Enough rain? Think sunshine and beautiful Bermuda beaches!
Well, we wanted rain. We needed rain. Everything is emerald green now so maybe a day of sunshine would be in order. Wonder if any of our readers were at the Panthers game this past Sunday and received a good bath compliments of Mother Nature. Talk about a downpour!
Sunny skies prevailed for Steedman and Cissi Lyles in Bermuda and rain did not dampen the Davidson birthday celebration for Julius Melton. We report on these two families today in Around Davidson and also have notes about landscaping at our Davidson Post Office, Read Davidson and a weekend concert at Summit.
Wishing Grandpa Julius Melton a Happy Birthday are his two Davidson grandsons: Daniel (left) and Andrew Nielsen
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JULIUS
Happy Birthday, Julius Melton! Julius celebrated his birthday quietly this past Sunday in his apartment at The Pines with his wife, Ann. The day before was his daughter Cambria’s birthday, so it was a busy weekend for the family. Two of their three children live close by: Cambria lives in the McConnell neighborhood of Davidson with her husband, Jeff Nielsen and sons, Daniel and Andrew. Will Melton and his wife, Allison, live in the Wellsley Village neighborhood of Cornelius.
Ann and Julius have lived in Davidson since 1973 where they raised their children, Cambria, Catherine and Will. They moved to The Pines in 2006 and have enjoyed living in the retirement community for the past five years. Their Davidson grandchildren, Daniel (17) and Andrew Nielsen (14), stop by often. Daniel is a junior at Hough High School and playing varsity soccer. The team has a 9-1-1 record this fall and expects to be in the playoffs. Andrew is a 9th grader at Cannon School and running on the varsity cross country team. He also is active in Davidson Boy Scout Troop 58 and just returned from a high adventure weekend near Baden Lake.
Julius and Ann’s other grandchildren live on James Island near Charleston and are the children of Catherine Melton Dockery and her husband, Fred, who also grew up in Davidson, the son of Charles and Amelia Dockery who now call Canada home. Visiting with Julius, we learned that Carlisle
Dockery (16) is a National Merit Finalist at her Charleston magnet school and was also just crowned Homecoming Queen. Younger brother, Evan (12), is an avid soccer player and younger sister, Emma (10) enjoys sports and also plays the viola.
Best birthday wishes to you, Julius – and Cambria as well.
Catching rays while vacationing at Bermuda's Mangrove Bay is Davidsonian Steedman Lyles.
BALMY BERMUDA FOR THE LYLES
A perfect tie-in to report on a vacation week for Cissi and Steedman Lyles who just happened to buy Julius and Ann Melton’s Concord Road home when they sold it some years ago. Having a busy summer without enough beach time, Steedman and Cissi decided to get away to Bermuda this month for some R & R.
Steedman has two cousins who live on the island and it was nice to reconnect with them since he had not traveled to Bermuda in the past three years. They arrived on Sept. 14 just before Tropical Storm Maria blew in the next day and closed the airport. A few rainy days gave them a great chance to catch up with family and when the weather cleared, they enjoyed fishing and snorkeling in the beautiful warm ocean. Non residents are not allowed to have cars so Steedman got around on his scooter with Cissi perched behind him – no doubt hanging on for dear life!
The Lyles returned to Davidson on Sept. 20 with batteries recharged. Their children are all thriving: George as a freshman at Presbyterian College; Betsy at Columbia Seminary in Decatur, Ga., examining a career in ministry; and J.S., in his last year at UNCC.
This forlorn space in front of our post office is just waiting for Davidson 'green thumbs' to step up and help beautify!
POSTAL PLANTS?
Thanks to Carol Robinson who sent us an email about the pitiful, neglected planting in front of our Davidson Post Office – on the parking lot side. Checking with a few residents, we find that many have noticed how shabby that south entrance looks. Our Acting Postmaster, Sheri Cole, says that she welcomes any help with the building’s landscaping. So what to do? Perhaps an Eagle Scout project to spruce up the beds? A Garden Club undertaking? An extension of Community Gardening? An extension of the North Mecklenburg High School Horticulture Club? Service hours for IB students?
One reader commented that it was a toss-up whether to walk by the “rusting hulk” of a statue at the east entrance or the “sorry shrubs” at the south entrance. Surely our town can do better. We welcome your ideas.
NOTEWORTHY NOTES
Read Davidson
ReadDavidson has chosen Kathryn Stockett’s novel, “The Help” for its 2011 “Community Read” book. In the fourth program for the fall, retired Davidson College English Professor Tony Abbott lectured on the book and movie to a large number of Pines’ residents as well as members of the community yesterday in the Davidson Room of the retirement facility. A good discussion followed. Don’t forget that tomorrow evening, Wednesday, Sept. 28, is another chance to hear reader’s views as community members gather at Davidson Presbyterian Church on Depot Street for a panel discussion. The program begins at 7 p.m. It is free and open to the public.
Chris Sekerak Performs
Ready for some great bluegrass music? Come to Summit Coffee this Saturday evening, Oct. 1, from 8-11 to hear our own Chris Sekerak and his ole timey string band play. Chris and his fellow musicians play weekly in Charlotte and are bringing their blue grass to us this weekend. Chris and his wife, Marion, live in Davidson.
Send us your news
Have news for Around Davidson? Write to Brenda Barger at hbarger@bellsouth.net.
