at table at the “deli” Sunday with Gordon and Trudy Vickers and Frances Ptomey and enjoyed, in particular, the roast and gravy with potatoes and carrots. The fried bread alone is worth the price of the meal.

I recommend the “deli” to you, gentle reader, for its good cooking, fair price, and bright and clean setting.

Seen at the Huddle House were Mr. and Mrs. Cliff Maddox.

Seen at Larry’s were Johnny and Nelda Godwin.

Martha (James) Givhan, organist for First Baptist (East Three-Notch), played a lively offertory, “In Celebration,” last Sunday morning. The novel ending of the piece drew applause and laughs of delight from the congregation. It cheered the heart!

The members of the distinguished Baraca Sunday School Class at First Baptist (ETN), accompanied by Martha Givhan at the Ann Martin Memorial Piano, sang “Happy Birthday” to Lee Sullivan, 94. Mr. Sullivan spoke briefly to his classmates on the blessing of their friendships.

Gordon Vickers, director of senior adults at First Baptist (ETN), recognized all senior adults in morning worship, May 5, and presented plaques of appreciation to the outstanding senior adults for the past year – Pennye and Ziba Anderson, wife and husband. A standing ovation was given the couple.

The Covington Rifles Camp #1586 of the Sons of Confederate Veterans met the evening of May 2 in the Dixon Memorial of the Andalusia Public Library.

Commander Sir Francis McGowin presided.

“Hank” Roberts, chaplain, worded both invocation and benediction.

Following the pledges to the flags, Larry Shaw led in “Dixie.”

Roberts gave the program on the Battle of Ft. Blakeley, the last major charge of the War Between the States.

He also spoke of the nearby Battle of Spanish Fort and distributed a packet of maps about the battles.

Attending were Derick Davis, Larry Shaw, Sir Francis McGowin, Joe Wingard, Jimmy Cobb, Curtis Hampton Thomasson, “Hank” Roberts, Randy “R” Kelley and John Allen Gantt.

Sonia Crigger, who teaches school in Greenville and serves as pianist at First Baptist (ETN) here in Andalusia, is teaching piano to eight pupils in Greenville and to one here, as well as a voice student.

Seen for the grand opening of the Corner Market “deli” buffet last Sunday were Tommy and Carol Welch, Claude and Marcia Summerlin and their grandson, Ben Parker, Alma Knowles and her sister, Betty Parker, and Betty’s grandson, Matthew, Rogerl and Elaine Reeves, Frances Ptomey, Gordon and Trudy Vickers, Ellen Helms, Charles Jeffcoat, Wayne and Margaret Bennett and his mother, Jenevie Bennett, Robert and Sheila Williams, James Williams and his dad, Wilfred Williams, Sherry Watson and her mother, Rachel Watson, who encouraged us to remember who the King is and that He’s our friend.

This year is the 200th anniversary of the publication of the popular novel by Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice.

Sarah Emily Barefoot, one of the “sweet girl graduates” of the AHS Class of 2013, was given a cupcake-decorating party by her mother, Dana Barefoot, Sat., April 6, at their home on Barefoot Road.

Sarah Emily has been enrolled 13 years in the Andalusia City Schools and is a member of the Usher Club and National Senior Honor Society.

Courtney Finley, a “sweet girl graduate” in the AHS Class of 2013, was honored with a luau, given by her mother, Kantise (Maddox) Finley, Kasey Jeffcoat, and Brandy Holmes Saturday afternoon, May 4, at 1112 Stanley Avenue.

Despite a cold and rainy day, the graduating seniors enjoyed skewers of steak and pineapple, corn on the cob, and fruit salsa. Chief cook was Courtney’s dad, Michael Finley.

For more fun the seniors tried the slip and slide, hula-hoop competition, and limbo.

It was said that Senior Carl Crigger was “the life of the party.”

The girls wore grass skirts, and the boys wore straw hats. All wore leis and received favors of 2013 huggers (koozies).

Courtney is co-captain of the cheerleaders, a Diamond Doll for the baseball team, and a member of the Student Government Association, the chorus, and theater.

Enrolling in the sixth grade, Courtney has been in the ACS for seven years.

Some thirty fellow seniors joined Catherine “Cat” Anne Wofford on Sat., April 20, for a brunch on the patio of 115 South Ridge Road, given by Cat’s parents, Bill and Janet Wofford, and Phyllis Reynolds.

Served were pancakes and sausages, breakfast casserole, a fruit bowl and juice.

The popular game, Corn Hole, was enjoyed.

Cat, her class’s historian, is the first female president of the Key Club. She is also co-editor of the yearbook, the yearbook photographer, and in the student program of the Methodist church.

Another in the series of “Music Around Town,” a community activity sponsored by the City Council, was attended the evening of April 30 in City Hall (once, the Andalusia High School; later, the East Three-Notch Elementary School).

The Ambassadors, 10 seniors and two juniors, dressed smartly, welcomed attendees. Their director is Jerri Stroud, a retired science teacher from AHS.

Under the guidance of Paula Sue Duebelt, choral director of the AHS chorus, accompanied by Sue (Bass) Wilson at the piano, the choruses of AHS sang about eight songs, one of them, a cappella, “I’ll Be Seeing You.”

Mrs. Duebelt and Mrs. Wilson, both in the AHS Class of 1965, volunteered to work with the choral program at AHS rather than let it die from a lack of funds.

Gerry Richards worked the City’s soundboard.

Sitting near me was Jimmy Browder, whose daughter, Jamie, an AHS freshman, was in the chorus.

The 1914 auditorium, where the program was housed, filled with the sound of music. It was the scene of past, high-school graduations and where the AHS “Alma Mater” was first sung in 1928, the year of its composition, dedicated to that class.

When the choir sang “America, the Beautiful,” the audience, as if inspired by a single thought, stood in unison out of respect. It was a deeply felt patriotic moment.

Mrs. Duebelt led next in group singing.

Beth Dean followed with a solo, “The Nearness of You.” Then she and her daughter, Katherine, sang the Hank Williams song, “I Saw the Light.”

Mrs. Duebelt and two friends, Angela Sanders and Ronda Ricks, imitated the Andrews Sisters with “Bugle Boy,” a popular song from World War II.

A skit followed, based on the humor of George Burns and Gracie Allen, played by June and Curtis Simpson and Ralph Ricks and Eric Lidh.

Jeremy Boyd, a freshman, sang “Edelweiss,” accompanied by Mrs. Wilson.

Savannah Ricks, daughter of Ralph and Ronda, and a senior, sang “Bridge over Troubled Waters” to taped music.

The twins, Robert and Madison Copeland, delivered a comical rendition of “Side by Side,” with imaginative choreography.

Angela Sanders sang “Summer Time” to taped music.

“Miss Sue” (Wilson) made a little speech about music in World War II.

Mrs. Duebelt ended the evening by leading in more sing-a-long songs, such as “Good Night, Sweetheart.”

The program lasted about an hour and fifteen minutes.

The celebration of the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 continues.

Again, I ask that each citizen of Andalusia join the Covington Historical Society and pay its annual dues of $25 to help preserve the history of our county, whether you attend meetings or not. Mail to CHS, P. O. Box 1582, Andalusia, AL 36420. Include your e-mail address if you wish to be reminded of upcoming meetings.

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

Southern Gen. “Stonewall” Jackson died May 10 from pneumonia at Guinea’s Station, Va. He had been accidentally shot by his own men and had lost an arm.

If you collect stamps, I suggest the purchase of stamps associated with the War of 1812 and the Sesquicentennial of “the War.”

For the third week the mysterian is the same. What is the name of the residential hill in the area of Watson and Montgomery streets in Andalusia?

Birthdays this week are those of Robert Browning, an English poet who spent much of his life in Italy and wrote poems with Italian themes, husband to the famous poet, Elizabeth Barrett Browning; Johannes Brahms, German composer and pianist, who wrote the famous lullaby; Peter Tchaikovsky, Russian composer and master of memorable melodies; and James Matthew Barrie, Scottish novelist and writer of plays such as Peter Pan.

“The Dimple of Dixie” should be familiar with Tchaikovsky because he composed the ballet, The Nutcracker Suite, performed here during the Christmas season by the students of Meryanne Martin-Murphy.

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

Remember Mother’s Day.

Fare thee well.