By Ray Collet

The email bag this week brought a lot of comments on David Sliger's rabbit hunting tale and a great response from my annual column about my thoughts on the upcoming winter and the holidays.

A faithful reader, Bill McCuistion had this to say, " I just couldn't pass up replying about the rabbit trap lumber search. As boys, we trapped a lot of rabbits down around Glen Alice. We put screen wire on the back opening, so the rabbit thought it could run out anytime it wanted to. One thing you didn't mention, this apparatus will also catch skunks, snakes, and the like. A big tom cat will skin you alive while your're trying to get it out of the trap, (up your arm, down your back, etc. ). As far as the lumber, we used to walk miles to an old saw mill site, and pick up boards, slabs, etc., for the traps. Also, barn lofts, barn siding, hog pen fences, and gates make good material for rabbit traps." Thanks Bill for the email. About the only thing I could add to that is, "Don't corner something that you know is meaner than you.
My "ole" childhood friend Bill Wilkey and I built rabbit traps. Bill told me one day," I don't know what is wrong with this dad-blame ruler. I sawed that board THREE times and it is still too short." Bill turned out to be one of the best woodworkers and furniture builders in Tennessee. I am sure he got rid of that ruler though.
Sherry Corea Furr REALLY made my day with her email about my winter approaching column. Sherry wrote," Wonderful column. It paints a picture for all of us to remember. Thanks for all of your hard work on these columns. My husband has fussed at me ever since we have been married about not keeping up with the past. I am guilty of that. I have been too busy in the present. Thanks to you, I am beginning to see the value of remembering and sharing those memories. Have a wonderful and blessed Christmas and keep the writing coming." Thanks Sherry for those kinds words.
Ray Holloway forwarded the Rockwood Memories column to a friend of his, Betty Taylor in Comfort Tx. She replied to Ray Holloway," I love this! Who is the Ray that wrote it? I intend to save this. It describes the winter and our feelings about it so perfectly."
Enough about my previous columns and on to some new readers, Here is one from Elizabeth Crow who just discovered "Rockwood Memories". "Ray, I am so grateful to Linda for connecting us to the "Rockwood Memories" columns. I have lived in Alabama since I was 16, but Rockwood is still a part of me. You would remember my family (If not me, Elizabeth Ann Anderson,"Bitsy"). My dad was Bill Anderson who was the office manager of the old blast furnace and I do remember the whole sky being brightened up at night. I believed that they were real pigs jumping and that my Daddy did it just for me. One of my first childhood memories is me standing next to him in his car watching--That was Daddy and Bitsy's time together. My mother was Dorothy Cartwright Anderson, a nurse. My sisters are Martha and Dickie Ruth. We lived on South Wilder. You can be sure we will keep in touch, Tennessee runs through my veins." Thanks Elizabeth and welcome to our ever growing Internet list.
I heard from Sarah Dagnan Moore (Class of '61) this week too. Sarah wrote," Isn't the Tour of Homes Dec. 1 & 2? Thanks for all of your wonderful stories. I was one of those teenagers who worked in the Dime Store. Carolyn Easter McNew and I started working there in the late 50's. We worked Saturdays and Christmas break from school. The candies were wonderful and the popcorn always smelled good. They played beautiful music while we were working. Carolyn worked in the toy department and I in the candy department during Christmas. Margaret Cole was a cashier and I am sure there were others in our class, but I only remember Carolyn and Margaret." Thanks Sarah, it always good to hear from you, as well as all of the other readers. More and more are writing me wanting to know about Rockwood. They have heard of it through friends who are from here. They feel as if they grew up here too, with all of us. In our mind's-eye, we can look back on those days can't we.
In closing, as Gennell and I visit the neighboring towns, none is decorated as pretty as Rockwood. We can all be very proud. Thanks to Rockwood 2000, this is the seventeenth year for our snowflakes and angels. And our Christmas Star atop Mt. Roosevelt is certainly a beautiful sight....Be on your best behavior now, "Ole Santa" stopped by my house earlier today with some "Letters to Santa" written by our local children in 1953 and 1954. Will YOUR'S be in the batch? Tune in next week and find out....Ray